BIDDESTONE & SLAUGHTERFORD NEWSFull colour issue online www.biddestone.org.uk

Issue 466

Open G

ardens

Poetry Farming new

s

How D

oes your g

arDen grow

Book C

luB weDDing C

luBs

& Much M

ore

September 2019

2

Open Gardens 2019by Di Webb

This was the most successful Open Gardens that we have or-ganised, we were lucky with the weather – the usual dress code is a pair of waders, but this year it was just right.

Thirteen gardens were opened to the public, and visitors com-mented on the high standard and said how interesting it was to see so many different styles of gardening. All had one thing in common, a passion for gardening, and producing a garden full of flowers and colour in August is no mean feat.

The church was absolutely stunning, decorated with flowers from all the different clubs in the village, finishing touches by Rosemary, Ronnie and Barbara. Romantic music provided by that old romantic, Stewart.

Saturday was very busy with visitors from all over the west, we had been very fortunate in that Waitrose had generously includ-ed an advertisement in their weekend newspaper. On Sunday the crowds just kept coming, and we had to open the overflow

car park. Well done to the car park attendants, who coped very well, especially when running out of spaces.

Teas were provided in the Oak House by Charlotte and her band of very competent helpers who were busy on Saturday, but rushed off their feet on Sunday. Simon ran the Pimms Tent to the delight of many. A total of £1,725 from these went to the Friends of St Nicholas. Hennie raised £700 for Help Tibet from teas at the other end of the village.

After expenses we made a donation of £1,000 each to Dorothy House, Julia’s House Hospice and Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Thank you to all you gardeners for making the weekend such a tremendous success. Thought for the day - only two years to go until 2021!

Di

3

Editorial SeptemberEDITORIAL COMMITTEE

GET INVOLVED

VILLAGE WEBSITE

biddestonebroadsheet@gmail.com

www.biddestonevillage.org.uk

EDITOR Linda Lobl-Smith, Home Farm 714475

TREASURER Annalisa Duff

WEBSITE Alison Fovargue

Julie WaltonJune Pearce

DESIGNChris Draper, Richard Eccleston, Liz Turner

Biddestone Broadsheet and the village website seek to reflect the life and interests of the villages of Biddestone and Slaughterford. Written contributions are invited from readers on any subject that will be of interest. Photos, drawings and art work would also be welcome. Email accounts are often set up to compress images so they can be sent more quickly, but we need photos to be high resolution. So, when sending photos by email, please attach a file, preferably a .jpg, and send it ‘Actual size’ or ‘Large ‘if possible. Any opinions expressed or implied within this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor or Committee and no responsibility can be accepted for any errors of fact printed on these pages. We will, of course, endeavour to be as accurate as possible.● Last copy date is the third Friday in the month, copy should be sent to the Editor at the email address above.

A full colour version of the Broadsheet is available on the website. If you do not wish to have your contact details published online then please make the editor aware of your preference. Any other notices or contributions to be posted specifically on the website should be sent to the email address at the top of the page.

● To post an item on the Biddestone Village Website or Facebook page please contact the Editor Linda Lobl-Smith

Cove

r pho

to: B

idde

stone

Ope

n G

arde

ns

Welcome to the September edition of the Broadsheet. We hope you enjoyed the bumper 24-page colour issue covering the Fete and Biddstock, a big thank you to both events for your donations which helped towards the extra cost of the colour printing.

The Open Gardens in July was a huge success this time, with the weather being much kinder than usual, all the gardens great and small looked wonderful and the teas, ice cream and Pimms did a roaring trade as everyone relaxed in the sunshine. Well done to everyone who helped with this event.

The next date for your diary will be the wonderful Slaughterford Country Fair and Pet Show, happening at St Nicholas Church, Slaughterford on 7th September. Let us hope that the lucky streak with the weather continues for this one!

The annual Safari Supper in aid of St Nicholas Church will take place on 14th September starting at The Oak House and continuing at various locations throughout the village before returning for the auction. There are still tickets available for this really enjoyable evening.

Yet another date to add for October, the Broadsheet Quiz returns this time on a Friday night, for those of you who could not make it to the May Day event. Bring your friends and family, and join the fun on 25th October in the Village Hall.

We have received news of a new village venture, a pop-up shop at the Village Hall on Friday every fortnight. Using local produce from The Best of Wessex. customers can taste before they buy at The Biddestone Pop-Up-Farm-Shop. See page 9 for details.

Broadsheet Quiz October 25

Join your quizmaster, Ian Smith for a fun-filled evening of brain teasing questions at the Village Hall, Friday 25th October at 7.30pm. Teams of four at £5 per head. Tel 01249 714475 to reserve a table.

Bring your own picnic or feast to enjoy in the interval; drinks are available from the bar.

All funds will go to the Broadsheet.

Reader’s Letter

I moved to Biddestone over 20 years ago, and although I currently rent out my cottage, I like to keep an eye on things. I particular enjoy Farming Notes – Ian keeps me amused and informed.

Just like to say what an excellent job you are doing with the Broadsheet in terms of its content, style and presentation, the current July / August edition is a particular highlight.

Best Regards, Adrian Rowden

4

Recipesby Julie Walton

Pear, Blackberry and Almond Cake

A good way to use up some excess late-summer fruit

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour

225g margarine

125g sugar

3 eggs

3 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm cubes.

2 handfuls of washed and dried black-berries

I tbsp plain flour

1 tsp almond essence

20g dark chocolate

1 handful of flaked almonds

22cm loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C

2. Place the margarine and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth, using an electric whisk or wood-en spoon

3. Add the flour, eggs and almond es-sence and mix until combined

4. Sprinkle the plain flour over the pears and blackberries, Gently stir until the fruit is coated and fold into the cake

mixture with a metal spoon

5. Bake for 40-45 mins until the cake is firm to the touch and a golden brown

6. Allow the cake to cool on a metal rack

7. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the cool cake, sprinkle with flaked almonds

Safari Supper and Auction

We will be holding a Safari Supper and an Auction of Gifts, Time and Promises on Saturday 14th September. All funds raised will go to the Friends of St Nicholas.

