2010

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Shropshire Poet and Novelist 1881 - 1927

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Walks	The Mary Webb Society Journal.
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About the Society page:	Selected Bibliography page:
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.....+++++.....+++++ Till - August "Mary Webb Neglected Genius" Exhibition in Stanford.CA. USA------next event-- Sun 25th July A walk in Craven Arms/Stokesay area led by Gordon Dickins. Meet 10:30 for 11am start at Secret Hills Discovery Centre, Craven Arms....

Welcome from Shropshire in the Heart of England.

JOIN THE MARY WEBB SOCIETY TODAY--NEW MEMBERS WELCOME CLICK HERE FOR Membership Details.

See the Guestbook at the bottom of the page and leave us your comments.

Programme of Events.

see also Latest news above PROGRAMME FOR 2010

2010

    Saturday 20th March 2010 Birthday Lunch at Church Rooms, Church Stretton.
    Sat/Sun 15th/18th May AGM Alliance of Literary Societies in Knutsford , hosted by the Gaskell Society.
    Sat/Sun 19th/20th June Summer School at Cockshutt Millennium Hall near Ellesmere.
    *Sun 25th July A walk in Craven Arms/Stokesay area led by Gordon Dickins. Meet 10:30 for 11am start at Secret Hills Discovery Centre, Craven Arms.
    Sat 25th September AGM The Gaskell Arms, Much Wenlock.
    Sat 4th December Christmas Lunch TBA

An exciting new exhibition "Mary Webb neglected genius"

Society member Mary Crawford emailed the Society about her new exhibition.......I opened the exhibition last night to a wonderful, warm audience and am thrilled that the New York Times thought the exhibition fit to write about. My hope is that Mary Webb is now a "not-so-neglected genius." (Time will tell.)

See what the New York times had to say at New York Times

Jack Milner & Rebecca Rainsford

Summer School 19th & 20th June 2010 , Cockshutt Millennium Hall....A North Shropshire Feast for Body and Soul

Colemere

A visit to the north of the county was long overdue and tends to be neglected in favour of the south west as being more commonly recognised as "Mary Webb country" However the connections are there; the meres of Ellesmere being a source of inspiration for "Precious Bane" and the fact that Mary Meredith lived at Stanton-on- the Hine- Heath from 1896-1902. This was an area she loved to explore either by bicycle or by walks along the canal tow path.

Saturday's Programme
Illustrated talk by Gladys Mary Coles entitled "Aspects of Precious Bane"
Lunch
Coach trip to Whittington Castle followed by tea then on to Colemere GMC Aspects of Precious Bane

"Aspects of Precious Bane" by Dr Gladys Mary Coles

Gladys Mary welcomed us to the landscape of "Precious Bane" which was undoubtedly Mary Webb's greatest achievement started in 1923 at the height of her literary career and published in 1924. It was written partly at Grove Cottages, Hampstead and at Lyth Hill. The novel has never been out of print and has been translated into fifteen languages. The novel is set in an early nineteenth century Shropshire landscape with all its accompanying rural practices and folklore. This novel, more than any other echoes the themes in Mary's own life spoken in the first person narrative by Prudence Sarn. The exact location of "Sarn Mere" has always intrigued Mary Webb scholars but it is likely to have been a composite location drawing on aspects of Bomere Pool, Colemere and the Meres District in general. When Mary lived at Lyth Hill she would often sit at the edge of Bomere Pool for hours on end. The wonderfully evocative descriptions of the sights and sounds of the mere in the novel are drawn directly from her close affinity with nature.
The themes of suffering, superstition, love and ruthless ambition combine to make "Precious Bane" a classic of English Literature.
This talk certainly whetted the appetite for a journey into Shropshire's lakeland, the inspiration for the novel.

Whittington Castle and Colemere

After a hearty lunch we set off for Whittington Castle which boasts, "The only castle in England which is community run" Whittington Castle Preservation Trust is a local community - based charitable trust established in 1998 because of fears for the future of the castle. A renovation project has recently been completed and now the Trust is working for the future sustainability of this important hisorical monument. Current activities include guided tours, educational groups and weddings.
Whittington castle is one of a chain of fortresses along the English and Welsh border. It was held by the Marcher Lords and was the base for defence against the Welsh throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, when it became the chief residence of the Fitzwarine family.
We were given a tour around this fascinating site by our very enthusiastic and knowledgable guide, Sue Ellis. This included putting our treasurer, Sue Hotchkiss in the stocks! The Trust has exciting plans for the future and this is a wonderful example of "people power"
After a hearty tea we set off for Colemere, taking in The Mere at Ellesmere and Blakemere.
Colemere is beautiful with its church at one end and farm at the other; it feels right for "Precious Bane" The atmosphere was peaceful with gaps in the trees offering framed views across the water of banks of rushes and families of coots. It was peaceful, that is until the Mary Webb society decided to test out the echo phenomenon of Yell Woods with cries of "Kester, Mary Webb and Gideon". We were rewarded with the haunting echo of "Gideon" from the far side of the mere. There's something very therapeutic about all shouting in unison, but it does get some bemused looks from other visitors.
We returned to Cockshutt where a short while later many of the summer schoolers stayed on for a hearty evening meal at "The Leaking Tap"
There's seems to be a strong emphasis on eating well this year...and rightly so.

