Millennium Plantings

On 19 November 2000 an oak sapling from the Mosley Oak was planted in the Hall Grounds by Phyl Close the eldest resident and Alice Paul the youngest.

Saturday 11 November - Following the Act of Remembrance at St Mary's Lychgate War Memorial at 11am the large crowd made its way to the nearby Croft where Mrs Joy MacKechnie, a Rolleston resident and descendant of the Higgot family (originally Agard or Adgot c1200), one of the oldest families in the area, planted a tree (a seedling from the 'Mosley Oak', planted in the Hall Grounds by Sir Oswald Mosley - the John Bull depicted on the village sign - in 1900).

Rolleston on Dove Millennium Committee chairman, Tom Martin and Joy MacKechnie planting the oak tree on the Croft.

This was followed by the planting of a (very small!) yew tree - one of many cuttings from a 2,000 year old tree - in the churchyard by the Rev Lyn Houghton, and dedicated by the Rev Ian Whitehead.

On 13 November, 10 am, John of Rolleston Primary School and many interested Rollestonians assembled on the Croft to bury a time capsule containing a variety of items chosen by the pupils, including photographs of pupils, a set of Millennium stamps and a copy of the Burton Mail. Headmaster George Arblaster said the burial, one of the last events marking the village's Millennium celebrations, was "a touch spooky." Each child threw a handful of gravel onto the capsule before it was buried beneath a slab of concrete. The capsule, mentioned in church records, will be unearthed in 50 years' time.

Pictured at the ceremony, are (back, l-r) The Rev Ian Whitehead, Tom Martin, chairman of the Rolleston Millennium Committee, and church councillor John Marshall with (centre, l-r) Hannah Byatt and Daniel Salisbury and (front, l-r) Sarah Riley and Joseph Docksey.

Plaques were placed on the churchyard wall commemorating the events, wording as follows:

Plaque one: For the third Millennium of Jesus Christ this Yew Tree taken from a 2000 year-old yew was planted for the community of faith in Rolleston by Rev Lyn Houghton, Methodist minister and dedicated by Rev Ian Whitehead, rector 11th November 2000.

Plaque two: (as photo) The oak tree opposite this plaque was planted on 11th November 2000 by Mrs Joy MacKechnie. Born 1913. A member of the long-established Higgott family. This tree is a seedling of the "Mosley oak" growing in the hall grounds and planted by Sir Oswald Mosley in 1900. It is our hope that a further seedling will be planted in the year 2100 to celebrate the continuation of our community. Rolleston on Dove Millennium Committee.

Plaque three: The time capsule near this plaque was filled and buried by pupils of John of Rolleston Primary School on 13th November 2000. The capsule is to be opened in the year 2050 to remind those present at the burial of their interests and expectations at that time.

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Last updated: 25 December 2000