round aboutround about - langford budville &...
TRANSCRIPT
the villages of Langford Budville
and Runnington
the villages of Langford Budville
and Runnington
Round About Round About
August 2015 August 2015
CONTENTS 1 Welcome
2 What's On
2 Website
3 Night Sky
4 Village Hall
5 Langford Budville Fete
8 Dairy Delights
9 Community Contacts
10 Village News
13 Village Story - Welcome
13 Church Flag
13 Langford Ladies
14 Green Fingers - Pond
16 News from the Churches
20 Farming Year - Thatching
22 Out & About - the Common
24 Langford Budville Arch
25 Young Buddies
26 Our School
35 Magazine Info/Ad Rates
36 Local Transport Services
1
Welcome...
... to the August edition of Round About.
We’re well into summer and already the nights have started to draw in -
the upside of that being longer hours for star-gazing with Night Skies. It is
also a time for summer activities - barbeques are the order of the day.
Langford Ladies celebrated a milestone - 50 years of activities - with a
barbeque on 15 July, and Runnington Church will hold their annual one
later in the summer. Everyone is welcome to come along - see the
Church pages for details of this and other church events.
Village News brings the results of the election, thanks from the new
councillors and a welcome for a new arrival. Also in the news - the new
village website is up and running. See What’s On for more info, and visit
it on www.langfordbudvillevillage.co.uk.
Out and About goes to the Heathfield, to find out how you can
volunteer there, and all about the upgrading that is in the air for the
Reserve. And while we are talking of wildlife, check out our
Greenfingers feature on creating a wildlife pond in your garden.
The Village Fête has come and gone - great fun for all including the
canine participants. We have a review and plenty of pictures.
Our School is out for the summer, but we have news of an exciting
outing and successful leavers.
Finally, we’ve heard from one or two people that their magazines are
arriving irregularly or not at all, for which we are very sorry. The
magazine is put together by a team of volunteers, who write/edit,
assemble, sell advertising and keep the accounts. We pack up the
magazines and leave them in the churches where another group of
volunteers collects them for distribution. In this way we are able to bring
you the magazine free of cost. Our advertising revenues are used solely
for printing and stationery costs.
Do let us know if you are not receiving it, and we will try and make sure
you get it. On your side, do ensure there is somewhere dry for it to be
left, and make sure your distributor knows where that is,. Or better yet,
volunteer to help distribute in your area. I’m sure our volunteers would
welcome help and cover for the times they are away.
Saranne Cessford, on behalf of the editorial team.
2
What’s On
Mobile Library July was the last visit for the mobile library: Your
nearest library is in Wellington.
Police surgery Jubilee Hall Mon 24 August
Mon 25 Sept 7.00 - 8.00pm
Village Agents at
Parish Council
meeting
Jubilee Hall Monday 10
August 7.30 pm
Tea at Tantelon Tantelon,
Langford Budville Sat 15 August 3.00 pm
Try bell ringing Runnington
Church Sun 16 Sept 11.15 am
Runnington
Barbeque
Runnington
House Sun 16 Sept
12.30 pm
onwards
Barn Dance Jubilee Hall Sat 10 October tbc
Thunderbridge
Blue Grass Band St Peter’s Church Fri 25 November tbc
New Langford Budville Parish Website
When the original web site needed a new manager, the Parish Council
called on Round About Magazine. The job of running it fell to Saranne
and me and we soon realised that both the software and content was in
need of refreshment. The Parish Council paid for the site to be
redesigned by Marmalade Designs and, with Saranne’s support, I’ve put
the content and visuals together.
The new site differs from the original in that it is primarily static, i.e. it won’t
be regularly updated as all current village news, contact details, etc, can
be found every month in the magazine. You will be able to download
the latest copy of Round About from the site or refer to previous editions
and the same applies to the Parish Council Minutes.
It is now up and running at www.langfordbudvillevillage.co.uk. We hope
that you will find it attractive, accessible and easy to navigate, and that
there is much there to interest you. Do visit and let us know what you think
Marilyn Lilley
3
Wellie Cabs service briefly suspended
You’ll be sorry to learn that Lloyd Webb, who runs our local taxi company, has
suffered a heart attack so will be out of action for a short while. The taxi service
has therefore been suspended but, by the time you read this, he will have had
heart bypass surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary and hopes to be back behind the
wheel by the time the schools reopen in September. At Pat Webb’s request
we’ve left the Wellie Cabs ad out of the magazine this month but it will return
once Lloyd is running on all cylinders again.
The Night Sky in August
August can offer some great observing opportunities. The nights are starting to
get a little longer and it’s often warm and dry.
Highlight of the month will be the Perseid meteor shower. The shower reaches its
peak on the evening of the 12th/13th and this year the Moon will be out of the
way, allowing fainter meteors to be seen. To observe the shower grab a deck
chair and face towards the east. You don't need binoculars, just your naked
eye. If you are lucky you could see 30-50 meteors an hour at the peak, before
dawn.
Mercury - Not very good viewing this month. Low down in the sky at sunset you
may spot it one degree from Jupiter on the 6th and 7th. Look west-northwest.
Venus - Again, a difficult object to view. Venus will be between the Earth and
the Sun, so will show a tiny phase, and will move from being an evening object
to a morning object.
Mars - Yet another difficult planet to observe this month. It will be low down in
the sky in the constellation of Cancer, the Crab.
Jupiter - Too close to the Sun for serious observation.
Saturn - Saturn is past its best for this year. You can still catch it in Libra at the
beginning of August. The rings are now fully open to the Earth.
Uranus - Look south around mid-night and you should be able to spot the planet
with binoculars in Pisces.
