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| greatbedwyn.com |
The site for the
Wiltshire village of Great Bedwyn |
| Parish
News June 2008 |
All articles on this page have been submitted via the Parish News
Editorial Team |
There are 18 articles this month - do scroll
down and have a look at everything |
|

Freesat
- what is it? |

Crofton Beam Engines |

Nature
Notes |
 Great
Bedwyn Music Society |

Letters to the Editor |
 Great
Bedwyn Parish Council |
|

Movieola
- next film showing |
 Bedwyn
Royal British Legion |

Penny's
Mill |
 Miscellaneous notices |

In
the Garden |

Jason and the Argonauts |

Great Bedwyn School News |
 Great
Bedwyn Scouts |
Books from Bedwyn: An Allotment
Novice |

Pantomime Society of Great Bedwyn |
 The
Bedwyn Players present: |
Great Bedwyn Women's Institute |
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FREESAT
– What is it?!!!!
GOOD NEWS…..digital
TV and radio services are available to 98% of people in the
UK. For us in this area, gone are the days of the geographic
limitations which restricted viewing and listening to analogue
channels.
Launched
in early May, Freesat is a free-to-view digital service which
offers a wide range of digital TV, radio, interactive services
and free High Definition TV (HDTV). The genre list will
include Entertainment, News and Sport, Children, Movies,
Lifestyle, Music, Radio, Regional, Interactive, Shopping,
among others. These will be familiar to all of us who have
‘Sky’, but how frustrating it has been not to be able to
access the full range of digital services, television as well
as radio, unless one paid a regular subscription. Now we can
choose to access about 80 TV and radio channels (increasing to
around 200 by the end of the year). Freesat is of particular
interest to residents in geographic areas such as ours where
Freeview has not been an option because there is no digital
terrestrial television (DTT) signal.
How do we get Freesat –
and what is the cost?
A
broadband-enabled set-top box or an integrated TV set (worth
looking for this if you are buying a new set) is necessary.
These are available from high street electrical retailers for
a one-off payment. There is no further subscription contract.
A basic ‘standard definition’ box costs approximately £50
with ‘high definition’ boxes and HD ready interactive TV
sets (HD iDTV) costing more. Vetted installers who meet strict
criteria can set up the access and provide pre- and post-
sales advice and support. Installation cost is expected to be
around £80. There is no subscription cost i.e. the service is
free in perpetuity. In addition to radio, TV and interactive
(‘red button’) services, one can connect to broadband and
the internet, making services like iPlayer also available for
viewing on-demand content.
Dr
C Bharucha
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Crofton
steams into its 40th year ….. since restoration
began
“Which
way – anti or clockwise?”
Thus
began Sir John Betjeman’s speech at the inaugural steaming
of Crofton’s 1812 beam engine on Friday 21st
August 1970 as reported in the Kennet & Avon Canal
Trust’s magazine “The Butty”. Sir John continued…”Ladies
and gentlemen, it is a great moment when we are going to hear
again the sound of that beam engine, and it’s entirely due
to the voluntary effort over the past three years and to many
of you here, all of whom ought to have mugs or medals given to
you for your love of this machinery…”.The report went
on …”Sir John then opened the steam valve –
anti-clockwise – on the boiler and proceeded to the engine
room to start the 1812 engine in motion. The ceremony was
hosted by Lord Methuen, President of the Kennet & Avon
Canal Trust and General Sir Hugh Stockwell, Chairman, and was
well attended by the local and national press.”
Why
a Pumping Station at Crofton?
The
Kennet & Avon Canal is an arterial or summit canal with
the river Avon to the west and the river Kennet to the east.
The canal was opened in 1810 when the two navigable river
sections were joined together by the man-made canal from
Newbury to Bath, thereby completing a through route from
Bristol to Reading and thence to London via the Thames. Whilst
John Rennie, the canal’s engineer knew that the two river
sections could tap sufficient water from natural sources by
gravitation, he also knew that the canal, particularly between
Crofton and Devizes, was above natural sources and in any case
would need more water than was available by gravitation. The
nearest source of supply to the proposed summit level were the
springs rising near Wilton and Crofton villages. However,
before construction began, the canal company was faced with
the decision to construct either a long tunnel on the same
level as the Wootton Rivers springs to the west, or to build a
short tunnel on a higher level with water supplied by pumping
machinery from springs at Wilton to the east. The directors
opted for the cheaper solution – a short tunnel and pumped
