Village News My FEBRUARY 2021
Delivered FREE to 8400 homes and businesses FEBRUARY 2021 Hello and welcome to the February 2021 issue of My Village News. We didn’t envisage we would be at the height of this pandemic at this point in time. We are all lucky, to live in this part of the world with beautiful green space and fabulous views and we have incuded photographs for you to enjoy. Our front-page photograph was taken by Adam, while walking in Carden Thanks go out to Pam Moyle who refl ects our countryside in her beautiful poetry Local historian, David Hayns is writing once again with stories of local history and interest. Our thanks go out to David who has very kindly supplied us with reading material that we know you all enjoy. It seems to be too wet and dank in the garden at the moment, though planning for plants ordering seeds and garden maintenance is providing some work and then coming into the greenhouse, or garage for a brew is becoming daily habit after garden work or walks. Planthunters have sent through a glimpse of spring, with an article on daffodils, something colourful to cheer us on. Our dedicated advertisers are manging to get their services and wares out to you all and working so hard though these diffi cult times. Take great care Waving from a safe distance. Ann & John THE DEADLINE FOR THE MARCH ISSUE IS 16TH FEBURARY 2021
Delivered to 8,400 Homes & Businesses in over 63 villages. Agden, Aldersey, Barton, Beeston, Bickley, Bickerton, Bradley,Brown Knowl, Broxton, Bulkeley, Bunbury, Burwardsley, Carden, Chorley,Chorlton, Churton, Cholmondeley,Crewe by Farndon, Croxton Green, Clutton, Coddington, Cuddington, Duckington, Ebnal, Edge, Farndon, Gatesheath, Grindley Brook, Hampton Heath, Handley, Hatton, Harthill, Hetherson Green, Holt, Horton, Huxley, Larkton, Malpas, Marbury, No Man’s Heath, Norley, Overton Common, Peckforton, Ridley, Shocklach, Spurstow, Tallarn Green, Tattenhall, Tilston, Threapwood, Tiverton Tushingham,Wigland, Wirswell.
‘My Village News’ is edited and produced by; Advertising - Ann Davidson, Production - John Davidson Willow Bank, Mill View Close, Bulkeley, Malpas SY14 8DB Tel: 01829 720509, Email: [email protected] www.myvillagenews.co.uk
Disclaimer The views and opinions published in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the editor or staff. Although great care has been taken to ensure all material published in this magazine is correct at the time of publication we cannot give any assurances or warranty regarding the accuracy, currency or applicability of any of the contents.
2 Welcome FEBRUARY 2021
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Hardiman Building Contractors A reliable local builder for all general building and roofing work. Tel: 01948 770258 or 07891978679
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Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 19 FEBRUARY 2021 What do around eight silly old men do three days a week in Portsoy, an old fi shing village on Scotland’s Moray Firth, for nearly two years ?
The answer is that they are building a salmon coble. You ask - What is a salmon coble ? For nearly 200 years they were one of the commonest fi shing craft in the sea, built to harvest the huge quantities of salmon around our shores in an industry which took off when the value of salmon shot up because 1. It was realised that the fi sh would keep when stored chilled in ice, and 2. with the coming of the railways which could carry the catch to market.
My own family was involved in the business from the start, ( hence my own interest in the project ) and gradually moved around Scotland to take advantage of catches in the thousands. When I was a boy, the indusry was declining, again for two reasons 1. We had been overfi shing, and 2. The invention of fi sh-farms.
The method of catching the fi sh was to set up a series of nets, with a long leader net starting near the shore which diverted the fi sh out into a V shaped set of nets, ending in a small bag from which the fi sh were collected. To this required a boat of sea-going qualities, but with the ability to work in shallow water either over rocks or the nets themselves. And so the coble was developed, fl at-bottomed with no keel, but very wide to give stability. To begin with they were rowed. The coming of engines gave them a greater range with less effort for the crew of fi ve or six. But we always carried oars, just in case.
The decline of the industry meant that no new wooden cobles had been built anywhere since the 1970s. Portsoy has gradually been taking advantage of its scenic 17th century harbour to attact visitors, including setting up a museum devoted to salmon fi shing. Then they had the idea of building a coble. If you wander around the coastline of Scotland you will fi nd the remains of some of these boats, and it was by photographing and measuring one of these wrecks that one of the clever ones in our crew produced a set of drawings for us to work to.
And so the project started - in a disused butcher’s cold store, a half mile from the sea. It must have had some design features of its own - it was always cold. The few “experts” amongst us had some idea, especially when it came to the intricacies of shaping and joining bits of wood together, or even what kind of wood to use - in our case oak was used for the inside frames and larch for everything else, including the long planks which had to be steamed before bending into shape on the boat. One thing that surprised me was that the planking was done fi rst, and the frames inserted after.
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Call 01829 720509 or email [email protected] to place your advertisement 21 FEBRUARY 2021 Technical terms fl ew around which I won’t attempt to explain, but you need to know about sapwood, knots, thwarts and transoms, lands and scarph joints, roving and rubbing strips.
And how many of you know what clinker built means - you may know that it tells you that the planks are joined with an overlap, but where does the word "clinker" come from ? Its easy, but worth explaining - its the noise of hammer on copper nails when you are roving, ( the roves themselves are copper washers ) and it just goes on and on. First you work out where your nails are going to go, spaced out to avoid the future frames. Then you drill through each mark a hole which gives your nail a tight fi t. Its a two- person operation, one in the boat and one outside. The guy on the outside,call him A, often lying on the fl oor, hammers a square copper nail throught the hole, while B inside holds a pin against the wood so that A's energy goes into driving the nail rather than fl exing the wood. Next B puts a rove over the nail and with a hollow tool hammers the rove down the naill shaft till it is lying on the wood, this time with A holding a pin on the nail head to prevent it coming back out. We're not fi nshed yet B snips off the end of the nail just above the rove and prceeds to hammer down whats left of the nail, spreading it out over the rove, again with A putting whatever force he can on the nail head.