Neptune - The Solar Systems outermost planet (see below). You can find
Neptune in Aquarius due south at midnight. Strictly an object for telescopes.
Pluto - First mention in this column, but following the New Horizon space craft
flyby on 14 July, we now know a lot more about it. Demoted from planet to
dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto is the last planet to be visited by a space probe.
Viewing Pluto through a telescope is a real challenge. You will need at the least
a 10" instrument and very dark skies.
Moon: Last Quarter - 7 August. New Moon - 14 August. First Quarter - 22 August.
Full Moon - 29 August.
Kieron McGrath - www.scsastro.co.uk
4
Events at the Hall Barn Dance - Saturday 10 October 2015 - Live music from Meter Rite
Information from Sally Pritchard: [email protected].
Hall working party The Hall Committee organised three working parties on the hall grounds
recently. The main objective was to remove rank weed growth around
the hedging plants which had been planted around the site perimeter.
While some of this could be done with strimmers, the final clearing
required the use of hand tools in and around the hedge plants
themselves - a slow and back breaking task. It was encouraging to see
that the great majority of the hedging has survived and with continued
care will develop into a significant length of new native species
hedgerow in a few years. A large quantity of compost has been
obtained from Viridor and this will in due course be used to mulch the
hedge plants to supress weed growth and encourage the hedging.
Other work has included strimming the banks, cutting the terrace grass
and weeding and planting the flower garden near the main entrance.
The high bank behind the hall has been a riot of colour with the flowers
of the wild species planted there last year and will require cutting later in
the Summer. The plateau behind the hall is currently managed by the
Parish Council and Andi Rickard, our champion scythe lady, prepared it
beautifully for them prior to the fete.
Keith Moore
The Jubilee Hall is an ideal venue for a wide variety of events including
wedding receptions, parties and dances, shows and concerts,
club and society meetings, fetes and community events,
conferences, meetings and training days
For booking availability visit www.langfordbudvillevillagehall.org.uk
call Margaret Brown on 01823 400510
or email [email protected]
5
Langford Budville Summer Fete
You know that summer has truly come when you see banners
decorating the hedgerows to tempt you to village fetes throughout the
countryside. Our fete was on Saturday 18 July, and the weather was
perfect: warm and dry and nothing blew down! Lynne Moore, Roger
Marshall and Tim Wyatt deserved the fine weather for all the hard work
they put in beforehand, with a great team of helpers who turned up the
evening before and on the morning to get everything prepared.
This year it was the turn of the Children’s Fancy Dress Parade to get
things going as an array of delightful scarecrows paraded around and
through the hall to decorate the stage. Each contestant had gone to a
lot of trouble to be as scary as possible and it obviously worked as there
wasn’t a crow in sight. The judges, Barbara Hughes and Pam Farr, had a
difficult time choosing as they were all winners and this year it was
Willow Bogan-Chandler who shone out.
The Flower Show provided a great display of green fingeredness,
together with a stunning array of images in the Photography class. The
judges were Maggie Norvell and Shirley Southcott and the two top
awards went to: The Stockley Cup for the greatest number of points was
awarded to Zenah Rowe in whose name they were entered, though we
understand that Brian Rowe had much to do with the cultivation. The
Best Exhibit Shield was won by Abi Hackling, Margaret and David
Brown’s daughter, for a papier-mâché lion’s head.
Stalls and games filled the rest of the hall and patio and for the first time
we had a bouncy castle/slide on the plateau which was an enormous
success with the children. The Dog Show is always a lot of fun and we
had a wide selection of pooches, young and old, large and small. The
finale class, ‘Dog the judges would most like to take home’, was won by
endearing Woody, 17 years old, rather deaf and blind, and loved by all.
Cream teas and a BBQ were provided by St Peter’s Church making over
£200. Runnington Church’s tombola and book stalls raised £119. Apart
from these, and money earned by other groups, the fete raised £415.
In all another smashing village fete – not only for the money raised but
for the great sense of community it engenders. If you came, thank you;
if you missed it, do please join us next year.
Marilyn Lilley - please see the next two pages for photographs
6
Langford Budville
Winner of the Fancy
Dress Competition:
Willow Bogan-Chandler
Winner of the
Best Exhibit Shield:
Abi Hackling
7
Summer Fete
Winner of the ‘Dog the Judges
would most like to take home’
class: 17yr old Woody, with Millie
Photos of Dog Show by Peter Smith
8
Dairy Delights: Blackcurrant Trifle
Sponsored by Gundenham Dairies
The familiar combination of cream, sponge and fruit is given a deliciously
fresh new angle with the sharp taste of blackcurrants, in season now.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the blackcurrant layer:
475g. Blackcurrants,
4 tbspwater
2 tbsp caster sugar
Approx 350g plain sponge cake
(Victoria sponge works well, but you
can use whatever you fancy)
2 tbsp Caster Sugar
250 g Mascarpone Cheese
A couple of drops of Vanilla extract
250 ml. whipping or double cream
A few blackcurrants for decorating
Take the stalks off the blackcurrants and simmer gently with the water and
sugar for 7 – 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Break the sponge into small pieces and put in the base of your serving
bowl. Spoon the blackcurrants and their juice over the sponge, and leave
to cool.
Mix the castor sugar and vanilla essence into the mascarpone, and beat
together. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks then fold lightly into the
mascarpone mixture. Spread over the cool blackcurrants and refrigerate
for at least one hour before serving. Decorate with fresh blackcurrants.
