Community newspaper for 10 North Norfolk villages - Bale, Binham, Cockthorpe, Field Dalling, Gunthorpe, Langham, Morston, Saxlingham, Sharrington, Stiffkey
LOCAL LYNX FEBRUARY & MARCH 2006 ISSUE 46 BALE - BINHAM - COCKTHORPE - FIELD DALLING GUNTHORPE - LANGHAM - MORSTON SAXLINGHAM - SHARRINGTON - STIFFKEY NEWS FROM OUR VILLAGES 'The Old Scool, Gunthorpe' Susannah McDougall Landscape and Garden Design solutions for the outside space design practical and effective detailed plans appropriate materials any space planting sound advice plant sourcing fresh, visual planting plans seasonal improvements telephone: 01263 740056 mobile: 07887 480793 email: [email protected]Telephone (01263) 713113 Funeral Director: Mrs E. Rushmer Dip.F.D., N.A.F.D. 11a Avenue Road, High Kelling, Holt, Norfolk NR25 6RD LLOYD DURHAM FUNERAL SERVICES PAUL R. SMITH CABINET MAKER Bespoke handmade fine furniture FREE STANDING FURNITURE QUALITY WOOD KITCHENS ANTIQUE RESTORATION FRENCH POLISHING Qualified cabinet maker with twenty years experience Telephone 01263 712433 www.paul-r-smith.co.uk Hill House Farm Estate Lower Bodham Holt NR25 6RW Including: Stress-related problems, Muscular pains, Poor circulation, Digestive disorders, Back problems and Tension REFLEXOLOGY PRACTITIONER PHILIPPA STANCOMB MBSR MBCMA A NATURAL THERAPY FOR MANY CONDITIONS Ring for an appointment. Home visits can be arranged Myrtle Cottage, Wiveton, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7TQ Tel: 01263 740596
Funeral Director: Mrs E. Rushmer Dip.F.D., N.A.F.D.
11a Avenue Road, High Kelling,
Holt, Norfolk NR25 6RD
LLOYD DURHAM FUNERAL SERVICES
PAUL R. SMITH CABINET MAKER
Bespoke handmade fine furniture
FREE STANDING FURNITURE QUALITY WOOD KITCHENS
ANTIQUE RESTORATION FRENCH POLISHING Qualified cabinet maker with twenty years experience
Telephone 01263 712433 www.paul-r-smith.co.uk
Hill House Farm Estate Lower Bodham Holt NR25 6RW
Including: Stress-related problems, Muscular pains, Poor circulation, Digestive disorders, Back problems and Tension
REFLEXOLOGY PRACTITIONER
PHILIPPA STANCOMB
MBSR MBCMA
A NATURAL THERAPY FOR MANY CONDITIONS
Ring for an appointment. Home visits can be arranged
Myrtle Cottage, Wiveton, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7TQ
Tel: 01263 740596
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LOCAL LYNX - is a non-profit-making community newspaper, run for the benefit of ten villages.
We warmly welcome drawings, articles and letters for publication, but since we never know until shortly before publication how much material we will have, we must reserve the right to edit entries. We prefer to edit rather than to omit items alto-gether.
For information about submitting items for publi-cation and about distribution, or if you want to help in any other way, please contact your village representative
For general information please ring Helen & Bob Brandt on 01328-830056. Address:
2nd Thurs. Langham Mobile Library. 4th Sat. Langham Parish Room FOL Coffee 10-12 6th Mon. Binham Quiz Night, The Chequers. 7.30 8th Wed. Langham Ladybirds. 7.30 10th Fri. Binham Priory, Greshams Choir. 8.00 15th Wed. Langham Parish Room FOL Coffee 10-12 16th Thurs. Binham Women’s Club. Theatre talk. 7.15 18th Sat. Binham Village Hall, Ceilidh. 7.30 23rd Thurs. Binham History Group. Glaven Ports. 24th Fri. Binham Bacchanalians Village Hall. 7.30 25th Sat. Gunthorpe 50/50 Club at Institute. 10.30 MARCH
1st Wed. Morston Parish Council. 7.00 2nd Thurs. Langham Mobile Library. 3rd Fri. Morston PCC, at Mrs Todd’s. 4th Sat. Langham Parish Room FOL Coffee. 10-12 6th Mon. Binham Quiz Night, The Chequers. 7.30 8th Wed. Langham Ladyirds. 7.30 15th Wed. Langham Parish Room FOL Coffee. 10-12 18th Sat. Morston ‘Friends’Quiz, Village Hall. 23rd Thurs. Binham History Group, Medieval glass. 25th Sat. Binham Village Hall. Antiques Roadshow.7.30 25th Sat Gunthorpe Village Institute AGM. 6.30 28th Tues. Langham Parish Council. 7.00 31st Fri. Binham Baccanalians, Village Hall. 7.30
PLEASE NOTE: CONTACT FOR ADVERTISERS
For enquiries about advertising in Local Lynx, please contact David John, tel: 01328-830933
Rates for advertising (pre-paid) are: One column x 62 mm (1/8 page): £60 for six issues.
Small Ads Panel on the back page: Available for individuals and businesses providing local services. Allocated on first-paid, first-in basis. Cost: £5 per issue.
NORMAN LAMB M.P. holds regular advice surgeries in the constituency. He can also be contacted via the constituency office at: 15 Market Place North Walsham Norfolk NR28 9BP Tel: 01692 403752 Fax: 01692 500818 e-mail: [email protected] www.normanlamb.org
2 - 2½ yrs accompanied by parent £3.00 2½ over unaccompanied £4.50
(Children to bring packed lunch)
Toddlers Monday & Tuesday, 9.30 - 11.30 (combined with Pre-School) 0-2 yrs £1.00 - new cheaper rate so please come and join us
For further details contact Marny On 01263 740925
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Church Service Rota for Bale and Stiffkey Groups for FEBRUARY & MARCH
HC=Holy Communion. FS=Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. EP=Evening Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer All Communion Services are in traditional language except those marked *
Parish Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Bale 9.30 am HC 9.30 am HC 9.30 am HC 9.30 am HC† Field Dalling Service at Saxlingham 11.00 am HC 11.00 am FS 11.00 am HC Gunthorpe 11.00 am MP 11.00 am HC No Service 11.00 am HC Saxlingham 9.30 am HC Service at Field Dalling 11.00 am HC/BCP 6.00 pm EP Sharrington 9.30 am MP 9.30 am HC 9.30 am MP 9.30 am HC Binham 11.00 am HC 11.00 am HC 11.00 am FS 9.30 am HC Langham 9.30 am HC* 9.30 am HC 9.30 am HC 9.30 am FS Morston 9.30 am HC/BCP No Service 9.30 am HC/BCP No Service Stiffkey 11.00 am HC 11.00 am HC* 8.00 am HC* 11.00 am FS
†Note: Bale Service on 26 March will be Morning Prayers
Additional Services in Lent During Lent (2March - 6 April) there will be Lent Group Services on Thursday evenings from 7-8 pm at Bale Church
1 March (Ash Wednesday): 10 am at Langham, Group Holy Communion and Ashing and 7 pm at Sharrington, Group Holy Communion and Ashing
Regular weekday services are held as follows: Binham: Tuesday 6 pm Evening Prayers
Langham: Wednesday 10.00 am Holy Communion Stiffkey: Friday 9.30 am Prayers for the Parish, 10.00 am Holy Communion
SPONSORED SKY DIVE
Probably most of you will have heard about Andrew Turner from Langham’s motorbike accident at the end of July. After five months in hospital, though still totally disabled, a specially adapted wheel/bedside chair would enable him at least to be moved, and sit, in relative comfort. The hospital does not have the funds to provide this, so niece Ruth (Dawson) is undertaking a sponsored sky-dive to get the fund-raising ball rolling. The dive itself has been generously paid for, so anything now is a bonus.
Debbie (Reed) is acting as treasurer, and forms and info. can be obtained through her or Ruth - 01263 740117 (home) or 01263 740362 (maritime shop). All help and support gratefully received.
PS. Friends or acquaintances going to Norwich? Any visit might just trigger the next step in Andrew’s recovery, get in touch with Debbie - please?
RECTOR’S LETTER First of all, may I wish all of you a very happy New Year
I love stories. I wonder if you do. Children love to hear stories and to tell them. In stories we can confront all sorts of things and people and ideas that we cannot do anywhere else, and we can inhabit those stories, become part of them. We can go to far away lands, meet different people, be different people ourselves and live lives unlike our own, for a time. When children do this, enter a story so that it becomes real for them, they often act it out or can be found talking to or about the characters in a story as if they were truly in and of the story themselves. I wonder what your richest encounters with stories have been? There was once someone who told such astonishing and compelling stories that people followed him wherever he went, always wanting to hear more. And the best thing about his stories was that he told them and then handed them over to people, to inhabit them, wonder at them, turn them over and get inside them in order to discover their meaning. He told his stories more than 2000 years ago and people are still listening to them, seeking meaning for themselves. Joanna
A big thankyou for helping us to sit comfortably
Thanks so much to all of you who got in touch with offers of furniture for the meeting room in the rectory. I am sorry if I had to turn your offer down - we were just deluged with them! The meeting room is now very cosy and has so far seated 17 people at one meeting - very comfortably! from Joanna
DEANERY NEWS
The next meeting of Holt Deanery Synod will be on Thursday February 16th St. Andrew’s Church Hall, 7.15 for 7.30. Speaker: The Revd. John Davies. Topic: The future of Holt Deanery. For further details contact Lay Chairman, Frances Jenkinson Tel: 01263 860342.