Whittington Castle No way to Treat your Treasurer Di, Libby & Jan

Sunday's Programme
Illustrated talk by Judith Clayton on "The Life and Times of Edward German"
Lunch
Illustrated talk by Gordon Dickins "A Writer's Shropshire"

"The Life and Times of Sir Edward German" by Judith Clayton
This is the first time that the society has had a talk about a composer but it was felt to be appropriate given the importance of music in the Meredith household during Mary Webb's childhood.
Sir Edward German was born in Whitchurch in 1872. He was a musician and composer best remembered for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage and as a successor to Arthur Sullivan in the field of English comic opera. He also wrote symphonies, orchestral suites, concert music and a considerable body of songs. German was engaged to finish The Emerald Isle after the death of Arthur Sullivan in 1900, the success of which led to more comic operas including German's popular Merrie England and Tom Jones.
Judith Clayton in her role with The Friends of Whitchurch Heritage helped to set up the Sir Edward German Festival held in Whitchuch every three years.The aim of the festival is to promote local musical talent with internationally renowned musicians for a week long celebration. The Festival attracts high profile names such as Julian Lloyd Webber, The Halle Orchestra and The Band of The Welsh Guards.
As part of the festival in 2006 Gladys Mary Coles was commissioned to write a poem to be set to music for a competition. The winning composition by Honey Smith was performed at the Festival by Choros Amici. This was a wonderful tribute to our president who later read out for us, her beautiful poem The Mere . Sadly we were not able to hear the musical version due to a technical hitch.
In her talk, Judith Clayton drew parallels between Mary Webb and Edward German describing them both as "prophets not accepted in their own land" as neither of them received the recognition they deserved in their own lifetime. Other links were their love of Shropshire and the powerful urge to return to the county at difficult times in their lives. Edward German spent time in contemplation of the Shropshire Meres and Mary Webb also found inspiration there. Sadly they both succombed to health problems and a tendency to reclusion.

After another hearty lunch prepared by our lovely caterers Carol Griffiths and mum we settled down to hear chairman Gordon Dickins talk on "A Writer's Shropshire"
Shropshire's landscape has been the source of inspiration for many writers and poets and continues to be so. Gordon's own love of Shropshire has inspired his beautiful photography and has directed his reading too. His talk was illustrated by his evocative slides showing his tenacity and skill as a photographer to wait for the right light and capture the best image. Some of the writers mentioned in Gordon's Literary guide were; Malcom Saville, E.M Forster, A.E. Housman and Hesba Stretton. More recent writers include; Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters), Barbara Pym and children's writer Sheena Porter.

Sadly all good things come to an end but the abiding memory of this year will be a feast for all.

Birthday Lunch 20th March 2010 at St Lawrence's Parish Centre, Church Stretton
Programme: Talk by our president Dr Gladys Mary Coles entitled "Mary Webb's Literary Friendships"
Lunch and a chance to chat and view the displays
Talk by our guest speaker Edward Storey entitled "Landscape of Childhood"

Chairman Gordon Dickins welcomed 47 members to "Shepwardine" for our first event of the year. A very warm welcome was extended to Donald Meredith, Mary Webb's nephew who had travelled from Italy. Donald is honorary vice president of the society and it is always a joy to see him.
GMC

Pictures 1,Gladys Mary Coles 2, Margaret Austin & Edward Storey 3 Gordon Dickins 4 Donald Meredith, GMC & Edward Storey

