Issue No 505 August 2020 Save our pub!

After weeks of rumours, it has been confirmed The community could make an offer to that a buyer is being sought for The White purchase the pub or support a bidder. This Horse. If a buyer is not found, a change of use would have to be led by an active community application could mean we lose the village’s group outside the Parish Council. Such an last pub for ever. initiative has been successful in a number of locations in the local area, where pubs are We face the risk that a valuable part of now in the hands of their local community. community life is lost through redevelopment The asking price for the White Horse is for housing. While this would be resisted by £395,000. Any eligible community group the Parish Council, it would mean losing a intending to bid for the White Horse must vital part of the character of the village. communicate that intention to the District Several residents have asked Parish Council by 20 August. Councillors about this. The pub is listed as a Some village residents have started a community asset, which gives some protection community group to look at options and over if a change of use order is sought. The Parish 200 people have joined their Facebook group: Council will renew its interest in the pub when Save Our Pub, Stonesfield. They also now have that is due in October, but the Council could a website www.whitehorsestonesfield.com not purchase the pub. where you can contact them or sign up to be In mid-July the West Oxfordshire District kept updated. Council gave formal notice of the pub’s For sharing your views with the Council, owner’s intention to offer it for sale. Clearly a please contact the Parish Clerk public meeting for residents to express their ([email protected]) or Cllr Wendy Gould views is not possible. ([email protected]).

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 1 Some phone numbers to call for help

West Oxfordshire District Council: 01993 861000 Oxfordshire County Council: 01865 792422 Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire: 03444 111 444 Age UK Oxon Free Telephone Support: 01865 411288 Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank: 01993 890000 Volunteer Link-Up: 01993 776277 Samaritans: 116 123 Talking Space: 01865 901222 Mind UK: 01865 247788 Shelter: 0808 800 4444 Debt Advice (Stepchange): 0800 138 1111 Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111 Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040 Mental health line (24hr) 01865 904 997 (adults) 01865 904 998 (children and young people)

Find more information at www.stonesfield.online/covid-19-information/

Important reminder to contributors Please note that contributions for handwritten copy may be left at the village inclusion in the Slate should be emailed to shop (in an envelope marked ‘Stonesfield [email protected]. This replaces Slate’); if using this facility, please let the the old website address, WHICH HAS Editor know – the telephone number is CLOSED. listed below.

For residents without access to email, Slate Editor

Publishers Editor for Sept issue Copy: Diane & Paul Bates, Lynda Parkinson Deadline for next issue 15 Aug Waterloo Barn, Laughton Hill, (898418) Please email copy to Stonesfield, OX29 8DY [email protected] [email protected] (898841) or contact the Editor. [email protected]

Editor Printer Advertising: Viv Kendall Windrush Press, Witney Deadline for next issue 10 Aug (891803) Advertisements to [email protected] ©TheStonesfieldSlate 2020 slate-ads@stonesfield.online

Current and past copies of the Slate available at www.stonesfield.online/slate

2 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Coronavirus updates

Face coverings Test and trace for businesses Wearing a face covering in shops and Businesses where customers are supermarkets in England was made potentially in close contact are being urged mandatory from 24 July; for adults and to ensure they follow the NHS Test and children aged 11 or over. Those who fail to Trace rules. This means that pubs, cafes, comply with the new rules will face a fine hairdressers and places of worship are of up to £100, or £50 if paid within 14 encouraged to take names and numbers of days. visitors to ensure they can be traced in the event of an outbreak of COVID-19. The Face coverings have been compulsory on recommendation also applies to hotels, public transport in England since 15 June, museums, cinemas, zoos and facilities and since mid-May, people have been provided by local authorities including advised to wear coverings in enclosed town halls, community centres, libraries public spaces, where they may encounter and children’s centres. It does not apply to people they would not usually meet. places where a service is immediately taken off the site, e.g. takeaway food outlets. NHS test and trace service Guidance for businesses can be found at The NHS test and trace service is now live. www.gov.uk/guidance/maintaining- Everyone over the age of five presenting records-of-staff-customers-and-visitors-to- symptoms should have a test, which can be support-nhs-test-and-trace. requested by calling 119 or online at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus- COVID-19/testing-and-tracing/get-an- antigen-test-to-check-if-you-have- coronavirus/.

STONESFIELD VOLUNTARY TRANSPORT SCHEME

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 3 Notices & news

Cynthia Royle Blenheim could close off access to the It is with sadness that we record the recent whole of Stockey Woods, leaving just one death of Cynthia Royle, who died public footpath. peacefully in hospital. In response, a group of Stonesfield Cynthia retired to Stonesfield after a career residents applied to register Stockey in teaching. After graduating from Oxford, Woods as a ‘Village Green’. If successful, she taught in a school in Harrow and this move would maintain access to the afterwards became deputy head of Holt woods ‘as of right’, rather than by the School in Wokingham. Her elder sister permission of Blenheim Estate. Over 70 retired at the same time and together they villagers supplied witness statements had many holidays both in this country testifying to continuous use of Stockey and abroad. Cynthia was a key figure in the Woods over many years. Stonesfield Society; she volunteered for Last August, in response to Stonesfield’s many years with the Stonesfield Lunch application, Blenheim submitted a formal Club and was latterly a member. Whilst objection to the County Council (the living here she was involved in an Registration Authority). Jim Astle replied, archaeological dig and used to go and help as solicitor on behalf of the applicant (in each summer. She was a valued and effect the village), rebutting their regular volunteer at the Oxfam Bookstore objections. The County Council has now in Oxford from its beginning, using her appointed an Inspector to hold a public classics background to classify Latin books inquiry, and to report what he thinks the for them. She was also a volunteer guide at decision should be and why. There is to be Rousham. a pre-inquiry meeting in mid-August to Here in Stonesfield Cynthia will be determine the issues, number of witnesses, remembered out walking her dogs. She was length of the inquiry, procedures etc. devoted to her rescued dogs, all of whom Sustainable Stonesfield, which didn’t exist found a safe and happy home with her. in 2016, is now supporting the campaign to Mary Hughes get the woods made a Village Green. Blenheim will no doubt be represented by experienced, specialist and very expensive Stockey Woods – could we lawyers. To give the village the best chance lose our right to roam? of success, it may be necessary to pay for In 2016, Blenheim Estate posted notices in specialist legal advice – £4,000 to £6,000 Stockey Woods under the Commons Act – although we hope to get much of our 2006. They hoped to establish that there legal advice ‘pro bono’ (no charge). was no automatic right of access to the woods according to law. If successful,

4 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate The purpose of this article is to ask The summer period for the hall is usually villagers if they would be willing to pledge very quiet as most classes work to the £25, £50, £75 or more to fund the school time table, so after discussing the campaign. We don’t need the money right situation at length we have decided that for now, though we may need some soon, but the amount of work involved, it is not we do need to know how many people financially viable for the hall to reopen would be prepared to contribute to the until September when the majority of the campaign, and how much. Please email classes start back up again. your pledge to We will of course look at helping any group [email protected]. that can fulfil all the criteria required. The matter at issue is Blenheim’s protested Jacqueline Carthew (898919) right to close off the whole of Stockey Secretary & Booking Clerk for Stonesfield except the one public footpath. They may Village Hall be unlikely to do so, but who knows what stonesfi[email protected] they will do if they have the power? facebook.com/stonesfieldvillagehall Remember, they tried to block the Bagg’s Bottom footpath. If a Village Green is Combe Road closure registered, the right of villagers to walk Combe Road will be closed day and night their dogs, study nature, play on swings in from 24-28 August for drainage works. the Dell, walk the myriad footpaths not currently on the definitive map, etc. would Access will be maintained for emergency be enshrined in law. That’s something service vehicles and for frontages within worth fighting for. the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works Richard Morris supervisor. Sustainable Stonesfield Further information regarding the works is Village Hall News available from Matthew Timms, Highways and Drainage, Oxfordshire County Council Things are moving along now with on 0345 3101111 or 07718 656916. legislation changing rapidly regarding the reopening of community and village hall spaces. Allotment stall A produce stall has gone up near the road We have been in contact with our regular on Churchfields allotment. If you have clients to see what they need, and how we spare produce, please feel free to leave it can help them, and it would appear that on the stall. It is then free for anyone to even if we could open and be COVID safe, help themselves. We are particularly the way the new legislation is laid out to hoping those without gardens and those groups means it would be very difficult for who don't grow fruit and veg will make use any activity to make a safe return unless, as of the fresh produce. well as having their own risk assessments in place, they massively reduce the We are also acting as a pot recycling point. numbers attending to fit the space that we Please put any pots you don't need under can offer them. the stall, and if you are looking for pots:

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 5 help yourself. We are trying to reduce the now going to graze the Common with cattle need to buy plastic pots and to get long- from late summer to March. Volunteers term use of pots in the village. The curtain will also be scything and brush-cutting tor is not a development for amateur grass in the autumn, and working to keep dramatics in the village: it is to protect the the invasive blackthorn under control. stall from the morning sun (when needed). The Common has two distinct habitats: the top and bank that is the unimproved limestone grassland and the flood meadow, also known in the village as the cricket pitch. A fence is being erected at the bottom of the bank to separate these two areas so we can manage stock more effectively. Cattle will want to eat the richer, more tasty grass of the flood meadow when we want them to be grazing the top and banks. We also want to ensure We are looking ahead to apples and pears, that cattle cannot get on to the meadow and would be interested if anyone has a when the river is flooded. Pedestrian access tree they don't pick or that may have spare will be in place at both ends of the fence, so produce...could we come and pick them? people will be able to walk along the And add them to the stall. Please let me riverbank. know. So far the annual courgette glut is We hope you enjoy the Common this disappearing and we hope you are enjoying summer and see the rich flora and fauna them. that is on our doorstep. The very rare John Sampson Meadow Clary has just finished flowering. [email protected] Thanks to the efforts of Gill Barrett and Genny Early they have successfully Stonesfield Common managed to spread the sites of Meadow Our Common is a very important and rare Clary from a single area to a number of habitat in Oxfordshire – it is a Site of different spots, and the plants are looking Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is one very healthy despite the very dry spring. of the largest remaining areas of Throughout the area where scything has unimproved limestone grassland in the taken place there are larger numbers of county, with a wide variety of plant species species such as wild thyme, rock rose, supporting many insects and a rich bird quaking grass and large swathes of life. bedstraw. The pyramidal orchids were very small this year and sadly no bee orchids In order to keep its ‘special’ status we need were found. to manage the Common, and that means grazing it. There is an invasive species of Richard Morris grass that we need to control – tor grass – that blankets out other grasses and flowers. Sadly sheep don’t like eating it so we are