BLAKENEY CATHOLIC CHURCH
Father Michael Simison 12, Hindringham Road, Gt. Walsingham. Norfolk NR22 6DR . Tel:01328 821353 Service Times: Sunday Mass 10.30 am. Thurs. & Sat. evenings 6.00 pm.
METHODIST CHURCH
Minister – the Reverend Rosemary Wakelin
Tel: 01263 712181. For services at Blakeney and Holt see ‘Glaven Valley Newsletter’ or ‘Holt Chronicle’.
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DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ NOTEBOOK Councillor Bernard Crowe
Councillor for Field Dalling with Saxlingham, Morston & Sharrington (with Brinton) (01263 740137, email: [email protected]).
Councillors for our other villages: Jonathan Savory (01328 820719) and Joyce Trett (01328 710300) - Binham, Langham & Stiffkey: Mrs A. R. Green (01328 878273) - Gunthorpe with Bale.
A pre-Christmas local government briefing was over-shadowed by the possibility of local government restructuring. Many councils will be able to deliver some services electronically over the next two years and future Performance Assessments will have to judge how far citizens have actually benefited from such changes.
In the financial year 2006/7 it may be possible for councils to balance their budgets, but in following years a failure to produce efficiency gains may lead central government to wield the big stick through imposing restructuring. In Northern Ireland, for example, 26 councils have been reduced to 7, Health Boards from 4 to 1 and Education Authorities from 5 to 1.
The ‘black hole’ in funding, identified by the Local Government Association, is to be met this year by extra funds from central government towards coping with asylum seekers, paying staff pensions and supporting licensing activities. Also, councils will be able to charge more for utilities and planning consents. The rest will have to be covered through efficiency savings - in the case of NNDC, of £1.2 million between 2005/6 and 2007/8. Future funding may depend upon the findings of the delayed report of Sir Michael Lyons, which may conclude that some form of restructuring is needed.
In the meantime, councils will have to demonstrate wide-ranging improvements in the delivery of services, with closer engagement with service users and their communities.
While the other political parties consider their responses to the government’s proposals, my personal view is that we should retain decision-making at a local level and not move towards regional government. To that end we must develop local partnerships and collaboration with like-minded district councils, hoping to avoid not only the loss of district councils but also the breakup of the County of Norfolk. Happy New Year.
By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen Electrical Contractor
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DOMESTIC AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL FIRE ALARMS REWIRES EMERGENCY LIGHTING
We'll go and bring the dragon down and tie him to a tree,
Then charge the people of the town fifty pence to see
But should the dragon snort out flame - burn viewers to a man -
The Queen will make us take the blame. We'll have to change our plan!
We'll put the dragon in a cart and tow him to the fair.
We'll make the gathered people part with pounds to see him there.
But s'pose he cracks his scaly tail and breaks the cart in twain,
The Queen will send her men in mail to make us pay, again.
Let's leave the sleepy dragon there, up in the frozen snow,
And charge for pointing out his lair to those who want to go.
But s'pose they break his sleeping, he'll fry them all with glee.
The Queen will have us weeping. - We'd better let him be! BB
CADS Cley Village Hall
8. 0 pm on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th February Matinee 2.30 on 4th February
Tickets available from ‘Made in Cley’
5
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
REVEREND BILL BROWN We were saddened by the death of Bill Brown. Others will doubtless write more fully about him and with greater authority but we feel that we cannot say goodbye without a small contribution from Bale. We looked forward to his regular monthly service. He was always accompanied by Betty, whose father was once Rector here. His sermons were outstanding. He showed us a straightforward faith which he extracted from the theological tangle in masterly fashion. It was all done with a marvellous sense of humour and evident sympathy for the human condition. Admired and respected, he set an example in a genuine, spontaneous and unstuffy way.
Please also see Field Dalling News - Ed
BALE VILLAGE HALL SOCIAL CLUB DRAW
November 2005 December 2005 Andy Wells £25 Henry Carter £25 David Pattinson £10 John Church £10 Pauline Pattinson £5 Elizabeth Allison £5 Paul Hands £5 Lady Nicolson £5
Special Christmas Draw (£25) Richard Scott.
GRANTS FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE’S GROUPS
Norfolk Rural Community Council administers the Local Network Fund which is Government grant available to community groups working with children and young people facing some form of disadvangtage and missing out on opportunities. Groups can apply for funding of between £250 and £7,000. This could be to support a new group or project to get started or for existing groups to expand or develop their activities. Nearly £350,000 has already been awarded to a total of 76 groups by the Grants Panel since April. A variety of projects have been funded including youth clubs, parent and toddler groups, playgroups, sports clubs, music groups, theatre groups and outdoor play equipment. Who can apply? Community or voluntary groups focussing on children and young people up to 19. There is no requirement to be a registered charity but you will need to have a basic constitution for your group. Support is available for this. How can I find out more? If you would like more information or want to discuss your project ideas contact the LNF team at Norfolk Rural Community Council. e-mail:[email protected] or Ring 01362 698216 For a local Network Fund application pack ring the National call Centre on 0845 1130161.
CLEY W.I 2nd Feb - Chief Administrator of Holkham Hall. 2nd March - ‘From Condoms to Coffins’. Life of Norfolk auctioneer, by Martyn Fox. Meetings take place in Cley Village Hall at 2.30 pm. Visitors are most welcome.
WELCOME TO A BARN DANCE At Blakeney Village Hall
Saturday, 11th March, 7.00 pm - 11.00 pm for the Glaven Caring Centre (Charity No. 270185)
Tickets, £10 each, may be obtained from John Barrow, 7, Morston Road, Blakeney (01263 740621) or the Glaven Centre, Blakeney (01263 740762). The dance will include a live band - Rig-a-Jig-Jig, a Fish and Chip supper or vegetarian meal (if requested beforehand) and a large Grand Draw for the Glaven Caring. The Village Hall bar will be open for drinks. Do come and relax and enjoy yourself and help the Glaving Caring. Thank you. John Barrow
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BALE News
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BINHAM PRIORY ACCESS AND CONSERVATION
PROJECT Progress Report
Secondary entrance porch and service building In October and November last year slightly different outline designs for the building in the north aisle were submitted to all the interested parties for their comments. To get a consensus the Diocese convened a special site meeting on Wednesday 4th January with representatives from the parties as well as parishioners and other individuals involved with the Priory; nearly 40 attended. It was a very constructive meeting, chaired by the Archdeacon of Lynn, the outcome being a clear agreement on the layout and general external form of the buildings. Our Architect, Mark Wilkinson of Donald Insall Associates, now has the parameters to finalise an outline design most likely to be acceptable to the three regulatory bodies: the Diocese, English Heritage and North Norfolk District Council. It is hoped that the design drawings will be available before the end of January; all parties will be circulated, a display mounted in the Priory and a presentation made to the Parish Council. If wide agreement is indicated, more detailed design and specifications will be drawn up to support formal applications for Diocesan Faculty, Scheduled Monument and Local Authority Planning consents. Paths The drawings and specifications for re-grading and re-surfacing the external paths to remove all steps are being prepared and will be included in the formal applications mentioned above. Conservation of the gatehouse and precinct wall along the Warham Road Our project partner, Norfolk Archaeological Trust, has had drawings and specifications for the conservation work drawn up for submission to English Heritage. Progress It will be obvious from all the above that this project, although relatively small scale, is complex, mainly because of the large number of interested parties rightly having an oversight of any work anticipated for this greatly loved site. Progress must appear frustratingly slow but the general agreement reached at the meeting of 4th January is undoubtedly a major step forward. Further formation: contact David Frost - 01328 830362
BINHAM VILLAGE HALL. The Christmas Supper was held at the hall at the beginning December, around 90 people enjoyed a typical roast turkey and Christmas pud supper. Afterwards we were entertained by Leslie Roberts. We had a tombola and raffle and the proceeds were for the village hall. The village hall is available to anybody to hire, along with cutlery, crockery and tablecloths, for more details please ring Liz Brown 01328 830519.
CAROLS-UNDER-THE-TREE was held on Friday December 16th, unfortunately only a few braved the very cold evening to sing carols and enjoy the mulled wine and mincepies. Thank you to those who provided the refreshments. Hope to see more of you next year!!!