"Mary Webb's Literary Friendships" by Gladys Mary Coles
Gladys Mary started by welcoming Edward Storey as her own literary friend and dedicated her talk to him.
Mary Webb had many literary friends in the course of her life which shaped her as a person and as a writer. The first major influence was her father George Edward Meredith who was both her first teacher and mentor. She had access to his library and benefited from his own technical expertise in poetry. He fostered her gifts and she strived to win his approval. Another early influence was her governess Miss Edith Lory who introduced the young Mary Meredith to Shakespeare. The Brontes, Richard Jefferies and Thomas Hardy. Her husband Henry Webb could also be seen as a literary friend as he first became attracted to Mary when they both attended a literary group in Meole Brace when Henry's family moved to the village near Shrewsbury. Theirs was a meeting of minds with Henry having literary ambitions of his own. He was a Cambridge graduate, fluent in seven languages.
When they were fist married Mary and Henry lived at Weston- super-Mare and it was here that Mary became aquainted with Morton Luce, a poet. She was very fond of his collection called "Thyssia" which she used to read at her father's graveside. She wrote enthusiastic reviews for Luce's work in The Bookman. She felt he was a neglected poet.
Henry suggested moving to London to try to increase her profile in literary circles. She had already started writing to Caradoc Evans, a controversial Welsh writer who was to become her closest literary friend when they eventually met in London. Caradoc Evans became editor of TP & Cassells Weekly. He wrote to Mary praising "Golden Arrow" describing it as a "masterly performance" They became great friends and he was able to offer her reviewing work. He also sprang to her defence against the spiteful "Bloomsbury Set" which he called "Spit Venoms" He said that she would be as great as George Eliot. Other major literary friendships were John and Susan Buchan. Susan, Lady Tweedsmuir loved Mary's writing, was a successful writer herself, and wrote the entry about Mary Webb in the Oxford dictionary of National Biography. (Gladys Mary Coles has written the new entry) The Buchans were to visit Mary and Henry at Lyth Hill. John Buchan wrote an introduction to "Gone to Earth" Lady Tweedsmuir mentioned Mary in her memoir "A Writer's Bouquet"
Other literary friends included; Martin Armstrong, Walter De La Mare and Adrian Berry. The move to London certainly widened this circle of friends although Mary always pined for Shropshire. She joined the P.E.N and Tomorrow clubs and the Bookman Circle, all frequented by the writers of the day. Martin Armstrong wrote a review of "Seven for a Secret" and engaged her to do reviews for The Spectator.
Rebecca West perhaps contributed most to Mary's rise to literary fame when in The Times Literary Supplement she declared Mary Webb "a genius" and "the most distinguished writer of our generation". She also proclaimed "Gone to Earth " novel of the year in 1917. Other notable literary friends in London were Lady Cynthia Asquith, private secretary to J.M.Barrie, Arthur St John Adcock, editor of The Bookman and Edwin Pugh.
All of these literary friends recognised her talent and helped to shape Mary Webb's literary career each in their own way.

"Landscape of Childhood" by Edward Storey
Edward Storey was born in Cambridgeshire and much of his writing has been influenced by the Fenland landscape in which he grew up. He has written poetry and stories inspired by the fens and he has brought together legends and superstirions of the fens in "Fen Country Christmas" (1995) He has tutored Arvon Foundation courses, contributed to BBC programmes and written a biography of John Clare "A Right to Song" Following his move to Discoed, Powys,he continues to write and maintain his interest in arts events.
Edward gave a very interesting and thought-provoking talk about childhood and described it as "a secret society which we often forget we once belonged to." It was a time for finding ourselves, developing our imagination and having our own secrets. He quoted from Laurie Lee and Dylan Thomas who both immortalised places through their childhood reminiscences. John Clare was quoted as saying "Every child is an artist, the problem is in keeping the artist when the child grows up" Elizabeth Jennings describes the smell of cooking which often evokes childhood memories. The landscape of our childhood is what makes us what we are today. If only we could retain some of that joy in everyday things, that sense of wonder in something new. Food for thought.....

Annual General Meeting Saturday 26th September 2009 Coalport Village Hall

This event was the first time that the Mary Webb Society has ventured into the Ironbridge gorge. The area is steeped in history with many reminders of its industrial past in iron smelting, coal mining and china making to name but a few of its many industries. The area is a world heritage site run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust with several fantastic museum sites. The must see attraction is of course the world's first cast iron bridge built by Abraham Darby in 1779 over the Severn in Ironbridge.

The business part of the A.G.M. proceeded with reports of a successful year from chairman Gordon Dickins and president Dr Gladys Mary Coles.

Various committee changes took place (see committee updates below) Thanks were extended to retiring officers and a warm welcome extended to the new members.

Chairman Gordon Dickins then delighted us all with a very personal account of his own childhood growing up in Coalport . After lunch we accompanied Gordon on a pleasant walk around Coalport re-visiting his childhood haunts including Coalport railway station. Two railway carriages have now been converted into luxurious holiday lets and are well worth checking out for a weekend break or holiday with a difference.

Saturday 4th July 2009 Lyth Hill

Sharing memories of Lyth Hill Jack Thorne who took "Ladysmock's" Xmas list to the Lyth Hill children

Launch of the Lyth Hill Community Book

Lyth Hill 3

at Bayston Hill Memorial Hall

Glady Mary Coles gave a talk entitled

"Mary Webb at Lyth Hill" later she spoke to several of the locals including "the neighbours children"

A small group of members visited the Toposcope on Lyth Hill until the rains came.

