Preparing this issue, we feel we’ve been have the steps! getting ready for a Christmas Party, full of And, just when you wonder what else we’ve got up our sleeves, we have Paddy interesting people we really want you to Sanger’s brilliant ghost story, The Sitting meet. They’re doing all kinds of things Tenant. Read it and feel the hairs rise on and fulfilling all kinds of dreams; they’re the back of your neck! all at different stages of their lives - but The only sad note in this issue is David’s illness. Our Christmas Services won’t be the one underlying thread links them all: their same without him. Everybody in the optimism. Hilltops holds him in great affection and o Toby Thwaites leaves for Tanzania misses him enormously. He’s getting better and Mount Kilimanjaro; Richard all the time and we’re looking forward to SCharles launches his narrowboat and the New Year when he’ll be back where he will spend the next year turning his talents belongs. to fitting her out; Lesley Paton, whose Yes, we know this has been a long beautiful goblets and tankards we first introduction but there is a lot to cover in noticed at the Full Moon, takes early this issue. You don’t have to read us in one retirement and discovers an entirely gulp. Pick us up and put us down when unexpected talent for pottery; Sandra and you have a minute. If you want to find out Peter at the Rose and Crown see all their the shape of things to come, turn to the hard work paying off; the small boy, John back page. Meanwhile it’s goodbye from Matthews, who always insisted on both of us. It’s the funny things we choosing his family’s Christmas Tree, grows remember; the extraordinary people we’ve up, goes into partnership with his brother, met; the friends we’ve made and the Robert, and their company becomes one of enormous support we’ve had. Hilltop News the of the country’s biggest suppliers. The wouldn’t have been what it is without Hunt doesn’t just survive the new them: our setters, Tony Taylor, Brian Lake, legislation but thrives on it; and on the Fletcher Nicholson and now Michael Spark; other side of the hedge – we’ve always had our long-suffering proof readers; our a sneaking admiration for him – the fox printers, PeerPress. They’ve been terrific. finds a defender in Jim Hetherington. Our advertising owes everything to the As if that’s not enough we’ve sorted out efficiency of Ann Horn and our distribution one present problem that crops up without to the meticulous organisation of Rosemary fail every Christmas: potted plants. Tricky Pearce and her distributors. And then of things aren’t they? Too dry, they die; too course, without our contributors, where wet, they die; too hot, too cold – just would we be? We couldn’t have done seeing them through to the New Year is a without any of you. minor achievement in itself. Anne Brown But there would have been no point to isn’t so easily intimidated. For her advice, all our efforts without you, our readers. read ‘On the First Day of Christmas’. So, thank you. We’ve had a wonderful Back to our party. Thanks to Lulu, we four years. We can’t ask for more than have mouth-watering food; our only that! regret is that since we failed to sign up for Carol Henry’s dancing classes, we don’t Happy Christmas!

Hilltop News 3 THE COUNTY COUNCIL government is prepared to waste millions TRUE GRIT Hall, Walton Street, Aylesbury HP20 1UA or on rearranging the deck chairs. email to [email protected]. 2006 has been a busy year at County Hall Changes in the way we manage our Parish Council Emphasize the dangers that our waste have increased our recycling and schoolchildren will be exposed to if gritting and I have been pleased to flag up issues composting and I am grateful to everyone ast year, after a lot of work by Chris services are withdrawn from school bus on a number of occasions. who makes the effort. Did you know that in Brown, the Council's representative on routes. Just imagine a busload of children arly in the year the Chiltern we now achieve over 60%? This Lthe Chiltern Local Area Committee, we careering down Gilberts Hill or Asheridge proposed changes to keeps the council tax down and best of all managed to get winter gritting reinstated Hill. Ethe catchment area is composting at home. I'm hoping my on Gilberts Hill and Oak Lane. Our main The irony is that these cuts may force rules for Dr Challoner's vegetables next year will benefit from this justification was that both these roads are more residents to use four wheel drives - meant that bright year's organic compost! on school bus routes and met the County totally against the current government youngsters from the north This year's settlement from Government Council's criteria for gritting. policy. has meant the County Council reducing its As some of our readers live in adjoining Chilterns would be BUCKLAND COMMON Transportation budget by 20%. The knock- parishes I should also add that, after a disadvantaged. Our petition with 1,500 Thanks to Councillors John Horn and Nigel on effect is a reduction in winter gritting, Parish Meeting, demonstrations in signatures was presented to County Council Blomfield we can now see the notice and Rocky Lane is the road most affected Asheridge and a campaign in the press, the and the pressure we brought on the boards at Buckland Common and use the locally. I have written to the Secretary of County Council also agreed to grit Education Department forced a re-think. Victorian post box without having to fight State protesting, supported by our MP Asheridge Hill. To meet the criteria in this May I wish the children who have just taken our way through the undergrowth. I was Cheryl Gillan, and understand it will now be case we had to point out that Bucks CC's their 11 plus every success in gaining a place quite surprised to see that the post box is included in the Priority 2 network ‘which own sign showed a different gradient to at the school of their choice in September. on its own pillar and not part of a wall. will receive post treatment for ice and snow the one used in their original calculations. This year the County Council underwent This work has made it a lot easier for me to within 48 hours subject to available So last year, sometimes after a bit of three inspections, the Corporate post information on the Council's notice resources’. Our fleet of gritting lorries has chasing, we had gritting on these roads. Assessment, Children's Services and Youth. board. been cut from 29 to 20 and I shall be taking Well done all concerned. Buckinghamshire was found to be “a top For your information the Council has a keen interest during the winter weather. Regrettably the County Council is now performing council delivering high quality notice boards at St Leonards Parish Hall, How much longer the wonderful sunny short of funds and we are told £20M is to services, affordable to the taxpayer”. We Buckland Common, Cholesbury Common days of early winter will continue, no one be cut from the highways budget and - certainly hope to retain our four star status. and the Black Horse. I also usually put knows. Bonfire night was a perfect evening guess what - gritting is to be withdrawn The Government has at last published its minutes and agendas on the board at the and so was Remembrance Sunday. from these same roads together with a few Local Government White Paper, ‘Strong and Blacksmith's in Hawridge. If you see Christmas is fast approaching and I would others - including Rocky Lane, also used by Prosperous Communities’. It sets out to anything of interest on a notice board like to wish everyone a really happy and many of our readers. The County Council tackle some of the big social issues facing come along to a Council meeting and have enjoyable holiday and a prosperous New has apparently already sold 9 of its 29 the UK. Additionally it invites partnerships your say. You will be made welcome. between County and District Councils, and Year. strong fleet of gritting vehicles in anticipation of these cuts. ALLOTMENTS talks about ‘outcomes for place shaping Tricia Birchley and service delivery’. In other words the The Parish Council is so concerned about Now is a good time to take on an the danger presented by these cuts that it allotment. There are several plots available has already called a meeting of members at the Springal Hill site and rent is only £15 from Chartridge and The Lee Parish per year for a full plot. It’s possible to take Councils to agree a joint strategy for half a plot to start off with and rent for objecting to the cuts. The next stage will the first year is free! be a meeting with the County and District Councils on 22nd November*. I have asked David Clarke for the Cabinet Member for Transportation, Clerk to the Council 758567 Councillor Mrs Val Letheren to attend that meeting as she seems to be the person *Is there any truth in the rumour that Tricia most likely to be in a position to authorise Birchley was seen with Val Letheren driving reinstatement of gritting services. at high speed down Asheridge Hill to give You can help by writing to her at County her an idea of just how dangerous it was!

4 Hilltop News Hilltop News 5 your show entries and discount at several CHOLESBURY-CUM-ST local garden centres. Members are LEONARDS reminded to take their membership cards HORTICULTURAL with them for identification purposes when SOCIETY making purchases from these nurseries. THANK YOU SO MUCH Anne Brown 758890 Hort Soc Committee to everyone in St Leonards, he Society’s final event of 2006 was www.cholesbury.com/hortsoc the AGM and supper with quiz, which Cholesbury and Buckland Common Twas held at Cholesbury Village Hall on We do congratulate the Committee on who filled out a questionnaire on Friday 10 November. Approximately 70 the most delicious AGM cottage pie! people attended what was a most convivial Please may we come again? Ed. the pressures on the land at evening. The AGM took place before the Wendover Woods. I had a fabulous meal and it was to general approval that response! Betty Gomm was elected as Vice President TANZANIA HERE of the Society in recognition of her WE COME! outstanding contribution over many years. We were also delighted to welcome y auction with a quiz and supper Rebecca Walker Barbara Baddon as a new committee on 7th November, was a great Boot House member and our thanks go to Nick success! I cannot thank everyone M Butterworth, who has agreed to act as Buckland Common enough for their help - whether it was by Honorary Auditor. John Garner has agreed donating, bidding, attending or answering to act as temporary Treasurer until a questions. There are too many names to permanent replacement for the greatly name but the support I received was missed Rosemary Lake can be found. fantastic and I am really overwhelmed by The Society has agreed to assist the everyone’s generosity. Realise your child’s potential continuing fund-raising efforts of Bucks Air The money raised was far in excess of Maths & English After-School Programmes Ambulance by donating monies raised from what I had hoped for and has helped the Open Garden event in 2007 to the • Boost your child’s confidence hugely towards my final target. There is charity. We are currently seeking • Develop good study habits still more money to raise, but I’m well on • Complement the school curriculum suggestions for where this may be held, the way to reaching my goal - Wow!! Contact your local Instructor today. taking into consideration that this will be I hope everybody enjoyed the evening widely advertised and therefore a large CHESHAM STUDY CENTRE - Min Carter as much as I did, although I must apologise garden and the availability of safe parking 01753 279 787 for the difficult questions! I have space are required. Please contact Diana kumon.co.uk Every child can shine reprimanded my mother severely for this Garner 758347 if you can offer a suitable (not really)! My particular thanks to Matt location. Baker and his wife Nicola for giving up Our first event of 2007 will be the Food their evening and time to help my cause and Wine Evening with a speaker. Notices and for helping people with the even more will be issued in the usual way. difficult questions! If you have not yet renewed your annual I will write again on my return from subscription, please contact Diana Garner Tanzania next year, so you can see what I on the above phone number. You may wish have achieved and the extent to which to consider joining, if you are not already a your generosity has helped me. member. Membership costs only £2 and Thank you very much again. benefits include the members-only summer Toby Thwaites. 758079 evening garden visit, reduced charges for