Maggie Norvell
9
Community Contacts
Parish Council
Chairman Roger Poole 01823 400567
Vice Chairman Kieron McGrath 01823 663080
Valerie Pitman
Jan Middleton
Mike Perry
Parish Clerk Christine Hake [email protected]
Churches
Team Vicar The Rev Alan Ellacott 01823 669824 [email protected]
Reader Sandra Lee 07585 743886
Church Wardens:
Lynn Wyatt 01823 400245 Langford Budville
Trevor Pritchard 01823 664 018
Runnington John Houghton 01823 661323
Alison Toogood 01823 667808
Jubilee Hall
Chairman Keith Moore 01823 400665 [email protected]
Vice-Chairman Roger Marshall [email protected]
Secretary and Booking Clerk
Margaret Brown 01823 400510 [email protected]
Treasurer Pam Farr [email protected]
Primary School
Head Teacher Keith Sharpe 01823 400483 [email protected]
Police
Beat Officers
PC Jo Jeffery 2378 Tel: 07889 657 943
PCSO Sharon Cridlin 9511 sharon.cridlin@avonandsomerset. police.uk tel: 07889 655302
PCSO Louise Fyne 6945 Tel: 07889 659476
10
News from the Villages
Parish Council meeting Monday 6 July; (draft)
Held a week early due to holidays.
Police Report:
Langford Budville: 1 x Common Assault, 2 x Non-dwelling Burglary –
nothing stolen in one, a bicycle stolen in another
Runnington: 1 x Section 4 Public Order
Footpaths:
Most of the footpaths are in good order, there are a few problems with
locked gates and some of the crop paths are not clear.
Web site:
The new Village Web Site should be up and running within the next few
days, and can be found at www.langfordbudvillevillage.co.uk
Parking Problems:
The PC has met with SCC Officers and the Police and it was proposed
that H bar markings would be placed on the road outside of Swifts
between the telegraph pole and the water meter. On the opposite side
of the road the H bar is to be positioned between the end of the house
and the raised section of the wall. The H bars are to inform road users that
constant access is required and they should not park there.
The work should be carried out within the next 4 -6 weeks.
Grass Cutting:
Due to the recent withdrawal of the free grass cutting service around the
Play and various other areas within the Parish it has been necessary to
require 2 quotes for this work to be carried out, these have been received
from local contractors and will be decided at the next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 10 August at 7.30 pm in the
Jubilee Hall: Everyone is welcome
Christine Hake, Parish Clerk
Parish Council Elections
The election required by the resignation of two elected parish councillors
was held on Thursday 9 July. 5 candidates made themselves available for
election. The successful candidates were Jan Middleton and Mike Perry.
11
Thank you
From our new Parish Councillors
I am very grateful to those who voted for me and truly
value your support - thank you so much.
Congratulations to Mike Perry and commiserations to
Nick, Allison and Kevin.
In addition, my thanks go to everyone who exercised
their democratic right and voted, whoever you voted
for!
I look forward to being a member of the new Parish
Council team. I promise you my commitment and will work hard, listen to
your views and be honest and truthful in service to parishioners.
Jan Middleton
I would like to take this opportunity, through the Round
About magazine, to thank all those who voted for me at
the recent Parish Council election.
I congratulate Jan Middleton on achieving the most
votes. I am sure she and I and the rest of the council can
constructively work together.
I intend to do my utmost to bring unity and
understanding to our Parish which will enable us to move forward in a
positive and balanced way.
Mike Perry.
Somerset Village Agents
Providing people in Somerset’s rural communities with easier access to
information and services
Village Agents work with all ages dealing with a wide variety of issues,
They help to bridge the gap between isolated, excluded, vulnerable and
lonely individuals and statutory and/or voluntary organisations which offer
specific solutions to identified needs.
Our local agent Nicky Gibbard will be speaking about the scheme at the
Parish Council Meeting on 10 August 2015. All are welcome to attend.
12
Village Personality
Welcome to Runnington
Those of us who knew Andy and Lucy Crow will be happy to hear that
her father George White of Meadowview has gone to live with Lucy
and her family at Shillingford. We wish him well in his new home.
Runnington is pleased to welcome Katrina Bishop who moved into
Meadowview in June. Katrina is no stranger to the West Country her
parents having moved to Honiton when she was seventeen - she
considers that Devon and Somerset is where she belongs.
For many years Katrina and her husband farmed at Churchstanton, beef
cattle, sheep and horses. As Katrina explained the beef cattle and
sheep were an excuse for the horses. She is an experienced horse-
woman and a qualified British Horse Society instructor, and ran a
successful equestrian business. She continued farming for many years
selling up two years ago and moving to Sampford Brett near Williton;
however the pull of the Blackdown Hills was too great and she returned
to have a view of the hills and be near her daughter who lives at Higher
Wellisford.
You may meet Katrina out with her much
loved German Shepherd dog Louis; no
ordinary dog-walk as Louis is in a wheel
chair! Sadly he has the dog equivalent of
M.S. and has lost the use of his back legs. He
uses an amazing piece of equipment which
substitutes wheels for legs - off he goes
even chasing rabbits using two front legs
and two wheels.
Welcome to Katrina, Louis and Pip, the Border Terrier, We hope they will
be very happy in Runnington.
Susan Osborne
Louis in his ‘wheelchair’
From the Archives: June 1956 - The Order of the Yellow Duster
In the week before Whitsun four gentlemen, eleven ladies and eight children
qualified for an award under the Order of the Yellow Duster (O.Y.D.) As a result of
their efforts Langford church had a “new look” on Whit Sunday, many spiders had
their dreams of a happy home-life shattered and a great deal of dust disap-
peared into a large industrial vacuum cleaner. A final scrub and polish and our
spring-cleaning for this year was over.
13
Village Story
The Flag on the church tower
A very young reader has asked Round About to find out why the flag
on the tower of St Peter’s Church only flies on certain days: She can see
it from her bedroom window and wonders what the reason might be.