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
NATIVITY PLAY The Annual Nativity Play was held in the Priory Church on 23rd December and was again thoroughly enjoyed by adults and particularly children alike. Congratulations and thanks are again due to Jack Grange for his wonderful scenery and lighting, Andrew Cuthbert for editing and so clearly delivering the script, musicians Geoff Scott and Mark Fawcett leading the songs and carols and to all those who provided cake, mince pies and sausage rolls to accompany the hot punch after the performance. Special thanks are due to Lucy Walduck for making the whole thing, and of course to Father Christmas, who took time out from his busy schedule to attend and to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. We all hope that perhaps a few more villagers will follow his example next year?!
10th Feb. Fri. Greshams School Choir & Orchestra, Binham Priory Church 8.00 pm. 18th Feb. Sat. Village Ceilidh, Binham Village Hall. Trotters Bottom band and caller as last year. 7.30 pm Tickets: £10 adults, £5 young people, include supper. Tickets for this popular event will be limited, to give room for dancing. Early application is advised to: Howell’s Superstore (830361), Liz Brown (830519) or Maureen Frost (830362). 25th March. Sat. Cash in your Attic? Binham Village Hall. 7.30 pm. A charity antiques valuation in aid of Binham Priory Access Fund. Sue Rivett and a colleague will value items.. Small van will be available for transport of larger items that may not fit in a car. Book through Mandy Allen 830225. Wine & Cheese. Entrance fee - £4 per person and £1 per item for valuation. 3rd & 4th June. Sat. & Sun. Binham Open Gardens The organisers, Chrissie Hill (830378) and Judy Byrne (830174), will welcome help in planning this event. Please contact them directly .
NEWS FROM OUR PARISH CLERK The Local Development Framework (LDF)
In fact the LDF affects everybody - not just Binham, but everybody else will have to find their own salvation! Every few years the District and County Councils draw up details of the vision they see for the area over the next few years. Currently this is called the Strategic Plan. In the current plan, issued in 1998, we have set limits on the areas where housing can be built, and like other places, this consists of a thick black line drawn around the map of the village so that housing may be built within the line (infill) but not outside it. It’s more complicated than that, because the new housing has to meet strict controls with regard to design, access, and so on but I’m trying to simplify it! The next plan is now being formulated. To make life complicated they’ve changed the name from Strategic Plan to Local Development Framework but it’s (more or less) the same thing. The number of houses that can be built in each County has been decided by the regional assembly (Sitting in Milton Keynes or Murmansk or somewhere equally miles away). The counties then divide up their share into Districts [are you keeping up with this?] and the target for North Norfolk is 6,400 houses to be built between 2001 and 2021. That sounds like a lot of houses, but it isn’t. For a start, about half of the 6,400 have already been built or have planning permission up to the end of 2005. The District Council have been carrying out an exercise to try to find out where people would like the new housing to go. They could continue to allow infill housing in the towns and villages as at present. Or they could concentrate all the new housing in Fakenham and North Walsham (so people would be near where the employment opportunities are), or they could spread the houses around the larger and smaller towns. This third option would mean, for instance, no new housing in Binham, but small numbers in Wells and Holt. This is the option that the Binham Parish Council has voted for (as have Warham and Wells). Just to complicate matters the LDF will not be completed before the end of 2008. Now, if half the available housing has already been “used up” between 2001 and 2005 how much is going to be left by early 2009? I’ll leave that thought with you! Keith Leesmith - Parish Clerk - [email protected]
R E S I D E N T I A L ESTATE AGENTS
The Manor House, High Street, Holt NR25 6BN Telephone: 01263 711021
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BINHAM LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
23rd Feb. Thurs. Jonathan Hooten will be talking about The Glaven Ports based on his book of same name. He will also be able to include new information about Blakeney, Cley and Wiveton that has recently come to light.
23rd March. Thurs. David King, internationally recognised expert on medieval glass, will be talking about medieval glass painting in East Anglia - particularly in our area.
All meetings at 7.30 in the Village Hall. Members £1, Non-members £2. Coffee and biscuits or a glass of wine available. (01328 830270)
THE BACCHANALIANS - Wine Night
With three well-received wine nights of the 2005-06 behind them, the last featuring quality wines at affordable prices from Chile, Binham Bacchanalians are set fair for their final two gatherings of the season. The first will be on Friday, Feb. 24th, the second will be on March 31st, both in the Binham Village Hall, both starting at 7:30 p.m. Visitors welcome, as always.
For more details call Alan Eagle at 830031, Ken Parker at 878061, or Ben Tierney at 830817.
THE OPEN CIRCLE
At the February meeting of the Open Circle, the Binham and Hindringham’s Women’s Club, Richard Rawson, who worked for many years as a professional stage manager, will be giving us an insight into the world of theatre. Thursday February 16th at 7.15 p.m. For more information call 01328 830639
BINHAM GROUP OF ARTISTS
The Group consists of anyone interested in Art or Craft, beginner or otherwise. Artists with profession experience form part of the Group and will gladly give advice if needed. We meet every Tuesday morning from 10 to 12 in the Village Hall. A fee of £2 per morning includes coffee and biscuits. A demonstration of painting and craftwork normally takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. However, at the moment, there is no demonstration planned for February. For further information contact James Bucknill at 01328 830651.
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Binham really did have a Grand Christmas Bazaar on 19th November. Many people worked extremely hard to produce a highly successful and enjoyable fund raising event for the Priory Church. Overheard was the comment "I have never been to such a high quality, happy and friendly Bazaar". Our aim from the beginning was to achieve a very high standard and we were delighted and rewarded with raising the outstanding sum of £1,700 to which was added a generous donation of £300. This has now set the standard for this year's Bazaar on 18th November. Many, many thanks to everyone involved. Marie Grange and Brenda Wilde
BINHAM 100 CLUB WINNERS
June: £25 Mr & Mrs Small; £10 A. Marsh, D. McEwen; £5 J. Byrne, J. Stevens, J. Calvert.
July: £25 Mrs Lawton; £10 P. Bartram, J. Parr; £5 A. Savoury, D. Hewitt, P. Antiss.
August: £25 A. Savoury; £10 C. Witherington, K. Pratt; £5 M. Howell, Mr Marshall, Wyer family.
September: £25 H. Foulds; £10 J. Bucknill, J. Wilton; £5 J. McCormick, P. Scott, A. Cuthbert.
October: £25 E. Bartram; £10 P. Wyer, Mr Baxter; £5 A. Moncur, J. Prockter, M. Tomlin.
November: £25 M. Lee; £10 H. Foulds, D. Burton; £5 J. Parr, C. Wright, G. Bond.
December: £50 M.Tomlin, J.Prockter; £25 D. Burton, £10 F. Thompson, L. Wilde; £5 A . Able, P. Wyer, M. Tyrell.
QUIZ NIGHTS Mondays 6th February & 6th March
Come and join us at The Chequers for our Quiz Night. Very low key but fun. No need to bring a team - we get teams together on the night. Come at 6.30 if you’re going to have a meal - the Quiz starts promptly at 7.30
Partners: ROGER FLOOD ANDY TURNER
Phones: 01328 878357 01263 712905
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Phone: 01328 878357
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For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
REV WILLIAM MARTYN BROWN Field Dalling suffered a loss in December with the death of Bill Brown at age 91. Bill was born in 1914. After a distinguished career first as a teacher of French and German, next as Headmaster of The King’s School, Ely and finally as Headmaster of Bedford School (his old school), he and his wife Betty moved in 1975 to Field Dalling. Following ordination for the ministry, Bill was for 7 years priest-in-charge of the combined parishes of Field Dalling and Saxlingham until his retirement in 1984, at which point he became Rural Dean of Holt Deanery for four years. Therafter, he continued to take services in Bale, Field Dalling and Saxlingham almost until his death, and as the size of the benefice grew, first to five and then to nine parishes, played an ever larger role in the pastoral care of Field Dalling residents. Many families in the village remember with fondness his family services, with his special talks for the children and for the way he encouraged their participation through music and in other ways, aided in this by Joy Wright and her Saturday morning rehearsals. All Bill’s services were popular, his sermons were interesting, and his clear speaking voice could be heard easily. He believed firmly in the importance for both adults and children of regular church attendance, and did all he could to encourage people to come to worship and to make services meaningful and enjoyable. He conducted many christenings, weddings and funerals during his years here. One year, he held a service in the church for all the people who had been married in Field Dalling over the years.. Cont. P.10
COCKTHORPE CAROL SERVICE
It doesn’t seem a year has passed since I was writing about our 2004 Carol Service, but as usual our little church was full, standing room only left, by 5.45 pm. Some had the insight to bring their own seats. The weather was very cold but somehow it didn’t seem so as the atmosphere of the congregation and candle light seem to give such warmth. I personally was very proud, my three oldest grandchildren read a lesson between them, with the encouragement of Mrs Juliet Case. There are so many people to thank for making this evening so special: Mrs Case, Abby Case and my daughter Tracey for getting church ready, Eileen Wright and Theresa Gunton for helping me make mince pies, (and thanks also to Ann Sherriff), Mandy Allen for making and giving mulled wine, Mrs Bartlett for playing the organ - not an easy task (pedal power). And last but not least, thanks to our new rector, Joanna Anderson for taking our special Christmas Service. Ann Massingham Note: Father Clements asked, after the service, for volunteers to help clean the church. Ed
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FIELD DALLING News
Contact: Margaret Smith 01328 830546
10
VILLAGE HALL 50th ANNIVERSARY
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Village Hall, we were treated to a talk by Eric Hotblack on the pre-history and early history of Field Dalling and Saxlingham. He has been exploring the minutes of the Parish Council and in this, and the articles which will appear in later issues, explains some of the events and offices of the village in the 100 years since 1906…... Field Dalling 1906. The Parish Council minute book is a window on village life one hundred years ago. The parish council had been formed in 1894, but they seem to have realised that their powers were remarkably few, so there is little recorded for 1906. Only one meeting took place as the ‘Annual Parish Council Meeting’ on 2nd April. Present were William Jeckell, E. Massingham, W. Bullen Thomas Bond and James Yarham. No members of the public were recorded. They appointed E. Walker as chairman, which seems strange since he had not attended a meeting since 1903. Perhaps they felt that Edwin Walker should continue as chairman due to being the Lord of the Manor, the largest landowner and the chairman from 1894. He probably was not even a member of the parish council by this date, but one can imagine that it was felt that he should continue in this capacity. Mr W. Jeckell was made vice chairman, and the overseers (the subject of the next article) appointed for the year were Herbert Hammond and Brittain D. Wood. This was also strange in that they had been the overseers the previous year and were so the following year, whereas the job was usually shared out amongst the principal businessmen of the parish. The precept of £5 was to be paid by the overseers to Chas. D. Seymour, treasurer of the council. He was manager of Gurney’s Bank in Fakenham (the predecessor of Barclays). The clerk, Mr Sam Fox, was paid 7s.6d. The fact that only one meeting was held in the year, and little activity recorded suggests a lack of enthusiasm. They could have held more meetings, organised allotments and spent money on improvements such a piping in roadside ditches. Normally the parish clerk would have been appointed assistant overseer, a school manager would have been appointed and payment made to Mr Arthur Knights for preparing the school for the council meetings. Other sources of information on the village in this period are the records of charity land and of the working men’s club. Some of the positions to which parishioners were appointed will be explained in future articles.