That's enough of technical terms, but it is part of the job we'll all remember. The boat we are building will have an engine, rescued from one of the old boats. It will sit in the middle of the boat with a shaft to the propeller which will be enclosed in a tunnel towards the back ( sorry, aft ), and which will still be above the bottom of the boat, again to avoid any contact with rocks etc. That will just as I remember the old boats. What I remember most is the effort in hauling them up the beach, even with a winch to help. A cousin who worked elsewhere has told me they used a tractor for this. Apparently our new boat will weigh over two tons. At Portsoy they plan to keep the boat in the water in the harbour in the Summer, only lifting it out once to a spot outside the museum for the Winter.
Our coble has had one lift already. In the Autumn a new boatshed was opened, built out an old ruin by the harbour. And the coble is now there, thanks to some sawn-up old telephone poles it was rolled out of the butcher''s shed, carted down to the harbour and rolled into the new shed. Just in time to be there when the Duke of Kent came to open the new boatshed, and already the centre of attraction. Now fi nished and inn the water in time for the annual Portsoy boat festival, which is a great event of old boats and music at the end normally at the of June. , however not thsi year we uspect You may read and see a lot more about the project by searching on -http://www.stbfcobleproject.com/ which has a nice little video.
Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding 22 to an advertisement in this magazine. FEBRUARY 2021 Under Progress - A New Home you will see us in the very smart new boatshed with HRH. Thinking at the same time that we will be more at home when there is wood and shavings everywhere, and a corner to sit and have our several breaks in the work, to sit and put the world to rights. (Friend, Peter Aikman who lived in Malpas for some years with his wife and young family sent us this interesting article). Bottom photograph Snowdrops in Beeston
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Family owned
Established by T.C. Barlow in 1948
Proud to be serving Malpas and the surrounding areas for 70 years.
Telephone 01948 820200
Domestic & Commercial Electrical Installations Domestic & Commercial Electrical Inspection & Testing Security Alarm Systems CCTV Fire Alarms, Emergency Lighting & Access Control Electric Vehicle Charging Points Audio & Visual Installations Telephone & Data installations Domestic Appliance Repairs Television and Smart Device Repairs Oil & Gas servicing Plumbing & Heating Services Property Maintenance
www.barlowsuk.co.uk
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Reared with love… Our Aberdeen Angus cattle are reared to very high standards, living healthy, happy lives. Growing naturally and grazing freely. Handled with care… Our beef is traditionally dry aged for 28 days then prepared & packed by our professional butcher.
Visit the website for all the info: www.hollowoodfarm.co.uk Please telephone before visiting: Rachel Ravenscroft ~ 07715 104495 or, send an email: [email protected] Hollowood Farm, Mates Lane, Malpas, Cheshire, SY14 8JE Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s happening on the farm and to get regular updates
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Plumbing,PK Bathrooms and Tiling • Project managed from start to finish • The highest standards in Tiling • Heating, Valves, Sinks, Taps and Radiators • Room changes • Plastering • All domestic plumbing catered for • No job too small • Free consultation and quotations EMERGENCY CALL-OUTS Telephone Paul 07894 877207 Email:[email protected]
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We are on the A41 at Unit 1 Westview Garage Hatton Heath Chester Ch3 9AU Tel 01829 771151 Email :[email protected] www.hattonheathgarage.co.uk
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Joinery & Building Contractors
SPECIALISING IN CARPENTRY & JOINERY and all building work undertaken Extensions Completed - Start to Finish Kitchens - Designed, Supplied, Fitted General Property Maintenance Garage Conversions Purpose Built Stables M R Aerials Office and Home Refurbishments Aerials, Satellite Systems, Independent Sky Work NO JOB TOO SMALL OR TOO BIG TV Wall Mounting Phone Mark Discounts for OAP’S, RDI Registered for a Free Quote Third party liability Insurance, Free Quotations
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Roofing, Building & Groundwork we do it all! Across Cheshire, Shropshire, Wirral and North Wales • Roofing, New Repairs, Flat Roofs, Chimneys, Ridge Tiles, Verges, Dry Verge and Dry Ridge system UPVC Fascias, Soffits, Cladding and Guttering • Damp proofing: Rising damp, Penetrating damp and Woodworm treatment • Painting, re-pointing rendering and repairs • Landscaping, Walls, Drives, Paths, Patios Decking, Fencing, Turfing Telephone 01948 818417 or 07470 033872 swf[email protected] • www.swfroofingandbuilding.co.uk
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Electrician www.sparkriteselectrical.co.uk [email protected] Do you find it difficult to get someone to come and do a small job?
♦ Extra Lights ♦ Additional sockets ♦ Qualified Electrician ♦ Fully Insured ♦ New Fuse Boards ♦ Reliable Service ♦ Tidy Work ♦ Rewires ♦ New installations ♦ Free Quote ♦ Flexible Hours ♦ Reasonably Priced Fault finding and Repairs Satisfaction Guaranteed I will assure you of a quick response, and a reasonably priced service… Call Rob on: 01948 818432
practicalhandyman domestic & commercial property maintenance Guido Favro 0790 2317640
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Call us on 01606 882866 Or visit us online at www.booher.co.uk
Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 31 FEBRUARY 2021 AKP GARAGE DOORS LTD Installations, Repairs & Automation
0VSTFSWJDFTJODMVEF: - (BSBHFEPPSJOTUBMMBUJPO Garage door repairs & servicing Automation of existing doors All makes and types Tel: 01829 272375 Mob: 07419 987371 [email protected] kd Traditional Carpenters & BESPOKE SERVICE
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Timber Traditions are a company who specialise in traditional carpentry work and restoration projects.