supply – with water being drawn up 40 ft by two Boulton
& Watt beam engines and fed into the summit via a mile
long leat. Steam was to be supplied by two coal-fired
wagon-top boilers.
Both
engines were in regular service until 1952, with the 1812
engine in steam as late as 1959. At this time it was decided
that the chimney was unsafe and about 36ft was removed from
the top. This proved catastrophic, for there was now
insufficient draught to fire the boilers effectively. So
British Waterways installed electric pumps in a separate
building, leaving the beam engines and pump house intact until
restoration by volunteers began in 1968.
The
cost of restoration to The Crofton Society was £8,000 and
covered structural work to the building, boiler scouring and
testing, and overhaul of the 1812 engine and pump. Volunteer
specialists in steam, engineering, boiler making and pump
maintenance as well as the Junior Division of the K&A
Trust, prisoners from Aylesbury jail and countless members of
canal societies and the public all helped with restoration.
The
inaugural steaming of Crofton’s second beam engine – built
by Harveys of Hayle in Cornwall, which replaced the original
Boulton & Watt engine in 1846 – took place in 1972.
Today, Crofton Pumping Station contains what is believed to be
not only the oldest working beam engines, but the only working
Boulton & Watt engine in steam doing the job for which it
was originally installed.
There
will be a Photographic Exhibition of Crofton’s restoration
at the Pumping Station on Sunday 26th June when the
engines are in steam.
D
Harris
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NATURE
NOTES
I
have been getting a bit agitated as we are now half way
through May and at Folly Farm no house martins have arrived.
Last year we had seven pairs nesting under the granary eaves
and some of those had two broods. Last year we had four pairs
of swallows – this year one only. I have heard the cuckoo
once this year so far but I think he has moved on from these
parts. It would appear that many of our migrant visitors have
been caught out by some bad weather on their way here with
disastrous results. Butterflies are also in very short supply.
On
the plus side, a wren has pinched last year’s swallows’
nest and, with a bit of refurbishment, made a very comfy home.
Our television camera in the blue tit box has revealed 10 eggs
laid and now all have hatched. Hurrah for our Barn Owl. We do
not disturb her but she is very busy bringing in voles etc. to
the owl box so there is a family there.
We
have a partridge who is a bit of a comedian. Outside he
perches on the dining room window sill, believing that his
reflection is, in fact, a rival for the favours of his mate,
standing behind. He taps very loudly on the window and starts
his pantomime at around 5.30 am. Not a popular little bird!
D
Back
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GREAT
BEDWYN MUSIC SOCIETY
The
opening concert of the new season was eagerly awaited and did
not disappoint. The two percussionists, O Duo, were every bit
as brilliant, musical and entertaining as we had hoped and a
large audience absolutely revelled in it. What is more,
several children came to the concert and three of them were
brave enough to answer the call for volunteers in one of the
pieces, much to everyone’s delight, The two performers,
Oliver Cox and Owen Gunnell, both follow their own freelance
careers but fit in an increasing number of Dou invitations,
and are to appear in one of this summer’s Prom concerts as
soloists.
The
second concert, of string quartets by the Jubilee Ensemble,
will have taken place by the time this edition of Parish News
comes out: please don’t miss the next recital on June 20 by
a marvellous Mexican guitarist, Morgan SZYMANSKI. Admission is
free for children and £10 for adults, with a reduction of £2
for members of the Music Society.
R
Peel
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Letters
to the Editor
Dear
Andrew,
How
nice it is to see the fine replacement church gates.
The
previous ones had served the village for many years. They were
made by George Frederick Bance, known to all as Fred. They
were crafted by hand, no power tools in those days, and in a
shed at the end of the garden at No.12 Church Street. I
understand they were also engraved by hand. This was not easy
because of the weight but help came from Jack Lloyd, his mason
Charlie Gauler and also my informant Mrs Joy Aust. Joy worked
at the Post Office, which was then at No.12. Joy says it would
have been in 1944, so they have earned retirement. I wonder
what they replaced.
B
Bance.
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Great Bedwyn Parish Council
Extract
from draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting
held
in the Village Hall on Wednesday 14th May 2008
Annual
Election of Officers: The
following were elected, unopposed:
Chairman:
Cllr G.R.Stone, Deputy Chairman: Cllr R.Durie,
Planning
sub-committee: Cllrs. Stone, Durie, Clack, van Haperen,