Round About has investigated, and we learn from Church Warden Lyn
Wyatt that the flag is flown on certain Christian Festivals like Christmas,
Easter Week and Ascension Day, on the patron saint’s day (For St
Peter’s this would be 29 June – St Peter’s Day), and on some other
significant days like the Queen’s Jubilee, Remembrance Sunday and
Armistice Day.
Lyn checks up on the dates of these festivals (some like Ascension day
and Easter are moveable feasts) and passes the information on to the
intrepid Alex Abrams, who climbs the tower and ensures that the flag is
raised to mark these important dates. The next time the flag will be
raised will be on 11 November – Armistice Day.
Langford Ladies reaches 50
On Wednesday 15 July, 14
Langford Ladies gathered at
South Gundenham Farm for the
annual BBQ which this year also
incorporated a milestone
celebration - 50 years of
Langford Ladies. The BBQ was
ably manned by Philip and
David. Glasses were raised and a
celebration cake made by Claire
was enjoyed by us all. Thanks to
Sylvia and Margaret for organising such an enjoyable evening in a
stunning location, with good weather as a bonus.
On Wednesday 19 August we will be visiting Combe Sydenham,
Monksilver - a Tudor house and Garden. This will be an afternoon visit as
they close at 5 PM. The entrance is £5 and cream tea £3.50. Please
email [email protected] to confirm.
Pam Farr
14
Green Fingers - a wildlife pond
Bringing wildlife into the garden
Making our gardens more wildlife friendly
has become a popular topic in gardening
in recent years and much has been written
about bee friendly plants, wildlife
meadows, log piles, unkempt corners and
homes for birds, bats, hedgehogs and
insects. One way of creating a variety of
wildlife friendly habitats in the garden is discussed less often and yet is
perhaps the most effective project that can be undertaken to attract
wildlife of all types to the garden; the wildlife pond.
It takes a little more effort to construct a pond and of course
precautions must be taken if the garden is shared with young children,
but once established a wildlife pond can largely be left to its own
devices and is an endless source of fascination for inquisitive youngsters
who can go pond dipping at home.
Even a very small container such as half a barrel will attract wildlife but if
space can be found for a slightly larger pond,
perhaps with a surface area of at least a couple of
square metres, problems of water loss by
evaporation and large fluctuations in water
temperature can be reduced.
There are a few essential guidelines for creating a
good wildlife pond. The shape should be irregular,
part of the pond should be at least 750mm deep,
the sides should have shelves at different depths to
accommodate a variety of plants and one side
should be gently sloping to allow any animals
which enter the pond to escape easily. The
excavation should be blinded with sand, covered by an underlay and
finally a good quality butyl membrane (take care not to puncture this –
bare feet when planting in the filled pond!).
Ponds look most natural if they are sited in the lowest part of the garden
and work best if some shade is available (but beware Autumn leaf fall
clogging the water).
Moving water is not essential but it can add interest. In a wildlife pond
this is best achieved using a recirculating pump that can deal with
15
particles up to 6mm in diameter feeding a
small ‘stream’ which flows back into the
pond; waterfalls and fountains are not
needed. Bear in mind too that many of the
pond plants required do not like fast flowing
water.
Planting is key to the success of a wildlife
pond. The golden rule is to use only species
native to this country; many of the imports
available in garden centres are very invasive
and not liked by native wildlife.
Choose some plants which will act as
oxygenators and remain submerged, some
which are planted in the deeper areas such
as water lilies (which will shade the water)
and others which thrive in the shallow pond margins. In all cases the
plants should be planted in baskets using low nutrient aquatic compost
as too much nutrient dissolved in the water encourages blanket weed.
So there it is; plan, dig, line, fill, plant and then sit back and watch the
wildlife arrive. It may take a year or two, but you will be amazed what
will turn up in and around your pond.
Keith Moore
Suggested starter list of plants
Oxygenators Hornwort (Ceratophyllum)
Water milfoil (Myriophyllum) (Thin if they become too dense)
Shade Providers Native water lilies Nymphea albida or N. virginalis
Marginals Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) right
Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpoides)
Varigated flag iris (Iris pseudacoris varigata)
Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)
Purple loosestrife (Lythum salicoara)
16
News from the Churches
The new Bishop of Taunton
Following an announcement by
Downing Street, the Diocese is
pleased to announce that the
Venerable Ruth Worsley is to be the
next Bishop of Taunton in the
Diocese of Bath and Wells. Ruth is
currently Archdeacon of Wilts in the
neighbouring Diocese of Salisbury, a
position she has held since January
2013. Archdeacon Ruth is
“delighted to be heading to
Somerset” as the 13th Bishop of
Taunton.
After her ordination in 1996, Ruth served for fourteen years as a parish
priest in Nottingham in one of the poorest areas in the Diocese of
Southwell and Nottingham. During this time she served as an Area Dean
and was made Dean of Women’s Ministry for the diocese in 2007. In
2010 she took on the role of Parish Development Adviser in the Diocese
of Southwark, based in Bermondsey. In 2013 she swapped inner-city life
for Wiltshire.
Speaking in advance of today’s announcement, Ruth said, “I am
surprised and amused to be chosen as the next Bishop of Taunton as I
grew up in a non-conformist church where women held no roles of
leadership. I am delighted to be heading to Somerset to join the
diocesan team in this wonderful part of the world, moving ‘next door’ as
it were. It will be a great privilege to meet and serve everyone who lives
and works in the county.”
“In a diocese with such a mix of rural and more urban parishes, each I’m
sure with its own distinct personality, I’m really keen to experience how
our churches and the diocese are meeting those different needs. And
how we can engage in the process of transformation, one which
changes lives, both our own and others, and then influences the way in
which we are ‘Church’ and brings about a renewed sense of
community.”