6 Hilltop News Hilltop News 7 they can fell small trees safely. extremely dangerous. Walkers have related Subscriptions HAWRIDGE & how frightening it is for them, their Annual subscriptions fall due at the AGM. The main justification for the work is that CHOLESBURY children and their dogs when they They remain at £7.50 per member and are it contributes to the Bucks Biodiversity unexpectedly encounter the bikes. A similar payable to Mike Fletcher, Ivy Cottage, COMMONS Action Plan. One of its aims is to restore encounter with a frightened horse could Cholesbury. Tring. Herts. HP23 6ND. acid grassland and heathland habitats. PRESERVATION have horrendous consequences. Hawridge and Cholesbury Commons are All our funds go to purchasing necessary SOCIETY ideal candidates for this work since they Working Parties Dec - March ’07 equipment, upkeep or repairs of our tools he AGM will be held on Wednesday have an underlying geology of clay-with- Dec 3 Quarter way down Horseblock Lane on or training of volunteers. flints, producing acidic soils. 6th December at 8pm at Cholesbury RHS We do hope that you will subscribe. Remove small stand of youngish birch and oak, TVillage Hall. After the Society’s Motorcyclists on the Commons Donations are most welcome. cut lower branches of trees where across paths, business is completed there will be wine Over the last few months we have had a continue to remove oaks from gorse area. Rake Lindsay Griffin - Chairman 758440 and cheese and a session of reminiscences number of instances of motorcyclists up thatch from gorse area to encourage gorse of the villages and the Commons by a driving on the Commons and they have germination. Bonfire panel of long-term residents. All are been here regularly over the last three welcome. This year we will have three weekends, often in twos but on 11th Dec 17 Opposite Shire Lane towards vacancies on the Committee since Nicola November at least four or five of them. As I Cholesbury Bottom Chaplin, John Garner and Mike Wallis will am sure you are aware they pose a difficult Remove trees from gorse patch and regenerate not be seeking re-election. Nicola, John problem for the Society since it is very gorse, remove oak and birch from and Mike have contributed greatly to the difficult to establish who they are, to try to neighbouring patch and oak from glade, work of the Committee and they will be prevent them from driving on the remove low branches over bottom ride and very much missed. As always, we need Commons and also to alert them to the stumps of trees already felled, remove people with all sorts of skills so if you are fact that what they are doing is not only regrowth from largest gorse patch. Bonfire interested in the Commons and in keeping illegal but also dangerous to themselves Jan 7 Between Drovers Path and bottom ride them in good shape why not stand? If you and to any unsuspecting Commons users – below Box Tree Cottage, and beside Shepherds want to join us or to know what is walkers, riders etc. We need to gather as Cottage involved, it would be helpful if you could much information about them as possible Remove sparse holly understorey in woodland get in touch with me before the meeting so that we can identify them and inform under large trees, remove oak and hawthorn on 758440 or by email them, their parents and/or the police of the trees near bottom ride to open glade beside [email protected]. It would also hazards that they pose. We know that they ride, leave apple. Bonfire. be useful to know of issues which you usually drive down the Old Berkhamsted Beside Shepherds Cottage, remove sycamore intend raising at the meeting or of Road and along Hawridge Vale and on to from hazel clump, coppice one hazel as part of questions which you might have for the the bottom horse-ride and we would rotation about four trees. Bonfire panel so that we can schedule enough time welcome any information about what they Jan 21 West side of cricket ground for discussion. do thereafter and about pick-up vehicles Remove trees and stumps from gorse patches. Grant Application which are parked in the area. Please give Thin trees, cut back lower branches and Happily the grant application which Isobel us registration numbers and details of any saplings on edge of woodland. Bonfire likely vans and trailers in the area when submitted to the Chilterns Conservation Feb 4 Glade below Benton Potts you know that they are around. Board from the Sustainable Development Clear up felled oaks and remove dead wood Fund has been successful. They have agreed The riders are certainly well kitted out and from lower branches. Remove trailing apple to provide £1500 to help us to: going at speed on the main road to the limbs. Clear holly. Bonfire 1. extend the area of heather on the south Commons. They have no number plates Feb 18th Full Moon to Shire Lane side of Horseblock Lane and when challenged to stop have simply Clear holly from mixed oak woodland with the sped past. I assume they are well aware of help of Hemel Hempstead Conservation 2. grind stumps where trees have been the fact that they are driving illegally on Volunteers. Please bring garden forks, mattocks felled in open grassland areas the roads and the Commons, however they and loppers if possible. Meet at the path from 3. re-train four of our members so that may not be aware that it is potentially Full Moon to Shire Lane. Grid Ref. 934071

8 Hilltop News Hilltop News 9 DRINK UP – IT’S BUSINESS AS USUAL ou don’t have to huddle in a down- town café for your business Ymeetings any longer. Instead, and far more enjoyable, you can hire The Full Moon’s ‘Back Restaurant’. It can comfortably accommodate up to twenty people and has a 50” screen; facilities for up to 4 WiFi laptops – or hard-wired to the PC; DVD and video facilities - not to mention excellent food! The room is also home to their new Movie Club which is held on a Sunday evening. While enjoying James Bond or the da Vinci Code – and the programme is very varied and popular - you can have dinner at tables for two or four or even hire the whole room for a private movie showing. Their new winter menu is now available - but be quick if you want to book for was nearly over before it began. My first Christmas Lunch or Dinner! ON FIRE! attempt was an absolute disaster. I Standing in Lesley Paton’s studio, thought, what a shame. I love the touch of surrounded by glowing examples of her it, the feel of it, but I’ve no aptitude at all. Then she went on a weekend course and work, it is almost impossible to believe that tried her hand on the wheel for the first until seven years ago she hadn’t so much time – her original effort had been as handled a lump of clay, let alone thrown handbuilt – and it was a revelation. I was a pot. hooked! Since then I’ve never looked back. Seven years on, the wheel may still be ven now, looking back, she’s finding her first love but she’s equally as happy her latent talent slightly astonishing. producing hand-built items where the clay EAfter all, as she says, I wasn’t remotely is rolled out rather like a lump of pastry arty at school. I can’t draw. I don’t paint; before being laid over a mould. the closest I’ve come to that is duluxing a When Lesley began, an upstairs wall; and a career spanning twenty six bedroom was pressed into service as a years in management at Marks and Spencer workroom. Glazing took place in the may be impressive but didn’t offer much kitchen. David Dennis, not just her partner scope for artistic expression. It was but her ‘partner in crime’ since he does all precisely because she’d never tried them her firing, found himself dragging heavy before that when she began laying plans bags of clay upstairs. Then there were the for her early retirement, water-colours and buckets of water. As most people know, pottery were at the top of her list. As working with clay is an exceptionally wet luck would have it she tried the clay first – and messy process. And, by her own and promptly fell in love with it. admission, Lesley’s ‘a very messy potter’ - Unfortunately as love affairs go, this one handling the wet clay is one of the aspects

10 Hilltop News Hilltop News 11 of her craft that gives her particular Do you need help with pleasure - but as she says there were trails your of white footprints everywhere! Maths or Physics The search for a proper designated at GCSE or A level? studio space may not have been their main reason for moving but it was certainly one Experienced and Patient Tutor of the key factors in choosing their present Competitive rates home at Braziers End. Now she has room for everything including her wheel and her and sold over eighty pots! Call Isobel Clark 758987 two kilns. The first of these is her electric David intervenes at this point in our email : [email protected] kiln, straightforward, rather like an electric conversation to give some idea of the sheer cooker. You set it to the required scale of work involved to mount such an temperature and it requires little exhibition. To sell so many, you really need supervision. The second, and more recent about 200 pots. For that number the lead acquisition, is her gas kiln; a scary beast time should be about two or three months that shoots flames out of the chimney at and as Lesley adds, Frequently isn’t! He is the top and round its interior. It cannot be kept busy firing at all times of the day and left alone and needs almost continual night and a pot may still be warm when it monitoring, but gives Lesley’s glazes both goes on display! Having come from the colours and effects that can’t be achieved business world where deadlines can be met in its less temperamental brother. As within an hour if necessary, Lesley has David points out, one of her favourite gradually come to terms with the fact that glazes, which produces a magnificent you can’t rush clay. You can’t pick it up for almost oxblood red in the gas kiln, would absorbed by the ceramic leaving a fine half an hour like knitting. There is the turn green in the electrical kiln. Luckily he layer of powder which vitrifies on the preparation time and the clearing up has the patience, enthusiasm and skill second firing at a much greater afterwards. Some processes can’t be needed for both these kilns, acquired from temperature. (You can tell how closely we completed in a day. On the second firing books, courses and hard experience, over listened to her!) the kiln has to be allowed to cool down for the years since Lesley’s ambitions first Of course it is one thing to have passion twelve hours before you can begin to take caught fire. He also mentions how and a talent, quite another to exhibit your the pots out; it’s a long drawn out process generous other potters are when it comes work and sell it. As she says, there were a – but great fun! to expanding their knowledge. If you great many minor catastrophies in the early We’re not surprised she describes herself admire a particular glaze or effect, they days - pots you wouldn’t give your worst as addicted. It’s a passion she’s continually immediately tell you exactly how they enemy! But four years ago she joined two exploring both in her finer porcelain and achieved it. local potting societies and tentatively her stoneware; she has recently produced Lesley’s present absorption is with began submitting some of her pots to one a particularly delicate almost turquoise glazes. They’re both the most difficult, of their exhibitions. However it was when translucent glaze for the former which has tricky and satisfying part of the process; Liz, the owner of Chapter One bookshop in given her particular pleasure. And the one aspect that she probably dreads Chesham, generously offered her the space whatever she does, her work is absolutely most and the one that gives her possibly for her own exhibition three years ago, beautiful. No wonder there are so many the biggest sense of achievement, partly that things really took off. She certainly people eager to buy it. Perhaps her because she can never predict with any didn’t expect it to be the success it was. I success might encourage others to start to certainty what the outcome will be when was absolutely terrified. I was convinced I’d follow a few of their hopes and dreams they’re applied after the first firing. (As an sit there surrounded by all these pots and and try something new, whatever age they example: a black glazed mug was pink no-one would come. She needn’t have are. Do contact her on when it went into the kiln.) The water worried. It went really well. This summer from the thick cream of the glaze is then she held her third exhibition at Chapter One

12 Hilltop News Hilltop News 13 SITTING TENANT son noticed an old lady standing at the bottom of the drive. She was holding her t was June 1988 and we had been handbag to her front and staring at the looking for a new house for months. house. I went down and greeted her and IThat particular Saturday, estate agent’s she was quick to apologise for startling details in hand, we arrived at the cottage us. This had once been her home. She, her in the picture. There was almost no father and brother had been the first driveway and the front garden was a field. occupants. I invited her in and she was My husband parked, got out, proceeded to happy to regale me with tales of her look around and finally turned the key in life here. Her brother had the back door and looked inside. I waited been a budding painter in the car with the boys. He asked me if I when he was wanted a look. Apparently the floor inside conscripted into the was covered in dead vermin. We found out First World War. He later that our neighbour had had the 'rat lost a leg fighting in catcher' in. For some reason I declined and the trenches and was just asked my husband what he thought. repatriated, but his The next day we agreed to put in an offer Apparently our house had been built in troop carrier was sunk for the asking price. On reflection it seems 1898 and we were the third occupants. The with all hands. He never returned to odd to buy a house without looking inside, first was a game keeper with his son and the house. She was happy to find that its but I was perfectly happy with it. It had a daughter. The second was a lovely quiet comforting. latest occupants were equally at home and warm and friendly feeling. man, already old by the time our Absolute silence. But in love with the place. We bade her There was loads to do of course. The neighbour had moved there thirty five that night the silence was broken by a farewell. house needed complete renovation. years earlier. The house was a little shuffling sound on the landing. Each time I Years passed. My eldest son, now in his Builders came and went, months passed, different in those days: an outside loo and investigated, the sound would fade, only to teens, awoke one night to see the shadow seasons changed and finally we all moved coal hole and a kitchen, where the bath return a few minutes later. No matter. All cast across the floor again. But this time he in. It still had cold floors and unpainted was kept. There was no oven, so old houses have their own noises at night didn't call me. He knew he was safe and walls, so the furniture stayed in storage, presumably cooking was done on a stove, at some time. Maybe the new pipes? that whoever was with him meant him no making the house still feel vacant. I began which explained the smoke-stained walls. Time passed. The months rolled by. The harm. The old lady had convinced us of painting what we decided would be our Standards had been primitive and so, as the house became really cosy, even though I that all those years before. We were bedroom. I was a good painter in those man entered his eightieth year, the family say so myself. We enjoyed everything about content in the knowledge that the man felt days and I whipped round in no time. I insisted he move into sheltered the house and garden. I suppose my boys he could return to the place where he had stood back to admire my work. To my accommodation. He spent the week must have been about six and four when been so happy. surprise, hand imprints had appeared preparing himself for the move, coming to my eldest awoke in his bunk one night. Often when my husband is busy in his through the paint. They weren't mine but I terms with leaving his beloved home, basic Something had disturbed him enough for study, he'll shout his compliments through didn't give it much thought. It was clearly though it was. The day came. They found him to call me, which he had never done to our new kitchen, exclaiming that my going to take another coat of paint, so the him in the kitchen, sat in his chair, ready to before. I ran up. He'd woken and become cooking smells good. Invariably, I won't next day I went round with the pot once go, bags packed, suit on, lifeless. aware of a strange shadow across the floor have even started cooking yet, but I'll just more. That night I fell into bed with the He had loved this house. in the moonlight: that of a man standing agree with him. Whatever it is does smell kind of content fatigue that only a good The room was now to become my at the window wearing a big coat. Except good. Maybe it's a game-bird? day's work can bring. With the click of the husband's study. We painted it. We hung nobody had been at the window to cast it. We never really talk about our meeting light switch those hands appeared again. I curtains. We did all the things one does My son was shaken but everything else was with the old lady. It's an unspoken rule. I was so tired I wasn't bothered. What the restoring a property. Most of the time I fell normal in the room so I soothed him to was never good with numbers, but if she heck. Tomorrow I'd do it again. into bed and woke with the alarm. So it sleep, explaining that it must have been a truly was who she said she was, she must We'd been there a couple of weeks and was strange to wake suddenly in the dead dream. have been 112 years old. each day I'd pass the time of day with our of night. I'd never been afraid in the A few months passed and we were in Paddy Sanger new neighbour, an elderly lady. house. I always found the silence the garden tidying for spring. My youngest