Howell, Francis.
MADT:
Cllr. Francis
Transport:
Cllr Rhodes
Allotments:
Cllr van Haperen
Footpaths:
Cllrs Howell, Knowler
Playground:
Cllr Nicholson
Village
Hall: Cllr Nicholson
Matters
Arising:
1.
Playground. Inspection. The meeting decided to ask
RosPa to bring forward the annual inspection. If not possible,
we will arrange a post-installation inspection (cost £300
plus VAT) even though the contractor has provided a letter
confirming compliance with the relevant standards. It was
agreed that £2000 would be put in a reserve for unspecified
additional playground works. The PC provides for maintenance,
repairs and insurance of the site as part of the annual
budget. Cllr Nicholson is dealing with the residual snag list
and balance of the Landfill grant. Some councillors declined
to support the planting of trees along the Farm Lane and
Castle Road boundaries of the playground on the grounds of
additional maintenance and lack of space on the long boundary.
It was felt that the proposed trees would not provide useful
shade, due to the direction of afternoon sun.
2.
Traffic items.
-Farm
Lane. The playground exit is very dangerous for children due
to the poor visibility in the direction from the school. The
PC has written to Highways who will install warning signs.
However, the PC considered that these would serve little
purpose, as most drivers are already aware of the exit, and
will seek a more effective solution, such as limiting access
to through traffic.
-The
PC will chase a response regarding school signs by the Three
Tuns.
3.
Allotments
-Flooding
in Back lane. The run-off from the field results in the drain
in Back Lane being overwhelmed if the grille is blocked with
debris. KDC have ordered a new grille and will re-build the
chamber "sometime this Summer". Other proposals for
mitigating the problem including storage channels at the field
edge and both sides of the central channel across the
allotments, to slow down the discharge to the Back Lane drain
were not resolved. The Parish Steward will be asked to clear
the grille as part of his monthly routine.
-The
PC will write to tenants of neglected plots, for
re-possession.
-Cllr
van Haperen advised that there are plots available.
-Tenants
are reminded that dogs must be on a lead within the
allotments.
4.
Insurance.
The
success of the playground project (and other works) has
inevitably resulted in an increase in the insurance policy.
The PC agreed that the clerk should decide whether any items
on the schedule could be self-insured, to reduce the premium.
This would not affect statutory insurances such as Public
Liability. Cllr Durie will investigate alternative insurers
before we renew.
5.
The PC supported a donation to the Parish News.
Correspondence:
6.
Savernake Hospital. The judicial review is proceeding. The
request for funding support for Val Compton who has challenged
the PCT over closure of the hospital, has met with very good
support from individuals, and the Friends of Savernake have
pledged to meet any shortfall.
7.
KDC
consultation re Spatial Options for the Future.
This is all about where the 1800 houses the Government require
to be built in Kennet will go. There
is an easy to use on-line questionnaire at
www.kennet.gov.uk
All
are encouraged to respond, as one of the options is for
substantial building in villages such as Gt. Bedwyn.
Planning:
JC
Parish
Council, no objection:
(omitted where approval is listed below):
-Crofton
Pumping Station, Renovation of store building.
-15
High St., Treeworks.
Parish
Council objection/comment:
-91
Church St., Demolition of brick tiled shed in Back Lane.
KDC
Full Planning Approval:
-147
Stokke Common, 2-car garage and woodstore.
-17
High St., Treeworks.
-34
Castle Rd., 2-storey extension.
KDC
refusal:
-92
Church St., Work to front elevation.
AOB:
The
meeting expressed concern over the uncertainty regarding the
future of the Post Office.
M.
Goss
*
* * * *
LITTLE BEDWYN PARISH COUNCIL
Note
from the Clerk
If
any fly tipping is seen or found the number to ring is K.D.C.
on 01380 724911 and ask for the Environmental Health
Department.
Mrs
A Elliott, Clerk
to the Parish Council
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THE
NEXT MOVIOLA SHOWINGS are
Thursday
12 June "The Kite Runner” Cert 12a
7.30pm
Short Film 8.00pm Film Starts!
Tickets £5.00 available
from The Stores and The Bakery
July’s
showing is:
Thursday 10 July – “La Vie en Rose”
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ROYAL
BRITISH LEGION
Due
to the poor response making it non-viable our Coach Trip
to the National Arboretum has had to be cancelled. My
apologies to those who did want to go.
All
money is being refunded together with a letter of
apology.
We
have recently been contacted by the County Chairman who has
requested that we make the County News available to as many
members as possible. To this end he has requested that we send
this by e-mail each month to as many members as possible. Will
members that have an e-mail address please contact me or June