Reflecting on the atrocities in Tunisia, Ruth added, “In the light of the Continued opposite ...
17
Church Services Rota
Date Langford
Budville Runnington First Reading
Second
Reading
2 August
10.00am
HC Service
10.30am
Morning
Worship
Exodus
16. 2-4, 9-15
Ephesians
4. 1-16
9 August 9.15am
HC Service
Join Langford
Budville
1 Kings
19. 4-8
Ephesians
4. 25-5:2
16 August 10.00am
Family Service
6.00pm BCP
HC with
hymns
Proverbs
9. 1-6
Ephesians
5. 15-20
23 August 10:30 am
Worship with
Hymns
9.15am
HC Service
Joshua
24. 1-2a.
14-18
Ephesians
6. 10-20
30 August
5th Sunday :
St Giles Day
Deuteronomy
4. 1-2, 6-9
James
1. 17-27
Joint East Group Service
Holy Communion at Bradford
-on-Tone at 10.00am
pain of the past few days we can all see the need to build bridges and
forge relationships which will heal hurt, stand firm in the face of evil, and
ensure that God’s compassionate love and justice are expressed in our
lives.”
Ruth’s first engagement as Bishop of Taunton-designate will be a tour of
the YMCA’s George Williams Centre at Bridgwater, which supports local
people without a safe place to stay with accommodation, advice and
counselling as well as supporting the wellbeing of the local community
with everyday opportunities to get active. After this she will travel to
Churchfield Primary School, Church of England Academy in Highbridge
to meet school children and staff.
Before becoming Bishop of Taunton, Ruth will first be ordained and
consecrated as a Bishop by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby
in London this autumn. Ruth will be officially installed as Bishop of
Taunton in Wells Cathedral later this year. She will live in Wells and work
from the Bishops’ Office at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells, alongside Bishop
Peter Hancock.
18
Notes from St Peter’s
The Burger stand and Cream Teas at the Village Fête raised in excess of
£200 which will be put towards the Roof Repairs. Thank you to all who
helped raise this.
Mentioning food, on 15 August we have our Afternoon Tea at Tantelon
to which you are all invited. Tim and Lyn Wyatt have kindly lent us their
garden for this popular event – do please come. There will be a raffle,
produce and bric-a-brac stands. (and a marquee if it rains !!!)
Our Roof Repairs have been completed and we are very grateful to the
Somerset Churches Trust for a grant of £1000 towards the cost – we still
have to raise in excess of £4000. If you are interested in joining the Trust,
which provides funds towards the upkeep of Churches within Somerset
the necessary forms are in the Church. The more members they have the
more they can donate towards our Churches.
By the time you are reading this we will have held the first of our new
services with a more relaxed format taken by Sandra Lee, suitable for all
who find our regular services a bit too formal. The next one will be on 23
August at 10.30am followed by coffee and biscuits.
The Soup Kitchen will reopen in October and The New Thunderbridge
Bluegrass Band will be playing in the Church in November – a busy time
ahead.
Sarah Nutt
You are invited to
Afternoon Tea
At TANTELON, LANGFORD BUDVILLE
Saturday 15 August from 3.00pm
RAFFLE - PRODUCE - BRIC-A-BRAC
To raise funds toward the roof repairs to St Peter’s Church,
Langford Budville
19
News from Runnington Church
Runnington Church had two stalls at the Village Fete. The book stall made
£54 and the Tombola made £65. Many thanks to the helpers and to the kind
people who gave books and bottles. The stalls were very popular and many a
good chat was had over the choice to be made from the large selection for
sale.
Susan Osborne
Runnington Barbecue
The Runnington barbecue has been taking place almost annually over the last
decade, arranged and organised by members of the PCC. Its main purpose is to
bring the community of Runnington together and welcome newcomers to the
village. Over the years, kind and generous members of Runnington have hosted
the event in their gardens. Any superfluous funds have gone towards the church.
We hope all members of the village will feel able to join us this year at Runnington
House on the 6th September from 12:30 pm onwards.
There have been a few requests to try ringing the Runnington church bells, so we
have added this to the occasion. So if anybody feels inclined to try a bit of
campanology, please come to the church at 11.15am, prior to the barbecue.
We look forward to seeing you then: Rebecca Osborne
You are invited to
Runnington Village Barbecue
On Sunday 6th September From 12.30pm onwards
At Runnington House
Tickets £10 for adults: £3 for children under 15 years of age.
To include free drink on arrival and food.
To assist with catering, tickets to be purchased prior to event
if possible from: Tel: 01823 663080 or [email protected]
Learn to ring the Runnington Church bells 11.15 am onwards and
before the barbecue. Come and try!
All proceeds towards Runnington Church
20
Farming Year - Thatching
There is just one thatched cottage left
in Langford Budville – The Old Vicarage
- and you may have noticed that it has
recently been re-thatched. It looks
lovely with its new coat! The house was
built in about 1650, and last served as a
vicarage in 1856.
Most of the oldest houses would
originally have been thatched. Cheap
and easily available, thatch was used until the arrival of canals and
railways made transportation of building materials over long distances
possible. In the Victorian era the wealthy replaced thatched roofs with
slate or tiles - and thatch became regarded as a sign of poverty.
Nowadays, it has become popular again, and can be seen as a sign of
affluence. Listing of old buildings means that surviving thatch roofs must
be conserved and replaced with the same material.
Thatch has been used in one form or another in almost every country
and continent. It is light weight, and an excellent insulator – warm in
winter and cool in summer.
