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Kington Langley Registered Commons Further to last month’s article about the new law for registering Greens, a number of people have asked me to clarify which areas of the village are already Registered Commons. I shall put up a map showing this in the Notice board by the post-box at Upper Common, as maps in this magazine may be too small to show the detail. However, I hope the maps below will give you a general idea.
The Greens registration process is quite complex and I am seeking more information from the Open Spaces Society and DEFRA so that I can clarify to everyone just exactly what the implications are. In the meantime, we are extending the date for responses to Friday 28th September. Sue Hart, Parish Clerk Telephone: 01249-750418 or e-mail: klparishclerk@tiscali.co.uk
Boil And Bake Fruit Cake Several ladies in the village have suggested that this recipe should be included in the next Village Magazine. My dear lady, like many others, is an avid cake maker and found the recipe and was intrigued by the statement that the Baker said “That it was the only cake she dared to take to France.” It has been a great success and many others have made it and the recipe has been passed on to other villages even as far as Yorkshire. 225g (8 fl oz) water You will need an 8/9"cake tin
I have eaten many of these cakes and they are really good and different. Don Styles
Annual Parish Meeting - Contributors Reports now available The Contributors report for the Annual Parish meeting held on March 27 2007 are now available online. Please click here to view them
Public Houses The recent flooding of The Plough by water that flowed uphill provoked much discussion. Happily all is nearly well and things are almost back to normal. So, on the subject of Public Houses I have put together some things that you may find interesting. The oldest Pub in England is ‘The Olde Fighting Cocks’ in St Albans and is said to date from 795, being rebuilt in 1485. The cockfighting pit is now a bar. Another contender as the oldest Pub is ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem’ in Nottingham. Part of its premises was once a malt house cut from the rock of Nottingham Castle NS DATES FROM 1189. The Pub acquired its name because Richard the Lionheart gathered his Knights at the castle before his journey to Jerusalem to fight in the Third Crusade. The highest Inn in England is the ‘Tan Hull Inn’, 1742 feet (531 metres) above sea level, north of Kield in Yorkshire and located on the route of the Pennine Way. The smallest Pub is the ‘Nutshell’ in Bury St Edmunds which measures just 15ft by 7ft 6ins (4.6 by 2.3 metres). Pub signs derive from the Roman practice of advertising the profession of a building in a Terracotta relief. The earliest names could therefore be the ‘Bush’ or ‘Vine’ after the Roman motif used to designate a drinking house. The most common Pub names are the ‘Red Lion’ and ‘The Crown’. The earliest Pubs called the ‘Red Lion’ referred to the badge of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and son of Edward III, but many more were created by James I to popularise his rule. The ‘Rose and Crown’ became popular in response to the growth of ‘Red Lions’, it showed loyalty, not only to the Scottish King of England, but to the English nation, represented by the Rose. The name ‘The Crown’ showed loyalty to the English Crown. Since the Middle Ages it has been the job of the ‘Ale-Conner’ to test the quality of a Pubs beer by donning a pair of leather breeches and sitting in a puddle of its Best Bitter which has been poured on to any flat surface. When he has finished he gets up and examines the trousers for stickiness which indicates the alcoholic content of the beer. Four ‘Ale-Conners’ are still chosen annually by London’s liverymen. Don Styles
Concessionary Bus Travel Please note the following changes due to come into force from April 2008. The Concessionary Bus Travel Act gained Royal Assent on the 19th July 2007. As a consequence people aged 60 or over or disabled, who are currently entitled to free bus travel within the area where their bus passes were issued, will be entitled to FREE bus travel throughout England from April 2008 (The exact date is yet to be decided). This will not affect the District Councils ability to offer Tokens as a discretionary alternative to a Bus Pass. The NWDC is taking advantage of this power by extending the Free Travel period which is 9.30am to 11.00pm on Mondays to Fridays and all day at weekends to cover the whole day seven days a week. It also enables certain disabled pass holders who need assistance to be accompanied by a ‘carer’ who travels free of charge. Both of these additional concessions will be permitted under the new act. The government intends that local authorities should issue entitled people with new passes of a nationally recognisable design by April 2008 and that councils are funded to cover all expenses and costs. What it means for the Public Who will be able to travel free?