Cont. from P. 9 During the early 1980s, Bill organised a major restoration of the St Andrew’s church fabric, costing £24,000, which included repairs to the tower, gutters, roof and interior fittings. A framed account of this work hangs at the back of the church. Bill was at one time chairman of the village fete, but will be best remembered for his framed watercolours which he gave each year for over 25 years as the first prize for the raffle. It delighted him that the pictures, many of them scenes of Blakeney, were always won by someone local. He loved to paint; as a boy, he would go off painting with his father, Edward Brown, a fine artist and regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy. For some time Bill was secretary of the Village Hall Committee. He took over the Village Newsletter from Graham Mills and was its editor for many years, using the communication it provides within Field Dalling and Saxlingham to build up our sense of community. At Bill’s side throughout has stood Betty, his wife of 66 years and his great helpmate. Many of us remember their Diamond Wedding celebrations, which were spread over three days to accommodate all their friends and wellwishers. There were other celebrations, too. On his 80th birthday, the children of Field Dalling gave Bill a birthday party in the village hall, complete with 80 candles. A memorable concert was held in the church to celebrate his 89th birthday and to honour him for the way his life and work in Field Dalling has touched the lives of all who live here. A few months before his death, Bill returned to Bedford School to be honoured there. As Owen Chadwick said in his funeral address in ost of us have enjoyed not just his kindness and interest, but also his wicked sense of humour, words delivered deadpan, with twinkle accompanying. If readers will pass on to Margaret Smith your own memories and stories of Bill, perhaps some of them can be shared in later issues of Lynx.
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DULCIE WRIGHT The Reverend Joanna Anderson led a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Dulcie May Wright, held in St Mary’s Church on Thursday 5th January 2006, attended by her family and many friends. She had celebrated her 80th birthday only two weeks before she died. She lived at Langham before she married Fred Wright in 1949, and she and Fred have taken part in village life until ill-health stopped them. Dulcie had been on the flower and the cleaning rota for the Church and she took part in the flower and produce shows held in the Village Institute from 1970 to 1993. She was a member of the Garden Club and the Carpet Bowls Club and she helped Fred for many years organizing the Fete each July. She was always a willing helper. She lived all their married life in the same house as Fred was born in. Dulcie’s ashes were buried in the Churchyard, near the path to the church door. We offer our condolences to Fred and his family. Fred Morley
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
CHRISTMAS AT GUNTHORPE CHURCH We are so lucky to have such a lovely church and again this year the interior of the Church was beautifully decorated with seasonal flower arrangements, and it was obvious that a lot of work had gone into them and into the preparation of the church generally for Christmas. The Service of carols and readings, which was attended by over a hundred people, was led by the Rev. Peter Bowles, who very kindly stepped in to provide Gunthorpe with their Christmas Service, and for which we thank him very much indeed. Martin Jacklin played the organ, accompanied by his musical family on their instruments, and Helen and Verity played a duet. The twelve children from Gunthorpe who were invited to read had clearly practiced hard and they all read clearly & confidently. A short communion followed the service. The collection was donated to the Childrens’ Society.
SINCERE SYMPATHY The village is mourning the loss just before Xmas of two of its most valued villagers – Dulcie Wright and Reg Bambridge. Both contributed fully to the life of Gunthorpe for many, many years and will be sadly missed. The Village Institute Management Committee would like to pay tribute to their commitment to Gunthorpe and sends its sympathy to their families.
GUNTHORPE WARD XMAS CHEER Gunthorpe Villagers sent their regular Xmas delivery of chocolates and biscuits for the staff and patients in Gunthorpe Ward at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, along with a card sending good wishes for the festive season.
THE FOGPC HARVEST SUPPER was held the last Saturday in November and was a huge success. This year, the menu was traditional french Cassoulet served with crusty bread, followed by Tarte Tartin with cream or crème fraiche, coffee & mints. Rob Cutterham cooked the Cassoulet in proper French style and although White Horse Farm was full of the aroma for days after, it was well-worth the effort! The ladies on the Friends Committee provided the Tarte Tartins. There was no cheating this year - all the tarts were home-made and no two were the same! The recipes used included Galston Blackiston’s and John Burton-Race’s which were both simply delicious - but the ’outright winner’ was Lynn Marr, who’s tart was absolutely divine and the recipe was an old tattered one, cut from a magazine! While the guests had fun chatting & mingling in the re-vamped Institute, the cook’s assistants were in hysterics in the kitchen awarding marks to the tarts! NOT that we are competitive mind…….
NOVEMBER DECEMBER E. Wilson £15 A. Seligman £15 K. Webster £10 C. Williamson £10 S. Burton £5 C. Aries £5 H. Clare £5 P. Clarke £5 A. Smith £5 A. Blunden £5 D. Burton £5 L. Russell £5 Forthcoming Events Sat. 28th Jan. 10:30 50/50 Club Coffee Morning & Draw Sat. 25th Feb. 10:30 50/50 Club Coffee Morning & Draw
THE 50/50 CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY was held on December 10th in the Village Institute and it was lovely to have so many villagers attend. The mulled wine, mince pies and hot sausages were enjoyed by everyone. There was a double draw (always exciting) and an excellent raffle. Sadly, Father Christmas was unable to attend as he had to visit other boys & girls this year, but maybe next year he will send an elf! Special thanks to Lynn, Pippa, Doreen & Rob for making this annual event such a roaring success and my sincere apologies to anyone I have missed.
REGINALD BAMBRIDGE (REGGIE)
The funeral service for Reginald (Reggie) Bambridge took pace at St. Mary’s church on 30th December attended by family and friends, followed by burial in the churchyard next his parents and other family members. He died in Kelling Hospital on December 20th aged 94, having lived in Gunthorpe nearly all his life and attended Gunthorpe School. He lived at 29 Sharrington Road with his parents and one brother and four sisters. He married Ivy Crowe from Stody and then lived at Bulfer Grove Cottage where his children were born. In 1952 he moved into No 3 Springfields, which had just been built and lived there for fifty-three years. A keen gardener, he took part in all the flower and vegetable shows held in the Village Institute from 1971 to 1993, winning many prizes. He was a member of the Garden Club and served on the Village Institute Committee. He was also a Parish Councillor. In the 1960 - 1970s he was organ blower at Gunthorpe Church and looked after the tortoise stove which heated the church at that time. He started life as a stable lad, then worked at Stody Hall in the gardens. In the late 1930’s he worked on farms doing summer months and with Harry Bushels threshing machine in winter months. His last job was with George Cushion as a lorry driver. He was the last of the Bambridge Family living in Gunthorpe. He had one brother and four sisters. There have always been Bambridges living in Gunthorpe since 1778. He was a friend of mine all my life. Fred Morley
GUNTHORPE GREEN
A big thank you to the volunteers who cut the Green last year. It looked healthy and well maintained thanks to you all. The team, consisting of Rob Cutterham, Steven Fisher, Chris Ford, Valerie Lantau, Paul Newstead, Ken Prouton, John Rush and Paddy Seligman, have ensured that the Green has looked well kept and attractive for the villagers and visitors. Your help in doing this worthwhile job is much appreciated – you have earned your break for the winter. Philip Traverso, Rota Organiser.