Talking Book....Mary Webb Society member Rachel Lintern of Bristol is to be congratulated for producing a talking book mp3 version of Gone to Earth, you can download each of the 36 chapters at Librivox click the link below. Total run time is approx 9h 40m

http://librivox.org/gone-to-earth-by-mary-webb/

Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make this year's summer school such a rich and memorable occasion. Liz Stamps

Archive of previous years events and Summer Schools

2009|2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

Precious Bane an Interplay Production at Acton Scott Farm Museum 9th May 2009 PB poster

"A Feast for the Senses"
This highly imaginative and energetic performance took place within its own "barn" with the audience seated on two sides. The young cast of only five created an intimate atmosphere involving the audience in every aspect of the action. They truly captured the spirit of Mary Webb's masterpiece but also made it their own. The audience were drawn into the story unfolding all around them in the very small performing area. The central table for instance became a carriage, a boat a ducking stool and a horse. The minimal set and props were cleverly adapted to create the scenes. This performance bombarded the senses as the audience was showered with feathers, corn and water. The music and singing added to the authenticity. The haunting rendition of "Green Gravel" by Tanja Bage as Jancis was particularly moving. The cast moved between characters convincingly and the Shropshire accents were spot on.
Special congratulations must go to Sally Ann Staunton for her beautiful portrayal of Prue whilst having to wear a prosthetic hare-lip. Several society members saw this show and we were all bowled over by the experience.
We hope that they will take up the suggestion of making "Gone to Earth" a future project. I can't praise this performance enough and the beautiful setting of Acton Scott made it an unforgettable experience.
For more information about Interplay, check out their web site www.interplayleeds.co.uk
Liz Stamps

Sally Ann Staunton (Pru)

Sally Ann Staunton as Prue Director Steve Byrne, Cast and Gladys Mary Coles Actors and audience

Walks

FOUR MARY WEBB WALKS IN SHROPSHIRE:-

For online information on the Mary Webb Trails in Shropshire go to http://www.shropshiretourism.info/mary-webb/

Trail One - Meole Brace & Lyth Hill

Trail Two - Wroxeter, Leighton & Much Wenlock

Trail Three - Pulverbatch, Thresholds & The Long Mynd

Trail Four - Pontesbury, Lordshill & The Stiperstones

There are maps showing the four walks with shuttle services and accomodation leaflets available

click on http://www.shrewsburytourism.co.uk/brochure_request/brochure_request.cfm

to obtain the leaflet "The Magic of Shropshire with Mary Webb" by post.

Scholars and researchers will appreciate the link to the West Midlands Literature Collection. This is a comprehensive site that includes Mary Webb's books and poems as complete e-text in xhtml format and is free of charge to read or download and is ideal for cut and paste and find etc. Each works has an introduction by Gladys Mary Coles.

Remember Copyright does exist and must be acknowledged. see the Links section below

The Society would apprecite it if you have found our web site useful to make a contribution to its funds by joining the Mary Webb Society, to enable us to continue to spread the words of Mary Webb.

A new book examines film and landscape

A University of Wolverhampton Film Studies lecturer has had a new book published, looking at wartime films.

Neo-Romantic Landscapes: An Aesthetic Approach to the Films of Powell and Pressburge, by Stella Hockenhull, examines the 1940s films of Powell and Pressburger, focusing on their use of landscape.

The book looks at the films in their historical and cultural context, notably Neo-Romanticism.

A chapter of the book is devoted to a Mary Webb adaptation of Gone to Earth, a poignant story of a country girl, set in a remote area of the Shropshire border hills.

Other films analysed include A Canterbury Tale, I Know Where I'm Going and Black Narcissus.

The book is available for sale from the Amazon website – www.amazon.co.uk

new link for Lyth Hill Community Heritage Project...see LINKS

Exhibition of MW at the Guildhall Much Wenlock

A permanent display case features the Life of MW in and around Much Wenlock. The display board is of a very high quality and we must thank Jonathan Moor, the curator for his enthusiasm and support for the project. The panel was designed by Liz Stamps and produced by David Salter, design team, Shropshire County Council. The display case is a permanent feature. Do go and see it.

If anyone has any news please email details to

Officers of the Society

President : Dr Gladys Mary Coles M.A. GMC-hat

38 York Avenue

West Kirby

The Wirral

Merseyside

CH48 3JF

0151 6259128

Vice President & Chairman : Gordon Dickins

Hon Vice President : Donald Meredith (Nephew of Mary Webb)

Meet The Committee

Gordon Dickins Liz Sue Hotchkiss Sue Higginbotham Muriel Elaine Hansen Frances Nicholls David Probert Wynford Wyke

Gordon Liz Sue Sue Muriel Elaine Frances David Wynford

Chairman: Gordon Dickins

Vice Chairman and Membership Secretary: Liz Stamps

Treasurer: Sue Hotchkiss

Secretary: Sue Higginbotham (E-mail)suehigginbotham@yahoo.co.uk

Committee:

Muriel Furbank

Elaine Hansen

Marion Lowe

Frances Nicholls

David Probert

Pat Spilsbury

Wynford Wyke

Alliance of Literary Societies Representative : Wynford Wyke

Archivists: Maureen Tarbuck & Katherine Cates

Membership Details

· · Annual Member £11.00 (new rates 2008)

· · Joint Annual Member £14.00

· · Single Overseas £14.00

· · Joint overseas £16.00

Cheques to be made payable to :- The Mary Webb Society.