T. 01948 519549 M. 07786 635222 www.timbertraditions.co.uk
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With our delicious frozen meals and desserts, prepared by award-winning chefs and delivered free by your local team, you’ve more time to enjoy doing the things you love. For your free brochure visit wiltshirefarmfoods.com or call 01952 299222
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Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 33 FEBRUARY 2021 William Dodd CLG POLISHING Decorators Furniture Re-finishing French Polishing and Established over 25 years Furniture Repair Ring for a free quote Cath Gresty 01829 261 813 over 20 years experience or Antique & modern 07946 342 013 Heat resistant finishes Collection & delivery available 07787 500 867 [email protected] clgpolishing.com High quality at an affordable price White Lion Meadow Whitchurch Shropshire
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SVS are the independent modern Jaguar Land Rover specialists for Cheshire We provide cost effective maintenance and repair solutions for your Jaguar or Land Rover, whilst providing the best customer experience possible Why use SVS?
Up to 50% cheaper than main dealers No impact on your vehicle’s manufacturers warranty Online Service History updated every time JLR trained technicians Full genuine JLR dealer level diagnostic equipment & special tooling Free collection & delivery service available within 25 miles of our workshop Courtesy cars available free of charge Call 01244 794 784 today
Unit 10, Iddenshall Hall Farm, Clotton, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0EG e [email protected] w specialist-vehicle-services.co.uk /SpecialistVehicleServices
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Twinning with Questembert
In the 1970s and 1980s the Bishop Heber High School was twinned with a High School in Questembert, Brittany, France. During my fi rst period on Malpas Parish Council, this twinning arrangement was extended and Malpas Township was twinned with Questembert Town. I did travel to Questembert for the Twinning Ceremony and I also returned in 1989 with the Malpas Darts League. It was very much "twinning on the cheap". All the accommodation was provided free of charge in homes of residents and everyone involved paid for their own transport.
Sadly in the 1990s the teacher at the Bishop Heber High School who organised it left the school, and the twinning links gradually faded. However recently during lock-down there has been a revival of interest in the twinning. Many students who went are now parents themselves and are quite keen to return with their children and enjoy the international friendship of Twinning. There has been a Facebook group started "Let's Revive the Malpas - Questembert Twinning". We would be very glad if anyone wants to join this group, or join in the project. We would like to cover the whole of the catchment area of the Bishop Heber High School at the time - which more or less matches the distribution area of this esteemed publication. If you are not on Facebook and want to get in touch, use one of these methods,-
Email [email protected] tel 01948 860083 C Higgie, 1 Well Farm Close, Malpas, Cheshire, SY14 8QW
Used Clean Fish Tanks For Sale 55 Litres and 70 Litres Further information Tel: 01829 782597
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Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 41 FEBRUARY 2021 Farndon Brass Band playing like no other. Just before Christmas on a dark and very cold night we went to listen to the Farndon Junior Brass Band who were performing on the banks of the Dee. The English resident players on the Farndon side of the river and the Welsh on the Holt side of the river. The band played and the adult organisers called across the water to each other to announce the next tune. As mentioned, it was cold, dark and also very muddy underfoot, however it didn’t deter, and the atmosphere was incredible.
Farndon photographs below sent in by Kate Forte before and after heavy rain.
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Band Person of the Year Special Edition I recently received a lovely little card from Janet in Junior Band. I thought it perfectly summed up the year we have just lived through, and includes a great image inside of one the Junior’s famous Zoom rehearsals. Well done for that alone! As in previous years, Janet selects the Junior Band Person of the Year based on their contribution to the Junior Band during that year. In these difficult times it has been impossible to conduct things in the usual way, but we thought it was important that we find a way to continue the process to celebrate everyone’s contribution to the Junior Band’s year. I will simply use Janet’s own words which were written inside the card…”At this time of year I am faced with the challenge of deciding who should become Junior Band Person of the Year. I have reflected on their wonderful contributions to zoom band and bubble bands, and this year I believe that every member deserves to be Junior Band Person of the Year”. Well done everyone, thoroughly deserved to you all!
Usually, the winner of the Band Person of the Year is announced during the Annual Band Dinner and Presentation event. Of course this year most things are not the same, but the vote went ahead as normal by email because I felt it was important to get as close to normal as we could. We had a good response to the vote as usual, and not surprisingly this year, the person who has received the largest number of votes, was Janet Barraclough. Her efforts this year ensured that she also won by some distance. Rhys and Sue also featured well in the voting, and I would like to thank all of them for their quite magnificent work this year given all the challenges we Our Junior Band in happier times, led by Janet Barraclough, when they have faced, because they have played at Bellis Brothers Christmas event back in 2018. Remember the helped the mental health of our days when we could actually sit next to each other, with an audience, and Junior section in ways that have the most remarkable thing is..there isn’t a single mask in sight!! literally changed their lives.
Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 43 FEBRUARY 2021 Cuckoo Rock Valley (Dedicated to the friends of Bickerton Hill)
When they came Chainsaw-armed, did they wake the ghostly birches from their winter sleep? And did the roaring of their sawing when it reached those distance realms where sound vibrations from conversations never end; did it stop them in full fl ow?
Those generations of conversations echoing through Cuckoo Rock Valley where nature’s mind designed tree climbing slopes, dressed in seasonal clothes that cleaned the air we breathed; communicated their calm, let us touch their woody hearts
Those indefi nable communications between mankind and trees that aroused us to defend them from strangers, authority armed with the written word power endorsing their not minding, their burning and grinding
Today when we climbed those felled limbs and trunks and earth rooted stumps exposing circled centres to winter frost, we spoke sadly of trees and things now lost but then recalled conversations by-gone and remembered that somewhere out there those happy vibrations talk on
poetry by Pam Moyle. Photo from Roger Reeves Bicke
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February Fields
Flaxen grasses bent, struggling out of last year
Water hyacinth shrivelled, split circling the pond.