14 Hilltop News Hilltop News 15 THURSDAY CLUB LOCAL CHOLESBURY-CUM-ST NEIGHBOURHOOD HISTORY LEONARDS W.I. WATCH ur Christmas Party will be held on GROUP he Secretary's Report at the Annual Thursday 14th December at olice have been Meeting in October highlighted the O7.30pm at St Leonards Village Programme For Autumn 2006 warning of variety of speakers and wide range of Hall. This will be a buffet supper – please T distraction ave you ever wondered why the mean- activities which have been enjoyed over the P be kind enough to bring a contribution! burglaries in the South streets of the Hilltop Villages are past twelve months and, as the year draws Dave Clarke and friends are coming to Bucks area, particularly empty on the First Friday of the to a close, December will be Christmas entertain us! You are all most welcome! H targeted Month? To find out where everybody is, just Party time. So that we have some idea of numbers, at the elderly and mosey on down to St Leonards Parish Hall. please contact Brian and Anne Lake – The New Year opens on Monday, January vulnerable. They also warn that the Visitors most welcome at £2 for the evening 01296 620169; Violet Lovett – 758775; 15th with Valerie Schuch telling us about internet is increasingly under attack via or become a Member just £6 for the season. Primrose and Alan Langdon – 01296 696092 "Aloe Vera And Healthy Living", followed viruses, unwanted emails and online fraud. On Friday 1st December at 8.15pm we or Joan Walton – 758332. in February on Monday 19th by Jean There is a web-site: www.getsafeonline.org welcome David Stevens to hear about The We will be holding a Social Afternoon Nettleton and Val Haywood talking about which provides simple, reliable and History and Work of the Boxmoor Trust. on 19th January at 2.30pm at St their work in Gambia. practical security advice on a range of Our New Year starts on Friday 5th Leonards Village Hall. Please contact the Meetings are held in St Leonards Parish topics and the Neighbourhood Watch January at 8.15pm with a return visit by committee members for details. Hall, starting at 8pm - Carol Henry was re- Office say that the advice is objective and Colin Oakes who will be talking about The Our Annual Quiz Evening is on 16th elected as President at the Annual Meeting balanced. Also, a reminder that Christmas Workhouses and Riots - in Amersham - of February 2007. Please put it in your diary! and will be pleased to give you more will soon be here - presents on view could 1835. details on 758435. be an easy target! Looking ahead to Friday 2nd February The number for reporting incidents to the FRIENDS OF ASHRIDGE same time and place, our speaker is another police is 08458 505505, the Crimestoppers old friend, Clive Foxell, who will tell us all Sunday 3 December 10am to 4pm: number is 0800 555 111, and the about The Ten Cinemas of Chesham. Ashridge at Christmas. emergency number for immediate Horses outside only please, gun- belts to attention is 999. The Friends of Ashridge invite you to be surrendered at the door! prepare for Christmas by visiting stalls Chris Brown 758890. Shirley Blomfield 758314 laden with local produce, crafts and gifts. There will be Christmas carols and a tombola with prizes generously 100 CLUB WINNERS donated by Friends. October 2006 Ashridge Visitor Centre. Entry Free. 1st Prize £15 No 93 Mrs C Matthews The Vale 2nd Prize £10 No 7 Mr B Lake Coppice Farm Park

November 2006 1st Prize £15 No 26 Mrs D Mills St Leonards 2nd Prize £10 No 52 Mrs J C Stevens St Leonards New Members always welcome - please contact the Treasurer, Paul Thomas 758062

16 Hilltop News Hilltop News 17 YOU ARE INVITED! he regular monthly Tea Parties at St Leonards Church Room have been PHYSIOTHERAPY AT HOME Twonderfully well attended, and there are now more than thirty five people who Chartered Domiciliary join us – some regularly and some Physiotherapist occasionally. We particularly welcome those of you who may not be able to get out and Liz Holroyd MCSP Member of the Health Professions Council about as easily as in the past or who might just like the opportunity to meet for a chat Local, experienced physiotherapist now offer- with other Hilltop Villagers. The Church ing domiciliary physiotherapy for sports, spinal Room at St Leonards is warm and and general injuries. Treatments available include welcoming; the scones and cakes delicious • Assessment & Advice and conversation buzzes as people meet up • with old friends and make new ones! Mobilisation and Manipulation News and views are passed around and • Rehabilitation Exercises. everyone leaves knowing a lot more about • Electrotherapy life in the Villages than when they came! Our Christmas Tea Party is on Registered with most major health insurers Wednesday 20th December and we look Telephone 01494 757132 forward to seeing you. Please let Anne Lake 01296 620169 DAVE CLARKE performing an entire evening at the Court know if you need transport – it’s not a Theatre two nights previously, but they did problem. We always meet from 3 to AND FRIENDS agree to do a few F and S animal numbers, 4.30pm. Last year, after our last concert at St including the ill-fated Ostrich. No problem Dates for the first half of the New Year are finding suitable songs for the choir and Leonards Village Hall, when liberally as follows: 24th January, 28th February, soloists - one of my personal highlights 28th March, 25th April, 23rd May, plastered with mud after helping drivers being Bob Davies' rendition of The Ugly off a very wet playing field, I vowed never Duckling with actions by Mike Bernstein. 27th June. to do another concert! However the dinner Those of us who saw Kate Davies in Under Milk Wood at the Court Theatre suit came up very nicely after a clean and already know her ability to perform poetry. the urge to perform was still alive so we To others her brilliant rendition of Roald W.H.AW.H.A UpholsteryUpholstery gave our third concert on 7th October in Dahl's stories came as a revelation! Incidentally, don't miss Kate's wonderful RE-UPHOLSTERY SPECIALIST aid of Village Hall funds. childrens choir, The Max Choir at Tring IN reviously we had performed what we Church on 16th December. Most of our ANTIQUE & MODERN FURNITURE particularly enjoy doing: no theme or performers will be involved in this concert ALSO LOOSE COVERS Pany semblance of logic; just get on with Tring Choral Society. stage and sing! This year we ran out of Our sincere thanks to the Hall Free Estimates No Obligation ideas so decided not only to work with a committee and particularly to the caterers theme but to add some poetry. This led to 01494 862821 (Day) for a superb supper. Where did you get Act 1 Love and Romance and Act 2 01628 521210 (Evenings) Animals. those pies? 21 Haleacre Workshop, Watchet Lane Mike and Colin had had enough A wonderful evening and my DJ’s still Little Kingshill, Great Missenden. HP16 0DR Flanders and Swan for one week, after looking good!

18 Hilltop News Hilltop News 19 herself roped in to sell since he couldn’t get LIGHT UP THE TREE! away until the end of term! The first thing that strikes you talking to Even when John left Reading – in the depth of the recession in 1991 – and John Matthews is how remarkably cheerful started looking for a ‘proper’ job, he found and full of energy he sounds for a man that selling trees was something he could with 150,000 Christmas Trees on his mind do while writing CV’s. And when, after six months, he was successful, nothing could and Christmas only weeks away. You’ve drag him away from them. probably seen the small forest of them – in By now it was becoming very apparent fact they’re just some of his trees – at that we had to find somewhere to grow Christmas Tree Farm at the bottom of trees – until now we’d been buying them in – and find a good retail site. However it’s Amersham Hill. And while we start one thing to be the man with the great thinking about our tree only as the day ideas: what you need when you seriously looms, he thinks about them 365 days of want to expand is someone with the the year! capital and the same determination and outlook, prepared to go into partnership. e can only guess what that feels Enter Robert. The answer to their prayers like; the people who know are came just ten days after so-called ‘Black Whis brother and partner, Robert Wednesday’ in 1992 – always known as and the rest of the family, Philip and Chris ‘White Wednesday’ to John for that reason and his parents Joan and Jim who’ve all – when John Page’s farm came up for sale been involved since the beginning of an in Bellingdon and Robert managed to buy enterprise which in seventeen years has 30 acres at Harris Lane, at auction. Now become one of the biggest Christmas Tree they had the land, they needed advice and Nowadays John reckons they actually sell – from the age of three years old until it’s retailers in the country. found a grower in Norfolk happy and both wholesale and retail – about 10,000 harvested. You wonder what might have happened willing to tell them how to grow Christmas trees a year. As a rule they buy them from Being a successful grower and retailer if Jim and Joan had actually raised any trees. Then in 1993 they planted their first a nursery at about four years old and doesn’t just require hard work; you need objections that first Christmas all those 40,000 trees. Another great idea, but one nurture them for another eight years foresight too. The business was just years ago when John had the brilliant idea with a slight draw back: in fact it takes at before they harvest them. Back for a beginning to take off when the non-drop of buying 100 Christmas Trees to sell from least nine years to grow a Christmas tree. moment to those 40,000 in Bellingdon: Nordman Fir was being introduced. There their front garden at Conkers to earn As John says cheerfully, at least it gave us they reckon they’ve had one full crop since was no guarantee that it would succeed or money while he was still studying some time to think. they bought them. that the Norway Spruce would find itself Agricultural Economics at University. To this Undeterred, they realised the enormous John laughs when he talks about the gradually being replaced; we had to take a day he doesn’t know why they said yes! importance of finding a retail site that popular misconceptions on his favourite chance. They also had to get the right They were fantastic! Perhaps it was could also double as a growing field and in subject. For a start, most of his customers variety for our rather weak Chiltern soil. something of a relief that they didn’t have 1994 after looking as far north as Luton have the idea that a tree takes about six Would it occur to you – it didn’t to us to sell all the trees - some he sold from lay- and Milton Keynes and as far south as months to grow, rather like wheat! Then either – that some firs might like Chesham bys and others at Reading University – in Reading, they found it – on their own there’s the notion that you can just plant and thrive there but hate Horseblock and fact all over the place. Looking back he doorstep at the bottom of Amersham Hill. them and leave them. Well, no. In fact they some parts of Bellingdon? says that he bought the trees on December We can’t help thinking that Robert and need an enormous amount of work when John is proud of the fact that he grows 1st and sold the last one on Christmas Eve! John are proof that the harder you work they’re grown on a commercial scale like on former arable land unsubsidised by the It was a good omen. Still at University by the luckier you get. Christmas Tree Farm this: you have to consider the continual EEC and that his trees have healthy green the following year he had more than was their major break-through. Since then weed, pest and insect control and the credentials; They’re continually being doubled the business and learnt two vital they haven’t looked back and twelve years shaping that are necessary. Each tree will replaced, unlike the rain forests, and lessons: the importance of clear signposting on the partnership is still going strong. also get individual treatment once a year actively improve the atmosphere. As we and service! Again his mother found

20 Hilltop News Hilltop News 21 NOW YOU SEE IT – NOW YOU DON’T! THE SAGA OF THE CHAMBERS GREEN ROAD SIGNPOST ime was when it used to be the policy of the Department of Transport to Tget rid of old fashioned cast iron or wooden signposts, and to replace them with modern reflective signs. Fortunately some of the traditional signs were overlooked for many years, and the policy has now changed to retain and look after the few remaining old signposts on minor roads. In the villages, we have two wooden signposts - at the bottom of Gilbert's Hill and at Vale Farm and just one cast iron one which is in Chambers Green Road on the way to The Lee. Back in 2002 the cast iron signpost was over half a century old and in a sad state - the finial was missing, one finger had been replaced in wood and the iron fingers were rusty and rickety. What to do? Debate raged at County Council level until a specialist restoration company in Cumbria came to the rescue and it was agreed to make a new finial and a finger pointing to St Leonards and Buckland Common. The post was removed to be refurbished and we waited and we waited until in 2005 said before it’s nearly Christmas and for Bucks County Council put the post back – John and Robert and the family some gleaming in black and white - but just as things don’t change. His mother, Joan, will rickety as before. I wrote to Shaun Pope be there selling trees; his brother, Philip pointing out the faults in design, will be providing much of the labour to construction and paint type. It lasted less harvest them through his agricultural than a year as first one and then two of contracting business and of course, Chris is the fingers fell off! This time the Signpost already running one of their retail sites. Restoration Company is to come and put Even Jim will be roped in to help. It’s no the signpost together correctly. surprise we nearly called this article ‘A Watch this space - your sleuth hopes to Family Affair’! take pictures of the work for the next And when you look at your glorious edition of HN. Christmas tree on Christmas morning, remember elsewhere some people are Oliver Parsons already thinking about next year’s! www.christmastreefarm.co.uk