The kind of thatch used will depend on what material is available
locally, be it grass, wheat straw, reed or sedge, or even palm leaves. In
the West Country thatch is traditionally of combed wheat reed. In spite
of the name this is a cereal crop, usually wheat or rye, and not a reed.
The name refers to the fact that the straw is combed so the stalks are all
aligned in the same direction, exposing the butts of the stem, and giving
a very smooth finish to the thatch similar to that of water reed.
Mediaeval varieties of wheat grew tall, and the stalks from the cereal
crops were used for thatching. Modern farming demands a higher yield
of cereal, and shorter, more brittle stems to allow for harvesting using
combines. The application of fertiliser makes the stems weaker and
more brittle. This doesn’t work in thatch. Nowadays special varieties of
wheat with long stems are grown with minimal fertiliser just for thatch.
However EU regulation means that only listed varieties of wheat can be
sold, and there is a growing shortage of thatching wheat.
The cereal grains are removed for seed, and special reaper-binders are
used to cut and tie the straw into bundles. These are then ‘stooked’ –
piled standing on their butt ends into a pyramid, and left for about three
The Old Vicarage, with its ‘catslide’
21
weeks to ripen. They are then mechanically
‘combed’ to remove leaves and weeds and align
the stems, and bundled ready for the thatcher.
Wheat reed thatch if well laid can last up to 40
years. Water penetration is the main culprit, so
roof pitch and climate affect roof life. The ridge
will need to be replaced more often (every 10 – 14
years) as this weathers fastest.
In the West Country it is customary to replace only
the weathered top layer of thatch – called over-
coating. This means that older layers are
preserved under the new thatch – and in some
old roofs layers up to 500 years old, often soot
blackened, have been identified.
In our area rubble stone was used for building,
which doesn’t lend itself to gables, so walls usually
ended at the eaves and roofs are ‘hipped’, giving
the characteristic rounded shape to the roof.
The thatcher will strip off the top layer, and lay the
new thatch in courses, fastened into the old layers
with hazel or withy spars, working up to the ridge
with each course overlapping the one below.
Once the straw is laid and fixed it is trimmed and
dressed to give a a smooth surface and wide
overhanging eaves. This may have given
rise to the expression ‘eaves-dropping’
when folks sheltered from the rain under the
eaves.
The ridge is the most vulnerable part of the
thatch, and special techniques are used to
ensure they are water tight, These vary
across the country, and are often
decorative, but in the West country flush
ridges are traditional, with the straw held in
place with hazel spars.
With thanks to Mr and Mrs Phillips of The Old
Vicarage, and Matthew Roberts.
Saranne Cessford
Thatcher Matthew Roberts at work on The
Old Vicarage.
Old thatch on left; in the middle, courses have been
laid and fixed; right, the thatch has been trimmed and
dressed, and the ridge peak completed.
Dressing the thatch with a legget
22
Out & About:
Improvements to Langford Heathfield
Over the last couple of years the Somerset Wildlife Trust has been
undertaking a review of the visitor facilities on some of its key nature
reserves including Langford Heathfield. As a result of this review it was
concluded that much of the infra structure needed updating as well
some new facilities installing.
All these works, on 8 reserves around the County including Langford
Heathfield, were put into a grant
application to Viridor Credits which was
submitted just before Christmas. We
recently received the good news that
we had been successful.
At Langford Heathfield the works will be a mix of visitor access works and
habitat works. Two nature trails (long and short) will be installed, these will
both start from the Jubilee Seat lay-by and have waymarks and point of
interest posts giving interesting facts about the reserve. Along the route
of the long trail a sculptural bench will be installed as a useful point for a
rest. The existing interpretation panels will be renewed and the section of
old and disintegrating boardwalk will be replaced. It is hoped that this
work will make a visit to the reserve easier, more enjoyable and with less
risk of getting lost.
The habitat works will be largely undertaken next winter and include
cutting and collecting areas of grassland, coppicing hazel and other
trees in the woodland and clearing gorse, birch and willow scrub within
and adjacent to the grassland. This work should build on the
management work done by the Wildlife Trust for many years to ensure
that rare and at risk wildlife such as the small pearl bordered fritillary and
the heath spotted orchids continue to thrive. All of this work will be done
over the next 2 years and may cause temporary disruption on some
paths while it is in progress.
The total cost of the work to the Trust will be in excess of £30,000 and the
grant from Viridor Credits is for £24,000 so in the next couple of months
the Trust will be launching an appeal to cover the shortfall at both
Langford Heathfield and the other 7 reserves, if you would like to
contribute please visit the Trust website at www.somersetwildlife.org and
follow the link.
David Northcote-Wright: Reserves Manager West Somerset
23
Volunteering on Langford Heathfield.
Langford Heathfield - or more informally Langford or ‘The Common’ is a
Somerset Wildlife Trust Reserve, and an SSSI - a Site of Special Scientific
Interest. The Trust depends on volunteers to help manage and monitor
the reserve. We in the village are really lucky to have this wonderful
resource on our doorstep. Perhaps you may want to help in some way.
There are three main ways of volunteering on the reserve:
There is a weekly rota of pony checkers who visit each day to ensure that
the fences are in order, the batteries are functioning and all ponies are
present and healthy. It can often mean a bit of searching for the ponies in
the gorse and bracken; as the season goes on they get more adventurous
and less likely to stick together. They are generally very docile, the foals
being nervous initially but slowly gaining confidence. The rota is organised
by David Northcote-Wright at SWT (652400).