GUNTHORPE VILLAGE INSTITUTE
AGM
This year’s AGM will take place on Saturday 25 March 2006 at 6.30 p.m., followed by a QUIZ EVENING which will be the first fund-raising activity of the year. Some of the proceeds will go towards the next phase of the modernization scheme. This includes the replacement of the front hall floor, improved heating and redecoration of the parts not covered in the recent works. Please put this date in your diary. Cost for the quiz evening will be £3.50 for adults, £2.00 for children, to include tea/coffee and light refreshments. The quiz evening will start at 7.15 p.m.
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Can you spare 2 hours a month to clean the Gunthorpe Institute. 2 x 1 hour sessions. If you are interested please contact Sue Traverso on 01263 861932 for further information on pay etc.
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13
CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
Yet again we were blessed with fine weather for our carol singing around the village. A larger crowd than last year gathered, to sing with the nuns at the Carmel and then on to seven stops round the village. We ended up singing a carol on the Green before retiring to the warmth of the Bluebell. There we were revived with Pat and Bridget’s usual hospitality, and sherry and mince pies were gratefully received.
The Children’s Society collection box at the Bluebell was emptied and yielded £17.24.This, together with £90 collected from the carol singing and £94.88 which was half of the Christmas Day church collection, enabled us to send £202.12 to the Children’s Society. Thankyou to all who came to sing and to all who very kindly made donations
THANK YOU, TIM
As well as doing a full time job, the Revd. Dr. Tim Fawcett took several services every Sunday throughout the interregnum. For this, the congregation of Langham are very grateful. Thank you Tim for looking after us so well.
For Church Services see panel on page 3
LANGHAM CHURCH NEWS
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY SERVICE
The collection from this service amounted to £65.82 and was all sent to the Earl Haig fund.
CHURCH FLOWERS We are most grateful for the work of all the kind people who have provided and arranged flowers in church during the year. Volunteers are always welcome especially at festivals.Flowers and foliage can usually be provided from our gardens, so if you would like to help, do get in touch with anyone whose name appears on the roster in the church porch. VeraColombé
CHURCH FLOODLIGHTS It was great to have the lights on for the 12 days of Christmas. Thank you to all those who gave donations to make this possible. Any person may have the church floodlights switched on to celebrate a special occasion e.g. a birthday, wedding etc. for £5 per night. Contact Ken on 830696 or Ann on 830605.
LANGHAM PARISH ROOM
The annual Carol & Mincepie Evening, held just before Christmas, was a great success with almost a full house and the best atmosphere we have ever had. On the catering side the Ladybirds helped supply the mincepies and sausage rolls. The audience were entertained and were spellbound by the professionalism of Pauline Bartlett playing the piano, Eileen and Wendy singing duets, Ken Bartlett reading his Norfolk sermon, and the joyous sounds of the bell ringing team.
The highlight of the evening was two unaccompanied carols which the children requested us to let them sing. The children then ran the raffle and kept everyone amused trying to persuade prize winners that the star prize, a portable television, didn't work and "please take a bottle of wine or chocolates" instead! Sad to say none of the children's numbers came up!!
You might not believe it but we also had time for us all to sing some carols! It was a great start to the festive season, please put a note in your diary for Wednesday 13 December for this year's Carole & Mincepie evening. Edward Allen - Chairman
LANGHAM LADYBIRDS As I write we are looking forward to the performance of Aladdin which I will report next time. Our February 8th meeting is Doug McCoy to update us on the Holt and District Paramedics. Should be a good talk - come and join us at 7.30 pm in the Parish Room. On March 8th, (Mardle evening) every member has the chance to give ideas on our next year’s programme. We would welcome any ladies from Langham and the surrounding villages. Please phone me for information about the Ladybird group. Maureen -
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LANGHAM News
14
PARISH COUNCIL
Precept 2006 – 2007 After due discussion of the Council income and expenditure it was agreed to increase the precept by £150 to £4000 for the year ending 31st of March 2007.
Street Light at the Pound The Council apologise for the inordinately long time it is taking to get this light repaired. But at last we have got the contractor to agree which light it is that is faulty. By the time you read this we hope the work is finished.
Langham to Saxlingham Bridlepath
Yet again motorcycles have been used on this bridleway Apart from being dangerous for anyone walking or riding on the path, this is against the law. Should anyone see this happening would they please try to explain to the offenders that it is dangerous and if possible identify them to the Council. Minutes of Council Meetings
Just to remind everyone again. It is possible to have the minutes of our meetings sent to you by E-mail if you request this from either the Clerk on Tel 01263 741576 or the Chairman on 830605 and provide your E-mail address. Next meeting: Tuesday, March 28th
For those who like to mark up their calendars the subsequent meetings are planned for: Tuesday 28th March Tuesday 11th April Tuesday 23rd May Tuesday 11th July Tuesday 22nd August Tuesday 10th October Tuesday 28th November Tuesday 16th January 2007
CHRISTMAS MISCELLANY A great time was had by all at the Christmas Miscellany held on 26th November 2005. The aim was to banish the November Blues and to begin to celebrate Christmas. Mince pies and cranberry muffins (Sue Hughes’ special!) were sold accompanied by free glasses of ‘mulled grape juice’ (Jan Hope’s special brew was especially good!!), hot drinks of chocolate / coffee or cold refreshing fruit juices! The merry company could then enjoy a miscellany of stalls and raffles. The gift stall was laden with good value presents, Christmas decorations and cards. The plant stall offered Christmas Cacti and other plants at knock down prices. Well, and as for the Cake Stall! Homemade cakes, biscuits, chutneys, marmalades, savoury flans, sausage rolls and more! All these offered something to titillate the jaded palette while a Wordsearch competition was available to stimulate the mind! There were chances to win a fantastic Christmas Cake iced superbly by Janet Allen, depicting tiny mice tucked up in bed with Christmas stockings awaiting Father Christmas, and a beautiful quilt made by Helen Brandt. The main raffle offered a wonderful food hamper, port, fruit basket, luxury chocolates, wine, and a jumbo plant.
Last but not least, a multitude of prizes from the Christmas Tree Tombola delighted the eye and the lucky participants! Lucky winners included: Christmas Hamper - Ronnie Massingham. Port - John Plummer. Fruit Basket - Eileen Wright. Luxury Chocolates - Ros Fairhead. Sherry - Jane Fisher. Wine - Sheelah Hay & Joan Smith. Jumbo Plant - Blanche Allen. Christmas Cake - Gill Broom. Quilt - Sylvia and Ken Redford. Mystery Bottle of Wine - Gladys George (ticket inadvertantly discarded earlier but then retrieved).
All in all a very enjoyable, happy event that managed to raise a marvellous £605 for general Church Funds! A huge thank you goes to all those who helped organise and run this event and to all who so generously gave prizes, gifts, homemade produce, refreshments etc., and of course many, many thanks to all who came to support and enjoy it all! Molly Lees
LANGHAM COMMUNITY CAR SERVICE
We would be very grateful if a volunteer could come forward to take up a vacant place on our car roster. Do phone me if you would like further details. The roster is posted on notice boards on the vicarage wall and church porch and in the Bluebell. Until the 13th of March the schedule is as follows: January 30th - Tel: 830696 February 6th - Tel: 830036. February 13th - 830537 February 20th - Tel 830056 February 27th - 830791* March 6th - Tel 830606 * March 13th - Tel 30847 * These drivers do not go to Norwich For further details contact Ann Sherriff Tel: 830 605
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15
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
REPAIRS TO THE CHURCH
A building company is currently replacing the safety ladder in the tower with one that complies with the new H&S Regulations, and rendering the inside of the tower as part of its Quinquennial (Stage II of the ongoing repairs). A faculty has been obtained for a high level landing and approved work has been started on pointing, on repairs to several windows (see below) and on patching of the nave plaster. Further to this, the ragged carpets in the chancel have been replaced. This building work will generate bills in the next few months of over £20,000. Friends of Morston Church (which to date has raised over £27,000) has enabled the repairs to be resumed much earlier than expected.
CHURCH WINDOW REPAIRS in Memory of Major Andrew Athill
The Collection at Andrew Athill’s Funeral and monies since received came to the magnificent sum of £3,594. A Faculty has now been recommended by the DAC for placing a small inscription in the southeast chancel window, which should read: “Windows in this church were restored in loving memory of Andrew Athill (1920-2005) by his family and friends.”
CAROL SERVICE The church looked better than ever for the candlelit Carol Service and the three Ward sisters - sounds like a pop group! - sang their wonderful descant better than ever too. The collection, which was for Kelling Hospital, came to £277.27.