Tufts of sheep-wool draping the wire fence.
Loitering mists dictating pace, muffl ing sound.
Nature gone to ground working to rule.
Me at ease walking through this untidy month my thoughts drifting.
Poetry by Pam Moyle
Bickerton
Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 45 FEBRUARY 2021 Heating Tips
Don’t let a frozen boiler condensate pipe leave you in the cold this winter Did you know that a frozen boiler condensate pipe is the most common boiler problem in winter? Luckily it’s easy to get your boiler working again without spending a penny. What is a boiler condensate pipe? Modern oil and gas boilers feature special, energy-saving technology that captures heat in the fl ue gasses and recycles it back into the boiler. A by-product of this process is condensation, which is drained out of the boiler and into your household wastewater. Where is my boiler condensate pipe? An external boiler condensate pipe usually emerges near the bottom of the boiler (typically about the same height as a ground fl oor window sill) and connects to a drain. It is the only plastic pipe connected to your boiler. In some cases, there may be a small gap between the end of the pipe and the drain How can I tell if my condensate pipe is frozen? If your boiler has suddenly stopped working during a cold snap or is making an unusual gurgling sound, it may have a frozen condensate pipe. Before you call an engineer, try the following: How to fi x a frozen condensate pipe yourself 1. Locate your boiler condensate pipe. 2. If there is ice blocking the exit of the pipe, use hot water to melt the blockage. Once you see a fl ow of water, you should be able to reset your boiler. Refer to your boiler handbook if necessary. 3. Check if the pipe sounds hollow. If not, it could be frozen inside. Pour hot water over the frozen sections until you see water fl ow out of the pipe, then try resetting your boiler. 4. If pouring hot water doesn’t seem to be working, use a hot water bottle to heat the pipe for longer. Important safety advice Don’t use boiling water - It is dangerous and may damage the pipe. Use a container that is easy to carry and pour. Do not attempt to cut or remove the boiler condensate pipe - by law, only a Gas Safe engineer is legally authorised to perform physical work on the pipe itself. How to stop your boiler condensate pipe from freezing Prevention is always better than cure. We recommend insulating your condensate pipe with high quality, waterproof cladding. It is easy to do and will cost next to nothing. If you have tried the above and your boiler is still not working, call D. R. Plumbing & Heating on 01978 291 923 / 01352 620 125 to speak to a Worcester Bosch accredited heating engineer today.
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PROSPECT HOUSE
We wish to offer heartfelt thanks to our amazing staff team for the way in which they have continued to show great commitment and compassion during recent times. We are so proud of them for all their hard work and continued dedication.
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Local rural Physiotherapists with over 25 years experience in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy No Matter how Small or Com- Members of Jockey Injury Management Team Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of: • Sports / Riding Injuries plex your Needs • Back and neck pain including sciatica and trapped nerves • Whiplash injury • Shoulder, elbow and hand conditions • Hip, groin, knee, ankle and foot conditions • Arthritis pain and stiffness • Recurrent strain injuries • Posture and muscle imbalances We can Accommodate Treatment can include: • Exercise programs • Correcting movement patterns • Sports Massage • Mobilization techniques/Manual Therapy • Electrotherapy, e.g. ultrasound, TENS • Acupuncture • Sport Injury post operative rehabilitation DBS Certified PL Insurance Please telephone to arrange an appointment Cathryn Woodall Grad. Dip. Phys. MSc Chartered Laura Newton BSc (hons) Physiotherapists Anne Oliver BSc (hons) MSc Contact 07540538398 Farndon 01829 270544 65 High Street, Farndon, Chester, CH3 6PT Tattenhall 01829 738692 Please telephone to arrange an appointment Mobile: 07979 866788 www.farndonphysiotherapy.co.uk
Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 49 FEBRUARY 2021 PRIVATE TUITION Charles Higgie & Associates. Private Tuition Agency Established 1979 We offer private tuition in Maths, English, Humanities, Economics, Business and ICT, Science, Modern Foreign Languages, Music,Chess Tuition Local rural Physiotherapists with over 25 years experience Art, Early Year Learning, in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy Marketing and Public Relations Members of Jockey Injury Management Team Interested? Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of: Ring me on 01948 860083 or 07981074373 • Sports / Riding Injuries • Back and neck pain including sciatica and trapped nerves or Email [email protected] • Whiplash injury • Shoulder, elbow and hand conditions Charles Higgie BA, BEd,MEd • Hip, groin, knee, ankle and foot conditions • Arthritis pain and stiffness • Recurrent strain injuries • Posture and muscle imbalances Treatment can include: • Exercise programs • Correcting movement patterns • Sports Massage • Mobilization techniques/Manual Therapy • Electrotherapy, e.g. ultrasound, TENS • Acupuncture • Sport Injury post operative rehabilitation Please telephone to arrange an appointment Cathryn Woodall Grad. Dip. Phys. MSc Chartered Laura Newton BSc (hons) Physiotherapists Anne Oliver BSc (hons) MSc Farndon 01829 270544 65 High Street, Farndon, Chester, CH3 6PT Tattenhall 01829 738692 Please telephone to arrange an appointment Mobile: 07979 866788 www.farndonphysiotherapy.co.uk
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Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 51 FEBRUARY 2021 Daffodils: Spring’s Trumpets
Happy Gardening,Martin
Plant Hunters' Fairs Specialist Plant Fairs at beautiful gardens and countryside locations
Fri 2 April Whittington Castle, nr Oswestry, SY11 4DF 10am-4pm £2.00 per car (to Castle charity). Sun 4 / Mon 5 April Dorothy Clive Garden, TF9 4EU 10am-5pm Gardens & Fair: £4.00 Sat 17 April Arley Hall, Northwich, CW9 6NA 10am-4pm Fair: £2.00 (deducted from optional garden entry) Sun 25 April Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, SY14 8AH 10am-5pm Gardens & Fair: £4.00 www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk
