The Boars Hill Newsletter Summer 2021, Number 224

In this issue: Oscar Nemon: Sculptor Firecrests in Lincombe Lane BHA Talk Reviews BHA Committee Members at The Fox, welcoming the easing of restrictions and the beginning of a very English Summer. Cheers! From L to R: Nigel Jones, Kate O’Donovan, Colin Weyer, Nicola Park

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2 The Chairman’s Column

After what seems like the longest winter, partly agreed and has roped in Janet Cochrane to share due to Covid lockdown, it seems that Spring is the task with her. I know they will make an truly here with swathes of bluebells bursting into excellent team. I would like to thank Louise for flower around parts of Boars Hill - tranquil seas of her years of running the coffee mornings and I deep azure blue. have written elsewhere about this. (On the subject But not all has been tranquil. Over the last months of coffee mornings someone mentioned that they we have seen higher numbers of visitors to Boars didn't approve of Ladies coffee mornings - Hill than ever before; not in spite of lockdown but, something to do with sexism, I think. I'd like to ironically, because of it. OPT land has proved to point out that these Ladies coffee mornings are be a magnet, and whilst everyone has a right to NOT Ladies only coffee mornings - any enjoy the open spaces, parking, litter and gentleman with courage enough to join the ladies abandoned dog poop bags became such a problem will be admired for their bravery .) � that we held a stakeholders’ meeting via Zoom. The BHA had been told that Peking University Wootton parish council, Sunningwell parish [PHBS] will be submitting another planning council, the Boars Hill branch of OPT and Debbie application to VoWHDC soon. However, as I write Dance from OPT joined us towards the end of this in early May, nothing has yet been submitted: March. Debbie informed us that OPT are in once it has, we will let you know (please ensure discussion with the Vale regarding the provision of we have your current email address) - it is additional litter bins and, more importantly, the important that you comment on the application via emptying thereof. the Vale's website, whether you support or oppose Debbie also said that they had negotiated with the plans. Peking University to allow the public to use their Although we are all looking forward to the easing car park at weekends. To this end they were of restrictions over the next few weeks there is putting up temporary signs directing drivers to the still a great deal of uncertainty. For this reason, the car park and said they would monitor their committee has decided not to commit yet to a effectiveness. My impression is that drivers venue or date for the Chairman’s Summer Drinks seemed only to use the car park once Berkeley Party. We hope we shall be able to hold a summer Road and Jarn Mound were already chock-a- event but are not sure what form it will take. Once block. Anyway, whether OPT erects permanent we have a clearer picture of the Covid situation at signs, or just leaves any temporary ones, I the beginning of summer, I shall hold a committee understand they will need planning permission meeting to discuss what, where and when. We which would give residents the opportunity to shall email any invitation to residents and let you comment on the success of the signs or otherwise. know via the Facebook community page. This spring we held a number of BHA talks via In the meantime, the BHA constitution requires us Zoom for the first time. These talks proved to be to hold an AGM and give public notice of such. very successful each with up to 40 participants, Therefore, to avoid Covid-related uncertainty we many contributing to some very fascinating shall hold it via Zoom again this year; you will discussions afterwards. You will find reviews find the notice elsewhere in the newsletter. elsewhere in the newsletter. I hope you have a wonderful summer and look A couple of months ago Louise Edwards, who has forward to seeing many of you at the AGM. been organising coffee mornings for many years, contacted the BHA and asked if we could run the coffee mornings. After a couple of days of thought Kate O’Donovan - Chair, BHA I asked Susanna Hart if she would be interested in taking on the role. I'm delighted to say that she has

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4 Editorial As I write this in mid-May we are still waiting for the warm summer weather we were so lucky to experience last year. Looking back I believe it was a major factor in helping us get through that first lockdown - although we might not have felt so optimistic had we known 2 more lockdowns were to follow. However we now have cause for cautious optimism and as you will see from events on the Diary page some outdoor activities can finally take place, with more to come as soon as allowed. Our major feature on interesting and/or famous residents of Boars Hill is on Oscar Nemon, an extraordinary man in himself and a sculptor of international renown. I would like to make this a regular feature in future newsletters and would welcome your input as, although a few obvious names might spring to mind, there are certainly many others. If you would like to research someone for this feature there is no need to choose a famous person - he or she just needs to be interesting - and I would love to hear from you. I would also like to maintain a regular page or two for environmental issues. This is obviously a topical and relevant subject as we are all aware of the dangers of changing weather patterns. Christian Hatton has written a fascinating article on one victim of climate change, the tiny firecrest, which he has observed in his garden in Lincombe Lane. Chris has asked residents to contact him with their sightings of this bird and perhaps it would be possible in future to set up a log of sightings for this and other unusual species. Is anyone interested in taking part? Our thanks to Nigel Jones for organising the 3 BHA talks in February, March and April, and helping find volunteers to write their excellent reviews which enable us to enjoy the talks once again. Finally, I would like to underline the fact that articles in the newsletter express the personal opinions of their authors and are independent of any editorial or BHA bias or input. There are currently several controversial issues under discussion in Boars Hill and articles in the newsletter may present different points of view, but they have been published to outline some of the arguments and opinions on both sides, each of which is the right and responsibility of the author alone. Nicola

Boars Hill Quiz

Pat Gove suggested the question for this issue. Where on Boars Hill will you find this wildlife pond?