The Mary Webb Society.

Mrs Liz Stamps

15 Yew Tree Road

Madeley

Telford

Shropshire

TF7 5TE

ENGLAND

Ring Liz on 01952 419078 or e-mail at

The Mary Webb Society Journal. (Editor Gladys Mary Coles)

Issue No. 1 1995 (1995 Headland Publications) Priced 3 Pounds (USA $9) .
Make Cheques payable to Mary Webb Society (address as for membership above) Selected Contents include:-

Gone to Earth the novel and the film..... Mary Webb & Roman Shropshire.

Memories of the Webbs of Ironbridge...Rowland Hilder OBE.

Issue No. 2 1996 (1995 Headland Publications) Priced 3 Pounds

Selected contents include:-

Living at "Roseville"... Mary Webb and Weston-Super-Mare...

Summer School......... Shropshire Dialect words used...

Issue No. 3 1997 (Headland) Priced 3 Pounds

Contents include:- Poems by the Mary Webb School, Shrewsbury.
Dialect expressions. Much Wenlock and Mary Webb.
Letters from America. Webb on the WEB

Issue 4 1998/9
Contents Include:- Mary Webb and Sheila Kaye-Smith Kindred Spirits?...Brian Graebe.
Traditional formulas in Precious Bane.....Dr J.B.Smith.
To Henry Webb (poem).......Dr GM Coles.
Underground at Snailbeach.....Chris Richards.
Report from Mary Webb school year 10 pupils and other young writers.
Tributes to Peter Mastin. .

Issue 5 1999/2000. Contents include -
Mary Webb, Trees & Adrian Bury .....Colin Neville
Mary Webb's London......Norman Davies
Appointed Journey..........Amy Griffin Ouchley (USA)
The Plaque ....................Sue Higginbotham
Memories of Harcourt Manor ..Sue Roberts

Issue 6 2001/2002. --------OUT NOW--------
Contents include-
Discovering Mary Webb ..........Kenneth Downward
Shropshire and the Pull of the Western Hills.....Patrick H. Stewart Haworth
Remembering Gillian.................Margaret Austin
Much Wenlock Festival ............Helen Bray
Tributes to Ian Meredith & Raymond Poynton .........Gladys Mary Coles
Price £3.50

* New issue out now (June 08)

About the Society.

The Mary Webb Society was established at a public meeting at Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, England in 1972. Its aims are:

To honour the memory of Mary Webb.

To further the reading and appreciation of her works.

To liaise with other organisations.

To foster appreciation of the Mary Webb Country.

To encourage scholarship and education in the spirit of Mary Webb.

The society attracts members from throughout the UK and overseas who are devoted to the literature of Mary Webb and appreciate the Shropshire scene which was so essential to the author's creative spirit. At present there are 160 members (Oct-01).

The committee plans a programme of about four events a year. These always include a birthday lunch, and a two-day summer school which includes lectures, tours and entertainment.

Events are held at various Shropshire locations related to the life and literature of Mary Webb.

The AGM is held each year in September.

The society has a rota for placing fresh flowers on Mary Webb's grave at Shrewsbury Cemetery each month.

LOTTERY GRANT

The Society has been awarded a grant from the lottery fund to develop an educational project. An education pack has now been produced for schools, further education and libraries. It includes study notes on Precious Bane and Gone to Earth in addition to articles on the landscape, folklore and dialect of Mary Webb

Other special events have included, the planting of a Mary Webb rose in the garden of Leighton Lodge, Mary's birthplace in March 1993, and the commissioning of a plaque depicting the Mary Webb countryside to commemorate the society's affection for its late founder chairman, Dennis Pursell.

The society has also compiled a Mary Webb archive from information previously held by individual members. This archive now has a permanent home at Shrewsbury Library, and can be viewed by request.

Newsletters are sent out periodically as well as details of forthcoming events.

The society is affiliated to The Alliance of Literary Societies. In 1997 the Mary Webb society hosted the A.G.M. in Birmingham

The society is proud to have as its president, Dr Gladys Mary Coles, author of the Flower of Light, The definitive biography of Mary Webb, as well as other works on Mary Webb and her own extensive writing and poetry. Dr Coles is available to lecture to other literary societies and interested groups.

Biographical Notes.