6 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate house to rent. A couple of years ago l was North Leigh Roman Villa looking at the family tree and noticed that mosaics open in August a small branch had lived in Stonesfield. On two weekends in August: 8-9 and 22-23 – the mosaic house of North Leigh Roman My great, great, great, great grandfather Villa will re-open 11am to 5pm, Saturday Samuel Houndslow (b 1 August 1754) was and Sunday. These are Oxfordshire's only born, married and died in the village. He Roman mosaics still in their original married Martha Cox – I have no dates or location. place of birth for her. They had a son, Caleb (b 18 Nov 1787), who married Anne A new team of local volunteers is working Edens on 17 Oct 1808. They had a with English Heritage who manage the daughter, Mary Ann Houndslow (b 10 May site. As the mosaics are housed in an 1812), who then married Matthew Taylor enclosed space, access will only be by and had a son, Henry Thomas Taylor. At timed ticket, available on the day, at the that point the family records I have site. The site is entirely free and large become vague, as they married outside the enough for safe social distancing during village and on into St Giles, Devizes, and your visit. There is room to picnic (please further afield. take your litter home) but currently there is no WC on site. We have found a couple of graves in Stonesfield churchyard and we would love Donations to the work of restoring and to know if anyone can also claim them as enhancing the North Leigh site are most relatives! Could 6 degrees of separation be welcome. To become a Friend of North true? Leigh Roman Villa, which is free and Helen Sims allows you to keep up with future [email protected] developments and events on the site, please contact [email protected]. Farmers’ Markets For more details about the openings please Here’s a reminder that many of our local visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/ artisan makers offer quality food and places/north-leigh-roman-villa/ or produce at farmers’ markets. Currently the Facebook: @northleighromanvilla. dates and times for our local markets are:

Are we related? Charlbury 2nd Saturday, 9am-1pm About twenty-five years ago, a cousin of my mother researched our family tree. The two Chipping Norton areas our ancestors lived in were Devon, 3rd Saturday, 8.30am-1.30pm where l live, and London. A few years ago, Witney my daughter and family moved back to 4th Friday, 8.30am-1.30pm England after many years of living abroad and settled in Stonesfield by chance; it Woodstock being the only village at the time in 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 8.30am-1.00pm reasonable commuting distance of Oxford with two places at the primary school and a

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 7 is on www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/ Blenheim Palace re-opens events/virtual-seminars.html Blenheim Palace opened its doors to visitors again from Saturday, 4 July. Oxfordshire Garden Village Daily visitor numbers are limited and plans timed admission is only via online pre- The developer Grosvenor Britain & Ireland booking. Visitors will be welcomed at a safe has lodged an outline planning application distance; all transactions are cashless and for the Oxfordshire Garden Village to the staff in key engagement areas will be north of Eynsham. The plan provides for wearing personal protective equipment 2,200 homes, new primary and secondary and be behind protective screens. New schools, sports facilities, parks, allotments signage, barriers and extra temporary and 57,000 square metres of employment outdoor toilets with washing and hand space. The site was one of 14 garden sanitising areas have also been set up. Al villages endorsed by the Government in fresco dining is available in outdoor 2017 to help meet the UK's housing need. marquee pods in the Italian Garden. Grosvenor was appointed in the same year To book time slots to visit go to by local landowners to bring forward a www.blenheimpalace.com/tickets, or to planning application for an inclusive and book one of the marquee pods sustainable scheme. visit www.blenheimpalace.com/visitus/ cafes-restaurants/orangery/ Kind thoughts Unsurprisingly, I have been doing a lot Blenheim Palace online events more reading recently. This has prompted Blenheim Palace is launching a programme much thoughtfulness in me – a good thing, of online events to give virtual visitors the as having thought about it, thoughtfulness chance to interact in real time with a range is not something to which I have been able of experts and gain exclusive insights into to devote sufficient time in recent years. the 18th century palace. Without doubt, the current crisis has afforded us all more time to think and Led by Blenheim's social historian Antonia ponder on ‘the meaning of life’. Keaney, virtual VIP specialist tours will be limited to a maximum of six people and Many people have mentioned their hope incorporate a range of topics from the that when (if?) this crisis passes it will Palace's contribution to WWII and the life make the human race kinder and more of servants to fashion through the ages and compassionate. Indeed, I think many of us the life stories of some of Blenheim's most would say we have experienced acts of illustrious women. kindness from our friends, neighbours and communities since the beginning of In addition, fortnightly online seminars on lockdown. The Independent reported (11 Zoom will feature celebrated authors June) that many of us think that the speaking on aspects of Blenheim, the lockdown restrictions have made Britain a Dukes and Duchesses of Marlborough and kinder, more compassionate nation. A Sir Winston Churchill. Further information recent opinion poll found that 36 per cent

8 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate of Britons believe they have become kinder vague, burly figure emerged unexpectedly people since the coronavirus pandemic out of the half-light to carry it all to the began and 92 per cent say they have car for me. I don’t know who he was. I carried out acts of kindness such as didn’t recognise him – could hardly see dropping off food for friends or family. him really – and when he finished the job he just melted into the mist again without I have just finished reading the second a word. I called after him through the volume of Jan Morris’s diary jottings. Jan, darkness to thank him for his great who is now 93, speaks with the wisdom of kindness, and after a pause his voice came her years but retains the freshness and back to me there. energy of her younger voice. As one would expect, there are many observations on the ‘I try to behave kindlily’, it said, and then physical and mental challenges to be faced after another pause, more faintly still: when one reaches such a great age but she ‘And yes, there is such a word.’ speaks of them with acceptance and great Never in half a century of the writing life humour. Interestingly, although the diary have I been so delightfully quoted. was written well before the pandemic, Jan Morris, Thinking Again many of her observations on religion, agnosticism and kindness resonate with I should add that I wrote to Jan Morris the current situation. In particular, being seeking permission to include these an agnostic, she has come to regard ‘The extracts and she said that she would be Way’ as being Kindness – with a capital K. most delighted and flattered to be quoted She says: in the Slate.

‘Yet Kindness is, to my mind, as loyalties Trisha Williams of all sorts lose their magnetism, the one abstract conception that might persuade More please us all of our fundamental human unity’. Do you have local memories or family I wanted to share this particular diary stories about the village? Perhaps your entry: family ancestors were part of the slate mining or gloving industries that were the Day 83 mainstay of Stonesfield in the past. Here’s a lovely thing that has happened to Perhaps your family were farmers and you me. When they made my first collection of can tell of how the village was once a these diary pieces into a book, I added a collection of farms… dedication, thus: The Slate is made possible by articles For contributed by Stonesfield residents. If you One and All have something to share, please send an Kindlily article to the Editor at (and yes, there is such a word!) [email protected] or deliver it to the village shop (in an envelope marked Well, last night I went into town in a ‘Stonesfield Slate’). misty, rainy dusk to collect a load of firewood, and as I began to load it up a Slate Publisher

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 9 Politics & local affairs

Stonesfield Parish Council Cllr Powell, Cllr Heduan and County Cllr We hope that everyone is coping well Ian Hudspeth met on 15th May to look at during the continuing COVID-19 situation. roads within the village. They discussed Please continue to contact us with any considering a 20mph zone in the village; enquiries and reports. this is ongoing. Cllr Heduan has put together a comprehensive SAFER report The Common requires some fencing work with Paul Bates. There is regular speeding and the external drinking bay also needs to down Church Street and Churchfields, so be fixed. A water pump (pasture pump) SAFER surveys will be done in that area. It will need to be installed for the cattle too. was agreed that the SAFER team can get Bill Bachelor will be carrying out this work going again, keeping social distancing in in July following the quotation process. place and subject to their risk assessment. Cattle will arrive soon and there will be signage installed when cattle arrive; they You will see that verge cutting has been will leave around October. Two of the carried out by WODC in June; the next willows on the Common will also be verge cut will be in about 2 months' time pollarded. (late August). Only Parish land had the cut and it was required. We did find an iron It should be reminded that no fires are post within the verge during the cut, which allowed on the Common under any we have had removed for safety reasons. circumstances. Genny Early has kindly The clerk will make landscapers aware that provided and installed signs for us to there are slowworms in our area and that remind users of this, huge thanks to Genny they are a protected species. for this. It has been noted that some of the verges maintained by OCC need cutting – the clerk has reported to OCC on the verges as you come from North Leigh and Combe (the corners are very overgrown) and from Fawler to Charlbury junction. Well Lane is also overgrown (bridleway). Also the corner of Akeman Street and the B4437 (Stonesfield Straight).