So far we received a received a good number of pledges for the auction, these include:

Welsh Adventure Talk from a motoring Journalist Tickets to Bath Rugby

Landscape architecture consultancy Golf at Castle Combe Bristol City tickets and hospitality

Christmas garlands Painting of the Royal Crescent Gents haircut Pedestal flower arrangement Supper for 4 Hand turned wooden bowl

Christmas hamper Box of 6 specialty marmalades Spinning tuition for 2 Box of chutneys and pickles Tickets to MK Dons Rose pruning

Book on air combat paintings Afternoon tea at The manor House Childs bicycle Lift to Heathrow or Gatwick Cakes Patchwork quilting lesson

Tickets are £20 each person for the supper. All funds raised will go to the Friends of St Nicholas. If you can’t make the safari su-per but would still like to bid, Simon will bid on your behalf or just come along to the auction at the Oak House that starts at 10pm and bid in person.

Please contact Simon or Charlotte if you are able to make a pledge, host a table or for tickets on 01249 716330 or simon.bruce@btinternet.com

5

Farming notesby Ian Smith

How does your garden grow?by Julie Walton

Most farmers would, I think, take this year’s weather in a heartbeat, presuming, of course, that the present unsettled spell does not stop the combines for too much longer. There is a reasonable window of time to get a ripe corn crop in, but the longer it is left the more chance there is that it will go flat and the grain begin to sprout and spoil. I think this window is shorter than it used to be, because I well remember combines working well into October. Maybe more modern varieties and heavier yields make the crop less durable, this generally would not matter given the massive increase in combine capacity and capability to get the crop off quickly – we shall see…

Stock farmers will be looking at bulging barns and clamps full of winter fodder, the transformative power of rain at the right times can rarely have been better illustrated than by the contrast with last year. There is, of course, no yin without a yang and the end price for cattle sales is all downwards, not helped, of course, by

the BBC and its vegan fellow travelers blaming the whole woes of the world on meat production. Quite how my cattle are harming the planet compared to the dozens of planes that cross the skies of Biddestone parish daily is unexplained.

According to the NFU, admittedly not an unbiased source, this weekend would see the UK run out of temperately grown food should we have no imports. No doubt this is a very simplified view but none the less has a serious point. A quick scan of The Editor’s green veg shopping a while back showed stuff from Egypt, Kenya and Israel*, all well and good but two of these vegetables were out of season in this country, a point that has become too easy to forget in the ubiquity of supermarket shopping. It is perfectly possible to eat home-grown vegetables throughout the year from spring salads to winter sprouts, cabbages etc. Doing this, along with nice home-grown meat would cut out vast transport energy and, no doubt, make everyone healthier.

I suppose this is pointless, you are all going to be burnt to a cinder or drowned by rising sea levels caused by cattle belching, in fact be very afraid, farmers are going to kill everyone.

Personally I feel I am far more likely to meet my end in a fug of carbon mon-oxide or a rage-induced cardiac arrest whilst stuck in a traffic jam caused by Greta Thunberg and her certainty crazed acolytes blocking the public highway and preventing me going about my lawful business.

*Homegrown avocados not availa-ble currently! The 20-somethings are convinced that smashed avocado on sourdough is the only suitable breakfast food in the morning. I am trying to re-educate them, the garden is full of salads, new potatoes, spinach, kale, beets etc. Smoothie anyone?

September is a time for harvest in the garden with apples, pears, plums and raspberries all ripening. It is also a good time to make a note of which plants to move to start planning your planting schemes for next year.

Things to do in September

- Plant all spring bulbs except tulips, these are best done in October.

- Plant polyanthus and wallflowers once the summer annuals have finished. Dig in some compost to refresh the nutrients in the soil.

- Hardy annuals can be sown where they are to flower next year.

- Green manure plants can be sown on any ground that is to be left bare until next spring. They should be dug into the soil next spring where they improve soil structure and release nutrients.

- Put grease bands around fruit trees to prevent winter moths laying their eggs.

- Lift and divide perennials.

- Harvest vegetables.

- Feed greenhouse vegetables such as tomatoes and aubergines twice weekly.

- Dead-head perennials.

- Collect seeds from perennials to propagate.

6

Moviola

Movie ReviewBy Adan Walton

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring

Director: Ki-duk Kim, South Korea, 2003, 103min

A small Buddhist monastery floats on a raft in the middle of a lake, hidden away in the mountains of rural Korea. An aging monk is endeavouring to pass on his wisdom to a young novice. Despite the old monk’s patient teachings, the boy finds himself distracted by trivial tempta-tions, and as he grows into a young man, his desire for worldly experience leads him into a cycle of suffering, despair, atonement and, ultimately, enlighten-ment.

Set entirely within the confines of the

lake and surrounding mountains, the seasons of the title reflect both the chang-es in the natural world and those in the monks’ lives. This profoundly spiritual film reflects the Buddhist philosophy that enlightenment comes through letting go of desires and attachment; but its insights have a universal significance. The story is beautifully crafted and unfolds with a gentle simplicity, amid the stunning beauty of the natural environment as it changes through the seasons.

There are lovely touches of humour and humanity throughout the film, particular-ly in the way the old monk deals affec-tionately and with compassion towards his wayward apprentice. It is one of those rare films that stays imprinted on one’s memory, for its beauty, grace and deep insight.

RED JOAN [12A]

Inspired by an extraordinary true story, the film is set in a picturesque English village. Joan Stanley (Judi Dench), lives in contented retirement until her tranquil existence is shattered when she’s arrested by MI5. Joan has been hiding an incredi-ble past; she is one of the most influential spies in living history. At Cambridge University in the 1930s, the young Joan (Sophie Cookson), a demure physics student, falls in love with an attractive Russian saboteur, Leo (Tom Hughes). Through him, she begins to see that the world is on a knife-edge and perhaps must be saved from itself in the race to military supremacy. Post-war and now working at a top secret nuclear research facility, Joan is confronted with an im-possible choice: would you betray your country and your loved ones, if it meant saving them?