The Taunton Midweek Volunteers meet on alternate Thursdays to work on
several local reserves including regular visits to Langford. Their main tasks on
the Common are: keeping the bracken under control to allow violets to
flourish, the food plant for fritillary butterflies; coppicing
on a rotation which varies depending on the
vegetation in each section; and cutting back invasive
species where necessary. Anyone who has delved into
the south-west area of the Common may have seen a
large patch of a non-native type of honeysuckle which
is being removed by the group. Its presence, and the
nearby hedge-banks suggest human habitation at
some time. These tasks involve a fair bit of physical effort
but the comradeship and the break for lunch will keep
you going. The work is very beneficial to the habitat and
its inhabitants. For further information this group and on volunteering with
the Somerset Wildlife Trust in general, visit the Volunteering page on their
website: www.somersetwildlife.org/volunteering
For those who can confidently identify butterflies (or would be keen to
learn) a weekly, nationally organised, Butterfly Conservation survey takes
place in the summer months. This involves a set walk - a transect - across the
whole common recording any butterflies which appear within an imaginary
box of 5 metres ahead of your path. (On one day in July, 245 butterflies
were recorded on the transect).
The Wildlife Trust would be very pleased to hear from anyone who is
interested. Contact them direct on (01823 652400) or ring Ian Loudon,
the volunteer warden, (01823 664732) to find out more.
Ian Loudon
Silver-washed
Fritillary
24
The Langford Budville Arch
The photo of Langford Budville Arch came to
light after the publication of ‘Changing Faces’ -
a history of Langford Budville. Round About
asked our readers where they thought it might
have been (March 2015). We have had one
reply - from Martin Stockley. Martin wrote ….
The arch must surely have been situated over a
route into the village, and there aren’t very
many of them. When you consider the topography shown in the photograph,
that narrows down the possibilities even further. All the approaches from the
south and east, ie from the Milverton road up to the church, up Langford Lane
from Gundenham, or from Runnington to the Three Ashes crossroad opposite the
Triangle run uphill, whereas the photograph appears to show the track running
away downhill after passing under the arch. There are a few footpaths and
bridleways into the village, but none of these display the right topography and,
besides, who would erect such an imposing edifice over a minor right of way?
That leaves, by my reckoning, two options. One is the road coming up from
Holywell Lake. It would be roughly where the entrance to White Post is now, just
before the left turn onto the Wiveliscombe road. The snags with this one are:
firstly that the ground on the right seems to drop away too sharply; secondly the
road leading through the arch seems a pretty poor highway - even for 100 years
ago – given that it was a main route into the village and had been for many,
many years; and thirdly what looks like a the turning on the left doesn’t give the
impression of a much used route either (it could be just a field entrance) and it
would in any case be a little odd to welcome people to Langford Budville just as
a number of them were about to turn off and bypass the village completely!
The second option, which is the one I favour, is
on the road that passes the entrance to the
new Village Hall. Coming that way from the
Wiveliscombe road, as you reach the top of the
initial rise, there is a field entrance almost
immediately on your left, albeit now widened
and surfaced. The land on the right falls away
quite quickly into the basin in which the Hall is
now situated and the road continues forward at
a slightly downhill gradient. See photo of how it
looks today. The present road doesn’t match the precise course of the track in
the original photograph, but there would have been widening, and probably
some straightening and levelling, when it was upgraded with a relatively
modern surface.
Could be wrong, but that’s my guess. Do you agree?
Martin Stockley
25
Young Buddies
Q: How can you tell the ocean is friendly? A: It waves.
Q: What did the big flower say to the small flower? A: What's up Bud.
Q: What kind of flower grows on your face? A: Tulips!
26
Our School
Langford Budville Church of England Primary School.
We have now completed another successful school year. The traditional
ending is our Year 6 Leavers’ Service which was held in St Peter’s Church
and we were joined by parents, friends and Lynne Moore – Foundation
Governor, Trevor Pritchard and Lynne Wyatt– Church Wardens. The
children lead the service sharing their memories and thoughts about the
school and this year the things they said embodied what the school is
about and that is a family of people all working together to ensure we
can be the best that we can be.
As part of this service we also said goodbye to Rita Derrick who has
been a Teaching Assistant at the school for 28 years. Rita has been a
tower of strength and ‘right hand man’ to Catherine Vincer but also
working with previous Headteachers. Rita will be greatly missed by the
school as she contributed so much in many different areas. Well known
for her kindness and compassion, cheerfulness and always staying calm
in a crisis Rita will be remembered by many families in the area. We wish
her well in retirement and hope she enjoys the extra time with family and
as she goes on her travels.
The children in both classes have been finding out about the village in
the summer term and we were pleased to welcome Josh Wedderkopp
who shared with us a project based on ipad computers using their GPS
facility. Josh has led Storywalk work with his own class at Stogumber and
was able to engage the children in a Fantasy Story about Langford
Budville where many of the well known properties became the homes of
monsters. The Storywalk trail is available to anyone with a Smartphone
with GPS. Just log onto Stogumber.storywalks.info and locate the
Langford Budville Story at the end of the list and then start your trail at
the school. The GPS should lead you around the village and the story
opens as you find the correct locations.
In conclusion I would like to thank all the children, parents, staff and
Governors for ensuring we had another successful year in which children
reached their potentials. The results for the Year 6 were 100% and this is a
great credit to everyone involved. We have managed to increase
numbers over the year and start next year with 56 on the roll, which is a
great place to begin all over again in September.
Keith Sharpe: Headteacher
27
28
YOGA the Iyengar way
Langford Budville Jubilee Hall
Tuesdays 7.00-8.30pm Thursdays 10.30-12.00noon
BEGINNERS WELCOME suitable for all abilities
contact Jackie Douglas
07919 818980 [email protected]
29
Cider Barn - for Bed & Breakfasts or
Cider Barn - rent it for family get togethers!