(answer inside back cover)

5 Oscar Nemon on Boars Hill and beyond “Mr Churchill and no less myself” 2021 is a significant year for Oscar Nemon, a By 1951 Nemon was no stranger to distinguished resident of Boars Hill for 43 years. 80 years after men. Intuitive, intelligent and a witty, subversive his native Yugoslavia was invaded, Nemon’s raconteur, he had sculpted Freud from life during Shoah memorial, Humanity, returns to Pleasant the 1930s in Vienna, and formed a warm Land this autumn. And 70 years after Nemon first relationship with the psychoanalyst, as he would met Winston Churchill, Oxford has its first Nemon with Churchill. He was often invited to Chartwell portrait of the premier. The Churchill bronze is to and also to Churchill’s London home. be installed in the Old Parsonage Hotel. Nemon’s real excitement at first meeting Churchill Churchill and Nemon originally met at the is suggested by a postcard he sent from Marrakech legendary La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech in to fellow Boars Hill resident Albi Rosenthal. 1951. Nemon was the guest of the psychoanalyst Nemon wrote with some glee: René Laforgue; Churchill was ensconced amidst “My very best and cordialest wishes for 1951 family and friends. Nemon’s portrait began with from the sunny Marrakech where Mr Churchill pencil sketches, executed surreptitiously in the and no less myself are getting inspired for our hotel dining room, which became the foundations future masterpieces”. of the small terracotta bust he sculpted in his bedroom. A mutual friend staying with the Born Oskar Neumann to a close-knit Jewish Churchill party showed this to Lady Churchill, family in Osijek in 1906, his parents were an who was delighted and asked to keep it. Her industrial chemist and a book-keeper; the arts were support helped forge the creative connection something practised by other people. between the two men which would lead to Nemon’s talent for sculpture emerged Nemon’s portraits of Churchill in the Members’ spontaneously from his experiments with clay as a Lobby of the House of Commons, the Guildhall, teenager. Largely self-taught, his instinctive Windsor Castle and many others around the world abilities led him to gain his first commissions – and also to Churchill’s only known sculpture, while still at school and also to exhibit alongside featuring Nemon himself (photo below). more established artists. After seeing photographs of Nemon’s work, Yugoslavia’s leading sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic, recommended that Nemon travel abroad to study. In 1924, aged 18, Nemon set off for Vienna, where an uncle owned a bronze foundry. Musicians from Osijek would introduce him to fellow performers whom Nemon sculpted, including Richard Strauss, the tenor Domenico Borghese and the popular opera singer Leo Slezak. Nemon was not, however, admitted to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, due, he believed, to an unofficial ‘Jewish quota’. After a year he moved to Brussels, to undertake formal training at the As a Yugolav Jewish emigré, who had lost mother, Académie des Beaux Arts. brother and grandmother to the Holocaust, Nemon Without family resources, Nemon again fervently appreciated and admired Churchill’s improvised sitters to help pay his precarious way, WWII leadership and would naturalise as British changing his name to Nemon, to fit in. Winning in 1946, forfeiting his own nationality for that of the commission to create a relief of the aviator the country which had sheltered him. Charles Lindberg was his first breakthrough; a cast is on display at the Nemon Studio Museum. This 6 angular, concise piece reflects the influences of Although Nemon never spoke of his grief he was Constructivism, first encountered by Nemon in profoundly marked by the deaths of so many close Melnikov’s seminal Soviet Pavilion at the relatives; his postwar compositions include many Decorative Arts Fair in Paris in 1925. mourning groups. In 1965 his Shoah memorial, Humanity, was unveiled in Osijek. The peace and green spaces of Boars Hill would provide nurture and shelter for the family, and in 1970 Nemon and Patricia were able to build the current white modernist house and studio. Nemon kept a studio in London – from the late 1960s in St James’s Palace – in addition to working in America and around the world. Aside from Churchill, his post-war sitters ranged from Winnicott to Eisenhower, Truman, Beaverbrook, Ernst Chain, Rothenstein and Kathleen Ferrier, together with Shinwell, Macmillan and Thatcher. Nemon sculpted several much approved portraits of Elizabeth II, as well as the Queen Mother and Prince Phillip. After Nemon died, his sculptures and drawings were shut up in Pleasant Land until Patricia’s death in 1998. From 2002, the Nemon family has worked to share his legacy with the wider world, Nemon with Sigmund Freud making significant donations to institutions and Continuing to develop his figurative work, Nemon museums and has created the Nemon Studio also refined his portraiture. An exhibition of his Museum and Archive at Pleasant Land. This sculptures at the Palais des Beaux Arts de features a recreation of his working studio, Bruxelles led to commissions to sculpt King together with changing exhibitions. Albert I and Queen Astrid, the Prime Minister Van de Velde, and future Prime Minister Paul-Henri From 26 June this will open for free drop-in visits Spaak, who became a lifelong friend. every last Saturday of the month from 2 to 5.30pm with tea served in the Archive and garden, and With the rising tide of anti-semitism, Belgium separately by appointment for pre-booked paying became less hospitable as the decade progressed groups. For further details, please visit and friends encouraged Nemon to move to www.oscarnemon.org.uk. England, but he worked between London and Brussels until civilian travel was halted in 1939. Alice Hiller Nemon moved initially to Abinger, Surrey, where Max Beerbohm taught him English, Nemon having been serendipitously introduced by the future Lady Beerbohm. Nemon arrived in Oxford in 1940, where his partner Patricia Villiers Stuart had settled to await the birth of their first child, and with baby son Falcon they moved to Boars Hill in 1942. They rented rooms in West View, buying the Pleasant Land site in 1948, making a home from two huts previously used to house Italian prisoners. Nemon sculpted in one and the family, now including daughters Aurelia and Electra, lived in the other. Nemon with Field-Marshal Montgomery