Wednesday September 25th, Grittleton Village HallDoors open 7pm, programme starts at 7.30pmTickets £6 adults from Lesley on 01249 783157

email l_palmer@btinternet.com

If you could let Lesley know by September 17th if you would like tickets that would be very helpful.Future dates for your diary:October 30th Fisherman’s FriendsDecember 4th Yesterdaywww.moviola.orghttp://www.grittleton.info

W.I. September

At the W.I. meeting on 18th September, the speaker will be Edward Barrett talking about “Lunch with the Queen”. Visitors welcome: 2-4pm at the village hall.

Biddestone & Hartham Women’s Institute

7

Book Clubby Diane Ross-Smith

Pound Arts

PoetryThank you to Hilary Noyes for this month’s choice

Thank you to Kate for the delightful visit to Hartham, where we sat in the beautiful garden, enjoyed refreshments and discussed bees, blooms and books.

August’s meeting was cancelled. On Monday September 16th at 7.15pm. we shall be dis-cussing ‘The Children’s Book’ by AS Byatt at Diane’s house. For October the choice is ‘Silence of the Girls’ by Pat Barker.

Any enquiries? Phone Diane on 712105

The Pound Arts in Corsham offers an impres-sive range of live events, cinema and work-shops. For more details see poundarts.org.uk, or pop in to the café, serving fresh, vegetarian and locally sourced food, including vegan and gluten-free options, Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 6pm (or until late when events are on) and pick up some fliers.

Highlights for September include:

Tues 10: Live from the National Theatre, author of The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret At-wood, talks to broadcaster and author Samira Ahmed about her long career and the release of the long-awaited sequel to her seminal Tale, The Testaments.

Thu 12: Award-winning, one-woman show that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series Fleabag, broadcast live to cinemas from London’s West End.

Fri 13: An evening of classical music from four award-winning Wiltshire young musi-cians: Lorna Davis, cello, Katherine Stonham, violin (2017), Cassie Dalby, mezzo soprano and Daniel Springate, cello.

Wed 25: The Audition: A Juke Box opera

Thurs 26: Live from the National Theatre: the Tony-award-winning One Man Two Guvnors ,starring James Cordon.

From Saturday 7: Art Outside, a four-week course with resident artist Rachael Heard walking to a variety of local locations to con-

nect to nature and create art outside.

A new after-school drawing club for 6-11 year olds starts Monday 16 September 3.30-4pm (term-time only), runs until 16 December

Written in the thirteenth century by the famous Persian poet Sa’adi, these words are inscribed on the entrance to the United Nations building. The call for equality and human rights in the world is as relevant today as when it was written.

Bani Adam

Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you’ve no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain

Sa’adi (1210-91)

8

Memories of BiddestoneBy Agnes Leonora Zipfel

I was born on July 25th 1920. My parents were Albert Leonard Down and Sarah Agnes Fricker. They met during the First World War when they both lived at Buckhorn Weston in Dorset. My father lived with his widower father on a farm, his mother having died at the early age of 46. My mother lived with her widowed mother and a spinster sister 14 years older than herself. During the war my mother was a cheesemaker. She went to various farms, doing seasonal work.

They married at Buckhorn Weston Church on May 1st 1919, and lived at Caggypole Farm as my grandfather had died in 1917 aged 73. They decided to move, and in 1920 they bought a farm in Biddestone in Wiltshire. In May 1920 they moved stock, farm equipment and furniture to Mountjoy Farm. It must have been quite a feat.

There was a large old grey stone house, thatched at first, but over a period of time that gave way to slates. The barn was still thatched, but in a matter of months after they arrived the roof fell in, and my father re-roofed with red pantiles. The farmhouse had an orchard and another small field nearby. The rest of the land was ‘Up on top of the Hill’ as it was called. It overlooked Colerne and on-wards to the City of Bath. In the course of time my father bought more land, so that the farm comprised about 130 acres.

The orchard was full of apple trees, ‘Ann Elizabeth’s’ were cookers, and ‘Quaren-tines’ were smallish red eaters (possibly Quarrenden, there is a variety like this called Devon Quarrenden). There were also several plum trees. One, in par-ticular, always had masses of fruit, and my mother made jam and bottled some. There was a Blenheim Orange tree which was a lovely apple, and a pear tree, but it never bore any fruit.

The village of Biddestone had many old thatched cottages. The Church of St. Nicholas is quite close to Mount-joy Farm. The Rectory and Glebe land adjoined the farm. During my time in Biddestone, Cannon Ketchley was the rector. He baptised me and my brother David Julius who was born on May 14th 1922. He also married William Zipfel and I on July 17th 1943.

At the bottom of the village was a mod-erately sized Elizabethan Manor, and a place nearby called the Barracks. This

is where Cromwell stabled his horses. It was said there was a battle at the nearby village of Slaughterford, and the river ran red with blood.

During the period between the World Wars farming was in a very bad state. It was the second World War that put farm-ing on its feet. We always had enough to eat, growing plenty of vegetables ourselves. My father would go out and shoot hares, rabbits and pheasants. He was a good shot, and there were plenty on the farm. There were also mushrooms in the Home Ground and in other fields away from the farm.

We did not get much chance to pick these because other people used to go into the fields. Then in September 1942 all the livestock of the village were infected with foot and mouth disease, and people were absolutely forbidden to go into the fields. All the cattle were killed and the infected ones buried in quick lime. One farmer, Harry Matthews’ stock did not have foot and mouth, but they were killed because they were very near to others who did. He was very upset and said God would look after his own.

After the war, Biddestone became a beautiful village. All the old houses were bought and renovated. Elliotts farmhouse had been a cloth mill at one time. Elliotts also owned about a dozen or more prop-erties, but they sold them off one by one as they needed the money. At one time there was a village grocery shop. There was a Post Office situated up Cuttle Lane, but Mrs Smith died in her 90s and it was closed and another Post Office opened at the other end of Biddestone (Harts Lane). There is a very ancient thatched cottage on the edge of a large duck pond. A Lord Mayor of London bought it, a relation of the Elliotts. The village school was near the pond, it was built in the 1840s.