22 Hilltop News Hilltop News 23 radio stations, to improve reception S.O.S especially at greater distances from the hen passing the top of the Crong, transmitter. It provides similar services for you may have wondered Amateur radio enthusiasts. Wsometimes about the wireless Another function is to provide certain mast. Although the site has a notice dispersed public and private bodies with saying it belongs to an Ambulance NHS internal links between their branches, as an Trust, there is little about what the mast alternative to using telephone. actually does. The focus is therefore on facilitating The South Central Ambulance Service public and broadcasting services. It does NHS Trust has been kind enough to give not communicate with mobile handsets, the following information for Hilltop nor does it transmit any signals resembling readers. those. The site poses no risk to the public, ‘The mast's main function is to is controlled by Ofcom regulations, and has communicate with Ambulance and other been checked by the HSE. It complies with Public Safety services in responding to all current regulations and the site is emergencies and dealing with a variety of monitored on a regular basis to ensure it safety and security matters. conforms to the licence terms’. Besides this, it does some additional So spare a warm thought for it next jobs. In particular, it acts as a repeater to time you pass... extend the range of transmissions to the general public. In this role it serves local Nigel Lewis VILLAGE SIGNS TRING CHORAL Dancers End Shaun Pope of Bucks County Council writes: SOCIETY I can now confirm that the village entry ring Choral Society will be performing sign will be installed during the week Vaughan Williams’ ‘Hodie’ at Tring commencing 27/11/06, at the 40mph TChurch on Saturday 16th terminal sign/previous village sign location December. A number of local singers as you enter Cholesbury from the perform with the choir and this year the Wigginton direction. Max Choir will be joining us for the David Clarke, Clerk to the Council writes: Christmas concert. They are a group of Public response to the first two ‘trial’ signs talented children selected from local at Buckland Common and Cholesbury primary schools and are directed by our Common was not favourable so the County own Kate Davies. Please contact me – Council are trying a new design which they 758567 - or Kate and Bob Davies - 758687 hope we will prefer. It will be situated for tickets. close to the 40 mph sign in Cholesbury Dave Clarke Road, almost opposite Paddy and Windsor Thomas. The circle is for a 40 sign and presumably the separate board will say ‘Cholesbury’. If this one is acceptable we will all get them. HN readers should comment to [email protected].

24 Hilltop News Hilltop News 25 vixen giving the impression that she is of towns -mainly in the South - where being murdered! The vixen selects a housing density was low and large gardens suitable den or earth which can be an abounded. One of the more growing enlarged burrow typically under tree roots attractions was the availability of new types or a hole in a crevice or even under a of food – partially eaten Big Macs, garden shed. Unlike the female badger, the sandwiches and other convenience foods. vixen does not line the earth with nesting This has accelerated the colonisation of material. Foxes and badgers have been towns to the point where one in seven henhouse or pheasant pen, it can slaughter known to co-exist in a sett, unlike Tommy foxes is now a ‘townie’. It must be said that dozens of birds in a murderous frenzy – far Brock and Mr Tod in Beatrix Potter’s ‘Tale of the consumption by foxes of human FANTASTIC MR FOX! more than it can possibly devour or carry Mr Tod’. Quarrels are rare except when the detritus can be exaggerated; more than away. That’s why Sally Reynolds invested in young need protection. In any fight, my half of the townie’s diet still derives from Any study of our Hilltop fauna is an eight foot electrified fence to protect money would always be on the badger! rats and other rodents which the fox helps incomplete without mention of the red fox her birds! Yet there have been some lucky A little under eight weeks from mating, to control. During the past decade, foxes – that lithe, agile, graceful creature which is escapes; David Brockett’s wife so berated a a litter of four or five blind, chocolate have set up home in Downing Street, the one of nature’s greatest survivors. Heavily fox that was carrying off one of their white brown cubs are born and, for the following Millennium Dome and St Pauls Cathedral. ducks that the animal dropped the bird and two weeks, the vixen stays with them while One wag gave the nickname of ‘Red Ken’ persecuted by man and massacred on the slunk off! On another occasion, the (unusually in a mammal) the male does the to a particularly large fox that used to be roads, it manages to flourish throughout Butterworths thought that all their hens shopping, feeding and general running seen near City Hall! the country. had been killed by a marauding fox; in the around. Dog foxes are said to make A recent BBC survey found that over middle of the night they bundled the devoted fathers. Since the fox is known to 80% of Londoners polled considered the he adult population in Britain is corpses back into the hen house only to be polyandrous (the female frequently fox to be an important and welcome thought to number about 250,000 find them all sitting on their perch the next mates with several males) one assumes that member of British wild life. Many Tduring the winter. In early summer, morning. They appear to have feigned the attentive dog cannot be entirely sure householders put out food for them and after the cubs have been born, it rises to death in order to outwit the fox…and they where his genes have been passed on! After treat them as pets. Local councils have about 650,000 but then quickly falls back call the fox cunning! four or five weeks’ development, the cubs given up any attempt to control urban with some 100,000 culled and a staggering Because the animal has a comparatively emerge and their fur begins to change to foxes and private pest controllers have 300,000 deaths from motor accidents and small stomach, it eats little and often, reddish brown; their blue eyes turn to the made very little impact on numbers. Some natural causes. The only natural predator of burying surplus food in a cache for amber which produces that characteristic irresponsible firms are releasing captured adult foxes is the golden eagle which is consumption later. In the wild, the fox is an foxy stare. The family unit often includes foxes into the countryside where the urban scarcely likely to control foxes around here opportunistic, omnivorous feeder; it forages non-breeding vixens from previous years creature has great difficulty in adapting and or make any impact on numbers generally! mainly at night. The diet varies with the that help the mother rear her cubs. There is surviving. Marcus Reynolds spotted some A fully grown dog fox measures nearly a season and includes rabbits, leverets, rats, a strict social structure and vixens will fight such imports into our locality last year; he metre long with a thick white-tipped tail or mice, birds and their eggs, earthworms, to establish the ‘pecking’ order. described the animals as mangy and sickly. brush half as long again. Vixens are smaller beetles, frogs and a variety of carrion. In October and November the young dog Mange can have a devastating effect on fox and more lightly built. Both sexes have a Another favourite is fruit – autumn fox foxes and some vixens leave the territory to populations; it is said that the virulent rich red-brown coat which is at its best in droppings will turn purple from the establish their own. It is at this time that so disease wiped out about 90% of Bristol’s the autumn after a protracted summer consumption of plums, elderberries and, in many young foxes are killed on the road or urban foxes during the nineties. moult which can make the fox look particular, blackberries. These droppings, die of starvation during a hard winter. Over One is left with the impression that, unkempt, even mangy. The chin and chest which are often used to scent- mark the half of them will perish in their first despite its marauding existence, the fox – are white and there are black socks to every fox’s territory, have a distinctive pungent year and four out of five will die whether rural or urban – is generally foot. smell which will be very familiar to Hilltop before they are three years old. respected and admired for its enterprise Widespread throughout the world, the dog walkers! Wild foxes can, exceptionally, and ability to adapt to changing fox is indigenous to the whole of Britain. Foxes breed only once a year, most reach the age of eight but an circumstances. Like it or not, Reynard Records show that it has been regarded as a mating occurring in January or early average life span of two to three will be with us for a pest and persecuted for centuries because February. This is the time when our sleep years is the rule. good time yet! of its formidable destructive powers. As is can be disturbed by the barking of males Between the world wars, the fox well known, if a fox gains access to a and that unearthly scream of the courting began to move into the leafy suburbs Jim Hetherington 758836

26 Hilltop News Hilltop News 27 to look at the music menu and smelt the ‘THERE’S MUSIC HERE’S TO THE ROSE bacon and black pudding – you’re hooked! IN THE AIR’ AND CROWN! But Peter and Sandra do see the wider picture and give an enormous amount of ome music teachers make music, eep an eye on the blackboard outside time and energy to fund-raising for the others make magic: it’s as simple as the Rose and Crown and you won’t Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted. that. And that more or less describes be disappointed: their fantastic S K Their bungee jump at the end of the Anne and Andrew McCrorie- Shand. We programme of Live Music will certainly summer produced the amazing sum of mentioned the extraordinary dynamics of draw you in during the run up to £1,420. Twenty three people, some of them the two-day course for young musicians in Christmas! Last Friday they had more than members of The Big Dog Theatre who the summer issue. Now British Music a hundred and fifty customers enjoying a rehearse locally, dared to jump from a two Workshops have produced their great mixture of guest ales and music; in hundred foot crane; they deserved to programme for the Christmas holidays. If fact one of their regulars described it as make a lot money! Peter is now working you are a hopeful young musician between ‘just like the old days’. We don’t think you with Jeff Piggott from the Running Club at the ages of 7 and 11 slightly despondent at can pay them any greater compliment! keep coming back, Andrew, Anne and their the Top Notch Fitness Centre in Chesham, the prospect of all that practice; Peter says, ‘We work closely with Tring teachers are continually expanding the making plans for a run to raise further wondering where it’s all leading, you Brewery and it’s thanks to them we are programme to meet their increasing funds for the Hospice should know that this will be held on 21st now regularly serving guest abilities. which will probably and 22nd December at the Egerton ales from the cask However, they do have other projects take place next Rothsay School in Berkhamsted. Just to which sits on consuming their time. One of their most February. See remind you: it doesn’t matter what level the bar’ unusual involves mothers presently in the February/ you are; what instrument you play – you’ll CAMRA - prison and their children. They work with March issue of probably have had it several months – or if so them on designated Family Days because HN for final you sing. A quick glance at some of the impressed ‘there aren’t many ways in which they can details. music you might be playing should that they rebuild these relationships but music makes Peter and convince you : Pink ‘Get the Party Started’; awarded it easier to cross the bridge’. Sandra would Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’; The Scissor Sisters; the Rose It’s Anne’s heartfelt final comment that like to pay Satie, ‘Gymnopedie’; Howard Blake ‘The and Crown stays in the mind. ‘You simply can’t find great tribute Snowman’; Mike Oldfield ‘Tubular Bells’. their Mid- what we offer on your own, on a computer to the support The list is continually being updated: for a Chilterns or in a book. We want the experience to that Annie and look at the complete list and for more Most have an influence long beyond these two Peter from the information it’s definitely worth looking on Improved Pub in 2006 - days. Each workshop is a complete labour Full Moon have their website actually came last year on Christmas of love: the fee charged will never given them recently. www.britishmusicworkshop.co.uk or Day; this year they’ve booked their represent the time we put into it. It’s When your business is beginning ringing 758779. You don’t know where it Christmas Dinner for the middle of the something we hope to continue as long as to take off it’s sometimes quite difficult to might take you! month. The food is now in the hands of the children keep coming’. judge how many customers are going to As Anne says, several new bands have Adam, formerly Barbara Windsors’ talented come in. The Albertos have provided kegs formed since this summer’s Workshops at chef at the Old Plough in Winchmore Hill of beer and other forms of help in more which 85 children played. And Anne and who has been cooking for Sandra and than one emergency! Andrew haven’t lost touch with these Peter for about five months - and he’s embryonic groups now that their course is certainly made an impression – they’re Watch this space; Sandra and Peter over. That’s not their style. They’re not already fully booked for Christmas Day! have really worked hard since they took just happy to oversee them and help Their popular Fish and Chip Takeaway is over The Rose and Crown and it’s clearly arrange their music, teachers will go to the now back on the menu – except on paying off; they’re very much part of the occasional rehearsal and lend their Sundays - and builders and business men community. Congratulations! Ed. encouragement - although so high is their alike are enjoying Breakfast, yes, Breakfast! enthusiasm and professionalism they don’t from 9.30 till 11am every weekday really need it! Because so many children morning. By the time you’ve slowed down