CHRISTMAS EVE CAROL-SINGERS BEAT RECORD AGAIN
The carol singers were great. Once again they beat the record, by raising £255.00 for the church – thereby beating last year’s record of by £44.00.
LANGHAM STREET FAYRE will take place on
Saturday 29th July 2006 !!
All day entertainment (10.00 - 17.00): great music (The Norwich Pipe Band, The Climax Jazz Band, Matthews’ Norfolk Brass, The Lobster Potties), Grand Raffle, children's fun (Bouncy Castle, Gladiator Duels, Professor Crump, Taro the Jester, Punch & Judy, face painting etc), art & craft stalls (around 70), village stalls (about 15, including cake stall, tombolas, bric-a-brac), helicopter rides, competitions and lots of refreshments! Keith Skipper and the Sheringham Town Crier also taking part. In the evening, hog roast and live music at The Bluebell (20.00-23.00).
Pre-Fayre Entertainment
Mon. 24th July. Bingo Night Wed. 26th July Quiz Night Fri. 28th July Concert: Red October and Keith Loads We will shortly be contacting all our neighbouring and other local villages, and our own Langham village organizations, to challenge them to enter teams for The Quiz Night! We do hope to get lots of enthusiastic rivals! From Easter this year Grand Raffle Tickets, Quiz and SuDoku Sheets and Concerts Tickets will be available.
See www.langhamstreetfayre.co.uk for latest details, or ring 01328 830036.
MOBILE LIBRARY This will visit Langham Thurs. Feb. 2nd & Thurs. March 2nd, calling each day at: The Carmel - 9.35 m. Swan’s Close - 10.50 am. St. Mary’s - 10.00 am. The Cornfield - 11.15 am. The Old Post Office - 10.25 am. Enquiries: Wells Library Tel: 01328 710467
LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH FUND Our Grand Sale will be on June 24th in the Parish Room. Maureen 830371
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MORSTON News
16
MORSTON WAR MEMORIAL & ROLL OF HONOUR
on new website: New Information
A new website by Carolynn Langley and Martin Edwards appeared in November on: http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Morston.html. Although this has a number of errors it has new information for Morston families. First, the errors: (1-2) the memorial pictures at page 3 (lower) and page 9 are not Morston as stated: the blue one is in Langham; (3) a metal plaque in addition to a marble one honouring Pte George Balding is mentioned, but does not exist; (3) Hammond should be spelt with one ‘m’. ‘Major Phillip Hammond, Vfk Reg’ should be Major Philip Hamond, Norfolk Regt. ‘Cpl Anthony Hammond’ should be Capt Hamond and ‘Dr Archer Starman’ should be Dvr (Driver) Starman. Pte George Sands is not commemorated on Morston War Memorial since he is commemorated inside and outside Hindringham church. (If commemorated ‘nearby’ he cannot be commemorated here). His family understand and confirm there was only one George Sands. It is an impressive and informative website and gives us in Morston several new pieces of information: (1) Captain Renton Walker was 25 when he died in Delhi Hospital in 1943; (2-4) PO Leslie Docking is commemorated on the Chatham (Kent) Naval Memorial (at Panel 51, column 3) as is Ldg Stkr (Ldg Boatman, Coastguard, 141804) John Morris (on Panel 4) and LS Alex Gray (J/4210) who died on 19th July 1917 (not 1914; Panel 21) when the (my addition!) 20,000-ton battleship HMS Vanguard blew up in Scapa Flow (the victim of an internal explosion, her magazine was detonated by unstable cordite exploding, killing all but three of her 800 crew), and, most interestingly (5) – as we may now be able to locate his family and therefore a photograph – it identifies the parents of John Morris: as George & Jane Morris of Kennington, London, and his wife as Eleanor Sarah Morris of – admittedly in 1914 – 64, Guinness Buildings, Page’s Walk, Bermondsey, London. Maybe we can now place a notice in the local paper at Kennington and in Bermondsey to trace his family.
MORSTON MARDLE by Samphire DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Mar. 1st. Wed 7.00 pm: Parish Council Meeting 3rd. Fri: PCC Meeting at Mrs. Todd’s 18th. Sat Friends Quiz: Morston Village Hall Apr.19th. Wed 6.30 pm: Parish Council Meeting June 16th – Sun 18th : Fri Powditch Visit (Accommodation at Gunthorpe Hall, Friends Raffle in the Anchor on Saturday and Powditch Family Service on Sunday) July 8th. Sat Friends’ AGM in Village Hall (to be confirmed) 29th. : Sat Morston Regatta (& Langham Street Fayre) 30th. : Sun Oyster Regatta. Oct. 21st. Sat Friends’ Admiral Shovel Dinner & Talk by his biographer Dr Simon Harris at the Anchor. Nov.12th. Sun Remembrance Day Parade & Service.
18th MARCH, MORSTON QUIZ We are hoping that Godfrey Sayers and Neil Thompson will each provide a team this year.
SEPT. ’06, CONCERT IN MORSTON CHURCH Soprano Elisabeth Wingfield will give a concert in Morston Church on a Saturday at the end of September.
MORSTON VILLAGE HALL FOR HIRE The village hall is for hire at £20 a day. Contact Carol or John Bean on 01263-740038.
NORFOLK CHURCHES TRUST BIKE RIDE Thanks to Rob Metcalfe and Olive Hewitt and their sponsors, the NNT Bike Ride in September raised £620.00 for the church. MORSTON VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT (VDS)
The Morston VDS was presented to the Parish Council in early December, now divided into: Book 1 - The History, Wildlife & People (as background information) and Book 2 - which part would be Supplementary Planning Guidance, the actual VDS itself. The Council is reading it prior to making decisions at its January Meeting on the VDS’s onward movement to the NNDC for their approval and for final publication and distribution.
WRITE-UP FOR THE ANCHOR The Anchor was given a great write-up in the Winter 2005 issue of the magazine, North Norfolk Living, by Richard Forbes-Robertson, their Food & Restaurant Critic. He praised the food and the availability of Oyster Shots, Czech Budweiser and old Speckled Hen, and not least eight good wines that could be ordered by the glass.
MORSTON QUIZ by Samphire (Answers on Page 23)
1) What do the following stand for and what colour are the medals: (a) DSO? (b) MM? (c) OBE? (d) VC? (e) GC? 2) How many masts have the following: (a) A gondola? (b) A brig (brigantine)? (c) A Cockle? (d) A schooner? (e) A Laser? 3) In what country are the following languages spoken: (a) Erse or the Gaelic? (b) Farsi? (c) Tagalog? d) Flemish? (e) Klingonese or Klingon? 4) From what language did the following words enter English: (a) Tsunami? (b) Admiral? (c) Lieutenant? (d) To strafe? (e) Typhoon? 5) For what are the following famous: (a) Edison? (b) Bell? (c) Pasteur? (d) Copernicus? (e) Braille?
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BIRD REPORT by Greenshank Winter birding has settled into a predictable pattern, with good numbers of Brent Geese moving between the harbour and nearby fields, as well as Wigeon, Teal and Pintail. Waders are well represented too, and large flocks of Golden Plover are a regular feature, often associating with Lapwing. A superb male Hen Harrier can often be found quartering the saltmarsh early in the afternoon. The cold snap after Christmas saw a big influx of Fieldfare and Redwing, together with Skylark and Meadow Pipits. Bullfinches, not a common species around Morston, have been in the hedgerows by the sluice. For dedicated twitchers, the main excitement has been the presence of at least one Dartford Warbler in the gorse headland before Shepherd's Garden. This tiny warbler, usually found on southern heaths, survived the cold snap and was feeding busily in the gorse in mid-January.
MUNTJAC MOVES INTO MORSTON There have been reports in the press of the tiny Muntjac deer spreading across Britain, and so it was no surprise to see one at Christmas just inside Morston on the Stiffkey Road near Stiffkey Fen. The Reeves Muntjac (or "Barking Deer") has in 80 years adapted to living in Britain and has populated large areas of the countryside to become, possibly, the most widely distributed deer in England. A mature animal may reach a height of about 18 inches at the shoulder and may weigh about 30 lbs, the doe being slightly smaller than the male. In 1999 there were reports of Muntjac feeding and walking around Thetford town centre, unfortunately resulting in the odd road accident. In winter when the flora lies dormant, many previously unseen Muntjac appear. Predominantly browsers, they eat ivy, bramble, grasses, herbs, fruit (especially apples), nuts, berries, fungi, flowers (both wild and cultivated), vegetables and coppice. They will also eat some plants poisonous to domestic animals, including yew leaves and berries. Bluebells, primroses, honeysuckle and orchids are also particular favourites. They browse on the flower heads, removing the ability of the plant to set seed the following year. Eating bluebells may result in their disturbing moths and nightingales.