After the war some of the men cleared out the village pond. They also cut the grass in the centre of the village where the war memorial stood. The green was bounded by some beautiful big houses. Near the centre of the village was an old pump house where before the war the men of the village used to gather to gossip.

There was a paper-making factory* where a lot of Biddestone people were employed. They either walked or cycled

to work. Unfortunately the mill closed down after the war. Employment in Chippenham was at the Bacon Factory (which closed) and Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company, and of course shops and offices.

In 1922 my Aunt Emily and grandmother came to live at West Yatton about two miles from Biddestone. They rented a very old farmhouse. Mr Marsh, a farmer, had two farms, he lived in one house at Yatton Keynell and did not need the other. Sadly, my grandmother died in No-vember 1922 of cancer, and my aunt con-tinued to live on alone. She must have been lonely, as there was no radio or TV in those days. She mainly gardened, wrote letters, and did sewing.

I used to spend some weekends with her. I cycled from school on a Friday, and returned on Sunday.

On Sundays my aunt walked to Biddestone and I went to church with her in the morning. I used to go again in the evening with my mother and father. I also attended Sunday School for a num-ber of years.

On Tuesdays again my aunt walked over, and cooked dinner for us. She was an excellent cook, and a wonderful garden-er. She grew good vegetables because the farmer let her have plenty of farm manure. Tuesday was butter-making day. My mother used to churn the butter in a big wooden barrel which must have been hard work. She used a glass churn later on and before the churning was eventual-ly done by a belt and electricity.

In the spring of 1937 my aunt had to leave West Yatton because the farmer needed the house. She bought a bunga-low at Biddestone by the cemetery.

* in Slaughterford

9

Parish steward Mark Hawkins will be in the village 19th/23rd September and 17th/23rdOctober.

His varied duties can include:

Cutting growth from drains

Hand clearing of blocked drainage, grips, culverts, pipes and pits (unable to jet system)

Clearing storm debris from the roads and footways

Pedestrian barrier preparation and painting

Cleaning and straightening small road signs, street nameplates and bollards

Securing existing small road signs, verge marker posts and

supply street name plates

Removal of limited graffiti from road signs, bollards and street nameplates

Hand cutting of grass and vegetation in visibility area

Hand treatment of weeds

Hand clearance of encroaching growth and soil from footpaths

Repair of small potholes in roads and footways

Clearing vegetation from road signs

If you have any problems, contact Wiltshire Highways or Di Webb on owl-cottage@hotmail.co.uk or 01249 715963.

A new Biddestone Pop-Up Farm Shop offering local produce from The Best of Wessex will be visiting the village hall, initially on on a fortnightly basis, from 13th September.

Items such as hams, cheese, chutneys and biscuits will be available to taste and buy along with local seasonal vegetables and some West Country spirits.

Fresh food such as fish, meat, bread, cakes etc can also be purchased if ordered by midday the previous day via the website thebestofwessex.co.uk or by phone (01225 938 100).

Other items on the website’s ‘virtual shelves’ can also be or-dered by noon on the day for pick up that evening.

The Biddestone Pop up Farm Shop will be open on the following Fridays:

13th September 5-8pm

27th September 5-8pm

11th October 5-8pm

25th October 4-7pm

If villagers have any thoughts or recommenations please email giles@thebestofwessex.co.uk or phone Giles on 01225 938 100.

Dates for parish steward’s visit

Biddestone Farm Shop pops up

Field

A raging fire in the field beside Challows Lane on 1st August began when an unfor-tunate rook hit overhead wires, causing sparks to leap on to Graham Corp’s crop. As several fire engines fought the blaze, Rodney Mansell, helped by other neighbours, lead ponies in the adjoining paddock to safety. The flames rose twice as high as the deter-mined fireman, and for a long time as one patch of flames damped down, another would leap up in the bone-dry barley. Eventually, however, once the flames reached the grass and hedges, it died down, and the only serious casualty was one blackened ex-rook.

FIRE

10

Creating the perfect village WeddingBy Linda Lobl-Smith

As many of you will doubtless know already, we have recently had a wedding here at Home Farm.

Ian’s daughter Jenny wanted to be married at her childhood home, with a marquee on the lawn in front of the house, a simple request at first glance. However, there was no lawn in front of the house, only a large gravel car park left over from our B&B days and beyond that a very unkempt hedge enclosing the paddock and an even more unkempt old swimming pool in the corner of that. So where to begin?

Enlisting the help of David Taylor, we removed the old trellis fence from the edge of the car park and put up a rose arch, removing the unsightly hedge and draining and filling in the pool. The gravel car park, was expertly dealt with by Simon Hart, who levelled the ground, brought topsoil, created a new car park and excavated the stream at the bottom of the paddock.

New turf for the lawn, plus trees and hedging for the paddock were acquired with help and advice from David and June Pearce, again planted by David Taylor and the lawn laid with help from Ronnie Needham. Discovering the ne-glected trees in the paddock meant a call to Barry the tree surgeon, who helped to remove a couple of those.

Oakwrights deserve a special mention for making and fitting new windows along with Phil Maidment for his work on the farmhouse and Joseph Franklin Willis for the dry-stone walling.

With a bit more planting and mainte-nance we would have a venue…

On to wedding planning, how to translate ‘I was thinking of a simple rustic theme’ into reality? We called on Caroline Penny from Vintage Marquees, and with her infectious enthusiasm she organised beautiful tents, tables, chairs, lighting and props (a wonderful photo booth in a horse box) to set the scene. Next we needed a caterer: Carolyn Madley and her team from Kitchen on the Green pro-vided wonderful food, boundless energy and endless patience. The lovely lads from J&L Bar Services stocked up the

bar and kept the drinks flowing through-out the day.

With flowers to complete the look, The-odoras made the bride and bridesmaid bouquets, Jill Jeffries supplied the huge floral ‘chandeliers’ and E. Billet & Sons provided all the cut flowers we used in the churns etc. All were a pleasure to deal with, nothing was too much trouble

and the end results were stunning.

Mr Jean a brilliant local band, got the party started and kept everyone dancing until midnight.