7 Hugh Smith looks back on… A Year of COVID Restrictions We were really looking forward to 2020, with Instead of chasing a little white ball round a golf celebrations planned for our 50th Wedding course, as we normally do, we started to Anniversary and my mother’s 100th birthday. But investigate all the footpaths on Boars Hill. Initially on March 23rd 2020 the first lockdown I couldn’t walk far (after tearing a muscle on the intervened, and everything began to change… ski slopes), but we soon built up time and distance In the early days we were certainly discouraged and were able to increase our exercise to nearly 2 from going out shopping, but how could we get hours per day. As we got fitter, we even lost some food? Supermarket delivery slots filled up and weight. How good it was to see lots of Oxford were impossible to get. How grateful we were to people coming up to enjoy the walks round Boars neighbours and to smaller shops! We managed to Hill and on Oxford Preservation Trust land. There get food delivered within 2 days from a retailer in were more people on the Old Golf Course than on the Oxford Covered Market who went on to set up a normal golf course when fully open! As a an online shop within a week. A local butcher community we are very lucky to live on Boars similarly set up an online shop and delivered Hill, but should never forget the effect of quickly. Neighbours let us piggyback on their lockdown on the poorer and less fortunate supermarket slots as well. With the local pub residents of Oxford. My view is we should doing takeaways, we were really grateful to the welcome visitors to our area, and recognise it is a small but flexible organisations that were hit very small minority that cause problems. hardest by lockdown. We continue to support local How grateful we were to neighbours businesses now, over 12 months later. and to smaller shops! By June, we were allowed back on the proper golf course, even if we had to change in the car park and the bar was shut. At the end of June our 50th wedding anniversary trip with all the family to Tuscany had to be postponed, as the airline cancelled the flights. Fortunately the owner of the

farmhouse was happy to let us delay for a year. In the meantime restaurants had opened up again, so we often dined at different independent country pubs. Some of these had spent a fortune making themselves Covid-safe. Plastic screens, one-way systems, mask-wearing etc. We felt safe at every single establishment. Why were they the businesses hit hardest by Covid? Their protection was far better than that of our local GP surgery!

Scarificaon Top-Dressing How good to see lots of Oxford Hollow Tining Removal Weeds people coming up to enjoy the walks Lawn Aeraon Moss Control round Boars Hill and on OPT land Over seeding Professional Service In August I organised the birthday lunch for my NO CONTRACT mother and 17 friends for October, at a restaurant Contact Steve local to her in Nottingham. She still lives on her own, with a carer helping out each day. However, 01865331501/07894983801 in September Boris introduced a maximum of 6 Email: [email protected] people allowed to eat together inside, so we had to drastically reduce the invites. By October cases in 8 Nottingham were surging, forcing us to cancel the have we relied too much on scientists, at the lunch altogether. Oxfordshire was in a lower tier, expense of our economy, mental health and other so we had lunch on her birthday here and enjoyed health issues? separate outdoor parties with each of our children Did the SAGE scientists, our politicians and and their children. Of course we had to be very bureaucrats REALLY study what worked in other careful, as Mum was extremely vulnerable. countries? Being “Covid-secure” is a “Health and We had to change in the car park Safety” issue. Why did we not expand local H&S, and the bar was shut… but strengthen its remit? If premises were seen to be Covid-secure, let them stay open. If not, shut As winter approached we had yet more them. Belatedly we have started fining people for lockdowns, so again we walked a lot. This time breaking the rules. Why did we not do this earlier? the weather was so wet that footpaths became mud Had we done so, perhaps many smaller businesses baths, and we mainly restricted our walking to could have stayed open. This approach has wasted roads. That meant walking into Oxford or so much taxpayer money on business support like Abingdon sometimes, but there was always a nice furlough, rates relief etc. Many lower-paid people local coffee shop for a takeaway. When our fence have lost jobs. Would it have cost as much if we came down in the high winds we contacted a had focused on making businesses safe to continue Sunningwell fencing specialist on Sunday operating, but with tight localised controls? evening. By Monday afternoon it was fixed. What I ask myself if SAGE scientists, politicians, and a great service! senior bureaucrats would have made the same Inevitably we can look back and say “Could we, decisions if they had all been paid at “Furlough as a country, have done better?”. Our vaccination Rates”, and had their pensions reduced as a result, programme has been superb from the start, but as has happened to millions of people in the UK! Hugh Smith