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Please mention ‘My Village News’ when responding to an advertisement in this magazine. 53 FEBRUARY 2021
End of Lay, Free Range Brown Egg 360° Excavator Driver and B’dozer Laying Hens for Sale Driver Still laying over 70% at present ideal Wants work, driving your excavator 40 years experience Ex North West for Spring laying Water Authority (Land Drainage) six for £20 or 10 for £25 discount CPCS Cardholder for larger quantities Telephone number Ian (07710) contact Peter Nicholas 596722 or Richard (07970) 822972 (01270) 524415 or (07957)861981
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Gardening 55 FEBRUARY 2021 HAMILTON MOWERS & GARDEN MACHINERY Servicing & repairs to all makes of machine New & second-hand garden equipment sold Specialist knowledge of HAYTER MOWERS and STIHL products HAYTER & LAWNFLITE main dealer
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Gardening 57 FEBRUARY 2021
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NATHAN’S TREE SURGERY q 01829 250 015 n 07703 855 509 N.Roberts Your Local Tree Man a name E [email protected] and service you can trust All types of trees carefully felled, pruned & HJD Garden Maintenance & Landscaping topped - Apple, Pear, Plum etc. HENRY JAMES DAVIES Conifer, Beech, Hawthorn Hedges reduced in height trimmed and shaped. GARDEN / GROUND MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING All foliage and cuttings cleared away. Hedges, Trees & Shrubs - trimmed & shaped. Rear Rolled Push Mowing Fencing Stump Grinding All roots destroyed and removed. Woodchipping service. Ride on Mowing Patio / Pointing Fully insured up to £5,000,000 Strimming / Edging Decking Telephone: 01948 841044 Weeding / Pruning Garden Walls Mobile: 07854 272621 Hedge Cutting Ponds Email [email protected] Lawn Treatment Turf / Seeding FREE QUOTES & ADVICE Knapsack Herbicide New & Repair CALL US FOR AN APPOINTMENT Spraying (weed control) Digger / Driver
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We provide a high quality personal and professional garden service including maintenance, design and construction to transform your garden J s 'ARDEN $ESIGN A B s 0ATIOS AND DECKING Landscapes s 7ATER FEATURES AND PONDS Landscape Design & Build s 4URlNG s (EDGE AND TREE PLANTING Call us today on s 0LANTING PLANS AND PLANTING 01829 250364
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Gardening 59
#+ /6446/13676 /083775/685 /6700/41473 FEBRUARY 2021 The Larch Cladding Company
Why do we do this? We believe you should be able to build amazing, beautiful things without harming the planet.
What we do So we’ve set up a business to supply locally sourced, quality, sustainable timber to the building sector using eco powered energy!
How do we do it Our bespoke, high quality cutting service for larch cladding, fencing, roof shingles, sleepers or any bespoke cut wood means you can feel good that our carbon footprint, from not importing timber from other countries, is as low as possible. You can be rest assured we only use FSC certifi ed local Welsh timber and have even embarked on planting trees too.
Thinking of the future We all know caring for the environment is so important and more and more of our renewable energy on site comes from our biomass boilers.
The locals As a family run business we always look to employ locally to help the local economy, supporting projects and charities that champion eco sustainability & positive mental health is also a passion of ours.
Being thankful It’s been a real pleasure helping you all with your lockdown projects in what’s been a very diffi cult time. We really appreciate the loyalty and fl exibility of our staff and customers! Get out there, support your local businesses and together we can all play a small part in building beautiful world!
Mathew Davies MD The Larch Cladding Company The Larch Cladding Company Bespoke Welsh Timber Cutting BUILD A BEAUTIFUL WORLD www.thelarchcladdingcompany.co.uk
60 Call 01829 720509 or email [email protected] to place your advertisement FEBRUARY 2021
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Village News 61 FEBRUARY 2021
WILDLIFE ON OUR HILLS – PAST AND PRESENT
David Hayns
Keen nature-lovers out walking on the Sandstone Trail will spot many forms of wild life. I have my own vivid and precious memories, among many others, of watching a family of badgers emerging at dusk from their sett on the hillside overlooking Duckington; a green woodpecker feeding its young in a decaying silver birch on Birds Hill; the cry of buzzards circling over Stanner Nab; a stoat stalking a rabbit by Peckforton Mere; spying on the courtship ritual of a pair of swans, close to where the Sandstone Trail crosses the canal at Wharton’s Lock; and observing enormous fl ocks of goldfi nches stripping the seed heads of thistles in a fi eld below Beeston Crag. If you had been up on the Crag in 1864 you might have been surprised to see two other forms of wildlife, one native and the other from the Southern Hemisphere! In his accounts for that year the agent for the Peckforton Estate entered, under the heading of sundry payments, ‘Meal to Deer & Kangaroos on Beeston Castle £4.16s.1d [£4.80p]’. Those kangaroos were probably wallabies, a fashionable feature of many country estates in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Across the country, some of them escaped to live and breed in the surrounding areas including those from the private zoo on The Roaches at the edge of Staffordshire’s Peak District, who broke free during WW2.
Deer must have been known on our sandstone ridge from at least the 13th century, from when dates the earliest documentary reference to Harthill, ‘the hill where harts (stags) are found’. If you stand on Raw Head and look down to the hill above Harthill village you will see that it is topped by a large grassy enclosure, entirely surrounded by trees. That is all that is left of the original medieval deer park, from where the stags would have been released to be hunted across the hills by the local lords. In 1726 Robert Bulkeley of Bulkeley recorded in his diary: ‘15th September, In morn I went on the hill to see Lord Malpas buck hunting’. Lord Malpas was the son of Lord Cholmondeley and we know from a document of 1713 that deer were also a feature of Cholmondeley Park, as they are today in the Duke of Westminster’s Eaton Park.