In this Issue, and future Issues, Morston plans to honour the 3 sailors and 4 soldiers who lost their lives in two World Wars
World War I (1914 – 1918) Leading Seaman Alec Gray, HMS Vanguard
Royal Navy, died Scapa Flow, 9th July, 1914, aged 16 Son of George and Agnes Gray of Morston (1865-1914, buried at Morston), brother of Nellie (1898-1924, buried at Morston) and brother of Sidney, Arthur (‘Ruffler’), Thomas William (died an infant 1903) and Jack (1907-1918, buried at Morston aged 11), and uncle of Barbara Riseborough of Norwich, Jimmy, Philip (RN of Tilbury), Lucy, David, John, Ronald (‘Ronnie’) of Field Dalling, Edward ('Eddie') Arthur of Blakeney, Terence, Jennifer and Margaret. Prior to 1914 Alec’s father, George Gray, had moved from Morston - where he ran the Townshend Arms pub, to Bale, where he ran the Bale Oak pub - but one night he lost his licence for having a family ‘send off’ after licensing hours when Alec was due to rejoin his ship, HMS Vanguard. Alec was soon afloat again when a disaster occurred. While firing her heavy guns in Scapa Flow - Orkney’s huge harbour off north/east Scotland - the cordite exploded in the hold, blowing HMS Vanguard to pieces with great loss of life. Alec’s father, George, described in 1917 as ‘of Bale’ was buried at Morston in 1918, aged 53.
151804 Leading Stoker (C.G.) John Morris Morston Coastguard, HMS Hogue, Royal Navy
Died in the North Sea, 22nd September 1914, aged 40 Born on 8th July, 1874 in New Hampton, Middlesex (no relations are shown in the records), John Morris joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 as a Boy Sailor in 1889. After serving aboard a dozen RN ships, he was posted on 16th July, 1910, to the Eastern Coastguard - based in Morston. One of the purposes of the Coast- guard was to serve as a Reserve for the Royal Navy . John served in Morston until 21st July, 1914 - when he was posted to the 12,000-ton cruiser, HMS Hogue (2x9.2” guns, 12x6” guns, 12x12-pounders and 3x3-pounders) of the Third Fleet, then based at Chatham, Kent. On 20th September 1914 three of the first class yet obsolescent cruisers of the Cressy class, largely crewed by coastguardsmen, were patrolling at slow speed (coastguards were not allowed to sail at speed) and in close order (which the admirals in command represented as ‘futile’) in the Deep Fourteens off the mouth of the Thames, when the German U-boat U9 torpedoed HMS Cressy, which sank with the majority of her crew. HMS Aboukir (bearing the commander of the squadron, Admiral Reginald Norton) went to rescue those men in the water and was immediately sunk as well; and then the same happened to HMS Hogue when she attempted to rescue the survivors of the first two cruisers. One U-boat, U9, sank all three cruisers. 1,400 officers and men were lost including Leading Stoker (Coast Guard) John Morris (then aged 40), while 60 officers and 77 men - apparently including Leading Seaman W. (‘Billy’) Eales of Morston, were saved. This was only two months after bidding his friends in Morston goodbye. Soon after this disaster the men of the Coastguard - now at last considered as ‘irreplaceable’ - were disembarked from their various ships and returned to their coastal watch-house duties.
18
BATS IN THE BELFRY: Two Sorts Now We have always known (from the Diocesan Batman – whom my 4-year-old grandson is dying to meet for some reason!) that All Saints’ had pipistrelle bats (Britain’s smallest and most common of 14 species of bat) in the tower and the chancel, but in November (when the hibernation period should begin), a dead brown long-eared bat was found in the church and was identified by the Diocesan Batlady. All 14 species of British bat are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The pipistrelle is up to two inches long with short legs, broad flat head, short, broad ears, narrow wings and a short tail. Adults vary in colour: in some colonies they are mainly orange-brown while others are mainly pale grey-brown. Ears and muzzle are dark. Its jerky flight gave rise to the ancient name for bats – flittermouse. The bats sleep lightly during the day and usually begin streaming out from their roost 15 - 30 minutes before sunset to hunt for insects. In midsummer they regularly appear during the daytime. Each bat spends 2 - 5 hours per day away from its colony (which can number hundreds – although ours is very small), using temporary roosts in between short feeding flights. It hunts over a regular beat, flying low over the ground, eating mainly gnats, tiny moths and small caddisflies. If a large insect is captured, it would be taken back to the church to be eaten. A bat eats several hundred insects every day. The males roost in separate small colonies during the summer, only joining the females during the autumn and winter months. The brown long-eared bat (aka the 'whispering bat' because its echolocation sounds are very quiet) is the second most common species in Britain. It too is about two inches long. The ears are nearly as long as the body but are not always obvious; when at rest they curl their ears back like rams horns, or tuck them away completely under their wings leaving only the pointed inner lobe of the ear visible. They live in colonies of typically 25 but occasionally 50 or more bats, and their lifespan can be as long as 30 years. They sometimes hang on the walls or from the ceiling, and roost in crevices. They eat moths - such as the Yellow Underwing, beetles, flies, bugs earwigs and spiders, and have particularly sensitive hearing, often locating prey from just the sound made by the insect's own movements. On such occasions the bat does not bother to echolocate.
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For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
A very happy and healthy New Year to everyone from all of us here in
Saxlingham
We are a small village but, looking back over 2005, it seemed that every month brought its own event of some significance, and no doubt the pattern will continue throughout 2006 Towards the end of November a talk was kindly given by Frances Bodington at the Village Hall to raise funds for St Margaret’s Restoration fund. Following coffee and biscuits, we listened raptly to some excellent advice on how to bring colour and style to our existing wardrobes, and how accessories can bring new life to an established collection of clothes. Mix-and-match, colour co-ordination and the need to rid ourselves of little worn garments bought on impulse were very important issues for us to contend with, and it could well be that some of those new year resolutions took heed of this professional advice! The year closed with our traditional Christingle and Christmas Day services - both well attended and both showing an awareness of the true spirit of Christmas.
19
A FABULOUS FAMILY PARTY FOR OUR VILLAGE
With their usual elan and gan-on the Society laid on a splendid family occasion - season and all that jazz
Over forty folk turned up, including nine youngsters of varying sizes and range of decibels. All partook of the goodies arranged for us. Two hundred balloons were blown up and hung over the heavily laden long table. ‘Did them myself, you know, no pump available’ - spoke the gent with no lungs left - such sacrifices! I did notice however that he was not in pulmonary failure and the ‘truth will out! Streamers, poopers, crackers and poppers banged across the table.
‘How do you like my blue and red hairstyle?’ Hey man, that’s cool.’
The delicious meal completed, came time for ‘pig pulling!’ This string pulled - zilch, aah! That string pulled and a cascade of sweeties exploded on to the floor - yippee. A cry ‘I pulled that’ - ‘my sweeties’ didn’t stop the ruck and maul. The pig was designed and built by NN’s leading consultant porcinologist - porkyologist - pig big fellar.
The floor was then cleared for the light fantastic, fun and laffter and that. A ‘right good do’, with thanks to Debbie and her willing slaves. P.J.G.
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
SHARRINGTON CHURCH NEWS
After the stark simplicity of All Saints’ Church during Advent, when the only decoration is the evergreen Advent Ring with its symbolic candles, the explosion of Christmas decorations upon the Carol Service makes a stunning contrast. Nearly 50 people gathered for the early evening service, lit by candles. Rev. Joanna Anderson led the worship, following the Christmas story in words and carols. Rachel Kimmins gave us a wonderful start with her first verse solo of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and afterwards we lingered to enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, all brewed and baked by members of the congregation. (Spare a thought for the gallant soul who vacuums after festivals - pastry crumbs and icing sugar make a lethal combination). Christmas Day Communion was taken by Ven. Michael Handley and we were pleased to see so many families gathered together. Several of our young people have left home to study so it is wonderful to see them back for the holidays and catch up on their news. Times and dates of services for Easter and any special fund raising events for the spring will be circulated round the village as usual. Pippa Long
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For Church Services see Panel on Page 3
CHURCH RE-DECORATION
Thank you to everyone who responded by e-mail, note in the box in the shop, or verbally, to the open letter to each household about re-decorating the church. The responses were wholly supportive of doing what is needed to preserve our church as a village asset, and also as a source of inspiration and comfort when needed. We are particularly grateful to the holiday home and second-home owners who replied. It is obvious that they value the village and count the church as one of its most important features. They often add significantly to our congregation and give us real encouragement with their support and ideas. Given the nature of this response, the Parochial Church Council voted unanimously in December to set in motion the processes required to obtain diocesan approval for a redecoration programme, with the important proviso that final, authorisation of the work would be subject to the necessary funds being available. We have received tenders for the work and the architect is satisfied that the most economical of these is realistic. We had already set aside a significant amount for work on the fabric of the church and we have already had pledges of further support and interest that has enabled us to take a decision with real grounds for faith that we will have the whole sum by the time the money is needed later in 2006. The total amount for the work will, with VAT where appropriate and architect’s fees, be over £25,000. That will give us a very fine church interior, which will serve us well for many years. We look forward to inviting all of you to a special service celebrating the successful completion of the project. We hope people enjoyed our Christingle and Christmas Services also the splendid Crib and floodlights. The biggest and best Crib in our group?