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9 BHA Talk Reviews 21 February 2021 Williamson, was a Danish citizen who became a double agent working for Britain against Nazi Intelligence & Military Germany under the codename Tate. Deception We learned of Colonel Robin “Tin Eye” Stephens, ‘The Priceless value of Intelligence’, the first 2021 the monocled Head of Camp 020, who became BHA talk, given by Colonel David King, OBE. known for “breaking” captured German spies without laying a hand on them. All this in David King is an exceptional man: a highly Latchmere House, a gloomy, sprawling Victorian educated and a career military officer. His service mansion nestled in the centre of Ham Common. in British Intelligence and his incredibly detailed knowledge of the history of information flow and And we learned of Trent Park House, North how it was used left us all with a lasting London. Requisitioned during WW2 for captured impression. senior German officers, who were treated exceptionally well because of their rank, but Bletchley Park was the Golden Goose. Under the unbeknown to them, all their conversations were code name of Ultra, the Allied Forces eavesdropped by German Jewish refugees located Intelligence project tapped into the very highest in the basement, known as “The Secret Listeners”. level of encrypted communications of The existence of the V2 rocket was revealed and the German, Italian and Japanese armed forces. It the plan to attack London. The V2 production has been claimed by some that this work shortened plant was destroyed soon after. the war by two years. David’s talk was very special and created great “The geese that laid the golden interest. We will need to invite him again! eggs and never cackled” Nigel Jones - Winston Churchill, of the staff at Bletchley Park Alan Turing, working in Hut 8, was the mathematical genius and computer pioneer behind the Enigma Machine that trawled through an extraordinary series of permutations and combinations of ship, aircraft, materiel and troop movements to crack codes over crucial periods of World War 2. A genius only recognised many years after his death. He was one of 10,000 dedicated people who devoted so much of their lives in total secrecy for the war effort. Asa Briggs, the author and historian, was another brilliant member of the team, rubbing shoulders with Turing. David King created a hierarchy of success and failure to illustrate his talk. The ‘wooden spoon’ was awarded to Montgomery and Eisenhower in invading a vulnerable Antwerp but ignoring the existing German Forces lining both sides of the channel that pounded the Allied ships. We learned of double agents: Wulf Dietrich Christian Schmidt, later known as Harry “Tin Eye” Stephens 10 21 March 2021 In 699 the male community moved to its present site in Abingdon; the female community formed a The History of Abingdon nunnery at Godstow. Abbey The abbey suffered raids from the Danes in its This excellent talk was given by Dr Tim Miller (in early years and although the 4th Abbot, Wolfgang, monk’s costume), Curator of the Abbey Buildings. paid off the raiders, it was reported totally Dr Miller, an American alumnus of Linacre destroyed by the mid-10th century. However in College, lives in a 17th C house alongside the old 953 the abbey was granted to Ethelwold and he abbey grounds. commenced its restoration, and the mill stream was dug between 955 - 960. Although little remains today, Dr Miller was able to show with slides the position and uses of the main buildings, and give an idea of the massive The Abbey reached an area 86% dimensions the church eventually reached - the as big as Westminster Abbey exterior measured 460ft and covered an area 86% as big as Westminster Abbey. The foundation was The abbey prospered under the Normans and is Benedictine and we could see from comparable recorded in Domesday as owning seven manors French abbeys what its construction might have over a wide local area. Monks joined from other looked like. Benedictine houses, such as Jumièges in France. The original foundation was on Boars Hill in 675 In 1091 Abbot Faritius, an Italian physician, and cenobitic (communal living rather than expanded the Abbey further, dividing it into seven solitary), with both a male and female community. departments, greatly enlarging and enhancing the No archaeological evidence has been found and church and establishing a separate abbot’s the settlement was probably made up of simple household. At this time there were 80 monks and huts. 78 lay members of the community.

The remains of the Checker and Long Gallery Continued… 11 BHA Talk Reviews cont’d Abingdon Abbey enjoyed its ‘Golden Age’ to the Abbey for the Easter Court and made three between 1115 - 1289 when it was ranked fifth subsequent visits. wealthiest of the religious foundations in the The end came with the Dissolution of the country, its abbots were influential and sent abroad Monasteries in 1537. Cromwell’s audit showed its on diplomatic missions. Its estate included 2l net income as £1.8 million a year and the manors. But in 1315 Abbot John of Sutton community a reduced number of 24 monks. presided over seven years of ‘wanton misrule’: the town fair was prevented; the local people rebelled The end came with the and assaulted the abbey bailiff. By 1318 Edward II Dissolution of the Monasteries had confiscated the abbey and its affairs were run from London; Reading Abbey was authorised to Abingdon Abbey could not resist and its last conduct an audit; the Abingdon monks appealed abbot, Thomas Pentecost, received a handsome to the Pope. Matters came to a head in 1327 when pension plus a Manor House at Cumnor, the other the townspeople rioted, burning buildings, beating monks receiving pensions according to status. 32 and killing monks. The leaders were tried at local men were employed to deconstruct the Windsor and in 1330 Edward III himself surveyed buildings, much of the stone and other material the damage, estimated today to exceed £12 taken by barge to London or re-used locally. million. Abingdon Abbey was one of 900 religious houses dissolved. Its Golden Age was between Sadly there is little left to see now of the great 1115- 1289 buildings once at the heart of Abingdon, but it was Abingdon Abbey continued to play an influential wonderful through Dr Miller to be able to put role in national and world affairs. In the 13th C ‘flesh’ on the historic bones and see into the alone there were nine royal visits; in 1468 Abbot town’s exciting past. John Sante was sent as Ambassador to Rome. In We all hope Dr Miller will return to tell us what 1518 Henry VIII came with Katherine of Aragon happened next ! Kathrine Tollis