Photographer Anna Durrant was simul-taneously, patient, capable and unobtru-sive, capturing beautiful memories of the day.

Local accommodation was provided by Gill Stafford (Anvil Cottage); Joan Emm (Wren’s Cottage) and Di Webb (Owl Cottage B&B).

Last, but not least, thanks to all the friends and neighbours who helped in so many different ways to make it such a special day, we are truly blessed to live in this wonderful village.

11

Anna Durrant Photography – 01666 837569

Barry Senneck, Empire Tree Works – 07968 475731

Carolyn Madley – 01249 712831

David Taylor – 07974 631016

E. Billett & Sons, Whitley – ebillettand-sonswholesaleflorist.co.uk

Fox in the House (suits) – foxinthehouse.co.uk

Indiebride London (wedding dress) – indiebride.co.uk

J&L Bar services – Jandlbarservices.co.uk

Jill Jeffries, Colerne – 07977 201067 jilljeffries.com

Joan Pressley Hats, Devizes (hats) –

joanpressleyhats.com

Joseph Franklin-Willis – 07477 021312

Leanna Biggs, Bath – makeubyleannabiggs.co.uk

Mines Leisure Hire, Corsham (refrigerat-ed trailer, glassware and crockery) 01225 812059

Mr Jean – mrjeanband.com

Oakwrights – 01225 430630

Phil Maidment – 07886 030720

Simon Hart – 01249 712655

Theodoras, Corsham – 01249 715340

Vintage Marquees, Melksham – Caroline Penny 07921 810396 vintagemarquees.co.uk

Wessington Cabins Ltd, Calne (loos) –

01249 812153 www.wessingtoncabins.co.uk

Recommended by Ian & Linda Smith, Home Farm, Biddestone:

The popular Peacock Arts Trail open studios event will be taking place in and around Corsham, Box, Chippenham and Melksham from Saturday 5th to Sunday 13th October.

More than 40 venues, including studios and exhibitions, open their doors to show off an eclectic mix including fine art, jewellery, textiles, photography and much more.

Dominic Clare will be opening his amaz-ing workshop in Slaughterford, where he creates impressive wooden sculp-

tures. Printmaker Kathy Hutton, will be welcoming visitors to her beautiful studio in Yatton Keynell. Annie Meier from Biddestone will be exhibiting her colourful paintings at the Barn Gallery in Kington Langley, and talented stitcher Fi Redmond will be exhibiting her work in Chippenham. Fi’s tapestry about the First World War is a permanent exhibit at the Chippenham museum.

For more information, pick up a brochure at Corsham Town Hall or Library, visit peacockartstrail.co.uk or search for Pea-cock Trail on social media.

Peacock Arts Trail

Domonic ClareAnnie MeierFi redman

Kathy Hutton

12

Main hall

MONDAY PAINTING GROUP9.45-11.45am Sue Tennant 01249 72061 HIPS & HAWS CLOG8.00-10.00pmJan Field 01380 827140 hipsandhaws@live.co.uk

TUESDAY REAL LIFE YOGA9.00-10.00 & 10.30-11.30amEmma Goodwin 07771 662567 emmacawthra@gmail.com

IYENGAR YOGA CLASS6.00-9.00pm Edgar Stringer office@yogatree.co.uk

WEDNESDAY IYENGAR YOGA CLASS10.00-11.30amLydia Holmes office@yogatree.co.uk

CIRCUIT TRAINING 6.00-7.00pmSimon Bennett 07815619138 info@simonsaysfitness.co.uk

THURSDAY PRECISION PILATES10.00 - 11.00 am Amber Edenbrow 07725 316923 amber@precision-pilates.co.uk SEQUENCE DANCING7.30-10.00pm Phil Fletcher 01793 936091 philfletcher37@gmail.com

TOT’S TENNIS1.50-2.35 pm Three and four years oldSam Hullsam@connect2sportscoaching.co.uk

FRIDAY YOGA FOR BEGINNERS 9.00-10.00am Dena Bray denabray@aol.com

PILATES 10.30-11.30am Physio ledBeth Borthwick borthwickbeth@gmail.com

New Club Room

MONDAYPILATES 11.00-NoonStonehouse Clinic 01249 700417 ann.barnes@stonehouseclinic.co.uk

PRECISION PILATES7.30-8.30pmAmber Edenbrow 07725 316923 amber@precision-pilates.co.uk

TUESDAYHEALTH IN MOTION10.30-11.30am Mandy Roberts 01225 811667 or 07980 696919

WEDNESDAYWRITING GROUP10.00am-NoonTim Smith 01249 714455 timsmith2@btinternet.com

IYENGAR YOGA CLASS 7.00-8.30pmEdgar Stringer office@yogatree.co.uk

QUILTING AND PATCHWORK CLASSNoon-4.00pmAnne Chapman 01249 782842

THURSDAYBEGINNER PILATES7.30-8.30Jill Rowland 07974 788591 jill@wiltshirepilates.com

Village Hall classesFrom painting to yoga – there’s something for everyone

Biddestone Tennis Club member Graham Jones should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for visiting more record shops than any other person.

The true story of Graham’s time spent working in and around the world of independent record retailing is every bit as colourful, funny, strange, and occasion-ally sad as any fictional yarn.

Graham will be performing at Bidde-stone Village Hall on Friday October 4th to raise funds for the Tennis Club. Gra-ham has a vast number of funny stories which appear in his books, and guaran-tees to have you in hysterics with tales from the crazy world of record retailing about Queen, The Who, Elton John, The Beatles, Take That, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Cilla Black and many more.

The evening will also include a screen-ing of a 43-minute documentary ‘The Vinyl Revival’ based on his latest book ‘The Vinyl Revival and the Shops That

Made it Happen’. The film features band members of artists such as Pink Floyd and Radiohead, and is currently being screened at cinemas throughout the UK (thevinylrevivalfilm.com).

The evening also includes a fun individual pop quiz with great prizes – and the bar will be open. Everyone is extremely welcome.

Village Hall 8pm Friday October 4

Entrance £7.50 Doors open at 7.30pm and Graham is on at 8pm.

