Join us on the third Wednesday of the month (April to October) for our lunchtime series of engaging talks on a variety of subjects.

  • FREE Entry (retiring collection)
  • 45 minutes of talk and conversation
  • A range of visiting speakers
  • Why not grab lunch on High Street and come up to church from 12.30
  • Table provided for lunch
  • More formal seating available
  • Come and relax for a while in the middle of your week

2026 is our second series of these illuminating talks and builds on the success of our “First Wednesdays @ 1” concert series.

  • 15th April – Herbie Renfield ‘Myths of Nelson’s Navy’
  • 20th May – Martin Cawthorne ‘Ross-on-Wye and the Royal Hospital, Chelsea’
  • 17th June – Ken Hartley ‘Global Change / Global Warming: The Tipping Points’
  • 15th July – Martin Firman ‘Hostage – The Power of Connection’ presented by a former policeman and hostage
  • 19th August – Rustie Baker ‘Florence from bookseller’s perspective’
  • 16th September – Gillian White ‘The Great Fire of Warwick’ Very popular Arts Society lecturer
  • 21st October – Paul Cummings ‘History of U.K. Poppy Day’

These events are generously sponsored by The Cambridge Journal of Law, Politics and Art

You can make a donation to our free events here

20th May – Wartime Evacuation – The Royal Hospital Chelsea and Ross-on-Wye

In St Mary’s churchyard is a memorial to 22 Chelsea Pensioners and an Officer of the Royal Hospital Chelsea who died whilst evacuated to Ross-on-Wye during the Second World War. There is also a memorial in Bridstow to other Chelsea Pensioners who died whilst evacuated during the war.

But why were Chelsea Pensioners evacuated to Ross-on-Wye? Were other Chelsea Pensioners evacuated, and if so, where did they go? How long were they here? What happened to those Pensioners who stayed behind in Chelsea?

Martin Cawthorne, author of The Royal Hospital Chelsea at War has worked with the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 2014. Initially working on a project to digitise wartime archives left for decades in an attic at the Royal Hospital, Martin subsequently studied at Oxford University, where he researched the Royal Hospital’s wartime history.

In his talk Martin will describe how the Royal Hospital Chelsea prepared for the Second World War, and what happened to Chelsea Pensioners during the conflict. He will explain the part played by wartime evacuation, and the important role which Ross-on-Wye plays in the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s wartime story.

Martin’s talk aims to place the wartime role of Ross-on-Wye in the context of the broader story of the Royal Hospital Chelsea during the Second World War.