1 Og Parish Newsletter Oct 2020
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Newsletter No 69 Autumn 2020 www.osa.org.uk OGBOURNE ST ANDREW, MAIZEY AND ROCKLEY NEWSLETTER Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Parish Newsletter! Inside you’ll find: Village news Community pub project 100 Club winners for July, August and Sept History Group Update Save the date for Ogbourne St Andrew Christmas Fair on 28th November The Parish in pictures VILLAGE WEBSITE ‒ OSA.ORG.UK The village website at www.osa.org.uk has lots of information about the village and pending events, including latest parish council meeting details. We would also welcome more items and photos to put on the website. Email [email protected] with any contributions. Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] Ogbourne St Andrew, Maizey and Rockley Newsletter AUTUMN 2020 VILLAGE NEWS Application for track upgrade to bridleway – update There have been three letters of objection to the application. The Definitive Map Officer at Wiltshire Council is in the process of writing his report, and continuing with investigation of some of the evidence. The initial consultation period has ended, but if anybody else has any information or has used the route, he is happy to receive further evidence forms. Anyone wishing to complete an evidence form or view the letters of objection should contact me via email: [email protected] Carolyn Davis Autumn Garden Tidy It is the time of year when the garden needs a tidy before winter sets in. This usually results in a lot more garden waste being produced at this time of the year. What to do with it all? The usual answer is to put it on the compost heap or in your green bin; however, there may be too much produced for these solutions. Covid has made it harder to take the excess to the tip because of having to book a slot. As a member of ARK (Action for the River Kennet) can I please ask that nothing is placed in the dry river bed of our Og, which feeds into the river Kennet. Anything lying in the river bed will be carried downstream when next the river flows and cause problems at the weirs. Rotted green stuff also affects the water purity of the filtered spring water which forms the Og and the Kennet. Also, we all see the horses and sheep grazing in the village and may think: “Well, they eat grass so I will give them a treat”. Quite the opposite is the effect, as grass mowings can cause a painful death. Mown grass is not masticated and processed in the same way as when an animal chews the grass growing in its field. Also, some shrubs and trees are poisonous, yew for example, but animals are not discerning enough to know. So please dispose of your garden waste responsibly. Elizabeth Wright Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] Ogbourne St Andrew, Maizey and Rockley Newsletter AUTUMN 2020 Community Pub Project 100 CLUB WINNERS This summer the Parish Council was July 2020 approached by the owners of the Silks on the st Downs restaurant and bar, inviting the 1 Marion Gordon- community to purchase the freehold of the Finlayson building and to run the business as a 2nd Liz Barnes community pub. August 2020 Having tested initial appetite, a steering group 1st Dave Hughes has been commissioned by Chair of the Parish nd Council, John Hetherington. Stuart 2 Yvonne Parsons Williamson, who has recently moved to September 2020 Ogbourne St Andrew with his young family, st has volunteered to lead the group. The group, 1 Janice Hetherington nd which is looking for additional members, will 2 Roger Swan be shortly be seeking to engage the wider Parish community to explore the opportunity Why not join the 100 and further test the business case for a club? community-owned pub. Watch this space for A 100 Club is a form of lottery. more information. Subscribers pay £2 per month and In the meantime, if you’re interested in are entered into a monthly draw. All joining the group, or would like more profits go to Ogbourne St Andrew Church. information, then please email Stuart at [email protected]. First prize is 75% of the available pot, while second prize is 25%. In particular the group is looking for new There is no limit to the number of members with legal, finance, business shares held by any one person, but planning, project management, no individual can win more than communication, marketing, hospitality and one prize per month. The more fundraising skills (you don’t have to have shares you own, the greater your them all to apply!). chances of winning! Apply to Ian Gordon-Finlayson, But most important is a willingness to be Treasurer, at [email protected], if you involved, so whatever you can offer, the group wish to join the 100 Club or to would be delighted by your support. increase your holding. Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] PleasePlease send send contributions contributions and and ideas ideas for for articles articles to to [email protected] [email protected] Ogbourne St Andrew, Maizey and Rockley Newsletter AUTUMN 2020 New parish clerk Allison Holland takes over the position of Parish Clerk from October. As a former holder of the position, she knows the role well. Our grateful thanks to Jenni Clarke for all her hard work as parish clerk in recent years. Clearing the Og If your garden borders the River Og, please remember to do your bit to keep the watercourse running freely. Please clear any debris, fallen trees or excess vegetation from the river as and when you can. It’s particularly important at this time of year as the river could start flowing again at any time. Any slowing of the flow will cause backing up and possible flooding in the villages. HISTORY GROUP NEWS The barrow project has finished, with the revitalised mound clearly visible again. As soon as the current virus regulations allow we will present our findings from the resistivity survey, but may consider a Zoom presentation if lockdown continues for too long a period. Those who use the footpath from Maizey to St Andrew may have come across a small group of us working with tapes and instruments in the “horse field” (or Hassick’s Meadow to give it its earlier name). We are in the process of carrying out a geophysical survey to see if there is any suggestion of previous buildings on the site. The topography suggests it is a possibility, but the various “humps and bumps” may simply be farm working spoil or due to gravel / flint extraction. So far we have only identified general areas of interest, with no obvious structures present, but it is early days yet! Watch this space… The History Group website now carries a short history of the schools in St Andrew (see: www.osahg.org.uk/schools) which includes a few selected extracts from the 19th century school log. Life was different then, with at least one pupil (“Shady” Stevens) walking every day from Four Mile Clump, 2.6 miles each morning and afternoon and returning for lunch – over 10 miles a day! Bruce Fox 01672 512867 www.osahg.org.uk Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] Ogbourne St Andrew, Maizey and Rockley Newsletter AUTUMN 2020 SAVE THE DATE…! Ogbourne St Andrew Church Christmas Fair: 28 November Due to Covid-19 the Christmas Fair this year will be rather different. But the PCC has carefully chosen items that can be bought in person or virtually! There will be a selection of raffles, cakes and festive produce, spring bulbs and a silent auction. Depending on restrictions in force at the time, the fair will be held at a suitable venue with time slots and social distancing in place. Further information to follow. CYCLING FOR WILTSHIRE HISTORIC CHURCHES As we haven't done much cycling this year, we decided to GO FOR IT and sign ourselves up for a challenge. Raising funds for Wiltshire Historic Churches Trust as well as benefiting our own church in Og St Andrew seemed the perfect combination! As luck would have it, the day was perfect, a gentle breeze, not too warm but nice and sunny. Ian drew up a plan and off we went, starting by cycling up the cycle path to Holy Cross at Chiseldon. From there we took in the Ogbourne churches and then on to Marlborough and four churches. Then to Preshute and finishing with Axford and Mildenhall. Ten churches in all and 26.5 miles covered. We have been delighted by the response from our kind sponsors. We have raised £330.00, which will be divided by the WHCT and Ogbourne St Andrew Church. Thanks to everyone. Ian & Marion Gordon-Finlayson Please send contributions and ideas for articles to [email protected] PleasePlease send send contributions contributions and and ideas ideas for for articles articles to to [email protected] [email protected] Ogbourne St Andrew, Maizey and Rockley Newsletter AUTUMN 2020 THE PARISH IN PICTURES A different slant on parish photographs this time – a view of the changes wrought by the expansion of the villages in the 1980s. Starting with Maizey, the manor stables and outbuildings had fallen into extreme disrepair and when the Manor was sold to developers little time was lost in pulling these down and creating the village as it is today.