To make sure of your seat, please contact Jane Walters jane@barncottagesatlacock.co.uk or 07966 553194

An Evening of Comedy and Film

● To book the Village Hall, please contact the booking secretary: 07391 511495 or bvhrtbookings@gmail.com

13

Clubs and Community ActivitiesCome and join in the many activities in and around Biddestone

Allotments located at the village hall. For more information, contact David Daniel 701311

Bridge Club First Monday of the month. Club meets for a social evening of bridge; no tuition is available, so players must have some level of experience. Contact Ian Smith 01249 714475 or Jane Iggulden 01249 713311 for details

Book Club Third Monday. of the month. Contact Diane Ross-Smith for details 712105.

Biddestone Singers Meet at The Oak House or St. Nicholas church every Thursday 7.30-9pm. All welcome. For more information, please contact charlotterbruce@btinternet.com or 716330

Biddestone Walkers The walking group meets on the last Sunday of every month. Contact Kate Jones for details 715180

Biddestone Tennis Club Club night, Tuesday evening & Saturday morning. See clubspark.lta.org.uk/Biddestone TennisClub Membership John Marrinan biddestonetc@gmail.com 07773 569704biddestonetc@gmail.comor see Biddestone Tennis Club Facebook page. For coaching contact Dan Tonkin 07805 923279

Biddestone Cricket Club See website for more details biddestone.play-cricket.com, or Biddestone Cricket Club Facebook page

Brownies Yatton Keynell Village Hall Every Wednesday 6.15-7.45pm yattonkeynellbrownies@gmail.com

Can Craft! Y atton Keynell, St. Margarets church. A get together to chat and craft, third Monday of the month 7.30-9.30pm

Cake Sale Yatton Keynell first Saturday of month 8.30 -11.30am outside the Post Office

Coffee, Cakes and Chat in the church, St Nicholas Biddestone,Thursdays 10.30am-Noon. Everyone welcome

Cotswold Wardens Walks Monthly schedule on village website – contact Barry Cox

Edward Bear Pre-school group. See back page for details

Moviola Community cinema, showing in Grittleton village hall. See feature page 6

Gardening Club Last Monday of each month 7pm Contact Di Webb715963

Parish Council Meets on second Tuesday of each month, Village Hall, 7pm

Parochial Church Council Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting St Nicholas Church, Biddestone. Monday 25 March 7pm. Everyone welcome

Skittles Village Hall Wednesdays 7pm and 9pm. Bar open, spectators welcome. Contact Mike Chrystal 712833

Village Link ‘Volunteers transporting the community’ If you need this service or would like to join the volunteers. Contact 07590 720836, or for more details see the website village-link.org.uk

Women’s Institute Meets on third Wednesdays in the village hall 2-4pm, and arranges outings. Next meeting on June 19th

Youth Club Yatton Keynell Village Hall Wednesdays 8-9.30pm. Contact Alan Brinkworth 782647

Marshfield Flower Arrangement Club 1st Wednesday of each month floral workshop and 2nd Wednesday floral demonstration. Marshfield Church Hall 7pm.

The skittles season starts again 2nd October, and the teams are ready to roll. Everyone is welcome to come along to the Village Hall, have a drink at the bar, watch the action and have a chat.

The league games run from 2nd October to 26th February. The draw was made on 30th July 2019 by Giles Heasman of The White Horse, witnessed by Andrew Short, David Taylor, Dave Daniel, Mike Foston and Rodney Mansell.

The John Flint Memorial Trophy held in March and April is a straight knock-out competition, highest overall pins over six legs wins. In case of a tie, team captains will nominate a sudden-death playing order with the first named playing each other (and then, if necessary, the second named player and so on) until there is a pin total winner. (Players cannot play for more than one team in the cup.)

Playing schedules will be distributed by team captains. Mike Crystal asks players

to make sure they are ready to start on time – 7.30pm for early games – remem-bering you may have to help set up the alley ready for the game. Late teams, starting at 9pm, need to put the alley away when finished.

Skittles season 2019-20

If you would like to add details of an activity or club, please contact the Broadsheet.

14

Abridged Parochial Church Council minutes3rd June 2019

Present: Rosemary Warchus (Church Warden), David Webb (Chairman) Stewart Entwistle (Treasurer), Penny Lloyd (Secretary)

Apologies: Victoria Tunsley, Maureen Greenwood, Julia Tisdale, Ronnie Robinson.

Financial Report: We discussed the work that is planned to go ahead: This will in-clude renovations on the roof to make it

watertight. Also re-pointing work around the porch. Further investigation to be carried out at the back of the church, to create more space .

Church Warden’s Report: Obligatory safeguarding training to be completed by all PCC members. If work can continue to reorganise the back of the church then the PCC will have to submit a Facul-ty. Hartham Park has donated £10.000 which will help towards the cost along

with a contribution from the Education Fund.

Open Gardens, organised by Di Webb and the Garden Club, 20th and 21st July. The church to be decorated as if for a wedding, including taped music. Seven clubs in Biddestone will be involved in the decoration.

The meeting ended at 8pm with a prayer.

New Church Entrance pathIn July St Nicholas Church installed an improved path surface along with a new handrail which together will enhance safety for all parishioners and visitors. The new surface is more non-slip and forgiving underfoot while the wrought iron handrail is solid and compatible with the entrance gate. Total project costs of £6,000 provided by funds raised by the Friends of St Nicholas.

The AGM for the FOSN will be held Thurs Sept 19th 2019 at 7pm in the church.

Corsham Churches Food Bank

August has been a bad month for the banks up and down the country, with some running out of food. Low-income families’ incomes get stretched to the limit during long summer school holi-days with children at home all day with no school lunches to help feed the family. If you have a young family, you know what it is like during the school holidays constantly providing food. Pause and think how you would cope on a small fixed budget no treats for the kids.

When shopping, please just add an extra tin, jar of coffee, long-life milk and fruit juice.

Thank you to all of you who make a donation every month.