Where will they be able to travel?
Elsewhere in England – From 9.30am until 11.00pm on weekdays and all day at weekends (including cross boundary journeys. Don Styles (Tel. 750697)
State
Pension Entitlements The FAB Team will see clients in the confidence of their own homes, at the home of the clients representative, at a Residential Home or by appointment at the District Council Offices and Libraries. There are 32 members making up the Team led by joint managers, Heather Patrick and Harvey Burns. In the last financial year (April 2006 to April 2007 they made 10,578 visits and helped clients to make claims amounting to £9,012,610.00. If you would like any further help or information please contact Heather Patrick on 01249 706911. I have met this charming lady and know that she would be delighted to hear from you and pleased to be of help to you. Don Styles (Tel. 750697)
Crime Support Have you, or do you know anyone who has been a victim or witness of crime? It can happen to anyone. Victim Support Wiltshire offers free and confidential emotional support, help and information to anyone affected by crime in Swindon and Wiltshire. Last year we offered our support to over 7,500 people who had been victims or witnesses of crime from ABH, theft and burglary to murder. Our services are available to the victim, their family, friends and supporters. Call 01380 729476 for more information. Crime affects people in different ways, and we have 18 years of experience in helping residents in Wiltshire cope. Keep these numbers handy - hopefully it won’t happen to you, but you may know someone that our independent charity can help: Call 01380 729476 for an informal chat if you, or someone you know, would like emotional support or information. We can arrange telephone support, or a visit from one of our trained Community Service Volunteers. Call 01793 484040 for information about court procedures and giving evidence in court - Witness Service. Call FREEPHONE 0808 800 11 44 to talk to someone in confidence about rape or sexual violence. - Rape Support Helpline. All our services are free and confidential. It doesn’t matter when the crime originally occurred or if the crime was reported to the police. Interested in becoming a volunteer or you would like to make a donation to our charity? Contact 01380 729476 for more information. Working together to reduce the fear of crime. Nicky Jupp - PR & Fundraiser Victim Support Wiltshire.
Housing – Council Tax Rebate The Parish Council have been requested to provide an article regarding Council Tax Rebate with particular regard to Pensioners. Council Tax Rebate – If a person is a single occupier in a dwelling aged 18 or over, they can claim a 25% single occupier discount from the Council Tax. A simple form is available from Customer Services at Monkton Park Council Offices. Telelephone 01249 706246. Council Tax Benefit - Council Tax Benefit helps pay towards your Council Tax Bill. Whether you own your own home or pay rent you will probably be liable for Council Tax. If you are on a low income this can be difficult to manage. Council Tax Benefit can cover the bill entirely or pay towards it. Application forms are available from District Services, Monkton Park. Telephone Freephone 08000 270 428. They are most helpful and will even make a home visit to help with claims. The following notes may also be helpful:
Please do contact District Services, they want to help. Don Styles (750697)
Scarecrow Festival 2007 Please click here to find out all about the 2007 Scarecrow Festival
NWDC Garden Refuse Collection Scheme Now Up and Running! North Wiltshire District Council now has enough customers for the new garden waste collection service to start in the village. Fortnightly collections started on Friday 17th August. The brown wheelie bins are pretty big – 240 litres (bigger than our green bins). You can get a fair amount in them so it’s a great way to get rid of your grass cuttings and prunings if you don’t already compost them yourselves and saves on trips to the tip! It’s very environmentally friendly as it will generate compost to Soil Association approved standards. Those now joining the scheme can do so for £25 for full year. For an extra £10 you can have a second bin. NWDC want as many people as possible to participate in order to make the scheme viable so do please encourage your neighbours to join in. To order your bin(s): Or write to: Sue Hart, Parish Clerk
The Annual Langley Revel 2007 Well what a night we chose! It was a night where the British spirit shone through. Thank you to all those brave souls who turned up to support the event, some prepared for rain, and some not. After a good soaking the rain cleared and we were able to cook our food on the barbeques which were so magnificently kept going by Marcell, hero of the evening and winner of the wet T shirt competition. Sadly we all ended up sheltering in our own gazebos so we did not mix as much as usual but we all enjoyed an evening of chatting with friends. At the end we had to ask people to go home so it did not turn out so badly after all. Most importantly thanks must go to John Barnes for the lorry and the wood, Mr and Mrs Gill for supplying the electricity, Don and Warren for all the electrics, the school for the picnic tables and to our band of willing helpers who just turn up and get on with setting up/ taking down the event. Everyone knows what needs to be done and just gets on with it. We couldn’t do it without you. THANK YOU.