Crook as follows tony_nolson@talktalk.net
or junecrook@virgin.net
I
think that this is a great idea.
T
Nolson
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PENNY’S
MILL
The
56p stamp in the new issued featuring Cathedrals of the United
Kingdom depicts the organ in St. David’s Cathedral,
Pembrokeshire.
The
magnificent limed and waxed European Oak case of the organ was
made here in Great Bedwyn at Brail Farm by Penny’s
Mill.
Over
the last 22 years Gary Black, Kevin Dods and David Evans, (now
joined by Jack Racey and Morgan Kappen Rutterford), have made
over seventy organ cases for cathedrals, including St.
Paul’s, Chelmsford, Portsmouth, Rochester, Oslo and
churches, colleges and concert halls in the UK, America,
Africa, Japan, Australia and Kuala Lumpur.
They
are currently working on orders for Lincoln’s Inn Chapel,
Headington and Cirencester Parish Churches and St. Albans and
Llandaff Cathedrals.
R
Wakeford
P.S.
Penny’s Mill also makes fine domestic furniture and joinery!
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MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES
LOST
PROPERTY IN VILLAGE HALL
Please
note that there is a lot of lost property (coats, boots, bags
etc.) left in the Village Hall.
If
you are missing something please collect it as soon as
possible.
Anything
left at the end of June will go to charity.
Thank
you.
Karina
Nicholson and all the Playgroup staff
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IN
THE GARDEN
I
really quite enjoy weeding and would miss it if there was none
to do, but, as I viciously jab my trowel under the same weeks
every year, I think my time could be better spent on other
jobs. I am regularly amazed to hear or read advice from
professionals telling us to plant, encourage or leave alone
some of the worst.
Here
are a few of those which are determined to take over our
lawn…
In
early spring the glossy leaved and enamelled yellow flowers of
the celandine look very attractive but because of its
tiny bulbils if it gets in the lawn, weed killer will never
get rid of it. The pundits say ‘live and let live’ but its
leaves held flat against the earth shade out the grass and can
quite quickly kill off a large patch. Left in flower beds they
scatter themselves far and wide and into the lawn in no time.
The
idea of daisies in the lawn is romantic and perfect for
a wild flower lawn and for those with a few acres but not for
the small garden. Once again they selfishly spread their
leaves tightly against the ground, killing off the grass.
Specialised lawn week killer will deal with daisies or you can
dig them out by hand but their rapid growth often means
leaving a bare patch.
Plantains
and
dandelions also kill off the opposition (grass) by
holding their leaves horizontally close to the soil but they
spread by seed. They can be controlled fairly easily as both
hold their flowers up high enough for them to be chopped off
by regular mowing and are also suitable subjects for selective
week killers.
There
are plenty of other lawn weeds but they don’t seem to kill
off the grass to the same extent.
D
Marchant-Smith
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Jason
- love, death & seasickness in the Lap of the Gods!
Nothing
can stop our hero and the Argonauts in their quest for the
Golden Fleece - not even a dodgy oracle, a bad weather
forecast or threats from dysfunctional Gods!
Miracle
Theatre Production, Summer Tour
July
18th, 7.30 pm Maizey Lodge, Ogbourne Maizey Gates
open from 6.00pm, bring a picnic, chairs and warm clothing.
All profits in aid of Help for Heroes
Contact:
Marion Gordon-Finlayson on 01672-512125
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GREAT BEDWYN
SCHOOL NEWS
The
pupils at Great Bedwyn School were treated to talks by two
fascinating visitors during May. Following the huge success of
the talk given by children’s author Michael Morpurgo the
children were thrilled to receive a visit from local
children’s author Lauren Childs, best known for her Charlie
and Lola books. She talked about her work as a writer and
illustrator but also her charity work in partnership with
UNESCO. She has agreed to donate the royalties of one of her
well-known books, That Pesky Rat, to the Programme for the
Education of Children in Need.
The
second visit was from a wildlife documentary maker called
Steve Gooder. The children had watched his latest project,
Micro Safari, in which three people are shrunk in size and
have an adventure in their own back garden. They were able to
listen to him explaining the process of making such a
documentary and asked a stream of questions about his work and
the special effects used.
Staff
at the school would like to express their gratitude to
all the people from the village who have been coming into
school on a regular basis to hear children read: Dawn Bacon,
Ali Burch, Ann Gibb, Belinda Gilmour, Marilyn Heilmann, Tim
Summers, Moira Yates and Mrs Tomlin plus all the parents who
give up their time to help in a variety of different ways.