24 April 2021 The Man who Inspired a University I must confess that until the BHA Zoom talk by Dr Bryan Brown I knew nothing about John Henry Brookes, although I knew quite a bit about Oxford Brookes University. In 1992 Kenneth Clarke, who was then Secretary of State for education, decided to change all Polytechnics into Universities, thus more than doubling the number of UK universities which was sixty at the time. He had been badly advised by his civil servants that whilst UK universities Illumination from the Abingdon Missal, 1461 were internationally acclaimed the UK

12 Polytechnics were not up to standard. He was Arts and Craft, one of several craft schools across wrong! The best of the Polys, such as Hatfield and Oxford. He proved to be an inspiring teacher and Oxford, were world class. The Polys were skilled administrator. In 1934 the technical and art performing a unique role working closely with schools were merged as the Schools of industry and conducting business-directed Technology, Art and Commerce. Brookes was the training. first Principal. There were 10 full-time staff and Oxford Polytechnic commissioned Bryan Brown, 1,284 students. In 1946 the Schools were on 19 then working as a design consultant, to propose a sites around the city and Brookes had of necessity name and branding for it when it became a become an accomplished cyclist. He eventually University. Naming it after John Henry Brookes convinced the authorities to allow them to be was an inspired choice. merged and the Morrells brewing family offered 33 acres at the top of Headington Hill. In a truly fascinating talk we learnt that John Henry Brookes was born in Northampton on 31 Brookes had of necessity become January 1891. His father was Head of the Boot an accomplished cyclist… and Shoe Department of Leicester College of Technology. Brookes trained as a silversmith. He Built on John Henry Brookes' solid foundations demonstrated from an early age that he was an the Schools of Technology Art and Commerce accomplished artist and sculptor. He was a evolved into Oxford College of Technology, conscientious objector during the first world war. Oxford Polytechnic, and finally into Oxford Conscientious objectors were ostracised by many Brookes University. after the war and he found there were few customers for his silversmithing and artistic We all enjoyed a brilliant talk about a local genius. talents. In 1922 he was appointed as a part-time David Clark teacher of sculpture in the Oxford City School of NEW-BUILD HOMES LOFT CONVERSIONS HOME EXTENSIONS Telephone: 01865 600804 Mobile: 07500 143903 [email protected] www.acutehomes.co.uk

13 BHA Diary Entries May to July 2021

Coffee Mornings: Spring - Summer 2021 For many years, the term-time Friday 11.00 am drop-in “Ladies Coffee Mornings”, with some Saturday ‘All are welcome’ Coffee Mornings, have been enabling local people to meet up with each other, welcome new arrivals and catch up with all the events of the neighbourhood. During “lockdown”, thanks to the heroic efforts of Louise Edwards, Zoom Meetings have replaced the Coffee Mornings, enabling us all to chat and swop Covid stories, even if we are still in our pyjamas! Louise has decided to resign from running the coffee mornings. She has been a fantastic organiser for over seven years. We are all extremely grateful for her energy, endless hard work and cheerful chivvying! She will be a hard act to follow. Susanna Hart with the help of Janet Cochrane is going to carry on with the organising. The BHA is kindly continuing to support us and provide insurance. Meeting information will be emailed as before. Coffee Mornings will continue outdoors only (until further Government guidance). We are setting up the coffee mornings outside in the garden, so bring umbrellas and macs if it is wet! We are only allowed to have 30 people so please would you email [email protected] if you plan to come. If anyone would like more information, knows of new members, would like to host a coffee morning once they restart or wants any further information, please contact Susanna or Janet: Susanna Hart 07900 864625 [email protected] Janet Cochrane 07860 308009 [email protected]

Online Craft Group: We have been meeting via Zoom during lockdowns and in small groups outside when permitted. As restrictions ease, we should be able to meet both in and outside in increasing numbers. However, due to the continued uncertainty re weather/restrictions etc, I will organise meetings for the foreseeable future on a short-notice basis and communicate by email: [email protected]

Boars Hill Garden Club: If you wish to join any of the BHGC talks/meetings/Zooms, please contact Louise Edwards.