River safety – there have been many Planning people swimming in the river. The Council In its July meeting, Councillors discussed would like to remind people that rivers can the following planning applications: be dangerous and it is not something that Application no 20/01416/HHD: Erection the Parish Council endorses. of bike store with car port and EV charge

10 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate point, Town and Country Planning Act; Councillors approved the audit report and Adina, Woodstock Road Stonesfield. AGAR (Annual Governance Statement Applicant: Mr James Wiltshire, registered: 2019/20) forms that had been circulated 8 June 2020 – there are no objections to ahead of the July meeting, including the this planning application. Accounting Statements 2019/20 for Stonesfield Parish Council. The clerk will Application no 20/01511/FUL: Conversion submit them to the external auditor and a of existing office premises to six residential notice of public rights will be placed on the apartments, Town and Country Planning noticeboard from 10 July 2020. Act; 1 Farley Lane, Stonesfield. Applicant: Mr Richard Dennis, registered: 28 May A COVID-19 grant request of £245 was 2020. received from the Playing Fields Association for hand sanitizer. Andy Tacon Councillors had concerns over additional attended this section of the July meeting to parking with planning application assist with questions and provided an 20/01511/FUL. It is felt there are too many explanation regarding Playing Fields dwellings on this site, although six reserves. Councillors discussed it and the affordable dwellings would be beneficial grant request was approved. for youngsters or single persons in this area. The Council OBJECTS to this Stonesfield Parish Council had issued the planning application of six developments following grants in their June meeting: on the basis of over-development but feels Stonesfield Voluntary Transport Scheme it would be more acceptable to have a grant of £90 to contribute to the cost of smaller development of these apartments DBS for their drivers and the Pre-School with a better design (current design with were awarded a grant of £478.78 towards laundry room downstairs could cause noise an urn and wipe-clean sofas. for neighbouring properties; there are Standing Orders concerns over fumes entering the building from the neighbouring business; lack of Councillors were asked to adopt the windows in a room upstairs is of a concern updated Standing Orders at the July to the Council). The current proposal meeting and these were adopted. A copy would cause an increase in parking, which will be made available on the website. would be a problem in this already Climate Emergency Group congested area and particularly so if There were no updates, but Cllr Powell and emergency vehicles required access. This Cllr Baldwin plan to meet again in response has been filed to WODC by the September. clerk. Playing Field Association Update Finance The children’s playground and the MUGA The precept figure for 2020/21 (annual (multi-use games area) will be opening in budget that SPC requests from West line with government guidance. Some of Oxfordshire DC) is formally recorded as the football teams are training there now. £32,180. This was submitted to WODC in There is no update regarding the fence January 2020. planning on the new piece of land – this is in progress. Cllr Baldwin noted that to get

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 11 the new piece of land to a playing field this intended sale as required under the standard could cost up to £30,000. Grants Localism Act. will need to be applied for, as this is not a Please note that the deadline for an eligible fund the Parish Council could cover. community interest group to express an Library interest to be treated as a potential bidder The clerk has contacted Oxfordshire for the public house (and the end of the County Council to see when the library initial moratorium period) is 20 August facility can be reopened. It is noted that 2020. A disposal notice has been issued this is missed by some members of the and is displayed on the Parish Council community. [See report from County noticeboard, on www.stonesfield.online Councillor – Ed.] and www.whitehorsestonesfield.com. The White Horse The District Council is in the process of introducing the Community Infrastructure The White Horse pub in the village is up Levy (CIL) which is a charge on for sale, and several residents have redevelopments (housing). Consultation is contacted Councillors. We can renew our between 10 July and 21 August. The Parish interest in the pub as a community asset Council will submit a formal response when that is due for renewal in October. when it has had time to consider the The Parish Council could not purchase the documentation. pub; the asking price is £395k. It is not clear if it is to be sold as a pub or with the It came to the Parish Council’s attention intention of a change of use at this stage, that Judy Franklin has been making masks but the PC is monitoring. The community for the community – over 400 masks could get together for a purchase (like donated: well done to Judy. Bladon has) but an active community Date of next SPC meeting: Wednesday 9 group would need to be set up outside the September 2020 at 7pm – a Zoom virtual Parish Council to look at options and raise meeting. (There is no August meeting, but the required funding. If members of the Councillors and the clerk can still be Parish are interested in being part of a contacted and will be working.) community group, they can contact the clerk via email or contact Cllr Wendy Karen East, Clerk to the Parish Gould to register interest, and those people clerk@stonesfieldpc.uk will be connected. Cllr Gould will be the Parish Council contact for this. Police and community support The Parish Council was notified on 15 July For information or advice on security 2020 that West Oxfordshire District concerns, please call 101 or contact Council has been given notice by the owner [email protected] of The White Horse, Stonesfield that they intend to sell the public house (listed as an If you need to report Asset of Community Value further to something… Stonesfield Parish Council's nomination of Did you know you can pass information to this property) and have provided notice of Crimestoppers and stay anonymous?

12 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Crimestoppers are not interested in who residents, COVID-19 has been an you are, just what you know, and the more unprecedented challenge that changed detail you give them, the better. Your IP everything overnight. From the onset of address and location are not tracked or the virus, the Council reacted quickly to traced. Nobody will know you have helped provide support for local business and keep your community safe. economy, both the voluntary and community sector and additionally give So, if you are worried about something that support to our residents. Alongside our is happening in your community or maybe partners, Ubico and Publica, we have you have seen something that you think the maintained all essential services. police should know but are worried about speaking out, it’s easy to pass on the The way in which we have worked has also information. changed dramatically, with the vast majority of staff now working from home Visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org or ring and with all Council meetings being held 0800 555111. virtually. In all this we have been ably supported by a dynamic and inspiring Stonesfield Neighbourhood community sector response right across Watch Scheme West Oxfordshire. A Community Hub team For information see www.facebook.com/ works effectively with voluntary sector StonesfieldNHW. partners and with an army of volunteers. If you are interested in joining our scheme, Thankfully, there has been a strong please follow this link and ensure you collaborative effort to tackle a disastrous click ‘Join a scheme’ then and almost vicious virus. Coordination and select ’Stonesfield’ to complete finely tuned communication has emerged your request: www.member- between the County, City and District registration.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/30/ Councils, aided by the NHS and OXLEP, Join. supporting the vulnerable in our communities. Also see the excellent Neighbourhood Watch July newsletter on Recovery from COVID-19 will take time www.ourwatch.org.uk/sites/default/files/ and patience and will be complex. West documents/2020-07/ Oxfordshire will be guided by a Local July%20Our%20News.pdf. Recovery Plan which will allow the needs of this work to feed into the preparation of Deanna Blakeway Asplundh the Budget for 2021/2022. It is intended that a Cabinet Advisory Group will be From our District Councillor established to advise on a Recovery Now that the chains of lockdown are at last Strategy. being weakened, the District Council is It is anticipated that the Local Recovery intent upon formulating its plans for the Plan will provide a framework for three recovery period. distinct phases of recovery activity: Given the Council's responsibility for • Re-start (taking between 0 and 6 delivering services to over 100,000 months)

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 13 • Recover (anticipated to be between 6 position, which I hope will give you some and18 months) idea of the ramifications of this horrific • Re-new (expected to take 18 to 36 virus. Of course, additionally to all this is months) the huge and long-lasting human cost and The Council's approach to recovery will the sadness of those whose lives and loved also take into account: ones have been irrevocably changed. The Council, its staff and its Councillors are • The vision and key priorities of the very aware of the anxiety and sense of recently adopted Council Plan sadness which have been injected into our Government instruction/guidance • lives. As one, we send our best wishes and • Collaboration from local community and hopes for the future to you all. town support, right across the county. Richard Bishop (891414) Council Plan (adopted January 2020) [email protected] objectives:

• Climate Action - protecting and Other advice from WODC enhancing our environment; Household waste disposal • Healthy Towns and villages; Residents are being reminded to check • A vibrant District Economy; what they place in recycling bins, as the • Strong Local Communities; WODC has noticed an increasing number • Meeting the Housing Needs of our of nappies, food and plastic bags in the changing population especially blue-lidded bins. Recycling crews will be 'affordable'. checking bins and any containing non- • Modern Council Services and Sustainable recyclable items will not be emptied. It will Finance. then be up to the householder to remove those items before the next collection. WODC has already provided Grants and financial support to approaching 2,000 Affordable homes consultation local businesses. In this context, it is Affordable housing important to remember that COVID-19 is Bury Close, Kingham having a significant impact on the Council's finances. Current forecasts indicate additional costs of £850,000 for 2020/2021 financial year, together with income losses of around £1,764,000. The Government has provided funding of £1,135,083. So, the net impact on WODC budgets and reserves is around £1.5 million. Thankfully, due to an efficient WODC has launched a consultation on the fiscal policy over the last few years, the Affordable Housing Supplementary Council has sufficient reserves to cover this Planning Document (SPD) to the West unexpected impact. Oxfordshire Local Plan, which sets out guidance on improving affordable housing I have taken time and space in this edition delivery to help balance demand and to give you an overview of the current supply across a mix of housing and tenure

14 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate types. Demand for affordable housing Trading Standards are advising residents continues to increase with 1,997 to be very wary of agreeing to have work applications to the Council's Homeseeker done by doorstep callers: to challenge Plus system as of January this year. them, check the name of the company, contact your bank immediately if you think There has been a major escalation in the you have fallen for a scam, and if you feel building of affordable homes over the last threatened, call 999 or report to Citizens year since the adoption of the Local Plan, Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 and the new draft SPD is a blueprint to 1133. ensure the Council continues to meet demand. The consultation invites opinions from residents, housebuilders and all other From our County Councillor interested parties. Oxfordshire County Council is in the process of drawing up the bid for Tranche The draft Affordable Housing SPD is 2 of the Emergency Active Travel Fund, available to view online which must be submitted by 7 August. at www.westoxon.gov.uk/planning-and- There has been widespread engagement building/planning-policy/supplementary- with County Councillors across all parties planning-documents/, or hard copies are to best understand what would be required available from a number of locations; see: in the different divisions. One of the key www.westoxon.gov.uk/planning-and- requirements is that the bid will allow building/planning-policy/supplementary- cycling in particular to replace journeys planning-documents/. previously made by public transport, and Comments on the consultation document will have an essential role to play in the should be emailed by 5pm on 21 August short term in helping avoid overcrowding 2020 to [email protected], on public transport systems. Longer term, or posted to West Oxfordshire District it will also help deliver significant health, Council Communications Team, environmental and congestion benefits. Woodgreen, Witney OX28 1NB. I have put forward 20 mph speed limits throughout Woodstock and the villages in Other advice in West the division, along with additional cycle Oxfordshire racks. If you have any thoughts on Cold callers schemes, please send them to me to put Oxfordshire County Council Trading forward for consideration. Standards has been receiving an increasing Oxfordshire County Council is planning a number of complaints about cold callers phased approach to the reopening of public offering to cut down and lop trees, buildings, with every precaution being resulting in bills for large amounts of taken to make sure that this happens safely money, requested in cash. Some of the for the staff who will work in them and callers are being aggressive towards people who visit them. householders and no paperwork is being issued, so the business is untraceable. Due to the continued need to respond to COVID-19, the operation of libraries and registration offices will differ in key ways