28 Hilltop News Hilltop News 29 AND NOW IVOR WRITES So are your preparations for Christmas going CHESHAM FENCING A friend was woken very early on Christmas according to plan? If not, celebrate the fact Morning by the ringing of the phone. It was that Christmas is about the ability and SUPPLIES LTD his Vicar. ‘The wife’s gone into labour early, willingness of God to arrive in our midst when ASTON HILL, ASTON CLINTON John’, he said. ‘I’ve got to take her to the everything is unprepared and the best laid Nr WENDOVER WOODS hospital. Sorry but you’ll just have to cope. plans have gone severely wrong. Think how ‘Bye’. John, recently ordained as Deacon, but much of the ministry of Jesus – the teaching, not yet a priest, wondered how he was going the miracles, the incidental meetings which to cope - completely unprepared; not at all changed people’s lives – happened because sure what was supposed to be happening; his plans had been interrupted. unable to celebrate Communion; no sermon Think too of the Nativity, unprepared and prepared and with some of the largest FROM THE VICARAGE inconvenient, yet able to speak to us and congregations of the year! David and I would like to say a big draw us as the most carefully prepared birth YOUR LOCAL ‘Thank You’ for all the cards, flowers, It was only later that the irony of the situation at home in Nazareth might not have done. MANUFACTURERS struck him. What should have been carefully gifts and letters sent to us over the So do enjoy Advent and Christmas and be Est. 1958. prepared and meticulously executed worship, last few weeks since David’s stroke. ready to find God in the things that don’t go QUALITY celebrating the arrival of Jesus, the Saviour of according to plan! FENCING & SHEDS. David is now able to walk properly, the World, born as a baby at an inconvenient TRADE & RETAIL and feeling is returning to his hand, moment and unprepared for, had been WELCOME. arm and leg. However, his speech will disrupted by the birth of a baby born at an LARCH LAP PANELS take a while to return to normal and CLOSEBOARD PANELS. inconvenient and unprepared moment. It YOU’VE SEEN TRELLIS. he will not be working until the end of was, in its own way, supremely appropriate. THE REST NOW DECKING. January. TRY TH E BEST ENTRANCE GATES. I thought of John a year or two later when PHONE TODAY ARCHES,PERGOLAS. We very much value your thoughts my then Rector phoned me up one day just SIDE GATES,LOG ROLLS, and prayers and we are grateful to before Christmas. ‘I’ve got a migraine – you’ll 01296 POST & RAIL. those of you who have helped or have CONCRETE POSTS. have to cope with the Ladies’ Group CHAIN LINK. ETC. offered to help with transport for Christmas Service’! 623139 myself and the children. Thank you to you all. Then there was another Christmas Day when I had taken a morning service before taking We wish you a very happy and communion to two of our parishioners who peaceful Christmas. were in the same ward in the hospital. They Lots of love had both lived in the village for some years and not very far apart – but they had never Penny, David, Emma, Robert and met one another. We were given a corner of Charlotte. the ward and on our side of the screen we CHILTERN CATS PROTECTION celebrated the birth of Christ in the Reg. Charity 203644 Sacrament, while on the other side the rest of the world celebrated exuberantly and noisily. I Rescue and re-homing of cats and kittens had no idea until that day that there are in the Chiltern area. certain serious medical conditions which are Can you offer a home to one of the cats best treated with liberal doses of alcohol and in our care? Please contact plenty of song – in fact the noisier the better! I was very much aware of the presence of Sue Bloss 01494 776151 God, and he seemed to be smiling. ‘You Fiona Ogden 01494 758354 know’, I almost heard him say, ‘This is exactly like it was at Bethlehem’.

30 Hilltop News Hilltop News 31 32 Hilltop News Hilltop 33 11.30pm - Parish Communion will be singing. As usual there will be 25th December Christmas Day mulled wine and mince pies after the 10am – Joint Parish Communion at St service and all are very welcome to share in Laurence Cholesbury the Christmas Story. Nothing really matters this Christmas more than David’s health. We are delighted to tell Advance notice! We are holding a We will be Carol Singing around the you that he is making gradual and good progress and hopes to be back in action possibly concert in the Church on Saturday 24th village on Monday 18th December. March with The Consort – an A Cappella Everyone to meet at Sue Fletcher's house, at the end of January. Much love and support have been given to David, Penny and their Choir – starting at 7.30pm. This promises to Ivy Cottage, from 6.30 for a 7 o’clock family and the Hilltop Parishes are extremely grateful for this. We are overwhelmed by the be a wonderful evening! Please contact departure. We do like to start early as the generosity of members of the Clergy and local friends who by coming forward to help are either Joan or Margaret Walton – 758332 – children join in. Please bring your own enabling our services to continue as usual. for tickets. The programme will be issued in torch. advance and will be your entrance ticket. Well yes, Cholesbury Church was on ST LEONARDS visiting angels or shepherds are most Channel 5 on Wednesday 8th November. welcome to join us! HAWRIDGE CHURCH WALKING GROUP The play showed a funeral in an Afternoon Tea Parties in the Church On Christmas Morning - following on The Christmas walk is on 5th December unidentified church and the congregation Room – Very much enjoyed by everyone! from David’s very successful short (yes, and will start at the later time of 10.30am. leaving Cholesbury church from where they The next one will be on Wednesday 20th really…thirty five minutes!) Service last We will meet at The White Lion Pub at walked over the road and straight into The December and we look forward to seeing year Elizabeth Moxley, the Curate at Aston Startops End, Marsworth and we have Old Swan! This was a small part of six hours’ you at 3 o’clock. Please see page 19 for Clinton - will be leading our Family Service. agreed with the pub to use their car park. television showing twenty-somethings Anne Lake’s report and dates to put into You can baste the turkey as you leave, After the walk we have arranged to have coping with angst, anxiety and each other. your diary for the New Year. spend a few important minutes in Church lunch there. Please contact Joan or The Churchyard Tidiers carried out Our Christingle Service, when we help with the family and be home in time to Margaret Walton 758332 wonderful work and our thanks to all who to support the Children’s Society’s vital baste it again at quarter to twelve! Can’t Please note that the January walk will helped. We particularly appreciated Kim - work among children facing some of life’s be easier than that! You, and anyone be on Tuesday 9th – the meeting point and his chainsaw - who made light work of harshest challenges, is on Sunday 10th with you this Christmas are all has still to be fixed. two trees! December at 11am. We are delighted to particularly welcome. welcome back Gill Rowell whose own work CHOLESBURY as Director of Novimost has been so successful with the young people of Bosnia. HAWRIDGE Our annual Giving Service is just a few days Do join us! Our Christingle Service will be held on away at the time of writing. We join the John Hull is kindly leading the Carol Sunday 3rd December at 3pm. The Shoebox Appeal organised by Rotary Service on Sunday 17th December at Service will be taken by Avril Clark and, as International to give Christmas presents to 6pm. This is a very moving occasion, with usual, the collection will be given to the children in Romania. A good number of the little Church decorated in soft greenery Children’s Society. Please note this is the empty boxes have been taken and we look and lit by massive candles. We are thrilled only service at Hawridge this Sunday. forward to their return with gifts on 26th that Joanna Strevens has agreed to sing a Carol Singing – We will meet on 19th November. solo again and Andrew McCrorie Shand is December at the Old School at 7pm. We This is one of the services that David performing with some of our Junior Church are collecting for Save the Children Fund. particularly enjoys but he is, of course, Band. It will be a wonderful evening. Do join us! unavailable. We are pleased to welcome Susan Fellows from Weston Turville, Christmas Services The Churchwardens Kate Hoskin from The Windmill who is a together with Virginia, will be with us for and congregation of St Mary’s send best Methodist lay minister and will lead our the Nativity Service at 3.30pm on wishes to everybody for a happy and worship. Christmas Eve. The Sunday School peaceful Christmas and welcome you to The Candlelit Carol Service this year is children will be re-enacting the age old our Christmas Services:- at 6pm on December 10th and will be the story of the birth of Jesus and anyone who 24th December Christmas Eve traditional service of Lessons and Carols. has been to this service knows they have to 5.30pm - Carol Service David Clarke is bringing his choir from be there in good time to get a seat! Any 24th December Christmas Eve Tring Choral Society and Louisa Haggerty

34 Hilltop News Hilltop News 35 All of which sounds deceptively straight the competitors. He didn’t hesitate: ‘Old’, THE PLOUGHMAN forward. Missing of course is the X factor although he did later qualify that remark. f people have one abiding image of the that separates the men from the boys. Certainly most competitors were over thirty As promised, Sandy Clarke has countryside it’s that of the ploughman at Twenty six ploughmen were prepared to and in the Vintage Class, where the compiled another quiz in aid of St Iwork, once with his horses, now with his put their reputations on the line recently equipment has to be over fifty years old Leonards Village Hall refurbishment tractor, the dark furrows stretching in long when the Chiltern Hills Agricultural the age of the competitor rises accordingly. straight lines behind him. A good Association held their annual Ploughing We were intrigued to discover however fund - this time with a distinctly ploughman can make it look easy but it Competition on October 7th in St Leonards that the two magnificent horse-drawn Christmas theme - to while away the isn’t, particularly when it comes ploughs were entered, rather confusingly long winter evenings! to ploughing the flinty soil of in the Commercial Class. The remaining the Hilltops; it doesn’t matter two classes were reversible ploughing and At just £1 per copy, it’s on sale from 1st how much modern technology modified ploughing. We had no idea it December at most local gatherings, improves, it will never be could be so complicated! The main from Hall committee members or direct anything but hard work. And criterion is extremely simple: ploughing a like a lot of other skills, good straight line. National rules prevail but from Sandy at Beechwood Jenkins ploughmen are born: you either ploughing the straight plot is all that’s Lane - 758567. have it or you don’t. Allan asked of them. By 1.30pm it was all over: Crawley is one of the best in the the ploughmen could relax and enjoy their Chiltern Hills. Marcus Reynolds well earned lunch; George Norman from can’t speak too highly of him so Dagnall was declared Champion and John naturally he was the man we Barker, with his team of horses, declared asked to shed a little light on Reserve Champion. All that remains are the subject. memories of a wonderful day and a field ‘First: you need a good full of long straight furrows. plough; then it has to be set properly, the for the first time in five years. Two people discs and skims meticulously adjusted to who had an unequalled over-view; Liz and the correct depth and width so that the David Warren - winners of the Balloon furrows will be level. There’s no getting Flight at the St Leonards Fireworks Concert away from it; you have to be conscientious - were totally blown away by their efforts! and you have to understand the land – not Marcus and Nigel Blomfield had been just the shape of the field and its direction: out preparing the individual plots in the but something more than that. Of course days beforehand – allowing ten metres to you need experience and a straight eye the furrow – and were confidently too. You’re a craftsman’. predicting appalling weather. They needn’t have worried, it was cold but bright and sunny and there were plenty of spectators to cheer the men on. (This is one occupation that women haven’t invaded). The judges may have had a little difficulty getting their competitors to their tractors – as Marcus says, ‘Ploughmen love a good gossip’- but once started, at 9.30, results were impressive. We did ask Marcus the age of Photos: Courtesy of the Bucks Herald

36 Hilltop News Hilltop News 37 WHEN I WAS A BOY brother Rodney who owns the Sports Shop in Chesham isn’t at all like their father!) A grandchild beginning Primary School has One particular incident really provoked brought back memories and another new Mr Culverhouse to the point of bursting knee has given me time to reflect again on and of course now I can understand why. my childhood and growing up in the An American Dakota crashed on the Ridgeway near Hengrove, just inside the villages. wood, sadly with no survivors. All the local lads, me too of course, even though I was think, on the whole, I can honestly say I one of the younger ones, couldn’t wait to enjoyed my school days at St Leonards see it and went along afterwards. We ISchool. True, I wasn’t the best-behaved made several visits during the next few boy in the school but I wasn’t the worst days. It was ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ to a bunch like either and you can’t say we didn’t have us - bullets, flares and Very lights were the fun! When I began the School had two major spoils. For a few nights unexplained classes and the children ranged in age from lights lit up Buckland Common as flares five to fourteen. There were two teachers, went up; no one knew why or how of including the Headmaster. Miss Scadding course! My particular memory however St. Leonards School – 1945 lodged with Bob Kent and his wife who involves Dinky Eggleton who lived in Back Row: Sheila Penn, Len Baldwin, Susan Culverhouse, Christine Penn, Ron Tyler, John Jeffries. lived in the house now owned by Mavis Chiltern Cottages, one of the senior 2nd Row: Victor Saunders, Clive McGuinness, Vera Brackley, Mary Williams, Joyce McGuinness, Brazil, Chiltern Cottage in Bottom Road, St members of the school. He managed to Sidney Law, Peter Wright, Patricia Seabrook, Arthur Law, Vera Hart, Sylvia Tyler, Derek Mitchel, Leonards. Mrs Faulks from squeeze a bullet into the 3rd Row: Beryl Vince, George Pledge, Margaret Dearing, ?Sharp, Randal Meldon & sister, Gill Buckland Common also helped keyhole of the large door at Butcher, Derek Sutherland, Front Row: Colin Baldwin, John Dunton, John Horn, Albert Mitchel, in the school in a part time the rear of the school that Ann Penn capacity. Miss Jean Jeffries, led to the toilets and wash who lived with her brother basins. He crammed stuff rarely saw ‘strangers’: without transport pity! After the road widening Ken and Claude in Laburnum Cottage, around it making a tight fit, and coupled with the constraints of Dorothy Brackley, who lived here for 40 was the School Cook and then hit it with a nail and wartime rationing, very few years before Ann and I, laid out oversaw our School Lunches hammer. The resulting bang people bothered to come to the front garden; we haven’t (Already by the time I was inside, as a wash basin on the the Hilltops unless the changed it much at all – it was eleven however, things had other side of the room journey was essential. more or less the same as it is changed and from that age smashed into a million pieces, I often think about the today. children were travelling to scattered the entire days when I used to walk When I started school in Chesham to various Secondary gathering in the playground along the then very narrow September 1940 it was just Mr Culverhouse Schools). and of course brought out all hedged lane outside about the first anniversary of The Headmaster of St Leonards School the teachers along with a very, very, angry Laburnum Cottage. The the outbreak of World War II was Mr Culverhouse. We held him in great Mr Culverhouse. Dinky must have been hedges on both sides came and my father was away in the respect, if not fear; he always seemed punished for this but I cannot remember right to the edge of the Army most of the time. He rather angry but sometimes more so than how. Probably the cane. lane and were very high. hardly ever came home. others. We knew we were in for a rough In the early days I had several routes to There was a narrow path However, one particular day in day, I seem to recall, when he stroked his choose to and from St Leonards and through tall trees (probably 1943, when I was eight, my nose. The school cane lay on his desk and Buckland Common. We were all so Laburnum) up to the front friends and I were taking the John Horn’s Father he had a habit of flexing it. (It’s been innocent – but then we had nothing to door. It didn’t look route home down Gilberts Hill great to meet up with his son Jonathan in fear. When I think back, we just enjoyed remotely like it does now. back to Buckland Common and the last couple of years through his our freedom and happily roamed the lanes The road widening took place in the 50s I saw him coming to meet me! What ‘Fantastic Fireworks’ fundraising displays and fields on the way home, really without and the hedges were removed to excitement, he was home on a short leave. for the new Church Room. He, like his a care in the world: we were so lucky! We accommodate increasing traffic – what a Unfortunately there was one down side.

