Ancient and Modern

Beneath the vaulted splendour of the ancient Guildhall the Rt. Worshipful Lord Mayor of Exeter, Cllr. John Winterbottom hosted a Civic Dinner for Mayors and Chairmen across Devon. Guests were entertained during the meal by the Chamber Choir of St. Margaret's School, Exeter singing from the Minstrel's gallery and the splendid candlelit setting cast a mellow glow invoking the special atmosphere of a Chamber that had absorbed the debates and decisions of elected representatives and past Mayors over 800 years. In fact, Exeter Guildhall is still very much the seat of power for that City and is the oldest Council Chamber in use in the UK. A special guest was Cllr. Duncan Sandys, the Rt. Worshipful, Lord Mayor of Westminster, a grandson of the former Government Minister, Mr. Duncan Sandys. In his speech he recalled those special summers spent in Devon as a child with friends and family. Cllr. Sandys underlined the significance of maintaining the honoured traditions of Mayoralty in a fast changing world and that civic pride and loyalty are still relevant in today's society.