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 15 from how they operated in normal times with a photograph, or you can log any prior to lockdown. Customers will be defects, at: requested to limit their enjoyment of www.fixmystreet.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ browsing, borrowing and returning their Traders in Oxfordshire are being warned library materials to 30 minutes. They may by Trading Standards not to sell low-tech use the public computer network for 30 face coverings as Personal Protective minutes, and staff have the discretion to Equipment (PPE) or make claims they extend that time if a customer is partway provide protection against COVID-19. through a Universal Credit application or Trading Standards legislation controls the similar. Printing, scanning and sale of these products and requires photocopying will be available, as will bus producers and sellers to meet certain pass and blue badge validation. In requirements. common with much of the retail sector, payments will need to be made by card or Anyone involved in making or selling face online; however, photocopiers will still be coverings should refer to the Trading operated by coin. Standards: face coverings guidance to ensure they are compliant with the law. To comply with social distancing measures, Follow-up advice can be requested by most soft seating and tables will be contacting Oxfordshire Trading Standards removed. Staff will stand behind Perspex on 01865 895999 (Option 2) or email to screens to respond to customers’ queries. [email protected]. Public toilets won’t be available. Oxfordshire Trading Standards is regularly Face-to-face programmes and events e.g. monitoring online sites such as Facebook Rhymetimes and author talks will be re- Marketplace and will be actively engaging established once government advice says it with sellers to ensure any face coverings is safe to do so. These will continue to be are safe and legal. delivered virtually via social media where Please do not hesitate to contact me and possible, and we will continue to provide keep safe. online services including ebooks, eaudio books and reference materials. Ian Hudspeth (07956 270318) [email protected] Witney Library will reopen on 13 July, with Kidlington reopening on 20 July. Opening dates for Stonesfield and Woodstock library will be notified, but it’s important that both staff and customers feel safe and comfortable. I’ve continued to take some of my daily exercise by walking round the villages in my division to report any defects on roads or pavements. If you notice any then please report them on Fix My Street, as the repair teams are still working. The app is easy to use and provides an exact location along

16 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Education, culture & more

Stonesfield Library children: those who have adapted to home Although Stonesfield Library remains learning and shared their fantastic work closed for the moment and we have no with us online, and those who have information on when it may be permitted adapted to our ‘new normal’ and brought to reopen, some other larger libraries in smiles and laughter into school. I’m the county are beginning to emerge from incredibly proud of our brilliant staff: the lockdown. The following libraries are putting themselves and their families at now open: Oxfordshire County Library, risk to keep the school open; working Abingdon, Banbury, Bicester, Carterton, around the clock providing online learning Cowley, Didcot, Henley, Kidlington, Thame and virtual meets; juggling their own and Witney. childcare and work commitments with partners; accessing virtual training; and Not all of the usual services will be designing our ambitious sparkling available when your libraries reopen. They curriculum ready for September. I’m will initially provide a lending service and incredibly proud of our parents for the limited access to computers; also offer a dedication shown to support and motivate validating service for bus passes and their children with their learning. Our parking permits by appointment only. The school motto ‘Learning together to achieve full schedule of programmes and events our best’ perfectly sums up the last few will be re-established when government months. advice informs us it is safe to do so. What The Government has published detailed you can count on is a warm welcome from guidance for the full opening of schools in our staff! Naturally, you may borrow a England from September. Safety and book from any of the open county libraries minimising the risks associated with and return it to any other open library in COVID-19 are essential and some aspects the county. of school life will still be a little different: Mike Pollitt (891856) class bubbles, lunch sittings, staggered start and collections, limited sharing of Stonesfield Primary School equipment. We can’t wait to welcome our From the Head Teacher pupils back and be a community together once more. We have reached the end of an extraordinary and unprecedented Finally, I would love to hear from anyone academic year. Looking back over the with stories and experiences of the months since March I feel so proud of what Windrush generation or with an interest in we have achieved as a school community in BAME culture and history please drop me unbelievably challenging circumstances. an email. I’m incredibly proud of our wonderful Ben Trevail, Headteacher (891687) head.2353@stonesfield.oxon.sch.uk

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 17 From the School Governors mean feat for a small village school! This End of Term Message would not have been possible without the The Governors would like to mark the end training and continuing technical support of this most challenging academic year by provided by the team at 123ICT - and we saying a big thankyou to all of the parents want to thank them publicly for their of Stonesfield, for their support and support. understanding during these difficult times. Next year we hope to build on this The staff at the school have shown real foundation and to provide some additional dedication and commitment in continuing support on using the online systems, so to provide education to those children who that children and parents can get the most have attended school through this period out of them. It will doubtless bring new and also to those who have been challenges. Teachers are already working learning online. This has involved to develop a new and exciting curriculum. introducing the Google Classroom learning Meanwhile we would like to wish everyone platform which has become part of the an enjoyable and restorative summer 'new norm'. holiday. Staff, children and parents have risen to If you have a child who you believe would the challenges and opportunities the benefit from our caring, ambitious and technology has provided, so that inclusive village school please get in touch Stonesfield has continued to bring learning with our headteacher, Ben Trevail. to our pupils throughout lockdown, no Stonesfield School Governors

18 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate a first prize of £25.00 and second prize of Stonesfield Pre-school £10.00. If you would like a membership Fond farewells and new form please telephone 01993 898012 or beginnings…… email: [email protected] As I write this, it is the last week of term and also the last week of pre-school for our Thank you for supporting Stonesfield Pre- older children who will be leaving us to school. start their new and exciting adventure just Lizzie Wharton (Manager) across the road from us at Stonesfield Primary School! Over the years we have Nature Notes particularly focused on building a strong Butterflies of Stonesfield relationship with the school. Together with the reception class teachers, Mrs Ede and The warm, sunny spring appears to have Miss Rivett, we have developed a seamless benefited many butterfly species. By early transition for the children from pre-school March there were spectacular numbers of to big school. We are very proud that the colourful Commas, Small Tortoiseshells children leave our pre-school more than and Peacocks in and around the village, ready to start a new chapter in their lives followed a few weeks later by Green-veined because they are very familiar with the Whites and Speckled Wood butterflies. In primary school, especially the Early Years gardens, delicate Orange Tips, Brimstones area. Even though this year has been far and Holly Blues were a common sight; more of a challenge, we have still managed later joined by Small Whites, Red Admirals to visit school with the children for socially and the occasional Large White, the latter distanced waves and chats across the fence being the bugbear of many gardeners. with their new teachers! During April good numbers of the Dingy During the holidays the pre-school will be Skipper were about on Stonesfield given a makeover ready for the start of the Common and by mid-June Large Skippers new term. We are very much looking were a common sight flying with the first forward to opening our doors again in Marbled Whites, gliding over the grass September: a fresh start with quite a few downland. The latter species was in new little ones joining our pre-school – profusion by the end of the month, such an exciting prospect for the future of accompanied by Ringlets and Meadow the pre-school. We will keep you updated Browns along with the first Essex and with our progress. Small Skippers...not only on the Common but along hedgerows, and occasionally We also continue our fundraising quest, making their way into gardens. which is so vitally important now more than ever, and you may be interested in Along the Woodstock Road several graceful joining our new 100 Club. It’s a great way Silver-washed Fritillaries were seen gliding for you to support your local pre-school along the verges next to Blenheim woods, whilst having a bit of a flutter! You and by mid-July exquisite Purple complete our annual membership form Hairstreaks could be observed flying over and make a payment of £6. We will have 6 the tops of mature oak trees within the draws a year with the chance of you to win woods. Unfortunately the Blue butterfly

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 19 species have not fared so well this summer, Steadily more black ants appeared and possibly a result of the wet winter, started to move the baked beans out of the resulting in low numbers of the Common light. Blue, Brown Argus and Small Blue, and Black ants are one of the commonest UK there have been no sightings as yet of the ant species; a colony forms around a queen Small Copper. It’s too early to report on the who can live 15 to 30 years. Colonies can be situation regarding the Chalkhill Blue as many as 10,000 ants, and they manage butterfly on our Common; last year the temperature for the eggs, larvae, pupae numbers were down so let’s hope they have with tunnels and chambers; moving them recovered somewhat this year. up in the day and back down at night. The whole colony can be moved to get the right conditions. The small baked beans I saw are the pupae, wrapped in cocoons which protect them against lethal fungi. Each ant has a particular task working for the colony; no ant can survive on its own. As we poke our heads out of lockdown, this feels an apt metaphor for our species. We Dark-green Fritillary: Martin Gasgoigne-Pees cannot survive alone; we have to respect our living planet and all who live with us. On a more positive note, several beautiful Our grandchildren's fortunes do not Dark-green Fritillaries, a butterfly rarely depend on steel, tarmac, concrete and oil; seen in our area, were seen nectaring on the dead stuff of civilisation. scabious flowers on the Common in early One of Stonesfield’s iconic birds, the green July. After 30 years of recording butterflies woodpecker, flies by, no doubt looking for in our area I saw my first Green Hairstreak its next meal of ants. (in May) in the same area. How lucky we are to live in such a butterfly-rich area. John Sampson

Martin Gascoigne-Pees Local history Ants William Buckland’s Way Often it is the unexpected in nature that From around 1800, the Stonesfield slate opens the way for new understanding. miners started a lucrative sideline in Taking the lid off a compost bin has many selling the fossils they found in the Jurassic surprises: all the worms feeding away, limestone from which the slates were occasional mice, a face full of flies and once made. Many of the young gentlemen of two slow worms basking in the rising heat. Oxford had taken up the fashionable Today I didn't know what to think – it collection of these wonders of nature, and a looked as if someone had scattered small description of Stonesfield in the middle of baked beans over some rhubarb leaves I the century mentions many fossil shops. had added two days ago. I watched as a couple of ants wandered around and an The fashion was new, and indeed the earwig scuttled to the darker depths. science was new: geology, the science of