38 Hilltop News Hilltop News 39 STRICTLY CAROL HENRY f only we’d been quicker off the mark! Of course some people had more sense. IThey signed up for Carol Henry’s Ballroom Dancing Classes faster than you could say Anton du Beke. Now they’re waltzing and quick-stepping round St Leonards Village Hall like Mark Ramprakash and Emma Bunton – although obviously they’re a little older than they are and not quite as fit – and we’re languishing at the bottom of the waiting list! Her pupils can’t speak too highly of their teacher. In fact we’re surprised Carol’s ears aren’t burning. ‘Brilliant’ seems to be their favourite description, not just for Carol but for the entire experience, which includes both the formal ballroom dances and the Latin American rhythms of the Samba and St. Leonards School the Cha-cha. Teaching dance is very much a full time occupation for Carol. It’s Because the visit was so unexpected my Dagenham. She happened to be outside in extremely strenuous and demanding but Mum hadn’t prepared for the extra mouth Cherry Tree Lane when the Doodle Bug there’s no mistaking the satisfaction it gives to feed, so she had given him my dinner! went over, closely followed by a Spitfire her. Twenty six pupils are probably quite Mum always maintained the reason my attempting to tip it and crash it safely. I enough for the moment although people brother Richard appeared the next year, remember her saying, ‘The so and so’s have are already pleading for a second class was due to that unexpected leave: I was followed me all the way from Dagenham!’ possibly for the more experienced ballroom much, much older before I knew what she We didn’t always have our heads in our dancers. She didn’t know what she was was talking about! books. We were often taken across the letting herself in for! There were several aircraft incidents in road to St Leonards Church Yard to draw Dancing is of course in her blood. Her the area during the war. An Anson came the Church. I must have drawn that Church mother was the well known and much down near the telephone mast at the top a dozen times – it was possibly supposed to revered ‘Mrs Monzani’ who for many years of The Crong; A Lancaster Bomber crashed be a lesson with a Christian message – I taught ballet to the children of the in Asheridge, killing all except the rear can’t remember – but I still feel very much Chilterns and she herself has been teaching gunner. Another, I can’t remember the at peace in the Church Yard and like to ballet and ballroom most of her life, make, met misfortune at the bottom of keep it tidy. In the summer the whole qualifying in the ‘60s. In fact when we Taylors Lane, just into the wood. It was School walked to Chivery to the field spoke last week she’d almost lost her voice winched out using the large Oak Tree on where wild strawberries grew. We spent since she had been teaching ballet to the corner and nearly split the tree in half. happy hours gathering them for the school children of all ages all day. You may have read about this already in canteen cook to make jam for us. This field Carol’s classes will be running at least HN. (It was John, Nigel and Marcus who is opposite Chesham Fencing and is scrub until next Easter. We’d suggest you get on bolted the tree together. Ed.) A flying land now – no more strawberries! the waiting list. Now, how does it go? bomb (Doodle Bug) crashed in the field I think this is enough for now – there ...Slow, slow, quick quick slow. near Oaken Grove Wood, badly damaging were other incidents during World War II part of the roof of Oakengrove House, and further tales of village life – I’ll Shire Lane. My Auntie Minnie was visiting continue another time… our family at the time from her home in John Horn

40 Hilltop News Hilltop News 41 THE HUNT IS ON! the local landowners and farmers wanted them to become a drag hunt. Drag hunting Anyone concerned about the future of is a fast one-directional chase over hunting and the welfare of all those whose obstacles. With usually three drags laid livelihood depends on it, may find some each taking about twenty minutes to reassurance in Guy Portwin’s encouraging complete on a horse at high speed, and including stops, the whole thing is over in a report. couple of hours. Fox hunting is completely different; it is taken at a generally slower hen the much contested Hunting pace interspersed with bursts of speed and with Dogs Act came into force in jumping is usually optional. A lot of WFebruary 2005 many were chatting goes on during a day’s hunting (it predicting that fox hunts would either fold has been compared to a mobile cocktail or become drag hunts. Even those running party with less drinking!); it’s part of the the hunts were worried that they would see pleasure and this isn’t possible at the high a huge drop in support; staff made speed of the drag. redundant and most of the hounds put Now fox hunters have developed ‘line down. hunting’, where a drag is laid but on a However it hasn’t worked out like that. completely different basis from the Contrary to expectation, it has had quite traditional drag hunting; one which aims the opposite effect: support has actually to replicate the movement of a fox. The increased. line is often deliberately difficult for the As many of you probably know, our local huntsman and his hounds to find, and if fox hunt is the Vale of Aylesbury with Garth you see this new hunting you will often see and South Berks Hunt, based nearby in them casting about for the line. At other Kimblewick. This is the largest hunt in the times the hounds are now just taken out country, meeting usually on Monday, for exercise and a few jumps covered to Thursday and Saturday from September to liven up the supporters. The day still April in an area from Leighton Buzzard to follows the old pattern however, starting at Basingstoke and Oxford to Rickmansworth. eleven a.m. and finishing at about four p.m. They have seven employees, twelve horses The hunt takes great care not to chase and over a hundred and twenty hounds. foxes and the followers are often placed to Credit They meet nearby in Wigginton, Ley Hill, stop hounds chasing foxes that do happen twenty percent this season which helps to candidates. Hastoe, Bellingdon, Chartridge, The Lee, to get up in front of the hounds. This has ensure its continuation. Although Anyone wanting to know more about and Wendover Dene and of course worked extremely well. The hunt uses a fox opponents of fox hunting see this as the Vale of Aylesbury with Garth and South Cholesbury Common on Boxing Day and scent that they buy from the USA and their vindication of the new law, hunt officials Berks Hunt should contact the local many of their subscribers and officials come lines are laid by people on horseback and differ in their opinion and say that all secretary, Clive Gough from Buckland from these Hilltop villages. A recent meet on quad bikes in open country. subscribers sign up to the political aim of all Common on 758069. All riders are welcome was held at Woodrow Farm, Wigginton The hunt describe the support they’ve the hunts which is to see the repeal of the to come and have a day out to see what it where the hounds were blessed to received from local landowners and farmers Act in due course. David Cameron has is all about and we also encourage foot and celebrate St Hubert’s Day – St Hubert is the as ‘fantastic’ and they are very grateful for committed the Conservatives to review the car followers. patron saint of hunting - before they it, since they couldn’t continue without it. Act when they come to power, and many The hunt will meet on Cholesbury moved off to find their lines laid around At the same time the hunt still offers a fox hunt supporters were very active in helping Common on Boxing Day as usual at eleven the area and down to Paines End near control service for local landowners within the Tories at the last election. Locally their thirty a.m. Tring. the new law, whereby two hounds may be success at Hemel Hempstead and the very Guy Portwin Like other hunts in the country they soon used to drive foxes to guns. close run Watford was put down to hunt A Field Master realised that neither their supporters nor Subscriber numbers are actually up by supporters working against the Labour

42 Hilltop News Hilltop News 43 found were growing under scrub Holly. If THE FUNGI YEAR possible, it’s best to collect these when This has been one of the best years I can fairly small (two to three inches high) since remember for sheer volume of Fungi they attract maggots like a magnet. everywhere. Slugs are also partial to fungi and often arlier in the year, Carys Gadsden eat through a mushroom stalk or cap – but contacted John Garner about a large this is nothing a good rinse under the cold Efungus on one of her trees. This tap won’t sort out! proved to be Chicken-of-the-Woods which One of the best walks has been through weighed in at ten pounds. After removal Pavels Wood – with different species at from the tree it provided John, Di and me every step. The woods off Kiln Lane have with some tasty meals! had False Death Caps and Oyster Fungi for John and Di also had a wonderful weeks. Wood Blewits (Lepista Nuda) are ‘forest’ of Common Stinkhorns (Phallus now appearing and these should continue Impudicus) in their garden. The until Christmas. photograph shows one - with the Gordon and I have just returned from gelatinous ‘egg’ of another next to it. If southern France where we stayed in the you ever get the chance to cut one of these Auvergne region and collected ‘eggs’ open, the internal structure is Chanterelles, Winter Chanterelles, Ceps and amazing. Saffron Milk Caps. We brought back The dark purple-when-young-fading-to- several hedgehog Fungi and Ceps which pale-lilac Amethyst Deceivers (Laccaria have dried well in the airing cupboard. Amethystia) have abounded this year. I hope you have all found lots to pick Normally, because they are so small I don’t and eat and are all still alive and well! collect them, but the amounts available have made collection worthwhile. Clive Carey Boletus Edulis – the Cep or Penny Bun – is considered to be one of the best edible fungi, and this season has seen many found on the Commons and in Drayton Wood. In the case of Drayton Wood, all the Ceps I