Mary Webb was born Gladys Mary Meredith on March 25th 1881 at Leighton Lodge, Leighton, a village south of Shrewsbury. Her father, George Edward Meredith was a teacher and became a great influence in her life. She shared his love of literature and of the countryside. The Celtic influence of her parentage was strong. Her father was proud of his Welsh descent. Her mother, Sarah Alice Scott was from an Edinburgh family reputedly connected with Sir Walter Scott. Mary was the eldest of six children and her earliest writing consisted of plays and stories to amuse her brothers and sisters. The young Mary loved to explore the local countryside and was fascinated by the wonders of the natural world. She developed an extraordinary perception for minute detail in nature and this is reflected in the richness of her poetry and prose. At the age of twenty she developed a thyroid disorder, which was to cause her ill health for much of her life and lead to her premature death. She became very self-conscious due to the disfiguring features of the disease and began to retreat into her own solitary world. At the age of twenty one, Mary was writing essays and poems with nature as the main theme (published in 1917 as The Spring of Joy). In 1910 Mary met Henry Webb, a teacher who shared her interest in writing. They married in 1912. She and Henry first lived in Weston-super-Mare, but Mary was never really happy living away from Shropshire with which she felt a spiritual bond. At this time she began her first novel, The Golden Arrow, based in the Church Stretton area. The Webbs returned to Shropshire in 1914 where Mary completed The Golden Arrow (published 1916). Mary's second novel, Gone To Earth, from which a film was later made, was written in response to her sadness at the cruelty of war. In 1917 Henry secured a job at the Priory School in Shrewsbury and Mary was able to realise a dream when they acquired a small bungalow at Lyth Hill called Spring Cottage. She loved Lyth Hill and would spend hours in quiet meditation of her surroundings, gathering information to include in later novels or poems. It was here Mary wrote The House in Dormer Forest in 1920 and many of her poems. In 1921 Mary and Henry moved to London in the hope that she would receive more literary recognition. Although pining for her native Shropshire, she completed her forth novel, Seven For A Secret in 1922, set in the borderland of South West Shropshire. Also, whilst in London she wrote her most famous novel, Precious Bane in 1924. This, like her other novels, is rich in folk lore and humour, with beautifully drawn characters. For this work she was awarded the Prix Femina Vie Heureuse. This confirmed the opinion of her admirers in the literary world that "Mary Webb is a Genius"(Rebecca West). However the general public had not as yet discovered her. In 1927 Mary's health was deteriorating, her marriage was failing and she returned to Shropshire alone. Her final novel Armour Wherin He Trusted remained unfinished. She died at St Leonards on Sea at the age of forty six. Although her literary output was comparatively small she leaves a rich legacy of intense creativity and natural mysticism. Posthumous success came in 1928 when the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin acclaimed her work, which was then gathered and published in successive editions by Jonathan Cape. "Her relevance as a writer is increasing, and the truths she expresses, her reverence for the natural environment and perception of it, are particularly valuable to the late twentieth century".(Mary Webb, Gladys Mary Coles, Seren Books 1990).

Review

Webb, Mary. Gone to Earth, Dial Press, original copyright 1917 by E.P.Dutton. Reminiscent of Thomas Hardy but with a rawer, more passionate and emotional edge to her writing, Mary Webb tells the story of Hazel Woodus, a Shropshire girl more at one with nature than with humanity and its veneer of "civilization. "Hazel, like nature itself, is inevitably destroyed by the misunderstanding and arrogance of society's rules and mores as two very different men -- a pastor and a crude and sensual member of the gentry -- try to "take dominion" over her. Melodramatic and lush in description, it challenges you to think about the nature and values of society vs. nature. They just don't write them like this any more and I think that is a tragedy in its own right.[copyright Jacqueline Haun]

Desert Island Books:

Richard Pierce of the Bath Literary Society chose Gone to Earth. The vitality of old England meeting insurgent Welsh border country is found in "Gone to Earth". The primrose path to seduction is free of clichés here, and Squire Reddin, Vessons, Sally Haggard and Hazel burn with life. The Under Hall of Reddin recalls Poe's "House of Usher" and there is horror, guilt, poetry and the music of lost time. On a desert island "Gone to Earth" would recall an England now dying thro' concrete, car exhausts and spy cameras.

The following plot synopsis of the film "Gone to Earth" is used with permission from James Howard. From his book 'Michael Powell',Published by BT Batsford 1996.

...