Di Webb

15

Tea and Toast Mondays 8.45-10am, St Margaret’s Yatton Keynell

Morning prayer (with intercessions for the sick), Wednesdays 9.15am St Nicholas Biddestone Second Wednesday is usually holy communion

Morning prayer Thursdays 10am, St Michael and All Angels, Kingston St Michael. Second Thursday is usually holy communion

Morning prayer Thursdays 9am, St Margaret’s

Short reflective prayer meeting Wednesdays noon, St Mary’s Grittleton

Lunch Club every second Wednesday from 12.30 St Mary the Virgin, Burton

Yatton Keynell ‘Café Church’ Tuesday 10-12 noon, light lunches from noon-1pm

Coffee in the Church Thursdays 10.30-noon. St Nicholas, Biddestone

Church events

Edward Bear

Pre-school group

The Bybrook Team Ministrybybrook.office@gmail.comwww.bybrook.org.ukTel and fax: 01249 782704

Reverend Marc Terry, priest-in-charge (Rector Designate) Tel: 01249 782672 revmarcterry@gmail.com

Reverend Gillian Parkin, Associate Minister Tel: 01249 782704

Church contacts

Free get-together for pre-schoolers and their parents or carers. We would love you to join us for stories, crafts, activities and refreshments on the following Fridays at 10am

For more information, or to be added to the contact list, email Julia at juliaquiggin@hotmail.com for Biddestone

St Margaret’s Yatton Keynell

20th September18th October15th November13th December

St Nicholas Biddestone

6th September4th October8th November6th December

Church ServicesSt Nicholas, Biddestone

SEPTEMBER

1st Holy Communion 11am8th Evensong 6pm15th Harvest festival 9:30am

22nd Team Service 10amAll Saints, LITTLETON DREW

Every Wednesday morning there is a service at 9.15am. This is either Holy Communion or Morning Prayer, and includes prayers for the suffering.

St Nicholas, Slaughterford

SEPTEMBER

8th Harvest Holy Commnium 3pm

16

ACROSS 1. Description of pride etc. ruined. (8) 6. Season found within - spelt with an umlaut – um no! (6) 9. Season Edwin termed freezing inside! (6) 10. Unyielding, we held our bated yet trembling breath. (8) 11. Heavenly body appears in film? (4) 12. Limpness of body in icy flat - CID perplexed! (10) 14. Element found principally in South Carolina and Iowa, Utah, Maine. (8) 16. Untruthful sounding instrument. (4) 18. Hollow cylinder formed by instrument transposing A for E. (4) 19. Confused name edit in state of confusion. (8) 21. Vendor of space mariner heard on the radio. (10) 22. Tights worn to water garden! (4) 24. Fire-raiser discovered by artist losing temperature as he embraces issue. (8) 26. Adder season? (6) 27. Leap year season? (6) 28. At sea a shark no passenger on this rescue vessel! (5, 3)

DOWN

2. Everyone described in colourful terms at the beginning of this proclamation. (5) 3. Pity – tear old length of detective novel by this writer? (4, 7) 4. Jumper very loud in providing fuel for 24 perhaps. (8) 5. Doubter’s centre weight for this dramatist. (6, 9) 6. Muscle channel to seize. (6) 7. Rubbish thrown down hill. (3) 8. Encountered a sailor’s current skeleton? No, just parts of the foot. (9) 13. Welsh poet wrote 5’s name following singer. (5, 6) 15. Company’s expression of disgust at fall of sucker. (5, 4) 17. Morning brothers! Fine return providing food for Zeus and Poseidon. (8) 20. Like monarch requesting.(6) 23. Utter sounds like ‘Cut!’ (5) 25. Robin cuts ends of sash. (3)

Crosswordby Diane Ross-Smith

Solution to last month’s crossword

First

publi

shed

in ‘T

he H

oney

com

b’ Se

ptem

ber

2015

1 2 3 4 5 a 6 7 8

a a a a a a a a

9 a 10

a a a a a a a a a

11 a 12 13

a a a a a a a a a

14 15 a a a 16

a a a a a 17 a a a

18 a a a 19

a a a 20 a a a a a a

21 a 22 23

a a a a a a a a a

24 25 a 26

a a a a a a a a

27 a 28

VILLAGE LINK

If someone lives in Biddestone or another nearby village, and does not drive a car, how do they get to a doctor or hospital appointment?

Well, of course they can call Village Link. Village Link is not a magical chain, but a group of people willing to help and who also have a car. If you can spare a little time and feel you would like to help or know more, please ring Val Spen-cer-Jones on 01249 714830 or the Village Link Co-ordinator on 07590 720836. Thank you.

VS-J.

17

Following the usual legal requirements:

Ollie Phipps, Community Engagement Manager, Chippenham Area Board, Wiltshire Council introduced himself and explained to the PC his role and how he would like to work closely with the rural villages who make up part of Chippen-ham Area Board.

Planning Applications Approved:

19/04356/FUL & 19/04970/LBC 6 Cut-tle Lane, Biddestone, SN14 7DF

Proposal: Change of material to conserv-atory roof from glass to artificial slate.

19/01773/LBC Sawmill Cottage, The Green Biddestone SN14 7DG

Proposal: Renewal of timber floor with tongue and grooved oak boarding in the dining room.

19/02799/FUL 4, Slaughterford Road, Biddestone, SN14 7DB Proposal: Single Storey Rear Extension.

19/02957/LBC Hawthorne Cottage, The Green, Biddestone, SN14 7DG

Proposal: Replacement rooflights

Planning Applications Received:

19/06135/TCA The Coach House, Harts Lane, Biddestone, SN14 7DQ

Proposal: Fell 3 Spruce Trees, 15% Crown reduction to Cherry Tree and Reduce Lateral Branches of Robinia by 1.5 metres from Neighbouring Property. NO OBJECTIONS

19/06730/FUL Biddestone Tennis Club,

Yatton Rd, Biddestone SN14 7BZ

Proposal: Installation of floodlights on third court, involving erection of two 10m poles and installation of four new 500-lux floodlights, two on existing poles and two on the new poles. NO OBJECTIONS

19/07203/FUL& 19/07322/LBC School Cottage, The Green, Biddestone, SN14 7DG Proposal: Demolition of small sections of external non-period walling; infill of existing non-period archway, as well as single-storey side and rear extensions, to create enlarged living accommodation. Internal alterations to non-period walls and stairs to reconfigure internal layout.

