Pakenham History : Pakenham-Village of Two Mills - NR Whitwell

I have attempted to do rather more to generalise and have tried to incorporate several incidents and events not recorded. It is not a history as such, although local history must play its part. Rather, it is a 1980 profile of Pakenham with some personal reflections and photographs, "lest we forget".

The purpose of this book is partly an attempt to raise money for the fabric of our noble parish church of St. Mary, which appears to require enormous sums of money every quinquennial visitation just to maintain it. I sincerely hope that eventually the fabric will allow for a special fund to restore the magnificent bells which hang in the belfry. These ancient bells rang out for the weddings of my daughters, the peal echoing down the street and throughout the parish, but there is now a deathly silence, save for a single occasional tapping.

Bit I hope also that the contents will give our residents a sense of the past and present with some pride of their heritage, because an understanding of their own local history gives people a sense of roots, identity and individuality - a sense of belonging. I hope for this as we move, or are pushed, towards a world of standardisation - a common tongue, a common currency and a desire by bureaucracy to make us all weigh the same and measure the same, with motorways that straighten and smooth out the roads, by-passes that avoid towns and villages - all to cut out differences and singularities and all very efficient but how uninteresting, unromantic and monotonous! Human adjustments do not take place as abruptly as administrative changes, so before central institutions completely change our lives, either by altering our county, district and parish boundaries, or the planning authority tell us just what and where we are not to develop, it is necessary to make a note of what does exist, before yet more changes take place.

I hope I have discovered something out of the records, people and landscape around us that gives the sense of purpose and identity we all wish to maintain. I therefore echo the words of White Kennett, vicar of Ambrosden, Oxfordshire, in 1695:

"I know not how in any course of studies I could have better served my Patron, my people and my successors, than by preserving the memoirs of this Parish."

N.R.W.
June 1984