1897. Shropshire girl Hazel Woodus lives with her father Abel and Foxy, a half tame fox rescued from the hated foxhounds, her life ruled by the superstitions of her dead mother. Walking late one night, she believes herself pursued by the 'Black Huntsman' and accepts a lift from Squire Reddin who takes her to his home at Undern Manor and attempts to seduce her. Hazel escapes with the help of the squire's manservant Andrew Vessons. After meeting Hazel at the local fair,new minister Edward Marston proposes to her. Having vowed to marry the first man who asks her, Hazel accepts. An infatuated Reddin begs that she marry him instead but she cannot break her word, and the wedding takes place. Reddin haunts Hazel until, guided by her mother's book of spells, she secretly meets him and returns to Undern as his mistress. Edward arrives to reclaim his bride and during the violent quarrel Reddin - himself a hunter-threatens to harm Foxy. Hazel is repulsed and returns with Edward. When a delegation of church elders demand that he turn his unfaithful wife out, Edward decides to leave the church and start afresh. Meanwhile Hazel, hearing the local hunt in the adjoining fields, rescues Foxy but is herself pursued by the hounds. Reddin follows, trying to lift her out of the hounds reach but Hazel refuses to drop the fox in the path of the dogs. Edward races to meet her as she approaches the house, but midway she and Foxy plunge to their deaths in an open, disused mineshaft: as the call from the hunt leader echoes across the fields: 'Gone To Earth'. Gone to Earth was released in the UK to mixed reviews- New Statesman dismissed it as 'the worst bit of kitsch its makers have yet produced' - and Selznick announced plans the following March to reshoot the film for American release, partly, it was claimed, to satisfy the US censors, but mainly 'to improve the picture' which would be retitled Gipsy Blood. Although Powell was approached to direct the new sequences, Christopher Challis says,'Micky didn't want anything to do with it', which placed the cameraman in a quandary when invited to go to Hollywood for the reshooting. 'I talked to Michael and Emeric', he says,'and asked, "What am I going to do? Isn't it disloyal if I go?" but they said" Well we'd much rather you did because at least there'd be somebody there to make sure it looks the same if nothing else". Rouben Mamoulian directed the new footage while, as Challis recalls,' tremendous arguments about the script caused a lot of reshooting- pretty well the whole of the end sequence and additional scenes too'. Selznick eventually discarded all but 35 minutes of Gone to Earth, even eliminating some characters altogether until - with yet another new title, The Wild Heart, and running at only 82minutes- it was finally released in May 1952. This version differs from Gone to Earth by the addition of a spoken prologue (by Joseph Cotten)-a typical Selznick device-and a few non-essential plotlines, but loses much of the poetic imagery and mystical quality of Powell and Pressburger's version. Pam Cook, in a 1986 Monthly Film Bulletin, asserted that 'Jennifer Jones' utterly convincing performance as the complex and divided heroine...is transformed in the reshot sequences into a virtual reprise of Pearl's steaming sensuality in Duel in the Sun'. Despite his undeniable reputation as a quality film maker, the ever-meddling Selznick was sorely lacking in terms of subtlety when preparing a screenplay, milking dialogue from literary works for the sake of 'authenticity' at the expense of the overall spirit of the piece. This clumsy, verbose approach is apparent even in his masterpiece Gone with the Wind. Powell's direction of Gone to Earth, aided by the handsome camera work of Christopher Challis and Freddie Francis, made prologues and explanatory titles wholly unnecessary. Despite Seiznick's efforts, The Wild Heart failed with US audiences although, perversely, this version was released in the UK on home video in 1980, with the original unavailable until the NFA's glorious new print was seen at the 1985 London Film Festival. Gone to Earth was finally recognised as one of The Archers' most beautiful movies with stunning photography, superb performances and a terrific, evocative music score by Brian Easdale. In 1971 Powell considered the picture a disaster.. except for Jennifer's performance which I thought was absolutely wonderful', feeling that they had 'never licked the script...it is doubtful if Mary Webb can be licked.

A video is currently available (seen in Shropshire tourist offices).

"Hollywood Comes to Shropshire" 75 mins

Salisbury Media Productions, in which local film extras from Gone to Earth tell their stories, and locations used in the original film are revisited.

Now available from (amazon.co.uk) is the Video and DVD of the Film : Gone to Earth.

-Feature from IN BRITAIN magazine (Aug 2000)

Shropshire Webb Site by Malcolm Pratt

Click this link...... In Britain

Interview with Gladys Mary Coles...Click here

A Bouquet of Emotion. Interview with Gladys Mary Coles by Amanda Gillies

Selected Bibliography books

The Works of Mary Webb

The Golden Arrow (1916 Constable)

The Spring of Joy (1917 J.M.Dent)

Gone to Earth (1917 Constable)

The House in Dormer Forest (1920 Hutchinson)

Seven for a Secret (1922 Hutchinson)

Precious Bane (1924 Cape)

Armour wherein he Trusted (1929 Cape)

Poems & the Spring of Joy (1928 Cape)

Fifty-One Poems (1946 Cape)