Finance:

Statement of Balances for Accounts #1 & #2 Noted

Accounts for Payment July 2019 Clerks Salary & Tax Aug, Ground Maint, Public Convenience Cleaning totaling £522.63 Proposed for payment by MC and AP-PROVED

Haven Energy Account and transfer to EDF –Final invoice from Haven showed no meter readings despite requests from the Clerk. It was AGREED to pay the £334.54 to enable the transfer to the new supplier to take place but to continue to request a full breakdown of charges between 2017 and 2019. Should Haven continue to refuse to show meter reading on the invoices previously provided to enable the PC to see how they made their calculation, an approach will be made to the ombudsman.

Highway Matters

Traffic Calming – For the benefit of the attending members of the public SB gave an overview of the traffic-calming meas-urers that have been under investigation by the PC and the schemes which will take place over the next two years with funds raised through filming contracts and Wiltshire Council (WC) Area Trans-port Group.

Road Closures – The work on the A4 has, despite assurances from WC, caused Hartham Lane to become a ‘rat run’ for vehicles trying to access the A420. AK to speak to Kevin Bishop (WC) regarding lack of adequate signage on the A4.

Clerk’s Report

Corporate Logo – Bob Child has taken on board the views of the PC and is redesigning for submission at the next PC meeting.

Wiltshire Council Strategic Planning Seminar 19th September 2019 – SB to attend, 2nd place available.

New PCSO Charlotte Windle – Invitation has been sent to attend a future PC meeting.

Peacock and Heritage Trail – Barry Cox Cotswold Warden outlined plans for a series of walks in the Corsham, Box, Colerne and Biddestone & Slaughter-ford Parishes. A request was made for a contribution of £769 towards capital and revenue cost and was fully supported. APPROVED

Lynchgate Noticeboard – To be recondi-tioned and replaced.

There being no further business the meeting ended at 8.45pm

Abridged Draft Minutes of the meeting of Biddestone & Slaughterford Parish Council 13th August 2019

Parish Councillors

Chairman Simon Bruce 01249 716330 Simon.bruce@btinternet.comVice Chairman Adam Walton 01249 701784 adam@aw-consulting.co.ukGeorge BrownMike Chrystal 712833Ashley Juniper 712707Andy Short 714724Diana Webb 715963Angela WilliamsAnthea KelsallParish Clerk Glenys Gill 01225 742207

September 10October 8

November 12December 10

The next Parish Council meeting will be in the Village Hall on September 10th at 7pm

Parish council websiteThe Parish Council now has its own website where you can find the unabridged minutes and all the latest notices. See: www.biddestoneslaughterfordpc.uk

Meetings scheduled for 2019

18

19

Wildlife W A T C H

As part of its work to conserve the Butts as a thriving natural environment, the Butts Working Group is investigating whether traditional scything would be a good way to cut the grass, in combina-tion with mowing, in the varied & flexi-ble regime of future grass cuts. An initial hands-on demonstration of the traditional skill of scything was arranged by Adam Walton courtesy of Peter Harper, an envi-ronmentalist from nearby Corsham, who regularly uses scything to maintain the wildflower garden at the Springfield Cen-tre. Members of the working group had a go with the scythe, and the general view was that this could be a fun as a social community event and a sustainable way

to mow the meadow area of the Butts. Further training is planned for later in the year, and possible purchase of some scythes, with the aim of scythe cutting as

a supporting option this time next year. If anyone is interested in joining in, please contact Anthea at thebuttsconservation@gmail.com or 01249 713525.

The ButtsScything

Blind Auction

This lovely original illustration by Hilary Noyes is being offered in a blind auction exclusively through the Broadsheet. The money raised will go towards a soil survey and buying indig-enous bluebell, snowdrop and daffodil bulbs to plant on the Butts for spring.

Entitled ‘Summer on the Butts Land 2019’, the illustration of clover and buttercups in inks, featured in the July edition of the Broadsheet. Measuring

approximately 6.5 x 9.5 inches with the frame, it has Hilary’s monogramme on the front, and is signed on the back.

Hilary studied Fine Art at Gold-smiths College and worked as a property maker at London’s Old Vic theatre. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in London, Rutland and East Anglia.

Please send your bids to bidde-stonebroadsheet@gmail.com by September 30, 2019. If you would like to view the picture, please email Liz Turner on liz-turner1@mac.com

By Liz Turner

If you want to see beautiful peacock, red admiral, small tortoiseshell and comma butterflies in your garden, then make them a nettle bed.

Although adult butterflies will enjoy your flowers, they lay their eggs on nettles, and their greedy caterpillars need lots of them. The caterpillars strip each nettle of its leaves before moving to the next by clambering from leaf to leaf, without going down to the ground.

Butterfly expert Honor Phillipps has attracted 23 different types of butterflies to her suburban garden in Acton, west London. She says if you see a butterfly in your garden and you want it to stay, find out what its caterpillar eats and plant it. Honor reckons a peacock butterfly needs a patch of nettles the size of a double bed, preferably in full sun for its off-spring to thrive.

Painted ladies can be happy with a single thistle, while the orange tip caterpillar needs garlic mustard plants and the tiny

holly blue needs not just holly, but ivy.

Log piles also give butterflies somewhere to bask or hide, as well providing homes for all sorts of mini-beasts that birds like to eat.

Pheasant family visits Liz Turner’s garden

20

Alison and friend at the annual Little Challows barbecue

Fire! See page 9

Ferraris were more of an attraction than the gardens at August’s Open Gardens event at Middlewick House, home of Nick and Annette Mason, in aid of the Wiltshire Ambulance and The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust.

“Wedding preparations.” Oil on canvas by Chris Draper The Butts burst into bloom this summer.So far 40 wildflowers and grasses have been identified, including this fabulous blue vetch. See page 19.

Open gardens See page 2