44 Hilltop News Hilltop News 45 sides are 6mm and the cabin sides and roof are 4mm). They were also responsible for fitting the technical bits such as the engine and electricals. This stage of the project has now been completed and after several nerve-wracking months, launch day was scheduled for the 2nd November. Our sons David and Stephen were with us to see the launch as the big day dawned bright and sunny and STILL STITCHING the boat was taken by truck to Willowbridge Marina at Linslade where a The Jubilee Stitchers were some of the first crane lowered it (‘gently, please’, I people to get a mention in HN. Four years remember saying) into the water. At this on they’ve sewn at least sixty kneelers for stage it grossed 13 tonnes; with the fit-out the three churches in our villages. completed and ready to cruise it will go up to about 16 tonnes! Despite all the horror ow they’ve turned their attention to stories which everyone amongst our something more ambitious: a church spectators was so keen to tell me in which Nbanner for St Leonards. As Maureen boats were invariably dropped from a Newall says, they are still at the ideas stage THE SNOWGOOSE our children were youngsters and a few great height, everything went well and she at the moment, working on samples, year’s experience with an older boat gave was sitting comfortably in the water by collecting photographs and reading articles n this country we are very lucky to have us the bug to create something tailored for 10am; the naming ceremony was duly on other banners elsewhere. But to keep access to a huge network of inland us and our family to enjoy. With three completed by 11 o’clock. Di had her words the process moving forward she’s inviting Iwaterways incorporating canal routes, grandchildren already and perhaps more to ready: ‘I name this ship ‘Snowgoose’ – anyone who is interested, whether a created during the 18th and 19th centuries, come, we designed the interior space to followed by three cheers from the stitcher or not, to one of her famous teas and the major navigable rivers. This accommodate up to five people. We assembled company. We’d brought at Fouracres on Wednesday 13th network reaches Ripon in the north, started to plan the project two years ago champagne with us to christen her. December from 4 to 6 o’clock. She adds Llangollen in Wales, Bristol in the south and soon found it’s not such an easy task to Regrettably we drank most of it when we ‘You are warmly welcomed for tea and a west and to Cambridge and beyond in the squeeze everything in to the limited space toasted her but we did splash a little over chat. It doesn’t matter whether you east. Much of this would have been lost if available. Although, in theory, a narrow her bow! actually wish to be involved in the it hadn’t been for the campaigning zeal of can be as long as 70 feet, a boat of this A couple of days of cruising brought it stitching, it’s always pleasant to meet and the Inland Waterways Association formed length is quite a challenge for two old to our mooring at Cowroast on the Tring get feed-back on the ideas so far. It’s in 1946 to fight for the canals making it fogies like us to handle and not all canal summit section of the Grand Union Canal. helpful, but not essential, to give me a ring possible to save and revitalise them. During locks will allow this size of craft to pass Here the interior fit-out has begun. This is – 758515 – to help with numbers for tea. the years since, a vast amount of through. After juggling all the factors mostly a woodworking task – in oak - and We would love to see any work that you volunteering and investment has rescued involved, not least the budget, we decided we will be working on it through the may have in progress, so do bring it along’. much of the system from decay. Now on an overall length of 54 feet. Allowing winter and beyond. Hopefully, our maiden everyone has the opportunity to cruise, for the length of the bow section and stern voyage will be in the Autumn of 2007!’ ST LEONARDS PARISH HALL canoe, fish, walk the towpath, observe deck, this gave us 38 feet for the interior wildlife and enjoy the sheer splendour of cabins which are divided up into saloon When we asked Richard if fitting out his Early notice of a FUN RACE NIGHT - to be the engineering and scenic surroundings and galley, double cabin, shower room and beautiful boat was his biggest challenge – held on Saturday 24th February 2007. that this network gives. back cabin with three bunks. it would intimidate most people – he Book the date in your diary now - more For Richard and Diane Charles it was the Not being dab hands with a welding kit, immediately said, ‘No, that might have details to follow in the New Year. chance to explore all of this which lies we commissioned the boat builder been building my barn’. Talking to him it’s behind their new project: to build and fit- Colecraft to construct the hull out of steel clear he loves a challenge and he’s looking Contact Shirley Blomfield 758314 or out a narrow boat. (for canal boat anoraks, it’s a 10/6/4 which forward to the next year. Ed. Michael Reynolds 758548 in the meantime. ‘Occasional cruises on hire boats when means the base plate is 10mm thick, hull

46 Hilltop News Hilltop News 47 The third day of Christmas: Rosemary. key ingredient of much Christmas baking. ON THE FIRST DAY OF There are several legends associating The sixth day of Christmas: Cinnamon. CHRISTMAS MY TRUE rosemary with Mary and the Although this is now commonly used as a Holy family. In Spain it is LOVE SENT TO ME… powdered spice, it is in fact the said that this fragrant dried bark of Cinnamomum verum, shrub hid Mary during a tree now grown mainly in Sri One Christmas cactus. the flight to Egypt. Lanka. Among the oldest of The Schlumbergera are not true cacti but Others say that the spices, it was one of originate from the Brazilian rainforests, once back in the original reasons for where, incidentally, they are pollinated by Bethlehem Mary world trade. Indeed, hummingbirds. Water should be given only used the Columbus’ aim in when the top half of soil in the pot feels rosemary bush as sailing west in 1492 dry. They may be stood on a tray of moist a clothes line. was to find the Spice pebbles if the atmosphere is dry. Flowering Certainly its Islands. Like nutmeg, for Christmas is induced by placing the combination of cinnamon is widely used in plants into the dark for 8 to 10 hours for resilience, baking at Christmas but also up to 6 weeks during the autumn. If buds aromatic to flavour mulled wine and to are not produced, the plant should be foliage and create that specific Yuletide covered with a black plastic bag each night bright blue ambience. (6pm to 8am) for the same period to flowers, beloved by encourage flowering. Too much or too bees, make this a The seventh little warmth can both inhibit bud worthwhile plant to day of formation or instigate bud drop. Once have in the garden. It is a Christmas: flowering is over, the plant needs to rest, reasonably hardy perennial and can survive Date. with little watering, in cool but not cold for many years. Although the leaves Although we conditions. resemble pine needles, it is a useful now enjoy chopped herb in the Christmas stuffing these at The second day of Christmas: Poinsettia. or as a sprig to be served with the Turkey. Christmas Also known as the Flower of the Holy from a box labelled Eatme, Night in its native Mexico, this plant was The fourth day of Christmas: Cyclamen. the date has been part of discovered by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the This is a plant of the Primulaceae family the staple diet in the first US minister there, whose name it now that has become a popular Christmas gift Middle East for at least bears. Legend has it that while others were with its intricate, showy flowers of pink, 5000 years. The date gathering to leave gifts for Jesus at their purple, red or white. In common with the palm, Phoenix church altar, one boy, too poor to buy other indoor Christmas plants, cyclamen dactylifera, was anything, simply knelt outside the church prefer a cooler position in the room and do first cultivated and prayed. This plant with bright red not like to be overwatered. It has the in the Arabian Gulf. The fruit grow in bracts grew in the spot where he was and rather unusual common name of bunches of up to 1000 and a single tree can provided him with his offering. Poinsettias Sowbread, as the tubers are regarded as a produce around 50 kg (110 lb) in one year. should be placed in the cooler part of a favourite of the pigs of Southern France warm room but should be kept out of cold and Italy. The eighth day of Christmas: Ivy. draughts, which can cause leaf drop. Like The Ancient Britons believed that ivy The fifth day of Christmas: Nutmeg. the Christmas cactus, poinsettias require a protected against house goblins, which Nutmeg and mace are produced from the long period (up to 2 months) of completely were said to be wickedest in the winter one pod: the former being the seed kernel dark nights to instigate ‘flowering’. Pots months. Those pre-Christian times also and the latter the surrounding dried should be kept moist but should not be introduced the tradition of using ivy and covering. Mentioned by Chaucer, nutmeg overwatered. other evergreens to decorate the house as reached Europe in the 12th century and is a they were said to have the power of

48 Hilltop News Hilltop News 49 eternity and were used to represent life symbol of peace. The Romans also carrying on through the winter, which in a regarded it in this way and it is thought ST LEONARDS PARISH HALL way is true as their berries provide a rich they began the custom of kissing under the food source for blackbirds, fieldfares and mistletoe, which was preserved in the old Available for all types of events, parties thrushes during the coldest parts of winter. tradition of the kissing bough when a berry Ivy is still used in Christmas wreaths, which was picked with each kiss until none were and meetings, large field, children’s play many of us hang on our external doors. left. The plant is a parasite that usually area and convenient parking grows on apple trees. Specialist mistletoe The ninth day of Christmas: Holly. auctions still take place in Herefordshire of Early pagans would carry holly indoors in Local organisations £4 per hour plants gathered by local orchard owners. the winter to give the ‘spirits’ a warm place to sleep. Conversely it was regarded The eleventh day of Christmas: Local private bookings & local elsewhere as a deterrent to evil forces and Frankincense and Myrrh. fundraising/events from £6 per hour bad weather. It has also been imbued with These are both produced from the resin of religious significance, being said to signify certain trees found in the drier parts of Discos & other bookings from the crown of thorns at the future Africa and Arabia. The former from the £9 per hour martyrdom of Jesus, with the red berries genus Boswellia; the major commercial representing drops of blood. True holly source of the latter is Commiphora myrrha. Special rates available for all day woods, such as those found in Epping Both these sweet-smelling resins have Forest, the Welsh Marches and in Cumbria, antibiotic properties and were used to functions, weddings, camping etc. are peculiar to Britain. treat infections and in the preservation of mummies by the Ancient Egyptians. For more details, please call the The tenth day of Christmas: Mistletoe. More than any other plant, mistletoe has The twelfth day of Christmas: Fir tree. Bookings Secretary on 01494 758341 been regarded throughout history as Originally introduced by the early Christian having mystical and magical properties, church as a way of steering people from symbolising eternal life and warding off the pagan traditions of scaring off evil evil as well as bringing good luck, health spirits by hanging evergreens, a decorated and happiness. Scandinavian legend may fir tree was first used in eighth century be the source of the traditional kiss under Germany. The tradition was introduced to the mistletoe: it is said that the son of the Great Britain by Queen Victoria. Now the goddess Frigga was shot with an arrow of tree epitomises Christmas for many of us mistletoe but he was saved by her tears, and is the focal point of present-giving on after which she ordered it should not be Christmas day. used to harm another but should become a …AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE Anne Brown 758890

50 Hilltop News Hilltop News 51 BRINGING IN THE bottles and cans (with the added bonus of about our exciting little knowing that the school will benefit in GRRR! group and discussing the SHEAVES cash payment from ONYX for items We can hardly believe it ourselves but Little importance of child care in recycled there). So why not be kind to the general. Bears has been here in St Leonards for over HAWRIDGE AND CHOLESBURY SCHOOL environment, cut waste and help the The Little Bears eptember saw the children coming in school too? twenty years. couldn’t have been a to school clutching their harvest We are looking for a non-parent ome of our first children are now quite better advertisement for festival boxes. Beautifully wrapped - S foundation governor to join the school’s grown up. We realise, however, that what we are and what we and all with hand-drawn cards and committee. The role involves six or so we can’t rest on our laurels, especially do. They were messages - the gifts were blessed by David S meetings per year and is an important and with so many new people moving into the exceptionally welcoming to all the younger Burgess at the annual Harvest Festival rewarding role. Anyone interested should area who may not have heard of us. With visitors, and our wonderful band of Mums service held in the school hall. As usual, contact Sarah Jones, Chair of Governors, this mind we organised an Open Day in worked hard serving tea and home-made thanks to Miss Edwards’ generosity, for more information and a visit to the September. cakes – giving the Pre-School their full Darvell’s Bakery provided loaves of bread in school - 758495. After an extensive publicity campaign, the support. We are most grateful to you all! the shape of sheaves of corn complete with Finally may we draw your attention to only thing to let us down was the weather – At times it all seemed a little hectic – but at tiny, perfect dormice and, much to the our Christmas Fayre which will be held so unfortunately we never really had the least everyone now understands what Little children’s delight, even a family of on Saturday 2nd December from 11am. chance to show off our lovely fenced play Bears is all about and just how much it has hedgehogs! The children were allowed to As usual there will be lots of stalls, gifts, area at the back of St Leonards Village Hall to offer the two and a half to five age eat these later! The boxes were distributed Christmas refreshments and an appearance and our ambitious obstacle course complete group. to older residents in the local area one by the man in red (if we’re all good !) We with road signs and working traffic lights! Little Bears Pre-School is open from 9.30 – extremely wet morning - however the hope to see you there. Despite all this, the day was a huge 12 o’clock every morning and children can smiles and thanks received were enough to Kay Bass success and the Hall was filled with the noise join in for as few or as many mornings as is warm even the dampest of those amongst of children enjoying the various activities we best for them. us. Well done children for your work and offer while their parents and our other Do please ring for any further our best wishes to all those who received CALLING ALL visitors were busy exchanging information information on 0870 385 0147. the boxes so graciously. PHILATELISTS! Claire Cox On 29th October a joint church service – I have inherited a quantity of stamps. a Celebration of Baptism - was held at the Although I used to collect stamps as a school. This was hopefully the first of child, I haven’t a clue how to go about many such occasions and provided an sorting them today! opportunity for the school’s church Please can someone help? community and local parishioners to join together in worship. The theme of baptism Paddy Sanger 758767 ran through the service with a renewal of [email protected] baptism vows for all the children and adults. It was heart-warming to see the congregation made up of people who had come from Chesham, from across the Hilltop parishes and even further afield …just what was hoped for. The collection raised £129 for charity. We want to remind you about our recycling area! It’s at the front of the school (through the gate) at the entrance to the old school building. Everyone is welcome to use this area for paper, plastic