CUP FINAL DAY ‘Listen Ladies - please - today is Cup Final day. Morning Purgatory is for acute conditions of the human frame only. Please do not take calls that are not urgent. Thank you, dear people.’ Second patient comes into the consulting room complaining of wax in his ears! Heaven forfend! Any time in the last 4 months would have done. Choking hard on my frustration at being too wimpish to send him away, I did the deed. ‘Thanks a million, doc, I can hear. What are you doing this afternoon?’ he asks. ‘Whatever else I’m gonna do, I’m watching Leeds v Sunderland’ - said with a somewhat tightened lip and very strained voice. ‘Oh great’ he says ‘Come with me, I have a spare ticket!’ In chauffeur driven luxury, vast picnic hamper in the boot, we arrived at ‘Mecca’ - as seen in northern terms. I was sitting with a bunch of Sunderland lads who bowed to kiss the sacred ground. They had been celebrating all the way down from home. Came the exhilarating moment of Porterfield’s goal and our side of the ground erupted, shouting the while. Three of ‘em were fast asleep. The moral of this story is - if you want a treat to remember for the rest of your life - wash the ears out, good and proper. Airbag
STIFFKEY News
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WELL DONE THE RED LION What fun we had on Christmas Eve singing carols and a great night on New Year’s Eve at the Mexican Night. Great food and lots of jollity. Again thanks to the Red Lion for hosting these events.
THE CHRISTMAS BINGO After one or two hiccups at the start, the night turned out a great success. £310 was raised, to be shared between the Village Hall and the Playing field. £66 was also raised for the Church Fabric Fund. Many thanks to all who helped to run the event and to those who donated all the lovely prizes. Special thanks to the callers for giving us such a laugh!
THE OLD HALL We are all so delighted and excited at the wonderful restorations which John and Anne Bell are undertaking at the Old Hall, Their dedication to restoring this heritage property is truly marvellous, almost breath-taking. And at the same time it is a real family home.
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STIFFKEY FEN We have had several enquiries from ramblers and bird watchers about the sudden halting before Christmas of de-silting operations on the Stiffkey river. So I ought to clarify that this makes no difference to the Fen or to the birds, one way or another. The people who could be affected are those who protested to the Environment Agency about flooding (due to climate change and unusually heavy rainfall). There could possibly be a conflict of interest now between them and the mussel interest. New river bank owners, who may not have been warned about the ways of nature and rivers by the vendors of their properties, probably expect flooding to be solved by money or the law. I have a photograph taken in the seventies when the whole valley was three feet under water from here to the sea. This was long before serious river management was introduced. It depends on the climate. The only action that might conceivably make a marginal difference upstream would be the removal of two bridges, one in Bridge Street and the other opposite the Old Hall. Even then the water still has to go somewhere after heavy rainfall. The present conditions tend to be balanced in the end by the long dry periods.
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22
NATURE NOTES
(On Snipe and Woodcock) Snow on the ground and a bitter wind off the sea. So I took my dog for a walk, as I often do, along the edge of the marsh wearing my new green wellies (a Christmas present). Muffled up and with a scarf tied tightly, I could hear the geese calling out over the salt marsh; disorientated by the cold, and splitting up into small parties heading for a field showing something to eat; probably sugar beet tops. The dog and I took cover and walked through Coneyford wood by the camp. The wind was less penetrating amongst the wind-blown oaks and sycamores. A woodcock rose and dodged away through the trees, probably weak after it’s flight from Scandinavia. And then a snipe rose from this edge of the creek. The common snipe is a small wader, weighing between 3½ and 6 ounces (depending on body condition). It is one of the commonest birds in the world being circum-polar. Most of our common snipe and woodcock are autumn migrants from the Baltic region. They arrive in autumn in a migratory arc, swarming down the west coast of Scotland and, to a lesser extent the east coast. Hard weather drives them to south to Ireland, Devon, Cornwall and France. Both woodcock and snipe are sporting birds providing most testing targets. They eat well, being roasted non-eviscerated with a bacon strip, sitting on a slice of bread so that the juices are absorbed; delicious! We have a reasonable population of breeding snipe and woodcock in the UK, though most go north in Spring. Snipe require marshy ground both to feed and breed; preferably used by livestock to encourage the worms which both snipe and woodcock probe with their long sensitive bills. They can hear worms moving below ground! Whereas snipe are often flushed in ‘wisps’ or groups, the woodcock is a more solitary bird. The snipe jinks as it rises, emitting the typical ‘scrope scrope’ call. The woodcock is silent and rarely calls on being disturbed. In spring the male snipe displays over it’s nesting territory by ‘drumming’, where the flight feathers vibrate as the male bird plunges earthwards. This magical sound is a sure indicator of breeding pairs. The woodcock is polygamous. Males in spring patrol forestry rides and woodland edges at dusk ‘roding’, this entails flying backwards and forwards emitting grunting noises; presumably to attract females. And, of course, it is well authenticated that the female will fly with a chick clutched between thighs for short distances if threatened at it’s nest site. Many people claim to have observed this but I have not yet been fortunate. So there we have it. Two attractive species of wader to be seen in these parts, both migrants and local breeders. Habitat, as always, is the key . Marshy ground for snipe; secluded woodland for woodcock. And in this area we are fortunate to have landowners who look after things to benefit them. Pightle
THE VILLAGE HALL PARTY
December 28th
The Village Hall committee organised a belated party for the village. Entry and drinks were free and everyone brought food to share so we had lots of lovely grub.
Alf Hall turned out on a snowy night to provide the music and entertainment and I am glad to say that after all his hard work over Christmas Father Christmas arrived to give all the children a selection box. The games went with a swing and many thanks are due to Alison for the great adult ‘Pass the Parcel’ and to Tracey for stepping in and helping.
The donation pot nearly covered the costs for the night so a fun time was had for very little cost. Let’s do it again next year. Sorry we cannot promise the snow for the snowball fight!
P.S. Well done to two young gentlemen for their behaviour in ‘Musical Chairs’.
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TRAFFIC CALMING
The Parish Council has long campaigned for maximum traffic warnings for motorists passing through Stiffkey. Apparently flashing signs are not available unless the village pays for or subsidises such equipment. This is scandalous. The A149 is a serious accident waiting to happen in Stiffkey village. Walking to and from the shop or pub is a nightmare. Even Bridge Street is a race-track (supposed to be 20mph). What can we do to get the powers-that-be to ACT? More signs? Rumble strips? Flashing lights?
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Langham Village School School News
GRAND OPENING The Grand Opening of the new school building fell on a cold, dull day, but all that was overlaid by the guests’ delight in being shown over the whole school - both the altered and updated old building, the prefab and the fine new classroom. The new building externally mirrors the late 19th century style and internally provides space, light and a warm happy environment. The children themselves were our hosts, and were obviously delighted to show us around. They answered all our questions courteously and fully. I was even shown the old school bell, now kept safely in the library. The classrooms were beautifully set out, walls full of colour and interest, and there was a feeling of space wherever we went. The 21st century was well represented by the Interactive Whiteboard in the new classroom - the children themselves understood and explained it to me, though I am still awed by modern technology. While admiring the head’s spanking new office, we were told ‘Well, yes, but Mr Green says it’s not like it was, no one talks to him in there’. The main impression we carried away was of the maturity and courtesy of the children themselves. Our guides answered all our questions freely and intelligently. We were also struck by the way the teachers serenely carried on working with children, themselves happily occupied, while the school was over-run by hordes of visitors. This, clearly, was an orderly and happy environment. Lucky children, lucky staff. HCB
LAST WORD Doctor to village builder - ‘I suppose a lump or two of putty or paint will cover up several of your mistakes.’ Builder to doctor - ‘Yis, doctor, an I reckon a turf or two of grass have covered up several o’ your mistakes an’ all’.
MORSTON QUIZ (Answers. See page 16) by Samphire
1) (a) Distinguished Service Order: blue, red, blue. (b) Military Medal: blue, white, red, white, red, white, blue. Replaced by the MC in 1993). (c) Officer of the Order of the British Empire: white, red, white (twice). (d) Victoria Cross: magenta. (e) George Cross: blue. 2) (a) None (Venetian river boat). (b) Two. (c) One. (d) Two or more. (e) One. 3) (a) Ireland. (b) Iran. (c) The Philippines. (d) Belgium. (e) Fictional Klingons in the fictional universe of “Star Trek” 4) (a) Japanese. (b) Arabic. (c) French. (d) German. (e) Chinese. 5) (a) Inventing the phonograph (forerunner of the gramophone) and a major contributor to the development of the telephone. (b) Inventor of the telephone. (c) For developing immunisation by inoculation. (d) Discoverer of the rotation of the planets around the sun. (e) Inventing Braille: the raised dots writing for the blind.
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