Call 01829 720509 or email [email protected] 62 to place your advertisement FEBRUARY 2021 Robert Bulkeley also recorded in 1726 evidence of another species hunted ‘for the pot’, when he wrote: ‘16th Sept 1726, Coorsing, killd two hares’, which were then probably ‘jugged’ by the cook at Bulkeley Hall. Another highly edible member of the ‘leporidae’ family is the rabbit. Thomas Williams was the warrener for Lord Cholmondeley. In 1716 he received £2.00 ‘… being one year’s wages for looking after the warren on Bulkeley Hill and catching rabbits for the Earl’s use’.
It has been claimed that the last wild wolf in Britain was killed in the 18th century at Wolvesacre, right on the Welsh border between Malpas and Whitchurch, although similar claims have been made for other parts of the country. Returning to the Sandstone Trail, during ‘lockdown’ the commonest animals to be seen are the wolves’ domesticated descendants, dogs of many shapes and sizes being exercised by their owners in a bid to retain their sanity during these strange and diffi cult times. No sign at all of deer or wallabies! [email protected]
Photo sent in by Head Gardener Barry Grain kind permission Cholmondeley Castle Gardens
Village News 63 FEBRUARY 2021 A DAY AT THE RURAL RACES
David Hayns
Nearly fi fty years ago I was in the Cheshire Record Offi ce searching through a bundle of solicitor’s papers relating to the Malpas district. Among them was a plan showing ‘the old Race Course’. The style of writing on the plan suggested a date during the fi rst half of the 19th century. I asked around locally but could fi nd no-one who knew anything about a race course in the area. Some years later when I was walking through Threapwood I passed the triangular patch of rough ground known in those days as the Cinder Common, lying between Lower House and Topwood. It was suddenly obvious to me, from the layout shown on the plan, that here was the location of ‘the old Race Course’! Nowadays that same patch of ground is an attractive grassed public amenity area, planted up with bulbs and shrubs. Around the same time as I identifi ed the site, the late Gerrard Barnes was working through ‘The Cheshire Sheaf’, a ‘notes and queries’ publication which fi rst appeared in 1878. In one issue he found a copy of a poster from 1800, advertising ‘Worthenbury Wakes and Threapwood Races’. This announced that a number of races would be run, with prizes up to the value of £50, a considerable sum for those days. At the foot of the poster were the cryptic comments: ’N.B. All Tailors seen on Horseback will be taken up and whipped’ and ‘Those that won’t come shan’t see it’. Eddie Broad, who lived then at Topwood Farm in Threapwood, found further references in a history of Worthenbury, published in 1890, which revealed that Threapwood Races had been patronised by many of the local aristocracy and gentry, including the likes of Lord Molineux, Sir Robert Grosvenor and Watkin Williams Wynn. To cap it all he found that a small fi eld near the course had been known as the ‘Jockey Field’ (a collecting area for the riders?). The whole course, about one mile long, can still be followed on today’s lanes and public footpaths. Gerrard, Eddie and I published our research in the Malpas History magazine in July 1984 (now available on-line) and the article has also been reproduced on the Threapwood History Group’s website.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, members of the aristocracy and gentry were racing and gambling crazy. Place names such as Reaseheath (derived from ‘race heath’) just outside Nantwich are reminders of those times.
Call 01829 720509 or email [email protected] 64 to place your advertisement FEBRUARY 2021 Racing on the Roodee alongside the River Dee at Chester seems to have started around 1540 and just under a century later a race course was laid out further upstream on the banks of the river at Farndon, in the fi eld known as Farndon Hey. Although the races were organised by the gentry, for the gentry, ‘those lower down the social class also enjoyed the spectacle and lined the banks of the river to observe the event’! A manuscript list of the rules for Farndon Races, and for the subscribers of prize money in 1656, is preserved in the Record Offi ce. Horse racing went hand-in-hand with fox-hunting and so it is no surprise that, just outside our area, the Tarporley Hunt Club, set up in 1762, held early race meetings at Crab-tree-Green in Delamere Forest.
These races moved around to various venues until they fi nally died out in the early 20th century. I have discovered enigmatic clues for smaller meetings at Bunbury and at Larkton, near Malpas. The 1830 plan of the proposed new turnpike road from Four Lane Ends (Tarporley) to Whitchurch shows a ‘chair’ on Bunbury Heath. This would have been the starting chair for horse races on the Heath, something which may have been commemorated in the names of the Bunbury pubs ‘The Nag’s Head’ and the former ’Horse and Jockey’. It is probably no more than just coincidence, with no connection to our Cheshire village, that a once prominent steward of the Jockey Club was Sir Charles Bunbury (1740-1821). Much earlier than Bunbury Heath seems to have been a four-mile steeplechase course laid out around the fi elds of what is now Larkton House Farm, near Malpas. The layout of the course was drawn in pencil on a Cholmondeley estate plan, dating from around 1705, which shows clearly the starting and fi nishing positions, and some of the mile posts.
Until around 60 years ago point-to-point steeplechases were still hosted by the Barnett family at Overton Hall, just outside Malpas. They were organised by the Wynnstay Hunt, and presided over by the joint Master Sir Watkin Wynn, whose photo appears in a Cheshire Life article about the event, published in May 1962. Many older Malpas residents have memories of going to watch the point-to-point, remembering it as a great day out and a very social occasion. Nowadays race meetings have vanished from our rural part of Cheshire but we are still close enough to Chester or Bangor-on-Dee to make excursions to watch the racing on those courses – and maybe to indulge in an occasional ‘fl utter’- once ‘lockdown is over! [email protected]
Village NewsNewsVillage 65 FEBRUARY 2021
Postcode Lottery Award
Holt Community Gardeners are delighted to announce that the Postcode Lottery’s Community Trust Fund have supported our project to “Enhance our inclusivity” by awarding us a grant to purchase solar power equipment for our polytunnel.
