THE last meeting of the season was the AGM, followed by a fascinating talk with slides by author Gordon Ottewell on "Cotswold Curiosities."

Mr Ottewell took the audience on a journey through the Cotswolds, beginning at Cheltenham from where on Leckhampton Hill, overlooking the town, can be seen the 200-year-old "Devil's Chimney," now surrounded by a fence to protect it from enthusiastic climbers.

The journey continued to Churchill, where a stone memorial to William Smith, the father of British Geology, can be seen on the village green.

It was here too that Warren Hastings was born and dreamt of regaining the family fortunes, in which he was eventually successful.

Onward to Belas Knap above Winchcombe, the prehistoric long barrow with a false portal and containing some 30 bodies, to the Rollright Stones, Beckbury's Iron Age camp which has never been excavated, and to Hailes Abbey, where we find Cromwell's Tump.

Thomas Cromwell is reputed to have had this built as a seat, from which he was able to watch the demolition of the Abbey.

The noble gateway at Stanway is attributed to Inigo Jones, built by the master masons Strongs of Burford.

Through Weston-sub-Edge, where there was once a home of the Giffards, a curious 18th century double-decker tomb in the churchyard at Shipston-under-Wychwood, to Coberley where Dick Whittington was born and was a great benefactor to the village.

The audience was entertained by ghost stories and tales of Royalists v Roundheads occupying the only castle in the Cotswolds, at Beverstone, near Tetbury.

Slides of stocks with seven holes at Winchcombe and spectacle stocks at Painswick, the Lockup at Northleach, the Round House build for lock keepers and many more curiosities in stone were explored.

Mr Ottewell was thanked by the chairman Harry Hodgson for his interesting and informative talk.

The new season of lectures begins on March 21 with a talk by Andrew McLaren, of Coughton Court, on "The Marketing of Coughton Court."

New members and visitors are always welcome.

For more details, call Anne Fox on 01789 400182.