20 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate the structure of the earth and how it came of Science) were enlivened with animal to have its present form was just beginning noises and imitations, and jokes that were to develop. It had only recently been considered too coarse by some of the more suggested that the earth might have a proper listeners. They were extremely history other than the conventional Bible popular. Sometimes he gave them in the story, and that the age of the earth might field, on the hills or in the quarries around be rather more than 6,000 years. The Oxford: he would have been well Edinburgh naturalist James Hutton is acquainted with Stonesfield and its fossils. regarded as the father of modern geology: By around 1820 there were enough of the in a 1788 article, after considering the huge specimens that were found there earth and its history at great length, he from time to time to attempt a description concluded that ‘We find no vestige of a of the animal. beginning, no prospect of an end.’ The same year saw the word ‘geology’ first used in its modern sense. The new science was boosted by the Industrial Revolution, with its demand for mineral resources. And the canal surveyor William Smith was the first to map the rock strata of the British Isles in 1815. The suggestion that since the strata had been laid down successively, the The first published dinosaur illustration: a one-foot deeper the strata the older the rocks, was section of the lower jaw of Megalosaurus made by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier. Buckland reported his findings about ‘The William Buckland (1784-1856) acquired an great Fossil Lizard’ to the Geological interest in fossils as a Devon schoolboy, Society in London (of which he was and he developed it throughout his Oxford President) in February 1824. This was the undergraduate education in classics and first scientific description of a dinosaur. theology, which led to his ordination as a The bones had come from different mines priest. Once he had graduated and secured at different times, and from several a college fellowship, he took further steps: individuals. The teeth showed the animal from 1810 he attended the lectures of John to be an enormous egg-laying ‘lizard’. A Kidd, Reader in Mineralogy, and when thigh bone, ten inches around at its Kidd moved to the more prestigious narrowest point, suggested that the whole Readership in Anatomy in 1816, Buckland animal was more than 40 feet long, so vast was made a substitute lecturer, until in that Buckland named the genus 1818 he was appointed Reader in Megalosaurus (giant lizard). The more Mineralogy and Geology in his own right. general term Dinosaur (terrible lizard) was He used this base to become one of the coined by Buckland’s protégé, the foremost British pioneers of the new anatomist Richard Owen, in 1841. The geology. various parts of Megalosaurus bucklandii (as it is now called) can be seen in the His lectures in the Old Ashmolean Oxford University Museum of Natural Museum (now the Museum of the History History, which should be reopening in

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 21 September 2020. The animal is considered What is happening this year? We feel an ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex; its unrest and uncertainty as our beauty remains seem to be found nowhere other becomes slowly visible. than Oxfordshire. Even so, our colours, shapes and smells Besides Megalosaurus, other significant delight the earth once again finds in the Jurassic were jawbones of the and we have survived the winter shutdown, tiny ‘Stonesfield opossums,’ which the rested but returned as usual. visiting Cuvier helped Buckland to identify Changes are inevitable, some are an as the oldest mammals then known. These improvement, nature survives. were representatives of the little animals which coexisted with the dinosaurs, and The pleasure we give to humans has been formed the basis for the subsequent eagerly awaited and they embrace the evolution of all the mammals. return of spring and freedom. The bones of Megalosaurus came from Our beauty which was denied to them deep mines, as much as 40 feet deep; during the long months of winter has presumably there are more still down returned there. On the surface, lesser fossils can still along with promises of peace, hopes and be found. Stonesfield’s scientific fame was survival for the future. short lived: once the hunt for dinosaurs took off, many more spectacular discoveries have been made all over the We have woken to a world of fear, change world. One by one, the Stonesfield fossil and even death, yet nature never lets them shops would have closed, just like the down, we have shown that survival is extraordinary number of pubs that catered possible. to the slate miners, leaving the peaceful Tiny daisies, buttercups, cow parsley, bees (but dry) Cotswold village that we know and other vital insects are here again, today. surviving the darkest moments beneath the soil Nick Fisher but we have bloomed yet again. Survival Despair is not in our vocabulary – we are Waking after a long dark winter's sleep, the showing you that life goes on, so enjoy and first lukewarm rays of the sun cause us to celebrate with us because our world is stir. magnificent, strong and beautiful. Is it time to see if the snow has gone and The seasons show us the way forward the cold winds have subsided? through their vivid, lively and courageous Our roots stretch down into the ground example of survival. and gain sustenance from the nutrients Diana Letchford beneath. Our petals unfold and reach out to the watery sun above.

22 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Clubs, societies & sport

Stonesfield Gardening Club play on, and with an extremely low joining Well, Stonesfield is definitely gardening, as fee we have attracted members from other you can see from the very attractive plots villages. in the village, and the productive If you’d like to join the Club, the individual allotments too. We are also fortunate in adult fee is £20, family membership is £40 that we all know our neighbours well and children under 16 are £5. We use the enough to chat and swap experiences over Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) online the garden wall. We can even, as of the membership system, so if you want to join beginning of July, invite a couple of friends please email [email protected] in in to the back garden for a drink and a chat the first instance to say which membership and show off what we’ve been doing. What you want to take out. I will register you we can’t do unfortunately is hold our with the system and the LTA will contact Gardening Club meetings and outings, and you directly for your fee. I know we are all missing them. A Government condition of play resuming Ruth Madder from Bridewell was meant to is that members must book a court in be visiting us last month and we are hoping advance rather than turning up on spec that we can visit their garden soon. When I and hanging around until a court becomes have details, I will let members know. vacant. When you join, in addition to In the meantime, keep weeding, getting the code to the court gate, you will deadheading, mowing and enjoying the also get a link to the LTA’s court booking fruits of your labours! system which you must use. Diane Bates Coaching for adults and juniors is now [email protected] available, for individuals or groups. If you www.stonesfieldgardening.info would like to join the club and take up coaching, contact Andy Tacon Stonesfield Tennis Club ([email protected]) and he will The Coronavirus caused the end of all sport give you the coach’s details so you can when the lockdown was first imposed in make your own arrangements. March. However, the Government relaxed Richard Morris (898210) the lockdown for golf and tennis in May. Since then Stonesfield Tennis Club has flourished with more than 100 people joining the Club, and the courts being used more than 25% of the time – not bad for a very small club. Our courts have the latest artificial carpet surface which are a joy to

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 23 Church news

Church of England Worship at Many neighbourhoods have told of how the St James the Great, lockdown has brought people together Stonesfield (whilst social distancing), as people have (Benefice of Stonesfield with shown great kindness to each other, Combe Longa) especially to those having to isolate www.stonesfieldparishchurch.org themselves. For any enquiries or help, including pastoral support, arrangements for The frontline workers of the NHS, the funerals etc, please email: emergency services, the Police and the [email protected] armed forces, postal services, delivery or contact the Area Dean: The Rev Jeremy drivers, refuse collectors, railway and bus Auld, Rector of Woodstock and Bladon services, and everyone who has helped to (810749), www.woodstockandbladon.com. maintain essential services during this pandemic, have all been showing great Parish Letter : On 4th July, after fifteen kindness. weeks of lockdown, the Government permitted the easing of some restrictions, And throughout the nation people have though several others still remain in force. taken opportunities to express their appreciation. Whilst the lockdown created many problems, difficulties, and anxieties, for ’Kindness’ is specifically mentioned in the many people, it also brought out a lot of Bible, such as in that familiar passage on good, indeed the best in many people, in ‘love’ in 1 Corinthians 13, (often read at terms of looking out for and caring for one weddings), where we read ‘love is patient, another. This is what Christians are called love is kind…’ And again, in Colossians to do at all times, to ‘love one’s neighbour 3:12, we read ‘As God’s chosen people, holy as oneself’, and love is shown by acts of and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with kindness. compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’ and, in Galatians Over the past few months some posters, 5:22, speaking of the evidence, the prepared by Stonesfield Primary School, manifestation of God’s Spirit, we read ‘the showing some themes from a book called fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, by Charlie Mackesy, have appeared on gentleness and self-control’. some telegraph poles around the village. One of the posters shows the boy and the So let us all, even after the confinements of mole sitting on a branch of a tree and the lockdown are eased, continue (in the words mole asking the boy what he wants to be of St Paul in Ephesians 4:32), to ‘be kind when he grows up, and the answer is: and compassionate to one another’. ‘Kind’, said the boy. Rev Ian Farrow

24 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Good news! Church services have now Roman Catholic Worship resumed in Stonesfield! ‘From each according to his ability, August services to each according to his needs’ Sunday 2 August [Trinity 8] 11am Karl Marx: Critique of the Gotha Programme 1875 All Age Worship Who would have thought that a slogan that Sunday 9 August [Trinity 9] 11am Parish Communion helped form a part of the Communist Manifesto could also be used as an Sunday 16 August [Trinity 10] 11am interpretation of the contributions made by Parish Communion Saints Peter and Paul, whose feast was Sunday 23 August [Trinity 11] 11am celebrated on Monday 29 June? St Peter Parish Communion was by all accounts, including his own self- Sunday 30 August [Trinity 12] 10am assessment, an uneducated fisherman but United Benefice Morning Prayer he was blessed by perceptive faith and steadfast loyalty after his own Stonesfield Methodist Church transgressions and betrayal of Christ Sunday Services will hopefully begin in before the Crucifixion. Peter pursued September, and in such a way as will be enlightenment through his loyalty to Jesus safe and comfortable for everyone. and his message, abandoning his life as a The online Worship Services are very fisherman to become ‘fishers of helpful indeed, and a huge thank you to men’ (Matthew 4:18–19, Mark 1:16–17), those who make them possible. and as such was the one chosen by Jesus to lead the early Christian communities. Each So much is found online these days and Pope since is acknowledged as St. Peter’s quite recently I came across a photo of a successor. wild bee orchid, spotted locally. I set off that afternoon to seek a view of one for Paul, on the other hand, was a high-born myself, walking footpaths and grasslands. Pharisee from Tarsus, and a Roman citizen Sadly my search was in vain. But no with authority to persecute Christians. Paul matter! there were plenty of other delights never met, and nor was a physical to see – and many of them on village companion of, Jesus. His conversion was verges. Chelsea flower show in Stonesfield! through that famous vision on the road to Damascus. Paul understood profoundly the Jesus speaks of searching to seek God's transformative nature of Jesus’s message, delights, offering His words of wisdom. and his enduring gift to us was to convey it ‘Ask and it will be given to you: for us through the ages. Seek and you will find: Knock and the door will be opened.’ These two pillars of the Church have been St. Matthew's Gospel 7:7 linked together in their unlikely partnership, demonstrating that principle Kathleen Albért (891733) of synergy: that together in unity, we are always stronger than the strongest single person among us. Unalike in so much, but united together, they brought us Jesus’s message of eternal redemption through his