Public Transport Co-ordinator Following discussion between Peter Hart and Mrs Stephanie Briggs I have agreed to take over responsibility as Public Transport Co-ordinator. The local bus service usage is increasing as is the bus services provided by North Wilts bus services. However many people are not aware of the following service that is available: Free Bus Pass or Travel Tokens – If you are over 60 or disabled this scheme applies to you. The bus pass gives free travel on all local bus services in Wiltshire and also now includes Swindon. You can travel further afield too, for example, to Bath and Cirencester, provided your bus journey starts or finishes in Wiltshire or Swindon and does not involve a change of service outside of this area. Bus Pass application forms can be obtained from Chippenham Post Office or Monkton Park Council Offices. To obtain your pass you will need: The completed form, a recent passport sized photograph and relevant proof of your age. Once you have your bus pass it can be renewed each year, there will be no need for a further passport photograph. Bus timetables have been combined into one simple guide for all bus services in North Wiltshire. Copies of this timetable are available from the Library or from the information rack at the Village Hall. The timetables are now better co-ordinated, for instance, The Great Western Outlet Village and Swindon Bus Station have three buses an hour from Chippenham Bus Station or Railway Station. It is easy to use one of these to connect with the local service No. 91. Please also the item on Public Transport Bus Trips Don Styles (750697)
Air Ambulance Please note that as from the 1st of August the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal office address will be: Appeal Administration
Assistant
Carers Support North Wiltshire Do you spend time looking after a relative, child, partner or friend who has a disability or an illness? If so, then you are a Carer and this is for you. Carers Support North Wilts can provide:
For a free confidential
service contact Tel: 01249 444110 email:office@carersnw.co.uk
Doorway Moving on from Homelessness in North Wiltsire Doorway is a successful partnership between The Salvation Army, Chippenham Corps and CVS North Wiltshire. We run a drop-in day centre in Chippenham, twice a week for single adults who are homeless; threatened with homelessness; or have complex problems, such as mental health issues, debt, substance use and poor life skills, which are likely to affect their ability to acquire or sustain a tenancy. Doorway is the only specialist service for this client group in North Wilts and is funded from a variety of charitable, church and statutory sources, as well as donations from individuals. Most of our staff are volunteers who bring a wide variety of skills and life experiences to the task. Homelessness is often an invisible problem in rural areas like North Wiltshire. Doorway is working on plans to ensure that it will remain open and to continue to develop more services which will teach guests new skills enabling them to “open more doors” and move on in their lives. The Friends of Doorway are a small, self-supporting team of volunteers in the local community who give time, energy or resources to raise the profile of the drop-in centre and to generate much needed funds. They organise social events and are currently launching our recycling appeal for used mobile phones and ink cartridges. The Friends of Doorway plan, during 2007, to recruit more volunteers in order to ensure that their very valuable contribution to the funding of the centre continues. They are looking for people with a little time to spare to help with social events, street collections etc as well as volunteer speakers who are willing to talk to schools or community groups about the important work that Doorway is doing. For further information about Doorway, the ways in which you can support The Friends of Doorway, or if you are able to donate ink cartridges or old mobile phones which can be recycled please: Tel. 01249 445385 or email. info©doorwayproject.org.uk Or go to our website at www.doorwayproject.org.uk
Have Your Say on Health in Your Area Do you want to try something new, to do something to help your community, or to improve your job prospects? If you’re 18 years or over, interested in health and use health services in your local area, you could volunteer with a Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) Forum.
