I was woken up by the thunder, and now at 11 a.m. it's still going on now and then, and the rain is still falling. They said it was coming, and it certainly has arrived.

It's just the wrong time for the Pilton Festival, and I hear on the radio that some people are leaving the festival site already, having no shelter left.

But the good weather lasted just long enough for the Housman Society visit to end in blazing sunshine.

It all went off virtually as planned. Richard Clark gave a welcome, and showed us the graves of Laurence Housman and of Roger and Sarah Clark, his great friends, and of other members of the Clark family who were involved with Women's Rights and so were kindred spirits. Both Laurence and Clemence Housman were active in the movement.

Richard was able to show us exactly where Laurence sat at Sunday meetings in the Meeting House, produced some photographs of both the Housmans, alone and with the Clarks, and read an extract from an hilarious story, never published, which Laurence wrote for a brother and his little sister.

We socialised over coffee at The Bear, and enjoyed this episode for so long that the planned stroll around Overleigh did not take place; we were most kindly welcomed by the present owners of Laurence's house, Mr and Mrs Millener, and fed by Mrs Hecks. The greatest excitement came from visiting the wooden summerhouse, called by Laurence 'The Elbow Room' where he did his writing, and from seeing some examples of Clemence's wood carving. People suggested that The Elbow Room should be a listed building. Linda Hart, the Housman Society's Laurence specialist, read a couple of appropriate book extracts about visits to Laurence in his Elbow Room.

We managed to see The Gazebo, mentioned by Laurence in a verse written to Roger Clark, and peer through the hedge at Whitenights, before we had to hurry to the library for a session on Laurence's drawing - the text of the lecture is here, and pictures will follow (D.V.). A fascinating collection of memorabilia was on view - thanks to Odette and Lynne of the library staff - and a good 1984 TV programme on "The Others Housmans" was shown.

In the evening we enjoyed an excellent meal at the Gaskell Room in Millfield, and heard Gerald Symons, the Housmans' great-nephew, tell of his memories of the older generation. Among other matters he explained why a lot of the papers left at Laurence's death went to more distant relatives who put them up for auction. He also told us that an immigrant family in London sponged on Laurence in his extreme old age, reducing him to poverty, which would have been hard on him had his needs not been so very small. He even sold furniture to send money to them. Incidentally, there was a suggestion that these were not the only people to take advantage of his good nature. Someone who acted as chauffeur may (allegedly) have clocked up many more miles in LH's car than Laurence authorised.

Yesterday morning (Thursday) we decamped to Glastonbury, first for a performance in the Assembly Rooms of part of 'The Queen, God bless her!' by Jean Pike (who had to rush off to Pilton to rehearse The Vagina Monologues immediately afterwards) and myself as Disraeli, with Charlie Parsons as the butler; and a selection of Laurence's other writings, which are on line here.

The final activities were not Housman-related, but were enjoyable all the same. Kay Wych put on her engaging and informative performance as Alice, wife of a Flemish weaver. Life for the villagers of Glastonbury before, during and after the Dissolution of the Abbey became vivid before our eyes, and Jim Page became 'Brother James' for a hilarious bread-making interlude. This all took place during a visit to the Abbey ruins. The Housman Society visit ended with an afternoon in Jim Page's childhood home, by the most generous invitation of the present owners. (It is wiser not to broadcast names or places.)

All in all, a most enjoyable and worthwhile visit for the Street Society to host. Thanks to Marion Hicks, Mary Oliver and Ann Webb for all the practical arrangements, meals, visits and so on.