Boars Hill Theatre Club: Just a brief update to say that we hope to resume our outings to London and other regional theatres once circumstances permit and venues will allow entry of large groups. In the meantime we hope everyone can continue to enjoy theatre and music through online productions. If anyone is new to the Hill and would like further information about our Theatre Club, please contact Kathrine Tollis on 01865 735401 or Rosemary Maund via [email protected]

14 May Friday 21st 11am: Coffee Morning kindly hosted by Lucile Stewart at Brahmin, 4 Berkeley Road Tel: 01865 735466 Friday 28th 11am: Coffee Morning kindly hosted by Susanna Hart at Youlbury House, Whitebarn Lane OX1 5HH. (Go up Ridgeway to the top and turn right so you pass a yellow house on your left. Keep left at Gate 2 of Scouts, down a woody lane with Scout fence on right hand side. Turn left at the Youlbury House notice.) Tel: 01865 327683

June Friday 11th 11am: Coffee Morning kindly hosted by Janet Cochrane at Limekiln House, Hinksey Hill OX1 5HD Tel: 01865 739740 Friday 18th 11am: Coffee Morning to be arranged Friday 25th 11am: Coffee Morning kindly hosted by Ann Packford at Christow, Bedwells Heath Tel: 01865 327215 Saturday 26th 10am - 12: BHGC Plant Sale and Coffee Morning (All Welcome) kindly hosted by Kathrine Tollis, Broom Hill Copse, Lincombe Lane. Plant and cake donations would be much appreciated. We may have some plants for sale, e.g. tomato and vegetable plants, before this date and this will be communicated via email. For further information please contact [email protected] We look forward to seeing you and embracing some return to normality!

July Saturday 2nd 11am: (All Welcome) Coffee Morning kindly hosted by Moira and Peter Da Costa, Windrush, Hamels Lane OX1 5DJ Tel: 01865 735240 Friday 9th 11am: Coffee Morning to be arranged

BHA NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday 16th June 7.30pm by Zoom: Link to be emailed to members one week beforehand. Chair: Kate O’Donovan; Hon Treasurer: Colin Weyer; Hon Secretary: Nigel Jones; Editor: Nicola Park Members: Rosie Allen, Kathy Blazewicz, Michael Edwards, Pat Gove, Louise Jacobs, Ann Loescher. AGENDA 1 Apologies for Absence. 2 Approval of Minutes of the AGM held on Wednesday 2 September, 2020. 3 Treasurer’s Report and Accounts. 4 Chairman’s Report. 5 Election of Officers and Committee: Officers and Members of the Committee offer themselves for re-election for the ensuing year. Any additional nominations should be submitted in writing to the Hon Secretary at: Whitsun Meadows, Berkeley Road, Boars Hill Oxford. OX1 5ET. Nominations should be duly proposed, seconded and accompanied by a letter from the nominee stating his or her willingness to serve, if elected. Nominations should be received by Wed 2nd June. 6 Any other business. Please notify the Secretary before 2 June 2021 of any matters to be raised.

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16 From the Friends of Boars Hill Steering Group What is it that you value about Boars Hill? For people movements seem sustainable, constraints some, it will be the location: within reach of are notoriously difficult to impose, especially on London and close to Oxford but retaining a special students and conference attendees keen to have rural character. For others, it will be the historic access to the City’s attractions. setting, much loved by poets and painters and home to a litany of famous names. Perhaps also, it …the historic setting, much loved will be the sense of community that is not cloying by poets and painters and home to but enjoys socially supportive networks in a leafy environment surrounding homes as distinct as a litany of famous names their owners. For most of us, however, it is a We are waiting to hear from the Vale that the combination of these reasons and underpinning application has been lodged so that we can see the them all is the protection the Hill has enjoyed full extent of it. The Friends are a non-affiliated from inappropriate development as a result of group of residents dedicated to supporting the being enveloped by the Green Belt. Thanks to that Green Belt principles that are now increasingly policy and, historically, the intervention of the under threat in this area. Our highly successful Oxford Preservation Trust to save Lord Berkeley’s efforts in scrutinizing the first set of proposals for golf course with its classic view of the spires, we Foxcombe Hall resulted in PHBS returning with a can still provide a green lung for locals and slick set of public relations consultants. The last visitors alike. Yet it has not stopped developers planning application consisted of several hundred chipping away at this unique location. pages of documents and drawings each of which Boars Hill… retaining a special had to be read and analysed by us and by our consultants before we could mount a meaningful rural character response. For an application of this size, it is a time-consuming and expensive task. A number of It has been a case over the years of perpetual residents have already made significant financial vigilance to try to ensure that the planning contributions but money for professional advice is ambitions of developers, from nursing-homes to always an issue. If you would like to help, please hotels, have respected the nature of this precious make a donation. Our bank coordinates are as section of Oxford’s very narrow Green Belt. The follows: Foxcombe Hall plans of Peking Business School provide the latest challenge. Ignoring any of the Bank: Handelsbanken alternative, purpose-built campuses that have been on the market, PHBS clearly see this site, Sort Code: 60-95-34 overlooking Oxford, as a prestigious venue not Account: Friends Boars Hill No: 34970083 only for 90 full-time students, but also for 130 In case of any difficulty there is more information bussed-in day students and 30 conferences per on our website. If you haven’t done so already and year each with up to 100 attendees (in a lecture would like to be kept informed, please make sure theatre with capacity for 200). We now know from we have your email address by contacting us at the pandemic what the weight of numbers can do [email protected] to this critical landscape. We have seen, during lockdown, the traffic chaos on Berkeley Road and With best wishes the impact on the Old Golf Course of the https://www.friendsofboarshill.org/ thoughtless behaviour of so many individuals. Rosie Allen Whatever attempts are made on paper to make (on behalf of the FOBH Steering Group)

STOP PRESS: Sadly, we have just heard of the death of Christopher Walton MBE, a long-time resident of Boars Hill, who died in the Beaumont on 29th April. Our sincere condolences to Judith and his family.