52 Hilltop News Hilltop News 53 54 Hilltop News Hilltop News 55 crucifixion. In medieval England it was concealed at other times becomes more depositing their spores in huge quantities RUDDOC, MUNTJAC believed the Ruddoc’s (old English for the conspicuous. The Muntjac’s echoing bark is this month. Exhibiting a kaleidoscope of AND BEEFSTEAK Robin) breast became more prominent all the more resonant this time of year. pastel colours they make an excellent still- around Easter symbolising the blood of With the lack of undergrowth they must life project to practise on with that new CHRISTMAS WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS! Christ which had dropped onto a bird’s venture out both morning and late camera. Nine-tenths of the fungi is hidden breast as it alighted on his shoulder. afternoon. Despite their darker winter under bark, gradually sucking the life from nce again new records have been In 1843 the first picture greeting card coats and the gloom that often descends, living trees. They are the slowest growing set with the warmer than normal was designed by John Horsely on the they can be usually spotted as they follow members of all the fungi family and some Autumn overall and above average O suggestion of his friend Henry Cole to be regular pathways along the wooded edges can live for up to 20 years - their age rainfall. Rainfall in October used when calling on friends at of fields. recorded in the concentric rings of growth. reached over 4 inches and 2006 Christmas. When Victoria and Albert Higher up in the trees, and visible Unmistakable and common around here is is turning out to be wetter than made this fashionable, the Robin against the grey sky, you can see the tangle the Beefsteak Fungus with the colour of last year. Predictions suggest above became a ready-made symbol to of twigs and dead leaves called drays which raw steak - although it’s shaped more like a average temperatures for put on cards. It’s also squirrels have constructed to shelter them liver or tongue. It looks better than it December and January with interesting to note that the against the worst of the weather. The tastes sadly! It’s commonly found low down frequent spells of heavy ‘penny post’ was also squirrel remains active for as long as on Oak and Chestnut and the stain it rainfall. See Hilltop village introduced in possible each day, with occasional forays to makes in the wood is valued in furniture- weather on 1842 and unearth hazel nuts and acorns from the making. www.cholesbury.com the first woodland floor. In January with pairing in A perennial feature of the Chiltern By the end of this month postmen wore full swing the normal peace is shattered by woodland edges in January is the no doubt every house in the red jackets and a cacophony of chattering as they traverse emergence of snowdrops. All the books villages, in fact almost quickly became from bough to bough. show photographs of the flower buds every house in the country, known as ‘Robins’. Also more visible than normal and breaking through a carpet of snow, which will have at least one Despite its gradual equally dependent on trees but in contrast seems more and more unlikely these days. Christmas card which demise as a religious silent are the many bracket fungi On the now more common warmer days features a Robin, more likely symbol during the early 20th perched on a sprig of holly, a century, the probable reason snow-sprinkled wall, a spade or for the Robin’s subsequent maybe atop a snowman. resurgence on cards started during the THE SHOP AT BELLINGDON END So how did the Robin Redbreast end up Second World War and the ‘Dig for Victory’ as a symbol on Christmas cards? Like most stocks a wide range of campaign, as the bird ‘migrated’ from its customs this one has an ancient origin but woodland habitat to become the pre- in this case more recent influences have eminent bird of English allotments and also played their part. There are several gardens. Instead of following pigs in the Horse Feeds, Beddings, Tack, interweaving strands which conspired to woods it followed the gardener as he or ensure the Robin has persisted as an icon Rugs and Riding Wear she dug the allotment garden. Another of Christmas. Firstly, the name ‘Robin’ is a bird that has successfully made the move ***** 16th century romantic throw-back to the from arable land is the Song Thrush. The Dog, C legends of Robin Hood or Robin Dunnock has arrived from mountain at and other Pet foods Goodfellow, alluded to by Shakespeare in ***** woodland, the Pied Wagtail from water’s his writings and by the traditional English edge to roadside verge and Swifts and poem ‘Who Killed Cock Robin?’. The sight Country Clothing, Wellies etc. Martins from cliffs to house walls and or sound of the Robin was believed to roofs. ***** bring good fortune, but to kill a Robin or This time of year leafless Chiltern OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK steal its eggs would bring debt or bad luck. Beechwoods provide a reassuring skyline as The bird was better known as a Ruddock or Telephone: 01494 758 239 you travel back home as the light is failing. Redbreast and also through storytelling With the trees defoliated, wildlife was closely associated with Christ’s www.bellingdonend.co.uk

56 Hilltop News Hilltop News 57 over-wintering bees will emerge to sightings or questions you have as usual YOUR FAVOURITE 8! recharge their batteries with the pungent nectar these flowers produce. Above, the [email protected] Here, as promised, are some of ‘My Eight Favourite Pieces of Music’ produced by George first hazel catkins will burst open, with the Finlay. Hopefully there will an opportunity to publish many more. George has had a hugely male flowers casting clouds of pollen, to enthusiastic response! seek out carmine–coloured stigmas on female flowers. Night-time screams are the Daughne Driver David Barnard desperate calls of vixens who in just three Hebrides Overture Mendelssohn The Old Drug Pedlar Tom Lehrer weeks over winter need to find a fox to Emperor Concerto Beethoven As I walked out over mate with. The smaller the bird the more Symphonie Fantastique Berlioz London Bridge Joan Baez active it has to be to survive, which is why Concerto de Aranjuez Rodrigo Where have all you will often hear Wrens’ strident staccato Classical Symphony Prokofiev the flowers gone? Pete Seeger calls from a nearby hedge. Smaller still, the Clarinet Concerto in A Mozart Loveliest of trees A E Houseman Goldcrest distinguished by its bright yellow Appalacian Spring Copeland I have a song to sing,oh pencil line crest must feed at length each Concertos for Mandolins C Major Vivaldi (Yeomen of the Guard) Gilbert & Sullivan day and will ignore humans as it darts from The hitch-hiker’s guide Charlotte Kearvell (Age 12) branch to branch low down in shrubs and to The Galaxy Douglas Adams Sweet Dreams Eurythmics hedges. Italian Symphony Mendelssohn Money, money, money Abba With Christmas approaching a couple of Under Milk Wood Dylan Thomas Dancing Queen Abba suggestions with a difference. How about a Don’t Stop me now Queen Caroline Coates sustainable present? Adopt an animal and Put your records on Corinne Bailey Rae Wonderful Land The Shadows help a conservation project: see wwf.org.uk JCB Nizlopi Jesus Christ the or 0870 750 70 23. Or how about a You Spin me round Dead or Alive Apple Tree Clare College Choir subscription to the RSPB, BBOWT or That’s my goal Shayne Ward Allegri Miserere St Paul’s Cathedral Choir Buglife? Please do let me know any Bridge Over Madeline Finlay Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel You are my Sunshine Play Me Neil Diamond Greensleeves Violin concerto No1 Moonlight Serenade Glen Miller Band in G Minor Op.26. Max Bruch Five Pennies Danny Kaye The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended - The Ruby and the Pearl choral version - interwoven with Sunset The Rose played by the Bugles of the Band of HM The Skye Boat Song Royal Marines Silent Night The Story of the Raj told by the voices who Francis Sanger knew it BBC collection presented by Evan La Mer Charles Trenet Charlton - composed & produced by Hey Jude Beatles Michael Mason La Calinda Delius Bells Across the Meadow Catelby Elite Syncopations Scott Joplin Pastoral Symphony Beethoven Walk in Paradise Gardens Delius Variations on a Theme of Thomas Tallis Vaughan Williams

58 Hilltop News Hilltop News 59 CURVACEOUS COOK CURVACEOUS COOK This is for every harassed mother whose children ‘have nothing to do’ over the A Modern Classic. We’re not sure what Escoffier would have made of it but we predict your Christmas holidays and for every child who enjoys licking the bowl! children will be cooking this – and your children’s children. Here Lulu introduces you to: These are really easy for children to make and great fun particularly now that Nigella’s ham cooked in cherry coca-cola there are so many wonderfully shaped cutters to choose from. All they need is You are going to have to trust me on this one, and I urge you to give it a try! I loathe a little bit of help. If you can resist them, they will hang happily on the tree for any sort of coca-cola, and when I first tried this I did so with a tiny bit of ham so as the full 12 days of Christmas! not to waste money on something that I was sure I would end up throwing out for the To make about 12 - depending on the size of your cutters - you need foxes! I was wrong, it was wonderful, and broke my duck of not cooking ham well. I always cook it this way now, and on special occasions I finish it with the baste in the 6oz plain flour oven. I shall give the whole recipe here as it makes a special Christmas meal or addition 3oz butter cut into small chunks to everything else, and is easily as good cold as hot. I serve it with hot red cabbage cooked with apple in the micro-wave! 3 tablespoons of caster sugar 2.25-2.75kg boneless mildcure gammon 1 egg white a big bottle or 2 of cherry coke about 2 tbs squeezed orange juice (or pure juice from a carton) 1 onion 8 oz (225 g) boiled sweets, cut in half if big and your shapes are small First, cover the ham with cold water and slowly bring to the boil. Drain into a colander and wash the meat again with cold water. This is to reduce the saltiness. If you are Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/4 really organised you can just soak it overnight. Line 2 baking sheets with non stick baking parchment Then fit the ham into the smallest pan you have that will allow it to be covered with the coke. The amount you need will depend on the size of the pan. If you don’t have quite Sift the flour into a big bowl, then rub in the butter with clean fingers till it’s enough just top up with water. like breadcrumbs. Tuck the sliced onion in around it. Bring to the boil, then partially cover, and simmer for Stir in the sugar, then the egg white, and enough orange juice to make a soft 2-2 1/4 hours. (I put it in the bottom oven of the Aga.) The ham can sit in this liquid for dough. ages until you are ready for it, and if not doing the last bit, I cool it in the liquid; slice the meat - much easier cold; cover with the liquid and just gently warm through before Tip out onto a big board with some flour shaken on it. serving. Gather it into a ball, and knead it gently till smooth. For the glaze, heat the oven to gas 8, 230C. Strip the skin and the thickest fat, then Roll out quite thinly, and use whatever shapes you like to stamp out the biscuits. cut through the fat almost to the meat in diamond shapes if you want to be posh, or any way you want! Carefully put the shapes on the baking paper on the baking tray, and using the smallest cutter you have, or even the end of a piping nozzle, make a hole for the Stud each diamond with a clove pushed into the fat ribbon at the top. Then stamp out some small circles in the rest of the shape, In a small pan, put 3-4 tbs cherry jam or conserve, 1tsp smoked or pimenton dulce and place a piece of boiled sweet in the holes. For a smallish round cookie this paprika, 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar,and whisk as you bring it to the boil may only be one, but for a big Christmas tree shape you might manage to stamp out one on each branch. Don’t worry if it falls apart - just re-roll the mix and Bubble to a thick and glossy consistency that will stick to the ham. start again! Place the ham on a large piece of foil in a baking tray (to reduce the scrubbing of the Leave a space between the biscuits, and when you have a tray full, pop them in pan afterwards as the jam really sticks) the oven for about 15 minutes until the biscuit is golden and the sweets have melted to fill the holes. Cool on the baking sheet till really cold, then gently ease Spread the glaze over the ham, and pop in the oven for 15 minutes or until the glaze has them, off the paper, thread a ribbon through the hole, and hang on the tree! just caught and burnished. Rest for 2 minutes or so before carving, pouring over any leftover juices.

Have fun, and Happy Christmas from Lulu Stephen! I tend to serve all ham with a parsley sauce as that is how we like it, but you could make a light sauce with the juices. Enjoy, and a very Happy Christmas to everyone! Lulu Stephen [email protected] 60 Hilltop News Hilltop News 61 THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

ver the past few months we’ve been Imogen Vallance – 758552 – trying to produce a framework for [email protected] SOCIETIES next year. HN will continue to come O Paula Angell - 758322 DEAR DIARY out six times a year. April-May, August- September, December-January will be the Oliver Parsons -758694 – main editions as has happened this last year. [email protected] February-March, June-July, October-November PHOTOGRAPHY & FRONT COVERS will be ‘lean’ issues, simply containing news Marcus Reynolds -758610 FARMING ISSUES from the Societies, the Parish Council, the with Sally Reynolds – 758548 – Vicar’s Letter, the Rota, Church Matters and [email protected] Dear Diary. None of these require an editor. Jim Hetherington - 758836 - Each of the three major editions in the year [email protected] WILDLIFE will be edited on a entirely ONE-OFF basis, and two editors have already come forward, Bill Ingram - 758258 THE THREE PUBS Lindsay Griffin and Fletcher Nicholson. We [email protected] need a third person for December-January Anne Butterworth - 758700CHURCH MATTERS 2007/8 and more for the future! [email protected] If you have any contributions to make, a quick Articles or letters should be sent by email to glance at the following list will tell you whom co-ordinators by or before 13th March for to contact with information. These people the April-May issue. Any other material will act as co-ordinators and will forward final should be sent directly to Lindsay. 758440 copy to the editor. [email protected]

Sell and Let property in St Leonards, Buckland Common, Cholesbury, Hawridge Common Heath End, Swan Bottom, Chivery and Hastoe If you are looking to buy, sell or let in these areas please contact Graeme Warren or Simon Lambert for a Free Market Appraisal on Amersham 01494 725636 or Chesham 01494 775650 Offices in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire & Middlesex

62 Hilltop News