The Solar Power Kit will power such things as cooling fans, lights, soil warming cables and other systems for our polytunnel. This is needed to help people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to join in with gardening activities, e.g. people in wheelchairs and those who need the environment regulated as the polytunnel can get very hot. It also improves the environment for current members and it will enhance our green credentials.
It will significantly help with the day-to-day management of our project ensuring that we can produce plants for our community and open up our organisation to a wider range of people. We have made space allowances for wheelchairs but now need to control the environment to ensure that it is suitable for all.
It will help the health and wellbeing of members of our village and is an investment for our future. We would like to thank everyone who plays the People’s Postcode Lottery. You have turned our dreams into reality.
66 Village News FEBRUARY 2021 SPURSTOW
Spurstow Parish Council now have a website www.spurstow-pc.gov.uk Please visit us for all items such as Agendas, Minutes of Parish Meetings, Council Governance, Councillor contact details and other parish related matters. BUNBURY Bunbury Website For more news about what is happening in Bunbury please visit www.bunburyvillage.info. This site is run by volunteers and is intended as a resource for visitors and anyone living in the village or surrounding area. Information includes regular events in the Pavilion and Village Hall, the latest Parish Council news and the annual village day. You can send requests to post news but we do not publish opinion pieces just useful information. Bunbury Butchers will make free deliveries locally for any meat products: Tel: 01829 260342 [email protected]. TIVERTON & TARPORLEY Tiverton Bridge Club Cancelled until further notice Monarchy Interest Group; CMA Cheshire Group. Meets quarterly near Tarporley with talks of related interest. Contact Sec, Charles, on 01829 732046 or [email protected] PECKFORTON & BEESTON Peckforton and Beeston Village Room - Stone House Lane, Peckforton CW6 9UH. Private hire our beautiful Village Room. Available for half or full days with a fully equipped kitchen, spacious garden and ample parking. The perfect space for parties, exhibitions, group meetings, exercise classes and more. Message for info [email protected] For further pictures follow us on Instagram @peckfortonvillage SHOCKLACH Shocklach Gardening Group In line with Government advice, our meetings are suspended until further notice and many of our members will be self- isolating. Let’s take the positives and enjoy the chance to spend more time in our gardens and the therapeutic benefi ts that offers. Stay well. Information: Wendy Gilpin 01829 250413 NO MANS HEATH & TUSHINGHAM In line with government guidelines and Church of England policy all social events at St Chad's church Tushingham are cancelled. Weddings and Funerals can take place under restrictions as to numbers in attendance, please contact either of the church wardens Andew Dawson on 01948 820305 or Peter Moore Dutton 01948 664292 if you need any further help.
Village News 67 FEBRUARY 2021 CODDINGTON & ALDERSEY Coddington and District Parish Council: Please visit our website for all items such as Agendas, Minutes, Council Governance, Councillor contact details and other Parish related matters. www.coddingtonparishes.co.uk CLUTTON The Clutton community is raising funds for a defi brillator for Clutton and the Clutton C of E Primary School and we need your help. Clutton is a remote location and getting urgent medical help is an issue. To donate please go to www.justgiving. com/crowdfunding/clutton-defi brillator-appeal or send a cheque payable to Coddington and District Parish Council to Defi b Appeal, Clutton C of E School, Broxton Road, Clutton, Cheshire, CH3 9ER TATTENHALL West Cheshire Rural U3A February meeting. A representative from the charity Blood Bikes will talk to us at our next meeting on the 18th February at 2.30pm. Blood Bikes transport blood, platelets, samples, surgical instruments, human donor milk and many other clinical products across the UK & Eire. We never know when we will need their services. The meeting will be held online and is open to members - If you know of anyone who would like to join the U3A and listen to these talks online, they should contact Hilary Scarratt, WCRU3A membership secretary using the contact details on our website. https://u3asites.org. uk/west-cheshire/contact CREWE BY FARNDON Crewe by Farndon Family and Community Methodist Church hold regular Sunday services for congregational worship in a COVID secure building as permitted by current rules 4.30pm on Sundays, we also share these simultaneously on ZOOM. Everyone welcome, Sunday School activities for the very young, if you wish to join on ZOOM rather than coming in person email [email protected] for the link please. As part of our commitment to serve the community we offer a help and guidance for couples experiencing relationship breakdown, we provide an accredited family mediator and can also offer counselling. If you are in need of, or know of others to refer to us please contact us in complete confi dence on familyfuturesatcbf@ gmail.com in the fi rst instance. The service is provided free of charge although donations are invited. We continue to provide a Thursday morning new parent support group ‘Butterfl ies’ and bible study on the book of Acts is via ZOOM 7pm every Tuesday led by Rev. Jennifer Matthews please email for details [email protected]
BROWN KNOWL
Brown Knowl Methodist Church Minister - Rev. Rob Weir Due to the current Government Lockdown rules, the Chapel is closed for normal services. For up-to-date information, please phone or see our website, details below. Keep safe and take care! Contact: General Info: 01244 535231, or see our website. www. Brownknowlmethodist.com
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HOLT AND FARNDON 1st Holt Brownies We are a friendly group keen to welcome new members aged 7 to 10 years. We meet Wednesday during term time from 6.30-8.00pm at Holt CP School Club Room (next to School Reception), Chapel Street, Holt. For more information contact Rachel Smith on 01829 270939 or email rachelsmith07@ talktalk.net. In line with the Government advice now suspended
Holt Local History Society We have been pleased to welcome our speakers for September, October and November by Zoom. The Society, formed in 1992 has continued to offer speakers for our lecture season which runs from September to April. In September Louise Benson spoke about 'The History of the Grosvenor Family.' In October Nick Fry gave his talk on 'The Treasures of Chester Cathedral' . Our last talk of the year was by Professor Howard Williams on 'Wat's Dyke' . This took the form of a Q and A session which followed two U Tube videos members had been invited to watch before the talk.. We are pleased to announce our 2021 Programme to our membership of 70. Annual subscription is £10 and £4 for students. January 'Aldford Castle' by Dr Rachel Swallow February 'Role of Women in the history of Geology in N. Wales' by Professor Cynthia Burek March 'Archaeology of the Wirral' by Dr Rob Philpott April 'Emma Hamilton' by Will Meredith. We would like to invite those interested to join our Zoom sessions Contact [email protected] Sue Payne Chair HLHS
FARNDON Farndon Community Club Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Farndon Community Club has had to close for indoor events and activities. At this point we don’t know how things might change going forward. However, as soon as the rules allow and we can open safely again we look forward to welcoming you back. Please keep an eye on the Club website, www.farndoncommunityclub.com, and Facebook for information about our re-opening. For the future, which we hope will be bright, if you want to make any enquiries about booking the club for a party or other function, if you have any other questions about the club, if you are interested in supporting our team of volunteers, or if you have any ideas about what you would like us to do, then do please get in touch. Our phone number (answerphone) is 01829 270151 email: [email protected].’