A Mary Webb Anthology (1939 Cape) Edited by Henry B L Webb

The Essential Mary Webb (1949 Cape) Edited by Martin Armstrong

Mary Webb : Collected Prose & Poems (1977 Wildings) Edited by Gladys Mary Coles

Mary Webb Selected Poems (1981 Headland) Edited by Gladys Mary Coles

Works on Mary Webb

The Shropshire of Mary Webb (1930 Palmer) W Reid Chappell

Mary Webb a Short Study (1931 Palmer) Hilda L Addison

Mary Webb her Life & Work (1932 Cape) Thomas Moult

The Shropshire Haunts of Mary Webb (1948 Wildings) W Byford-Jones

Goodbye to Morning (1964 Wildings) Dorothy P H Wrenn

The Flower of Light. The definitive biography of Mary Webb (1978 Duckworth) Gladys Mary Coles

Daughters & Lovers (1986 Wesleyan) Michele Aina Barale

Mary Webb (1990 Seren) Gladys Mary Coles

Available now The Flower of Light [Headland] (New Paperback Edition) a biography of Mary Webb (1998 ) Gladys Mary Coles.Members of the society can purchase this book at the special price of 12 Pounds + 50 Pence postage USA $30. Send your order to : Headland Publications, 38 York Av, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside. L48 3JF. NB NORMAL PRICE IS 14.95 Pounds. ... Also the Society Journal is available from this address.

BOOK SOURCES books

A good selection of Mary Webb novels and biographies always available from Colin Neville (Society member) at the address below

Woodbine Books

3 Bradley Drive

Silsden

West Yorkshire

BD20 9LU

Tel. 01274 824759 or check out his web site Woodbine Books

e-mail woodbine@blueyonder.co.uk

Virago Books for NEW copies of Precious Bane & Gone to Earth

Gone to Earth video/dvd cover ***"Gone to Earth" ***digitally re-mastered Technicolour version . Starring Jennifer Jones is now available on DVD and Video by The Film Collection, PT VIDEO (www.pearsontv.com) Only UK/European versions for Pal videos and Zone 2 DVD appear to be available.

The DVD is very good, and includes many extra features including behind the scenes footage.

Shop around on the internet for thebest prices.

NB Precious Bane is NOT available commercially anywhere. Only personal copies of the TV series exist.See our guestbook below for help.

Links and Blogs

Blogs featuring Mary Webb (*New feature)

Guardian book blog
Beattie's book blog
Wikio Mary Webb blog
Codlins and cream


The Alliance of Literary Societies	English Literature
SearchableFilmDatabase	Britmovie(search Gone to Earth)
Mary Webb Quotes	Virago Books
Audio Book winner	West Midlands Literature Collection e-text in full
Thresholds Centre	Stiperstones/Bog visitor centre
Shropshire Tourism	Elizabeth Goudge
Lyth Hill Community Heritage Project	Shropshire Secret Hills

Precious Bane Quotations

"It made me gladsome to be getting some education, it being like a big window opening."

"Saddle your dreams afore you ride 'em."

"The more anybody wants a thing, the more they do think others want it."

"When you dwell in a house you mislike, you will look out of a window a deal more than those that are content with their dwelling."

After seeing the BBC adaptation of "Precious Bane" this month I went in search of one of the scenes from the film.

Film Location The weaver

"Kester Woodseaves is your friend 'til time stops." a bit like Mary Webb really...

The dog fight/bull baiting scene was at Berrington Manor (1658), 3m S.E. of Shrewsbury.The churchyard scenes showing Pru as a child are opposite at All Saints church.

Many thanks to our member Norman Davies for pointing out that Sarn Mere (based on Bomere pool)was filmed at Alkmund park pool between Berwick and Crossgreen 2.5m NNW of Shrewsbury, Check this very interesting
link " A Guide to Shropshire by Michael Raven" available at the Bog visitor centre £20..see below.

The following 7 photos taken during the filming of Precious Bane at Berrington Manor (many thanks to the kind lady and son that provided these photos )
crafty fag

To see 'Gone to Earth' film....Production still shots from BFI Screen online.

link* Remembering the filming of "Gone to Earth" from the local paper Shropshire Star 2002

link* For a web site full of images of the film " Gone to Earth " visit the Powell & Pressburger site

link* Copies of the DVD "Gone to Earth" (£10 June 08) are available at The Bog visitor centre just below the Stiperstones

link* Geology in Shropshire
link* The Dragonfly Society
also check out Youtube.com for Precious Bane TV adaptation clips

Take time to look at the University of North Texas , Mary Webb Collection ...some fascinating items UoNT Mary Webb Collection

What to do & Where to Stay in Shropshire.

Check online at

'Shropshire Tourism - the definitive tourist information guide for Shropshire' http://www.shropshiretourism.info/mary-webb/

Accomodation:

Lyth Hill: Orwell House www.orwellhouse.co.uk

Lyth Hill House click here http://www.lythhillhouse.com

Precious Bane Mary Gone to Earth

The Mary Webb Society Home Page is maintained and updated

by Jim Stamps. Your Webb weaver

If you need or have further information, e-mail Liz or Jim, image of JS

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Mary Webb Portrait Letter

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