As we put the 2025 Area 22 Calendar together in November of 2024, we pondered the date and location of the 90th Celebration. Mid-summer sounded about right, but where and what were we going to do? Many ideas were considered until “Berkeley Castle” emerged as the front runner. At the time I had never heard of it, but a good sales job by Karen Bryant convinced me this venue could provide what we were looking for, a prestigious location for a one-off event; it was in the calendar!
Ray and Karen put the work in and by March we had a workable plan; exclusive access for a gathering of Aston Martins in the baileys of a medieval castle dating from 1057, followed by champagne and afternoon tea. I am sure the founders of AMOC would have agreed! Of course, as everyone knows, the devil is in the detail and a huge amount of volunteer time came to fruition at noon on Thursday 16 July.
The weather man predicted “heat wave” and he was correct. I stood sweating at the entrance to the castle, welcoming 54 Astons and over 100 members and friends to the celebration. They arrived smiling, cars gleaming in the sunshine, from not only Area 22 but several other Areas in the south of England. Check-In, led by Karen and Teresa in the Castle public car park sorted the cars into four groups, after which in an orderly fashion, a snake of Aston Martins “quietly” (not really) made their way through the streets of Berkeley to enter the castle up the ancient driveway, through two narrow arches to the parking in the outer and inner bailey.
I doubt that William FitzOsbern allowed for Aston Martin parking when he put pen to paper to design his motte and bailey castle shortly after the Norman Conquest. Despite this oversight, Ray, Stuart, Alan and others defied the odds and ninety minutes later 54 cars lay quietly where horses and carts had stood for centuries. Well done team!
Tours of the castle were on the Agenda, and we thank the four guides who took everyone on tortuous 75-minute walks through virtually a thousand years of history. Owned by the Berkeley family since it was built, endless stories of succession, family intrigue, the making of films and even the murder of a King through the insertion of a red-hot poker, were spiced up by tales of sex, booze and debauchery.
With brains reeling from the thoughts of such happenings, it was “time for tea” in the Main Hall. With history weighing heavily upon us, we took our places under the tapestries and paintings of the Berkeleys of yesteryear to be served with champagne … upon which I called for a toast to the “Aston Martin Owners Club, god bless those who drive in her”. Sandwiches, scones with strawberry jam and cream, delicious cakes all accompanied by tea or coffee rolled on for sixty minutes after which the drift away began.
The baileys echoed to the roar of V12 and V8 exhausts as folk began the journey home. By 5.45pm, only my car remained, and as Sandra and I squeezed between the arch of the outer bailey and took down the AMOC feather flag, it was the end of a brilliant day and I was confident in the fact that Area 22 had firmly fulfilled the Founders objective of encouraging social interaction between members
I doubt I shall see the 100th celebration but if I am lucky enough to arrive in my cosmopolitan yellow wheelchair with carbon mudguards, I hope the sweaty Area Rep at the gate will let me in!