17 An Appreciation of… Louise Edwards

The Boars Hill Association and residents of Boars the paper coffee morning lists to every household Hill would like to thank Louise Edwards for all on Boars Hill. her hard work over many years organising our Originally, coffee mornings were held during the Coffee Mornings. In 2014 Louise initially helped University term only, but since Gwen retired Gwen Edwards to organise hosts, and also deliver Louise has extended the coffee season throughout the year, streamlining the process by compiling an extensive email date base, listing coffee mornings in the BH newsletter diary and introducing occasional Saturday morning coffee mornings which have proved to be very popular with the gentlemen as well as the ladies. Louise handed the baton on to Susanna Hart and Janet Cochrane in early May and the BHA will continue to support the organisers and wishes them every success. If you wish to continue receiving information you should contact Susanna and Janet at: [email protected]

Kate O’Donovan Kate presents a bouquet to Louise Chair, BHA From left: Susanna, Louise, Kate and Janet

18 Boars Hill Association Minutes

Committee Meeting held by Zoom at 6.00pm on 7th April, 2021 Present: Kate O’Donovan (Chair), Nigel Jones 6. Foxcombe Hall development: PHBS are (Sec), Colin Weyer (Treasurer), Nicola Park expected to submit an Application to the WHDC (Newsletter Editor), Pat Gove, Louise Jacobs. Planning Dept in the next week. The Friends of Kathy Blazewicz, Michael Edwards, Rosie Allen, Boars Hill will write an article for the newsletter Ann Loescher. No Apologies. regarding this matter. 1. Minutes from previous meeting: Approved. 7. Security of Boars Hill: The committee noted 2. Treasurer report: Q1 sees the main income and that OPT land on Boars Hill is proving to be a totalled £3611, of which £1720 was adverts and major attraction to a wide swathe of visitors. £1891 was subscriptions. 152 households (43%) Although we welcome visitors who behave have paid, plus 9 non-residents. It was noted that responsibly, it is unfortunately true that over a dozen households are still paying £5 instead significantly increased parking issues, litter and of £10 and are thus not eligible for discounts to dog waste are some of the consequences. The BHA events. Cash at bank 31 March, 2021 was BHA is in discussion with OPT about this. £6,264 (compared with £4,000 last year). A good 8. Next meeting: The next meeting will be held at year from a financial point of view. 6.30pm, Wednesday 4 August, 2021. 3. The Chair reported: a) BHA Talks - Speaker event has been organised 25 April, 2021. Dr. Nigel Jones - Hon Sec, BHA Bryan Brown: ‘The Oxford Brookes University story’. The two earlier talks had been very successful each with over 40 attendees. b) Coffee Mornings - The Chair reported that following Louise Edwards’ to decision to cease running Boars Hill Coffee mornings, the BHA Chair asked ARBOCARE Susanna Hart who agreed to take over the task, ably assisted by Janet Cochrane, from end April, TREE SURGERY LTD 2021. The Chair noted that Louise Edwards is to Qualified and Experienced Arborists be thanked for her years of running the coffee mornings. Established over 25years 4. Matters decided: a) Committee meetings to be Contractors to the National Trust conducted via Zoom for foreseeable future. b) Minutes should be published in the Newsletter. c) Crown reductions / Thinning AGM for 2021 - To be held by Zoom this year on Felling 16th June and to be announced in the June newsletter. d) Chairman’s Summer Drinks Party. Hedge Trimming To be held subject to prevailing government Covid guidelines. Venue to be sought. Residents to be Stump Grinding invited by email notice. Also e) confidentiality and Decay transparency was discussed. Detection/Reports 5. Newsletter: a) The BHA received very positive feedback for the first newsletter printed by Solo Free Phone: 0808 1555815 Press. b) Advertising: New advertising bringing in increased revenue. c) Copy date for next Mb: 07778 811136 newsletter to be 9th May. d) Next edition will WWW.ARBOCARE.CO.UK contain a 2-page spread on Oscar Nemon.

19 Church Farm News It’s been a long and rather wet Winter for most of us but things are looking brighter, the weather is getting warmer, the nights are getting longer and restrictions are finally easing! At Church Farm, we are looking forward to our fourth year of calving which starts in April until July. We have wonderful breeding hinds which have been hand-selected as excellent mothers, as well as carefully selected stags, bringing the strongest breeding lines from around the UK, who together produce exceptionally well-bred and healthy calves. Church Farm has spent three hard years improving our land and we were able to secure a Countryside Stewardship Scheme grant last year where we planted over 4km of new native hedges and trees to increase the biodiversity around the farm. The hedgerows are now looking strong and healthy as we head into Spring/Summer. The environment our animals live in is very important in order to provide them with natural shelter, safety and good pasture. We have also secured an area of land in Bayworth to produce our own winter forage for our deer later this year. A lot of work has gone into clearing and bringing the land back to good, clean agricultural use and we have now cultivated and drilled in new herbal leys, with an overseeding project to follow in the Autumn. Essentially, this patch of land will look similar to a wild flower meadow and will provide the best natural nutrition for our animals to enjoy. This all-round mixture also promotes biodiversity, creates habitats, produces pollen and nectar and is also a superb soil conditioner and top quality forage. Chloe Alden