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 25 death, that ‘Good News’ and created the travel independently to St. Chad’s to foundations of Christianity that we can still celebrate Deacon Clive’s ordination. all share. Fr Tony Joyce can be contacted St. Teresa’s will be closed for Holy Mass on: [email protected] or until further notice, due to the COVID-19 01608 642703. pandemic, however, it is open for private For parish updates, any further prayer. Please check the St. Teresa’s information and further support: please website for updates: www.stteresaschurch- see ww.wstteresaschurch-charlbury.com/ charlbury.com/2015/02/09/welcome-to- or contact Clive Dytor: the-website-for-st-teresas-roman-catholic- [email protected] church-charlbury/. Roman Catholic Community in Stonesfield Currently the church is open: – Keep praying. Wednesday: 10-11.45am Saturday: 9.30-11.15am Sunday: 9.30-11.15am New Church thought Life right now is hard in many ways. Some Holy Mass is being live-streamed on probably think ‘Where is God in all this Sundays from a number of different awfulness?’ I say, ‘Look for the helpers.’ churches: Another way of looking at it: ‘God’s work, St. Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham: 11am our hands.’ Blackfriars, Oxford: 9.30am I’m humbled to see that here and across St. Aloysius, The Oxford Oratory: the world, right alongside the grim things happening, lots of people are doing what Monday–Saturday 8am (EF Low Mass); they can, however big or small, to help 6pm (English Low Mass with sermon); others get by, feel supported, find Sunday 8am (EF Low Mass with sermon); something to smile about. Seems to me 11am (Latin Sung Mass with sermon); that this shows humanity as it was 5.30pm (Vespers & Benediction) intended to be. Our debt to those many Prayers of spiritual communion helpers is huge. Even more humbling, sometimes they expect nothing in return; O my divine Jesus, how great is my desire the feeling of being useful to someone else to receive your sacred body! Oh, come is enough. now into my soul, at least, by a spiritual communion! O Jesus, my divine Saviour, This extract from Swedenborg puts it save me. O my God, hiding myself with a another way: ‘God loves each and every humble confidence in your dear wounds, human being. He cannot benefit them I give up my soul into your divine hands. directly, but only indirectly by means of Oh, receive it into the bosom of your other people. He therefore breathes into mercy. Amen. people His love.’ Deacon Clive Dytor’s ordination: this has Stay safe, look out for each other, and pass now been confirmed as 12 September at St forward the helpfulness where you can. Chad’s Cathedral. More details will be available for parishioners who wish to Dale Morris

26 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Advertisements Disclaimer For boxed ads please email The Stonesfield Slate is a village amenity, produced [email protected] for full details of and distributed by volunteers. It can not be held availability, sizes, requirements and cost. Line ads: responsible for any of the views expressed in its pages £2.00 per 30 words. nor does it endorse any of the products or services Advertisements should be emailed to advertised. [email protected] by 10th of the Whilst we strive to ensure all information is correct, month. we are not responsible for anything that happens as a Line ads can also be delivered by hand to: result of you using the information. If you find any Diane & Paul Bates, Waterloo Barn, Laughton Hill, Slate SEPerrors 19.qxp_SLATE or omissions then MASTER please contact v3.3 the 22/08/2019 Publisher 08:04 Page 22 Stonesfield, OX29 8DY. and we will endeavour to correct them. The editor and the publishers reserve the right to All advertisements must be paid for in advance. edit, shorten or omit any article submitted.

Bespoke, handmade curtains, blinds and soft furnishings

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We can assist you with specialist legal advice on Wills, inheritance tax planning, powers of attorney, helping with probate and generally Anna Burnside !"#$%&# [email protected] protecting your assets. We also help protect the vulnerable or elderly. J!"#$% B%&'( $"' ()#&*$+# Our tax specialists are also here to help with your personal tax [email protected] compliance, including preparing personal tax returns and offering guidance on HMRC correspondence. They can also advise you on tax planning on the sale/gift of assets, including the new reporting of capital gains on the sale of private residences. For further information, please contact: [email protected] Dealing with your own affairs and getting them in order can appear SC daunting. We’re here to make life easier. Do pick up the phone or email us and we would be happy to have a free, no-obligation initial chat with you. We can meet on video call or in person when safe to do so. Salon Copenhagen

The Carpenters’ Workshop, Blenheim Palace Sawmills, Combe, Oxfordshire OX29 8ET 3 Pendle Court, Pond Hill, Stonesfield, Oxon, OX29 8PZ. T 01865 987 781 E [email protected] W www.theburnsidepartnership.com FOLLOW US ON: Telephone 01993 891101

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 27 Unisex hairdressing salon for ladies, gentlemen and children. All aspects of hairdressing undertaken by our professionally trained stylists, Sally, Cheryl and Donna. We also offer earpiercing and our nail bar is open for OPI manicures, pedicures and Gelish Polish. Find us on Facebook. Open Tuesday to Saturday.

September 2019 Stonesfield Slate 22 VEHICLE TECH !"#$%&'()*")$ Mobile mechanic servicing, repairs, diagnostics Member of the & MOTs prepared and arranged Chartered Institute of Building for all makes & models ! Friendly & reliable service at competitive rates, General property 19 years experience & based in Stonesfield maintenance and Call Rob on 01608 646100 or 07791 755771 high quality DIY ! Email: [email protected] General repairs All carpentry - Decorating Minor plumbing

Prompt, reliable and recommended service No job too small

Tel: 07876-275300 [email protected]

“A job done well”

Acupuncture for stress reduction, pain relief, arthritis, migraine, fatigue, hormone imbalance, and more. clinic or in your own home.

consultation please contact me on 01993 898102 / 07791 278618 ROOFIX or visit All aspects of roof work undertaken Slates • Tiles • Flat roofs Chimneys • Valleys • Leadwork Moss clearance UPVC fascias • Soffits • Gutters

Advice and estimates free

Plumbing & Heating Domestic & Commercial Freephone Gas Specialist 0800 955 5063

John Harvey Mobile 07515 284286 07817 792194 [email protected]

28 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate

Stonesfield Based, Family Run Firm

All types of electrical work undertaken, no job too big or small We are fully insured & NICEIC approved electrical contractors nstallations, Kitchens and Bathrooms , Outbuildings & Rewires (Full & Partial) eplacement inding ew or Additional Power Sockets/USB Sockets nstallations & Smoke Alarms

All Work Guaranteed & Certification Supplied when Applicable Call 01993 222444 or Email [email protected] Web www.OxElec.co.uk

WILLS ~ PROBATE ~ POWERS OF ATTORNEY INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING Tel. 01993 811 792 Email [email protected]

Woodstock Solicitors - 1st Floor - 32 New Road - Woodstock - OX20 1PB

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 29 Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019Slate 08:04 SEP Page 19.qxp_SLATE 21 MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 Page 23

!

!

GOURMETood ! bistro - style - catering the perfect ! !is September visit... Cotswold Good Gourmethideaway ! ! Salon Privé Classic Upcoming events at our pop-up restaurant !!!!!"#$%#&'()*+,--.'/0).' & Supercar Located in the beautiful village of Ramsden '''123&345'3&'1607(/879':&*';<=>?9' 8th September 6 Sept 3-course Bistro – £30 Ideal11 holiday Sept Mid-Week home for Simplewhen family Supper or – friends£20 27 Sept 3-course Bistro North Africa – £30 Maurizio Cattelan come23 visiting Oct Mid -Week Simple Supper – £20 at Blenheim Palace 2 Nov 3-course Bistro – £30 PET 12th September - 27th October Sleeps 4 with parking SITTING Cot and highchair availableBYO SsangYong Do you go on holiday and worry about your pets? For moreSee our details website an dcalendar how to book:for menus and I am a pet lover and I am offering to look after Blenheim Palace Horse Trials 07305details 816115 of our new Midweek suppers your animals (feeding, playing, etc.) after school/ 19th - 22nd September [email protected] weekends/school holidays. I also ride ponies, Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 PageVisit 23 www.goodgourmet.co.uk to see menus water plants and can supply a reference from my www.gablecottagecotswolds.co.ukand make a booking or call 01993 898614 cat sitting job. Rates negotiable. blenheimpalace.com Please call 01993 898620 and ask for Tara Taylor.

! Hedges Decorating and Property Maintenance Sewing & Altera!ons ‘No job too small’ ! . . . to make that garment fit you! Daniel Hedges Painting and Decorating ! Fi!ngs, hem levels, and a varied range of altera"on and sewing work carried out. Garden and Property Maintenancethe perfect Fencing and Repairs ! Dresses,Plumbing, Skirts, Heating, Tops, Shirts, Bathroom Jackets, Cotswold Trousers, Curtains, Cushions and beyond! Demolition and Removal Refurbishments/Installations, Tiling hideaway ! THAMES VALLEY Small Carpentry Work Louise Evere"­Brown ! 01993 252643 or 07515 284286 Mobile: 07957 437347 !!!!!"#$%#&'()*+,--.'/0).'lou.smiley1@b"nternet.com TREE CARE LTD Email: [email protected] [email protected] 813873 Located in the beautiful village of Ramsden '''123&345'3&'1607(/879':&*';<=>?9' A Stonesfield based company Ideal holiday home for when family or friends providing a professional and reliable service in all aspects of tree surgery come visiting FoSL: Friends of Stones!ield Library PET and hedge management Sleeps 4 with parking SITTINGVirtual Office Guardian Cot and highchair available Business Support Services FREE no obligation quote Do you go on holiday and worry about your pets? For moreOpen details to anyone and how to who book: wants to help keep our village library open. I am a pet lover andAll I amoffice, offering organisational to look after and Tel: 01993 891381 07305We 816115 have been providing voluntaryyour cover animals for (feeding, half playing,of the etc.) existing after school/ Jacqupaperwork functions untertaken [email protected] weekends/school holidays. I also ride ponies, Mob: 07971018279 library hours (about 6 hours a week)water plantssince and the can supplylibrary a reference service from my jacquel www.gablecottagecotswolds.co.uk was cut back. cat sitting job. Rates negotiable. Email: [email protected] Please call [email protected] 898620 and ask for Tara Taylor. www.tvtreecare.co.uk For further details, or to join us, please contact Tony Scott on 01993 891380, [email protected]

INDO 21 Stonesfield DESIGN Slate September 2019 23 Stonesfield Slate September 2019

BLINDS AND CURTAINS

Plumbing, Heating, Bathroom Refurbishments/Installations, Tiling VISITTHAMES OUR FABRIC SHOWROOM VALLEY 01993 252643 or 07515 284286 IN CHIPPING NORTON TREE CARE LTD [email protected] Book nowA Stonesfield for an appointment based company providing a professional and reliable 01993 870606 — virtualservice toursin all aspects also available!of tree surgery and hedge management Virtual.. Office Guardian Business Support Services FREE no obligation quote

