Trowell - "Independence & Self Help"
reformatted in August 2007 from original 2001 pages
All
the pictures were taken with a Kodak DC 280
One of the lesser known facts about the 1951 Festival of Britain
is that the village of Trowell in Nottinghamshire was in fact
the "Festival Village". This fact was acknowledged
almost 50 years after the event with the erection of an obelisk
outside the Parish Hall as part of the millennium celebrations.
Trowell stands astride the main Ilkeston to Nottingham road and
the slogan "Independence and Self Help" typifies t he outlook of the village. Despite the close
proximity of its larger neighbours - Nottingham is less than
six miles away - the village retains a close knit community atmosphere.
There are much more picturesque villages in the country but in
1951 Trowell met all the criteria to justifiably earn the title.
These criteria included being a village environment in an industrial
area together with a progressive outlook.
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Much has changed in the 50 years since the Festival of Britain
but events have proved what a good choice Trowell was. The industry,
most notably Stanton Ironworks which lay within a stone's throw
of the heart of the village, to a great extent has disappeared.
The population of the village however has probably more than
doubled as a large housing estate was built in the latter part
of the century within the Parish boundaries. The increase of
road traffic generally has had an impact on the village whilst
the railway station became one of Dr. Beechings casualities and
has now closed.
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Trowell is now bisected by the M1 motorway and is
probably known only to travellers because of the M1 Service Station
which is on the northern side of the village. A new hostelry
built at the time of the Festival and named after it stands across
the road from the Parish Church of St Helens.
 
Most local people will be aware of the Festival Inn which has
recently undergone a major refurbishment but I wonder how many
will be know of its association with the 1951 event. Despite
its busy location, there are still quiet backwaters within the
village and rural walks are easily found. The bridge over the
Nottingham Canal still exists but the canal has been transformed
into a footpath and nature reserve.
 
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I would like to recommend to you the web site of
St Helens
Church. It contains many photos of the village and also gives
a flavour of village life and activities.
During June 2001, Trowell celebrated the 50th Anniversary
of the Festival of Britain with a number of events. One of the
most popular was a Flower Festival at St Helen's and below are
some images of the wonderful diplay.
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A Festival Remembered
 
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 Decked out with
flags and bunting like a ship ready to set sail, St Helen's Church extended a hand of fellowship
over a sunny weekend in June 2001 as it staged a commemorative
Flower Festival celebrating the 50th Anniversary of being selected
as the Festival Village.
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The path to the Church was graced by a well dressing, all the
more remarkable as it was the first time a work of art of this
type had been attempted by the villagers. It is just another
example of why Trowell earned the title of "Festival Village"
in the first place.
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The "Welcome" and information above has been scanned
from the programme given to visitors to the Flower Festival and
is reproduced with grateful thanks to Church Warden Don Whysall*
who is seen below left with one of the displays in the Church.
Also below are several images depicting the splendour of the
interior of St Helen's during the Festival.
*Don was the Church Warden in 2001 but since then he has moved
on with his wife Revd Joan Whysall who was installed as Priest
in Charge at Christchurch, Cinderhill On May 10th 2006.
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A Community ....
 
... Working Together ...
 
... To The Glory Of God
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