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20 Cooks' Corner Æbel og marcipan kage (Danish Apple and Marzipan Cake)

For the cake: Peel the apples and grate; grate the marzipan as well. 100 gr butter Put the mixture in a plastic bag with the sugar and 170 gr sugar cinnamon and shake to mix well. 180 gr plain flour Spoon the apples and marzipan mixture on top of 1 teaspoon baking powder the cake mixture. 2 eggs Beat butter and sugar into a light and fluffy cream Place in a pre- and beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix flour and heated oven and baking powder together and stir into the mixture. bake at 180’ for Spoon mixture into 8 inch square cake tin or about 30 minutes. similar. This is a traditional Danish For the topping: cake and it can be eaten warm with 3-4 apples ice cream. It is 100 gr marzipan very good. Enjoy! 2 tblsps sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon Birgit Bjerglund

21 The Eco Corner

Lewington, county bird recorder for Oxfordshire comments: “Firecrests are still extremely scarce in Oxfordshire. Up until ten years ago they were restricted to just five pairs at a site in the Chilterns”. But climate change is perhaps taking effect here too. Firecrests are now also present at “a few woods in the Thames valley” according to Mr Lewington, but breeding has only been confirmed on Boars Hill. The photograph was taken in my garden in Lincombe Lane in March – and we have seen clear evidence of nestbuilding Birdlife - Recent Sightings since then. on Boars Hill Do keep an eye out for these delightful little birds. You may well be used to seeing and hearing One of the pleasures of Boars Hill is its abundance Goldcrests - but the Firecrest is definitely their of wildlife, dependent on both preserved open more glamorous cousin, with a bold white spaces and private gardens. We are not, however, supercilium, black eye stripe and fiery orange immune to the effects of climate change, which crown, giving a much more heavily marked facial are visible even in our local wildlife. Many appearance. They are inquisitive and almost gardeners will have noted (with alarm) that nettles hummingbird-like in their pursuit of tiny insects. are no longer dying back each autumn, but rather Please do email with any sightings: initial contact surviving in the green all year round; and the via [email protected]. maintenance of adequate moisture in our sandy soils is becoming increasingly challenging. Christian Hatton These changes are also evident in the birdlife of the area. For some years now, egrets have been present along the banks of the Thames locally. A glossy ibis, a breeding bird of sites restricted to southern Europe, has recently taken up residence in Oxfordshire, being seen regularly at sites including Radley Gravel Pits. A further example of the shifting distribution of birdlife has recently been identified in gardens of Boars Hill. The Firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla), a tiny bird less than 9 cm from bill to tail and weighing scarcely more than a sugarlump, is widespread in central Europe but has a documented breeding range extending only to the south coast of the UK. Oxfordshire is very much on the northernmost fringes of this range, and Ian

Erratum Our apologies to Stephen West, Site Manager at Foxcombe Woods, for giving the wrong email address in the Spring newsletter. Stephen’s correct email address is: [email protected]

22 The Boars Hill Association welcomes all new residents Everyone who lives on Boars Hill has the automatic right to be a member of the BHA and if you have moved here recently we welcome you and your family. You will receive four copies of the Newsletter annually. To become a Full Member please complete a joining form; a suggested minimum subscription is £10 per household, with a £5 reduction for those living alone. Information and Contributions Articles for the Autumn Newsletter: Please send contributions to Nicola Park via [email protected] or by post to Hartfield, Lincombe Lane OX1 5DZ. The deadline for copy is 6th August. Articles should be no more than 700 words, although there may be exceptions to this; it is therefore important to contact the editor in advance to discuss word count. Photos should be sent in as high resolution as possible. Articles may be edited for reasons of space; the editor’s decision is final. Credits: Photos of Abingdon Abbey by Tim Miller; Firecrest photo in Eco Corner by J.S. Wainscoat; other photos by contributors of individual articles. Desk Top Publishing: John Park (also incidental images). Diary Events: Please check dates with Louise Jacobs (via [email protected]) in advance, to avoid clashes. Final details should be sent by email to Louise well before the copy date whenever possible. Hon. Treasurer: Colin Weyer, 3 Meriden, Foxcombe Road OX1 5DG; contact via [email protected] Advertisements: Please contact Louise Jacobs (via [email protected]) for information about advertising in the newsletter. Small non-commercial adverts may be included free of charge. Distribution: Co-ordinators of the distribution of the newsletter are Nigel Jones and Ann Loescher (contact via [email protected]).

Disclaimer: Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Boars Hill Association. Every effort is made to credit all material published in this journal. Should there be any unintended breach of copyright, then the Chairman must be informed to enable a correcting acknowledgement to be made. Whilst reasonable care is taken in accepting bona fide advertisements, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for their accuracy or for any unsatisfactory transactions.

© BHA 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Copy Date for Diary and next issue - 6th August 2021 Date of next Committee meeting - 4th August 2021 BHA Website – www.boarshill.info

Answer to Quiz In the Elizabeth Daryush Memorial Garden, off Ridgeway near the corner with Sandy Lane Sandy with corner the near Ridgeway off Garden, Memorial Daryush Elizabeth the In

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