So if you want to
Get in touch with us today! Commission for Patient & Public Involvement in Health www.cppih.org - 0845 1207111 - enquiriessw@cppih.org
I have been asked for examples of bus connections, especially for those that might be of help to the over 60’s.
Village – Chippenham – Devizes
Village – Chippenham – Swindon There is an alternative route which is very scenic running through the villages. Take the 91 from the Hit or Miss at 9.10 to Little Somerford shelter arriving at 9.38am, then wait on bus for connection, number 31, to Outlet at Swindon. Return from Outlet or Swindon Bus Station at 1.25pm, then catch the 91 bus from Little Somerford arriving back in the village at 2.35pm.
Village – Chippenham – Bath Every half hour the 231 or 232 runs from Chippenham to Bath going via Corsham and Box. For example, take the 91 from the Hit or Miss at 9.16am alight at Railway Station and then pick up the 232 at 9.41, this gives you more time than going to the Bus Station. Return from Bath at 1.48pm for connection back to the village. Alternatively take the number 31 single decker bus from the Bus Station, Bay 2. For example taking the 91 from the Hit or Miss at 9.16am pick up the 31 at 9.35am from the Bus Station arriving at Bath Railway Station at 10.30am. To return buses leave Bath for Chippenham at 1.05pm, 1.35pm or 2.05pm. I hope that this information has been helpful to you, it’s easy. Don Styles (750697)
The New Mid Wilts Way Never straying outside the county border, the new ‘Mid Wilts Way’ (MWW), researched and designed by James Alsop from Wiltshire College, Trowbridge, is a 55 mile route that takes in some of Wiltshire’s finest countryside and downland areas. At its eastern end the walk starts/finishes in the exquisite village of Wootton Rivers, located between Marlborough and Pewsey, just to the East of the Pewsey Downs. 55 glorious miles away the route starts/finishes right in the heart of the pretty village of Mere; the Angel Corner Café serving as the ideal spot to contemplate what has been achieved or what lies ahead. Downland hill tops provide dramatic views for much of the way, and nine lovely villages offer a rich, contrasting alternative, along with delightful refreshment and accommodation options. The route is now officially open and has been waymarked with discrete MWW discs. It has been divided into ten individual stages, which can be walked on an out and back basis if preferred.
Please click on each of the above stage to download. Finally, if you do take to the trail, please be aware of landowners concerns and avoid walking in large groups or with dogs, unless they are on a lead and under strict control. Enjoy your walk, and don’t be surprised if the prospect of walking the entire route becomes an irresistible one! Feedback on the walk would be most welcome, so if you have any comments to make, either good or bad, please contact James Alsop at: kate-james@alsop189.fsnet.co.uk.
Could
You Make Time To Volunteer You could help people of all ages, get involved in group tasks, volunteer indoors or outdoors, the list is endless. To find out more contact the Volunteer Centre North Wiltshire. Phone: 01249 654089,
Email: Vanessa@cvsnw.org.uk Or pop into to see us at 3-4 New Road Chippenham, SN15 1EJ
Kington St Michael Village Shop becomes “Community Owned” The village shop in Kington St Michael has just become a community shop, owned by the community and staffed, initially, by volunteers from the village and beyond. The handover took place on Saturday 28th April and the shop has been spring cleaned and completely rearranged, with new stock coming in over the next couple of weeks. It is also hoped to stock more local products and crafts. Currently the shop offers a good range of food, confectionery and household goods at reasonable prices, a good number of which are lower than those in local supermarkets for identical goods. The new opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12.30pm. Please do bear with us in the first couple of weeks as we find our feet; in other words, please don’t moan – volunteer to help! Please note that the Post Office is run separately and its opening hours have not changed The shop will be run as an Industrial & Provident Society, with shares available to buy at £5 each and will be known as “Kington St Michael Village Shop Ltd”. Each shareholder will be entitled to one vote. If you would like to buy shares in the shop please register your interest by contacting Linda Durno on 01249 750514. The new telephone number for the shop will be 01249 750181.