All office, organisational and Tel: 01993 891381

Jacqupaperwork functions untertaken Mob: 07971018279 jacquel Email: [email protected] [email protected] www.tvtreecare.co.uk

30 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 23 Stonesfield Slate September 2019 M J Fyson BA BA VetMB MRCVS Wroslyn Road Freeland Nr. Witney Oxon OX29 8AQ E-Mail:[email protected]

We are a traditional independent small animal

Veterinary Clinic

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-18:30 and Sat 09:00-12:00 Consultations by appointment only: -

Mon-Thurs 09.00-10.30 and 16.30-18.00

Fri-Sat 09:00-10:30 Friendly personal service for dogs, cats and small furries Stockists of Symply and Canagan pet foods

New clients always welcome

Follow us on Facebook: Coach House Veterinary Clinic

01993 880551 www.coachhousevetsclinic.co.uk

Friendly, professional upholstery service based in Stonesfield. Visit our website or facebook page.

www.velvet-marmalade.co.uk facebook: @velvetmarmalade

N j f Chima... Tel: 07989 792639 / 01993 891260 Wha ill dice ? Make S Chalb OX7 3PL 01608 811805 Your local supplier of beautiful .cldfame.c.k if@cldfame.c.k Linwood fabrics and wallpapers

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 31 Slate NOV 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 21/10/2019 21:13 Page 22

SCSC Salon Copenhagen 3 Pendle Court,Salon Pond Hill, Stonesfield, Copenhagen Oxon, OX29 8PZ. Tel. 01993 891101 3 PendleUnisex Court,hairdressing Pond salon Hill, for Stonesfield, ladies, gentlemen Oxon, and children.OX29 8PZ All aspects of hairdressingTelephone undertaken 01993 by our 891101 professionally trained stylists, Sally and Donna. We also offer earpiercing and our nail bar is open for OPI Unisex hairdressingmanicures, salon pedicures for ladies, and Gelish gentlemen Polish. and children. All aspects of Wehairdressing are now offering undertaken beauty treatments by our professionally Eyebrow Shapingtrained – Eyelash stylists, and Eyebrow Sally and Tinting Donna. – Facial Threading Facial Waxing – LVL Lash Lift – Manicures and Pedicures using OPI WePolish also oroffer Shellac earpiercing – Quick Dip and Manicures our nail – Makebar is Up open Application for OPI manicures,Please pedicures call 07810 301087and Gelish to book. Polish. Find us on Facebook. Open Tuesday to Saturday. Find us on Facebook. Open Tuesday to Saturday.

Challenge Salon Copenhagen is nowthe offering Winter beauty Greys! treatments PELLMANS A. L. SOLE & SON Solicitors EyebrowFriendly Shaping Art Funeral Directors Eyelashand Drawing and Eyebrow Classes Tinting in: • Business, Agricultural and Employment BidstonFacial Close, Threading Over Norton, Bespoke,Law handmade curtains, Stonesfield, St James’ Centre, ChippingFacial Norton, Waxing ox7 5pp blindsContracts, and Legal soft Compliance furnishings & Disputes Mondays, fromLVL Lash 6 Jan, Lift 1.30 to 4 pm • Property Manicures and Pedicures using OPI AFinstock, professionally Village qualified Hall, BuyingFriendly & Selling and Homes, professional Commercial Polish or Shellac Tuesdays,Funeral from Director 7 Jan, providing2 to 4.30 pm & Agriculturalservice Quick Dip Manicures aCombe, dignified Reading and personal Room, • Wills, Probate and Trusts Make Up Application Free, no obligation serviceFridays, atfrom any 10 hour. Jan, Tax Planning, Las!ng Powers of A"orney 10Coming am to Soon12.30 . pm. . & Elderly consultationsClient Advice Private MassagesChapels of Rest inFacials aCost peaceful for using 6 weeksgarden Dermalogica is setting.£95 Tel.01865 07880 884400 880314 Body Waxing www.pellmans.co.uk To find out more, [email protected] Sienna X Spray Tanning 1 Abbey Street, Eynsham, Oxford OX29 4TB pleaseTel. contact01608 644112 Gabriele Pleaseat gabrielekern31@gmail call 07810 301087 to combook www.kingfishersoftfurnishings.co.uk Home visits and evening appointments available

November32 2019 Stonesfield Slate August 2020 22 Stonesfield Slate

Fixed priced repairs to Domestic Call Andrew include electrical safety test Appliance Repairs 01993 Electric cooker WASHING MACHINES connections both REFRIGERATION freestanding 891339 and built-in ELECTRIC COOKERS

TUMBLE DRYERS BS7671 accredited or DISHWASHERS Mobile Full public liability cover

Professional Same day, evening & 07989 945971 Descaler Available weekend appointments normally available

Andrew A. Adams FCCA Chartered Certified Accountant

Quality personal service for your Accounting, Taxation and Business needs Competitive fees agreed in advance Free initial meeting Telephone: 07790 854574 01993 891280 Email: [email protected]

Crumbling plaster? Fear not 35 years experience Patching, re-skim, renovations No job too small

Call Pat Hunt for free quotation

01993 891412 or 07583 023843 [email protected]

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 33 Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 Page 31

&20387(5 +(/3  Broadband and Wireless. Installation and Training. Problem solving. Jargon-free advice. Upgrades. Digital Photos. Virus Protection and Removal.

Call or email me, Len Kehoe phone: 01993 810125

- Computer Science graduate mobile: 07944 877437 with over 30 years experience email: [email protected] web: www.thepcbuddy.co.uk Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 Page 25

Roberts Garden Machinery Ltd WOODSTOCK TAXI SERVICE ·Professional servicing and repairs of !"#$%&'()*")$ 07766 74301 most makes of garden machinery Member of the · Chartered Institute of Building New & second-hand machinery supplied ! ·Collection & delivery by arrangement Suriya Express General property 18 years’ experience with LAWNMOWER SALES & SERVICE & Post Office maintenance and Open 8–5 Monday–Friday, 8–12 Saturday high quality DIY 1 Pendle Court, Pond Hill, Stonesfield Unit H5, New Yatt Business Centre, New Yatt, OX29 6TJ ! Tel/Fax 01993 898379 General repairs Tel: 01993 881320 or email: robert.milloini@ btinternet.com • AiAll carpentry Sai - Decorating• Da i Bread & Pastries • Hia Sch • Weddig P Fine range of Groceries • Theae ReaaMinor plumbing• Shig i Andrew A. Adams FCCA Fruit & Vegetables Our friendl team includes female drivers Prompt, reliable and Chartered Certified Accountant Beers, Wines & Spirits www.townhousewoodstock.co.uk New range of Organic Products recommended service Quality personal service for your No job too small Accounting, Taxation and Business needs Dry Cleaning

Competitive fees agreed in advance Opening hours: Tel: 07876-275300 Free initial meeting Monday to Friday 7am–8pm [email protected] Telephone: 07790 854574 Saturday and Sunday 8am–8pm* 01993 891280 Bank Holidays 8am–8pm* “A job done well” Email: [email protected] *P.O. closed on Sundays & on Bank Holidays

34 August 2020 31 Stonesfield Slate Stonesfield Slate September 2019

WILLS ~ PROBATE ~ POWERS OF ATTORNEY INHERITANCE TAX PLANNING Tel. 01993 811 792 Email [email protected]

Woodstock Solicitors - 1st Floor - 32 New Road - Woodstock - OX20 1PB

25 Stonesfield Slate September 2019 A C E Car Repairs and Servicing 01993 700041

SERVICING, BRAKES, CLUTCHES, AIR CONDITIONING, EXHAUSTS, DIAGNOSTICS, MOT’S PREPARED AND ARRANGED

Alan Claridge Engineering is a garage in Witney that has been repairing cars for over 30 years. I now live in Stonesfield and will collect your car from your house and deliver it back free of charge. I service and repair all makes of car so please call me to arrange an appointment.

!"#$%&'(%%)*+,''' !"#$%&'()*#'+&"#' !-%'.)/%"'0/1)2'!"#*+*+,'34%$*#)*52' mike ) chambers !"#$%&'()*+(#%,"(-".#/-%"01(2/0*&'"01( 3%//"0(.&4(#*&'"05( ) ,-.--)//0-12) maintenance 6667-#"/%+-%#)2-#+/8*2+%557$971:'

small area tiling

0 7 9 7 3 6 2 4 7 9 7

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 35 D. J. R. MILES BATHROOM, PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEERS LTD (Company number 4633496) Winner of the: Worcester Bosch environment 2007 installer of the year for sustainable heating and hot water systems • WAI Worcester Bosch accredited installer • Gas safe register engineer: registration: 37123 • Oftec oil fired engineer: registration: C4970/101/105e/600a • Unvented hot water registered engineer • Greenskies solar panel registered engineer • Ground Source heat pump engineer • Air to water source heat pump engineer • Green Source air to air engineer • Underfloor heating engineer • 6084 city and guilds energy efficient domestic heating registered engineer • Part P electrical engineer • All types of central heating services, new energy efficient installations and design service • All types of bathroom installations and design service Address: Polperro, The Ridings, Stonesfield, Witney, Oxon OX29 8EA Telephone: 01993 891904/01993 891314 Mobile: 07860 142230 www.plumbingandheating4oxfordshire.co.uk E-mail [email protected] www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

Suriya Express & Post Office 1 Pendle Court, Pond Hill, Stonesfield Tel/Fax 01993 898379

Bread & Pastries Fine range of Groceries Fruit & Vegetables Beers, Wines & Spirits New range of Organic Products Dry Cleaning

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7am–8pm Saturday and Sunday 8am–8pm* Bank Holidays 8am–8pm*

*P.O. closed on Sundays & on Bank Holidays

36 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 Page 26

Hypnotherapy

For help with anxiety, stress, pain control, insomnia, phobias, unwanted habits, confidence and self-esteem, exam and interview nerves. Acupuncture for stress reduction, pain relief, arthritis, migraine, fatigue, hormone imbalance, and more. Contact: Linda Flanigan clinic or in your own home. Clinical Hypnotherapist GHR Registered & Member (Lic.) of National Council for Hypnotherapy consultation please contact me on 01993 898102 / 07791 278618 Tel: 07866 360359 Email: [email protected] or visit www.lfhypnotherapy.co.uk Slate SEP 19.qxp_SLATE MASTER v3.3 22/08/2019 08:04 Page 27

PROBLEM FEET?

