Fifty members of the Torigni sur Vire Twinning Association spent the weekend April 26th-28th with their English exchange families in Shipston on Stour and surrounding villages. The annual exchange, one year in Shipston the next in Torigni, is now in its thirtieth year. This year there were several families from both sides of the channel who were taking part for the first time.
After brief introductions for the new families and meeting up with old friends for many others it was back home to rest for a while before the evening festivities took place. Everyone met up later at Shipston Rugby Club where they were greeted with drinks and canapés provided by Bev Webb and her hard-working band of helpers. After the welcome speeches everybody enjoyed a pig roast supper and good company. Entertainment was provided by The Three Amigos and those that still had the energy danced the rest of the evening away.
Shipston Twinning Association had arranged a day out in Gloucester on the Saturday but as the French had had a long tiring day previously there was no rush for them to get up in the morning. On arriving in Gloucester there was time for a quick coffee before meeting up at the cathedral where the whole party was split into groups, each one attached to a city guide, with French speaking ones assigned to the French groups. The tour on foot proved to be most interesting and informative.
The groups learned that Gloucester was founded by the Romans under Emperor Nerva Augustus and was known as Colonia Glevum Nervensis. King Edward II who was murdered at nearby Berkeley Castle is buried in the cathedral. Many old houses were pointed out, among which, that of Robert Raikes who had created the first Sunday School in the nearby church of St. Mary de Crypt. He was a benefactor who wanted to help the poor boys of the city to have an education. The Crypt School still exists as an educational establishment in a different part of the city. The famous New Inn built in 1450 was originally a galleried lodging house for pilgrims and it remains a most impressive building today. Some members of the party remembered it as a Berni inn during the 1970s. The groups moved on to the port area, much of which has been tastefully redeveloped. Information about the trade of the port was given and it was explained that the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal ( now the Sharpness canal )had been constructed to avoid the meanderings of the River Severn. Tramways and railways had come to the city during the nineteenth century but there had been one problem for passengers passing through which even Queen Victoria had to face as they were obliged to change trains as Brunel’s broad-gauged Great Western Railway was not compatible with other companies using standard gauge. Arriving back at the cathedral the French and English met up again to view the magnificent building and the wonderful cloisters which in recent times has been one of the locations for the Harry Potter films.
There is a connection between Gloucester and Torigni.
King Henry I’s son Robert, Duke of Gloucester, married the daughter of the baron of Torigni and thus became Baron of Torigni himself. It was he who built the first castle there, more of a fortified construction than the one we know today which was developed by the Matignon family in the 16th century.
Saturday evening and Sunday were spent with the host families. Some were taken out to enjoy the beautiful Cotswold countryside and picturesque villages. Others gathered together for a traditional English roast lunch and some experienced a curry in an Indian restaurant for the first time. Everywhere people got on well with each other and the French were thoroughly delighted with their weekend. Just before their departure on Sunday evening their coach driver got out his guitar for an impromptu sing along. Everyone joined in the choruses and finally a bilingual rendition of Auld Lang Syne was very fitting. Shipstonians will make the return visit next year which also marks the seventieth anniversary of the D-day landings and promises to be a very special occasion with preparations already under way.
If you are interested in getting involved contact us.