Platinum The three precious metals are gold, silver and platinum. They will always have a bullion value, which means that they will always be worth something regardless of what they have been fashioned into. Platinum has always been the less well known and slightly mysterious. The following may clear the detail: Platinum is, as is well known, a silvery coloured metal occurring naturally, typically as small grains within nickel ore. Large veins have been discovered in the Ural Mountains and the gold mines of Columbia. The Spanish Conquistadors first brought platinum to Europe from South America in the 16th century. Although there is no reason, apart from the high expense, why a piece of jewellery should not be entirely of platinum, it is more commonly used these days for setting high quality stones into high carat gold jewellery . There are two reasons for using platinum for this purpose: firstly the stones are more secure in the hard platinum setting and secondly, most stones, especially diamonds, appear brighter when offset against a platinum background. Stones set in gold often take on a dull yellowish hue, which is considered less attractive than the sparkling effect that platinum creates. To distinguish platinum from silver, simply look for the abbreviation ‘PLAT’ that should be stamped somewhere on the piece. Platinum has also been used to make watches and coins. Watch cases, especially pocket watches were at one time all made of metal, usually silver, gold and platinum, which means that even if the watch is not working it will still have a bullion value. At the cheaper end of the scale gunmetal was used. The coins made from platinum were unique to Russia. Nicholas I became Czar in 1825 and instituted a new coinage of high value denominations. His 3, 6 and 12 rouble coins, made from platinum, were struck from 1828 to 1845. This series of coins were not popular as they were not as attractive as gold or silver coins and in 1845 they agreed to redeem them for new gold and silver roubles. These platinum coins are now rare and worth considerable amounts of money. Don Styles
Ancestry The widespread interest in people’s ancestry has grown over the last few years. Provided that your family has lived in Great Britain for at least the last couple of centuries, then there is a reasonably good chance that you may be able to trace back your family line for 200 to 300 years. Many people are keen to find that they have Norman blood in their family line and a very large proportion of families can trace their families back to Norman descent. But the families that can claim their ancestors were at Senlae Hill can be numbered on one hand. These consist of the Giffards and the Malets in the ‘Landed Gentry’ and the De Marris along with the Gresleys of Drakelow who are in the ‘Peerage’. These are the only families who can prove that their descent in the male line was from an ancestor at Hastings. Though the Curzons also claim this for their family line it cannot be proven. There are four family lines that stand out who were here before the Norman Conquest: The Berkeleys (in Scotland Barclay) of Berkeley Castle, whose descent was from Eadnoth the Staller, chamberlain to Edward the Confessor. He was killed fighting at Bristol in 1068 having changed his allegiance to William. Wilberforce, a family famous for its lead in the anti-slavery movement. Their ancestor was a soldier who had the distinction of fighting at both Stamford Bridge and at Hastings. The Swintons, who moved to Scotland to avoid the Normans. Their ancestors were the Edulfing or rulers of the district between the Tyne and the Forth and confirmed by Alfred the Great. Their resistance was not a success and they had the good sense to move north. Last is the great Arden family. Their descent is from Aelfwine, Sheriff of Warwickshire before the Conquest. The Domesday Book shows they had great possessions both before and after the Norman Conquest. From this family line comes Mary Arden the mother of William Shakespeare. It seems appropriate that the greatest of English poets should have been born of a family of proven and undiluted English pre-conquest stock, the oldest pedigree in England. Don Styles |
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