Being a Tuesday, I was once again joined by our local historian, Margaret Mills who spent time today looking at the diary entries of one, William Cresswell.

His diaries dating from around 1874 provide a glimpse of the daily lives of himself and his colleagues working in the grounds of Audley End.

Listen again here to what Margaret had to say on this subject: –

We also took a look at the goings on involving a supposedly Christian evangelical group.

Now as this is the subject of an on-going court case, we can’t say too much but it has been claimed that the leader of this cult-like evangelical church group abused his position by sexually assaulting a “staggering number of women from his congregation.”

The court was told that the defendant, who lead a Christian Rock Band, called THE PRESENT TENSE, headed up a “very well-known” and “vibrant” “Nine O’Clock Service” (NOS) in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s.

NOS was so named because their services were held every Sunday at 9pm.

Prosecutors have claimed that the services, which were targeted at younger people, were a world away from the usual Church of England worship, and featured scantily dressed women and a live band – presumably THE PRESENT TENSE!

The group presented itself as a “progressive force for good” involved with the local community, and in environmental concerns.

Indeed it was initially seen as a huge  “success story”.

In later years, however, it has been claimed that any new members wishing to join the group were first vetted  by the congregation and organised into “Discipleship Groups”.

It has also been alleged that the leader of the group, a one time priest, dominated his position to sexually assault a staggering number of women from his congregation.

A homebase team of “attractive women”, wearing lingerie or other revealing clothing, known as “the Lycra Lovelies” or “the Lycra Nuns”, was later established to look after the leader and his family, and ensure that his home was kept spotlessly clean.

I wonder how the collections were handled!

The trial is expected to last around 8 weeks and I for one can’t wait to hear more!

I look forward to the pleasure of your company once again next week,

Scott