Village News 69 FEBRUARY 2021 BICKERTON BULKELEY RIDLEY. Bickerton Village Hall Long Lane Bickerton Cheshire SY14 8AU. www.bickertonvillagehall.com NEW YEAR Message from BVH 2020 NEW YEAR Message from BVH 2020 I wanted to look back at this year, and share with you the journey we have all experienced. Back in January the hall was quiet, as is normal, but plans were afoot to put together another year of events, clubs, group activities and celebrations. Who could have foreseen the extraordinary events that followed in the early part of the year. I do not wish to dwell overly on the effects that the pandemic has had on the hall, suffi ce it to say, we have all had to approach our lives in a very different way this year, and accordingly many activities at the hall have had to be modifi ed and heavily risk managed as well, and some activities cancelled altogether. I do not underestimate the effect this has had on all concerned, our hall is a great asset, and provides much needed recreation and social interaction for us all. To take positives from this year, whilst challenging, I am pleased to report that much needed work has been carried out to the fabric of the building to ensure it can remain in good condition for years to come and provide for all our needs. I thank all those of you who have contributed to the various tasks undertaken this year, to keep the building clean and safe. We also will be looking hard at how the hall is run in the future, to try to maximise what we have, and provide facilities for as many people as required going forward. Our hall though is not really about the fabric of the building, the bricks and the mortar, whilst important, and we have worked hard to ensure we are in a position to keep looking after this, the most important part of the hall is the people. Without our various groups that attend the different clubs and events, there is no hall. The place never looks happier than when it is echoing to a hall full of guests tucking into a fabulous lunch, or a group of toddlers expending their energies and playing together, this is to mention just a few of the many activities. It is the return of the people that needs to be our biggest focus as next year unfolds. So, to fi nish my message, here is to the prospect of an end to this beastly bug, and a return to a full and meaningful calendar next year. ‘Normal’ will never be so gratefully received. Finally, and in the words of someone famous, “Diffi culties mastered are opportunities won” Wishing you all a Happy New Year Bill
The Bulkeley and Ridley Parish Council website is now fully functioning. It contains all the latest accounts, minutes of meetings and other relevant information. Bulkeley and Ridley Parish Council have a new Facebook Page. Please visit and ‘Like us’ at: https://www.facebook.com/ bulkeleyandridleyparishcouncil You may access the website through www.bulkeleyandridleypc.org.uk. Your feed back would be appreciated via the email address given on the website.
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Home food deliveries by the Harveys. Tel: 01829 260170 (carl@harveyscatering. co.uk) They have a 10 day rolling programme of deliveries. Bickerton Poacher. Apart from converting themselves into a useful shop for most food items, including fresh baked bread. Also Take aways, for collection only Telephone 01829 720226 John & Jo at Bulkeley will deliver Pizza's locally. Tel: 07806 809797
MALPAS
Anyone for chess? My online chess club continues to grow. Many of the new members are guys I used to play chess with at Sheffi eld University and it has been lovely to make contact with them again. I have come across a few children interested in chess, through my work as a tutor. We cater for all strengths, our strongest player is an International Master and the weakest in a complete beginner. We have a team in a quick-play league, and teams that play with all sorts of time controls, up to teams which play a move a day typically. I now even have a second Facebook account for my chess activities. So if you fancy joining in the fun, contact me, Charles Chessman Higgie on Facebook. If you are not on Facebook and want to get in touch, use one of these methods,- Email [email protected] tel 01948 860083 mail C Higgie, 1 Well Farm Close, Malpas, Cheshire, SY14 8QW
Malpas Amateur Gardeners wish all their members a Healthy and Happy New Year. As our schedule remains suspended due to Government Guidelines our Annual AGM will be dealt with by email during the next few weeks and a new schedule and committee will be arranged for 2021. Sadly after many years of devoted service Paul and Alan will be retiring from the committee, but wish the club every success for the future once meetings are resumed, for any additional information please contact Paul or Alan on 01948 770522 or any committee member.
ST OSWALDS CHURCH St Oswald’s Church Malpas is open for private prayer on Tuesday and Thursday from 10am till 2pm and on Sunday from 2 till 4pm. There will be Sunday services from 6th December (numbers limited) . for details see our website www.malpaschurch.co.uk
Malpas High Street Church: We are sorry, but due to government guidelines we still remain closed for worship and availability to groups. Our Ministers can be contacted on the following numbers - Rev’d Rob Weir on 01948 663936 or Rev’d David Hamblin on 01270 625789, should you wish to speak them. We trust that we can all keep safe and well and look forward to welcoming you back to worship in the near future.
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