Celebrating the Millennium in Dorney Parish

The year 2000 brought a wave of excitement and community spirit to Dorney Parish, as residents embraced the opportunity to mark the new millennium:

• Millennium Week: The highlight of the year was undoubtedly Dorney Millennium Week, a ten-day extravaganza held from June 16th to 25th. The meticulously planned event featured a wide array of activities, designed to appeal to all ages and interests:
  • Historical Exhibition: A popular attraction was the "Dorney Thru' The Years" exhibition at the Village Hall, showcasing photographs, documents, and artifacts that brought the parish's history to life. The exhibition aimed to engage both longtime residents and newcomers, offering a glimpse into Dorney's past and its evolution over time.
  • Social Gatherings: Millennium Week provided ample opportunities for residents to socialise and celebrate together. Events included a pig roast sponsored by Eton Aggregates, a barbecue and dance organised by the Dorney & District Horticultural Society, and an "Evening at Dorney Court" with stalls and entertainment for families.
  • Commemorative Projects: The Parish Council also spearheaded several initiatives to create lasting reminders of the millennium, including:
    • The publication of a Millennium Map, featuring illustrations by local artists.
    • The creation of a village history booklet.
    • The presentation of Millennium Mugs to all young residents under 18.

Dorney Parish News Editorial July 2000

The Dorney Millennium Week was a great success, thanks not only to those who organized it, but also to all who attended and participated in the many events.

The ten days fostered a real community spirit: from the evening at Dorney Court, the Supper & Wine Tasting at The Boathouse, the DDHS Barbecue & Dance, to the Family Fun Day. It has been a very congenial and happy summer interlude.

Throughout it all the Flower Festival flourished at St. James the Less. The church was a perfect setting for all the wonderful arrangements where one could admire the perfection of each exhibit and the artistry of the exhibitors. We thank the organizer, Mrs. Elizabeth Legge, and all the ladies and Blooms of Bressingham for creating such inspirational floral beauty for us all to enjoy.

The week-long Dorney Exhibition, with its various talks and demonstrations, was a tribute to the organizing skills of Joy Richmond, Jean Tyler and Peter Bowman and to the many contributors whose photographs, maps, archive material and personal recollections gave substance to our village history, both ancient and relatively new. For me, and I am sure for many others, the not so old photographs and accounts recalled many happy occasions and memories of half-forgotten friends and village personalities.

This exhibition will be preserved and added to and restaged at significant intervals in the future.

Remember that the official Millennium Map and the Millennium Booklet are on sale, lasting reminders of Dorney at the beginning of this new century.

Sincere thanks to Jean Tyler

The late Jean Tyler carefully curated and preserved the many exhibition boards that provided the exhibition - having researched much of the content herself. Following her passing, the boards were donated to Dorney History. We carefully deconstructed the boards and scanned all of the content and photographs which are shown below in searchable PDF files and are now available online:

Work in Progress