Your contributions are very much appreciated.
At
the end of the summer term we will be losing deputy head
teacher David Mayer, who has been offered a headship at a
school in Oxfordshire. David has been a dynamic addition to
the teaching staff and will be greatly missed. Louise Carlisle
has been appointed as the new deputy head teacher, with effect
from September this year. She is a very popular choice and we
wish her every success in this new role.
Finally,
many congratulations to Jo and Jamie Popperwell on the
birth of their daughter, Poppy!
R Bond
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Great
Bedwyn Scout Group
Great
Bedwyn Scout Group continues to go from strength to strength
with the successful re-commencement of a Beaver Colony for our
younger children last September – who are now looking
forward to their first camping experience at the Beaver Babble
14-15th June 2008. Well done to all the leaders for their
enthusiasm – the waiting list continues to grow with
potential “eager beavers” waiting in the wings.
The
cub pack is well supported and currently have 26 members,
expected to increase to around 30 shortly, when some of the
older beavers move up and the waiting list will begin to move.
Activities planned include a “Giant Sleepover”, with a
record-breaking tooth brushing session the following morning
– this is taking place all over the UK – on the 14th June
2008. Our summer camp is booked for July when we will be
taking the cubs to Ferney Crofts in the New Forest for outdoor
fun and adventure, high wires, archery, climbing etc, and a
sponsored cycle ride is scheduled for September to raise funds
– your support would be appreciated!
The
scout group as a whole has also been involved with the local
pantomime by the adults running the bar, by supporting the
Bruce Trust, and with British Waterways. An event is also
scheduled on June 29th at Wilton Windmill – see local notice
boards for information.
WE
NOW NEED YOUR HELP….
We are currently seeking to re-establish our Scout
Troop in the village and prevent our older children travelling
to Marlborough to continue their scouting.
We
feel it important that we can offer our young people in the
village the opportunity to participate in scouting locally –
particularly this age range 10-1/2 – 14 years.
A
uniformed leader has indicated their interest, supported by a
young leader to set up this troop but we require additional
adult support.
Could
you offer regular support to this group? Do you have the
necessary drive, enthusiasm and skills that could be drawn on
or enhanced – to make this possible for our young people?
Can you spend a few hours to make this group successful?
IF
SO, WE NEED YOU….please contact any of the scout leaders or
K CHALLEN 01672 870202 for further details.
K
Challen and D Sanday
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Adventures
of an Allotment Novice
Latest
recruit to our band of local authors is Valentine Low,
son-in-law to John and Sally Thompson, long-time residents of
Bedwyn Common where Valentine is a regular visitor.
His
book describes the ups and downs of creating a productive
allotment on a seed-bed of horticultural ignorance mixed with
zest for growing your own.
This
is a family story as the author is partnered on the plot by
his wife Eliza and their children Kitty and Orlando. One Man and His Dig, published by Pocket Books at £7.99, is
available at the White Horse Bookshop in Marlborough and at
the Hungerford Bookshop.
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The Pantomime Society of Great Bedwyn
is
looking for cast for:
The Best of the West End
A compilation show of
songs from some of our best known musical productions.
The
show will run for 3 nights at the end of September in The
Village Hall, Great Bedwyn.
If
you are interested in taking part, please come along to our
casting session on Saturday June 28th from 2.30pm
in The Village Hall.
Any queries? Please
contact J Heather on
01672 870125 or
jane@jockey-green.co.uk
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The Bedwyn Players
present: :
Pizza
and a Play
Tantalise
your intellectual taste buds at a production of
“The
most significant English language play of the 20th
century”
Samuel
Beckett’s Waiting for Godot
Dates:
17th, 18th
& 19th July
Venue:
The Brewhouse, Cross Keys, Great Bedwyn
Don’t
just treat your intellectual taste buds! Why not make a whole
evening of it by pre-ordering dinner from the Cross Key’s
renowned home made Pizza menu.
- Pizza
and Play special: £12 per person
- Play
tickets only: £5 per person
Phone
Lesley on 01672 871658 for further information and
pre-bookings, or call into the Cross Keys, Great Bedwyn.
The
Bedwyn Players is a non-profit organisation. All profits will
be donated to the Bruce Trust and the British Heart
Foundation.
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Women's
Institute
Nothing
from Bedwyn W.I. this month
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