Imagine Life! NAIL CUTTING • CORNS • CALLUS if you had your own…! PROBLEM NAILS • FOOT MASSAGE Hypnotherapy Gardener! Treatment in the comfort of your own home Decorator! For help with anxiety, stress, SHARON DAVIES MCFHP MAFHP Babysitter! (01993) 891132pain control, / (M) insomnia, 07941843353 phobias, unwanted habits, confidence and De-clutterer! Registered memberself-esteem, of the exam British and Association interview I can help you clear your clutter, of Footnerves. Health Professionals weed out your wardrobe and find new homes for your unwanted items.! Dog Walker! "#$%&'()Contact: Linda Flanigan!%)#*+($,! Spring Cleaner! Clinical Hypnotherapist -#./'!0#))1!2!3(+%!45!6'!36.-7! GHR Registered & Member (Lic.) of National Moving House Help! Council089:!;!:;<<=!>?8@A!;BC!CAD8B89A@=!BE for Hypnotherapy !F;GHEBI! House & Pet Sitter…! JA/KA!LAAB!:A@<8BH!M>AG>!;BC!9:A8G!NE?! A tree surgery company with Tel:DEG!EKAG!9:8G9=!=A;G>O!0A!:;KA!AP9AB>8KA! 07866 360359 all rolled into one!! Email:AP89=!>=>9A?I!;BC!JA! [email protected] the integrity you can trust. QBEJ!;@@!;LEM9!6<<@A!$;N>!'##7! For one-off events or regular help www.lfhypnotherapy.co.uk Tel: 0845 458 2980 )4.R!*#*!#.S!TUVWX!VVTWTT!Y!TZZWV!Z[\U\[! please contact Lindsey ! hatsoffstudiosMobile: 07976 261850.com or call 0A!NE?A!9E!=EM!J89:!>;?A!C;=!>AGK8NA!8D!>8L@AO!! ! 0A!CEB/9!N:;GHA!DEG!9:A!N;@@]EM9!EG!8D!JA!N;B/9!D8P!89O! Email:01993 [email protected] 898620 07941 561471 www.townandcountrytrees.co.uk September 2019 Stonesfield Slate 26 MICHAEL PRICE & SON MICHAELPLASTERING PRICE & SON PLASTERING 58 Ticknell Piece Road ForCharlbury, all your internal OX7 plastering 3TW tel 07710 170049 or 01608 811642 [email protected] 01608 811642 Mobile58 Ticknell 07710 Piece 170049 Road, Charlbury, Oxon, OX7 3TW

GEOFF BOOTH Landscaping · Paving · Walling Driveways · Fencing · work Building maintenance Free quotations Tel: 01993 891945 Mob: 07710 628248 Email: [email protected]

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 37 27 Stonesfield Slate September 2019

THAMES VALLEY Architectural, Construction, Agricultural & Equestrian Steel Fabrication TREE CARE LTD Services We also provide a full welding service A Stonesfield based company in Steel, Stainless Steel. Aluminium & providing a professional and reliable Titanium, including repairs to Steel, service in all aspects of tree surgery Aluminium and Iron castings and hedge management UNIT 4D FREE no obligation quote ENSTONE BUSINESS PARK ENSTONE, OXFORDSHIRE OX7 4NP Tel: 01993 891381 Mob: 07971018279 TEL: 01608 678267 MOB: 07751 678412 Email: [email protected] [email protected] www.tvtreecare.co.uk WWW.WITNEYWELDING.COM

"#$%&'()!%)#*+($,!

-#./'!0#))1!2!3(+%!45!6'!36.-7!

089:!;!:;<<=!>?8@A!;BC!CAD8B89A@=!BE!F;GHEBI! JA/KA!LAAB!:A@<8BH!M>AG>!;BC!9:A8G!NE?! Lighting Your Way Into The Future DEG!EKAG!9:8G9=!=A;G>O!0A!:;KA!AP9AB>8KA! AP89=!>=>9A?I!;BC!JA! QBEJ!;@@!;LEM9!6<<@A!$;N>!'##7! STEPHEN J. WILEY

)4.R!*#*!#.S!TUVWX!VVTWTT!Y!TZZWV!Z[\U\[! ! ELECTRICIAN 0A!NE?A!9E!=EM!J89:!>;?A!C;=!>AGK8NA!8D!>8L@AO!! 0A!CEB/9!N:;GHA!DEG!9:A!N;@@]EM9!EG!8D!JA!N;B/9!D8P!89O! Additions · Alterations · Rewiring Surveys · Security Lighting R S Services Cookers · Showers Aerial, Satellite & TV Installations Telephone Points and repairs. Qualified Engineer with over 40 years NO JOB TOO SMALL experience. For a free quote Tel (01993) 882778/881409 Call Shane Berry 01865 882300 / 01865 881313 90 Main Road, Long Hanborough, Witney, OX29 8JY 07815 095704 [email protected]

38 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate RuraScape Landscaping & gardens - Patios - Turfing - Fencing - Lawns & grassland - Hedge management - Garden/scrubland clearance Tel 01993 898733 or 07811 598958 Email [email protected]

Roberts Garden Machinery Ltd Bed and Breakfast ·Professional servicing and repairs of most makes of garden machinery at Combe ·New & second-hand machinery supplied For details ·Collection & delivery by arrangement 18 years’ experience with LAWNMOWER SALES & SERVICE please view Open 8–5 Monday–Friday, 8–12 Saturday www.greenclose.net Unit H5, New Yatt Business Centre, New Yatt, OX29 6TJ or call 01993 891223 Tel: 01993 881320 or email: robert.milloini@ btinternet.com

Dog-walking service A. K. P. DIXON Do you work long hours and feel that your Home & Garden Maintenance dog is not getting the attention and exercise & General Handyman that it needs? I run a dog-walking service For all those jobs you need doing for Stonesfield and surrounding areas. I inside & outside – I’m your man! have public liability insurance for peace of mind. Please feel free to call for a quote. Call Ade on 01993 813873 Katrina 01993 891131 / 07824357690 or 07825 631111 [email protected] or email [email protected]

PROBLEM FEET? • NO FUSS• JEM •NO MESS • NAIL CUTTING • CORNS • CALLUS CHIMNEY • NO PROBLEM • PROBLEM NAILS • FOOT MASSAGE SWEEPING Tel: 01865 772996 Treatment in the comfort of your own home SHARON DAVIES MCFHP MAFHP Enjoyable art courses and workshops in (01993) 891132 / (M) 07941843353 community rooms in Stonesfield, Combe and Finstock. Registered member of the British Association For more details contact Gabriele of Foot Health Professionals at [email protected]

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 39 A tree surgery company with the integrity you can trust. Tel: 0845 458 2980 Mobile: 07976 261850 Email: [email protected] www.townandcountrytrees.co.uk

40 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate Painting, Decorating &

YOUR LOCAL Tiling With Care STOCKISTS & INSTALLERS OF * Local & Reliable Tradesman GARAGE DOORS House & Home Services & REMOTE OPERATORS * GARAGE DOOR REPAIRS & SPARES INTERIOR DECORATING TILING – ALL TYPES LOCAL RESIDENTS –10% DISCOUNT ON STOCKED DOORS HOME MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE PERIOD PROPERTY EXPERIENCE 01993 778836 / 01865 246444 FULLY INSURED

MANY WORKING DOORS & OPERATORS * ON DISPLAY AT: Richard Buck SHOWROOM: UNIT 24, AVENUE ONE, STATION LANE, Elbie House East End WITNEY, OXON, OX28 4XZ Tel: 01993 880166 !!!"#$%$#&'((%)"(%# Mob: 07791 046583

Jerrams Brothers Funeral Directors 33 High Street Woodstock OX20 1TE (01993) 811491

• Private Chapel of Rest • 24-hour personal family service • Pre-paid funeral plans

As the third generation of a funeral-directing family, Nicholas and Benjamin Tonks believe that at the time of bereavement, compassion and the families’ wishes are paramount. In partnership with the Church and community we endeavour to give the bereaved as much care and support as possible.

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 41 We’ve been accredited with the UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark for adherence to government and public health guidance on Covid-19 safety, making us one of the safest places to enjoy a day out this summer.

We have an ambitious goal to become a net generator of green energy, and to be the first estate in the UK to demonstrate carbon-negative land management. We have exciting proposed projects that will help us get there. Read more at blenheimestate.com

Stamp Duty has been temporarily waived on properties up to the value of £500,000. If you buy a home up to the value of £500,000 before March 2021, you will not be required to pay any Stamp Duty. At Hanborough Gate, our Kensington, Beechwood and Guildford homes all fall within this threshold. For homes above this value, like the Milton or the Dashwood, the bands of Stamp Duty rates remain unchanged, but the raising of the minimum value means you will be paying less than you would before.

This summer enjoy a socially distanced outdoor dining experience like no other, Picnic at the Palace (22nd July – 16th August). Discover the splendour of Blenheim Palace whilst feasting on delicious picnic hampers, listening to live music or comedy, and sipping on extravagant cocktails and beverages.

Palace, Park & Gardens Now Open. Buy One Day, Get 12 Months Free* For the latest news and updates visit blenheimpalace.com

*Terms and Conditions Apply

42 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate

The office in Witney is open again for business!

We are open for general enquiries 10am 2pm, Monday Friday, and by appointment only outside of these times, and Saturday mornings.

To make an appointment, please call: David on 01993-627713; Mandy on 01993-627814, or Sally on 01993-627712; or e-mail: [email protected].

We will help with holiday advice and information about the destinations that are open to visitors from the UK. We will also keep you updated on how the Goernmens qaranine reglaions migh affec or holiday plans.

To comply with safety requirements, we are limiting the number of visitors to the office to 4 people at any one time. Even though staff will be sitting behind safety-screens, we request our clients wear face-coverings when visiting the office, alternatively these can be provided, if required.

August 2020 Stonesfield Slate 43 a b lack bird san g... A rt, d esig n, & sculpt ure

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44 August 2020 Stonesfield Slate