Come and stay in our wonderful, beamed Barn, full of character in peaceful hamlet near River Tone. Four bedrooms and three bath/shower rooms, large kitchen, huge open, beamed reception area
with gallery room above, flexible bedroom arrangements. Wonderful, peaceful, sunny, uplifting atmosphere.
Come and chat to me about it.
Louise Bancroft - 01823 665533/07835 960704 [email protected]
www.runningtonciderbarn.co.uk
cakes Jackies cakes Email – [email protected] Tel – 01823 672817 Mobile – 07866 125061
Jackie’s cakes
& catering
Delicious, fresh, home cooked cakes. Bespoke for all occasions; weddings, christenings, birthdays, celebrations - or just because you’re worth it!
Catering for funerals; Buffets for 20-200 people, from setting the table and chairs to the washing up, saving you time to spend with family, friends or guests on a busy day.
Scones freshly cooked for an afternoon cream tea.
30
31
www.iansbikeservice.com
MICKEY LOVELL Chimney Sweep
Clean and Efficient
01984 624283 25 Southgate Wiveliscombe
TA4 2NG
32
Housework, laundry, ironing, D.I.Y, dinner parties, function catering, service support, carpet cleaning, mobile beautician, painter, plumber, mobile mechanic, gardener, electrician, help with lambing, help with horses, Spring cleaning, event support, on a regular basis or ’as and when’ you need it- you name it we do it!
Established since 2007- fully insured and reliable help - no retainer required.
Contact Denise Masters: 07773070219/0800 756 6425
http://need-some-help.com E:[email protected]. Whatever you need, if we can’t help, we probably know
someone who can!
Podiatrist/Chiropodist
Andrea Martin BSc (Hons)
Fully Qualified Experienced Podiatrist.
Health Professions Council Registered
Home Visiting Service
Treatment for a variety of foot
problems in the comfort of your
own home
Please call Andrea on
07956679276 for more
information
33
Nail trimming,
removal of corns and callus
and foot health advice
Courteous, professional and
reliable service
Mariah Payne
Lady Painter & Decorator with 20 Years’ Experience
Free Estimates Given
Quality
Workmanship
Interior & Exterior Paintwork, Wallpapering
& Tiling
Tel: 01823 663831 Mob: 07776 423418
2 Buckwell, Wellington, TA21 8TA
34
35
Magazine Information
Editorial team: Marilyn Lilley and Saranne Cessford - joint editors; Jo
Currie - Treasurer; Laurian Cooper; Susan Osborne; Maggie Norvell
We would really like to receive your feedback on the community
magazine, as well as your thoughts on the sort of articles of local interest
that you would like to see.
To contact us please email: [email protected] heading your
email: Articles, Feedback, Advertising, Small Ads, etc.
Our final copy dates for the next two editions are:
September Edition: 19 August 2015; October Edition: 21 September 2015
Cover photograph by Saranne Cessford
RA printed by Booksprint, 01823 662531, [email protected].
Advertising Rates
This magazine is distributed free of charge to around 300 households in
and around the villages of Langford Budville and Runnington.
Sponsorship of articles for a six month edition period is also available, as
well as special rates for non-commercial community advertising. Small
Ads can be placed - contact us for cost.
Contact us at [email protected] to discuss your requirements.
6 editions 1 edition Commercial
Mono Colour Mono
¼ page £30.00 na £7.00
½ page £60.00 £100.00 £13.00
A5 page £100.00 £200.00 £25.00
36
Local Transport Services
Slinky Bus
Anyone in Langford Budville can use the bus. It is free for those with a bus
pass and a reasonable fare will be charged for everyone else.
To use the bus you must register in advance. Download a form from:
www.movingsomersetforward.co.uk/public-transport/slinky-services-demand-
responsive-transport or call 01823 331266.
To use the bus you have to book a place at least 24 hours and up to 14 days
in advance. Bookings can be made between 9.30-3.30, Monday to Friday by
calling 01823 331266.
The Slinky bus will make up to 3 return journeys a day at approx times:
Langford Budville - Wellington 09:20*, 11:50*, 15:20
Wellington - Langford Budville 10:40, 14:10, 15:40 *13:40 from MPH
*There will be an extension to and from Musgrove Park Hospital on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday. This is intended for use by people who can’t use
conventional buses but need to access the hospital.
It isn’t possible to just turn up at a bus stop and board.
Any problems, ring 0300 123 2224 or email [email protected].
The Grange
Home from home
When the difficult time comes to leave your own home. Abbeyfield The Grange, Wellington provides an affordable,
sociable, and caring place to live. We have rooms to make your home in, near to Wellington town centre, with car parking for
you and your visitors.
Please come and visit for a cup of coffee and a chat. You are welcome to come and meet us and look around
our very sheltered family style home and garden.
Our residents have the privacy of their own ensuite accommodation, combined with the companionship of others,
home cooked meals and the security and support of the dedicated house staff.
Rooms available, call Lesley tel: 01823 664945
13 Wellesley Park, Wellington, TA21 8PT
Showrooms in Taunton and Honiton 33 Bridge Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1TQ - Telephone 01823 338800
38 High Street, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1PJ - Telephone 01404 41655 Website: www.harveyandwade.co.uk Email: [email protected]
THE MARTLET INN
FREE HOUSE
a good old fashioned village pub
with a warm welcome
from Terena and Bruno
and great food
Award winning chef
Extensive menu, steak board and daily specials
Traditional Sunday lunches
Homemade puddings
Senior Citizens' lunches Wed, Thurs and Fri
Large car park
Langford Budville, Wellington, TA21 0QZ
01823 400262
Closed all day Monday and Tuesday lunchtime
Winner of Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Award 2014 & 2015