Tuesdays Short Mat Bowling 2.30pm Martley Memorial Hall (2pm winter months) Wichenford Ladies’ Fellowship 2.30pm 2nd Tuesday in the month (usually) Wednesdays Volume 17 No. 11 May 2006 Teme Valley Shufflers Line Dancing Editor: Andrew Chilvers (01905 641986) 7pm Martley Memorial Hall. Editorial Team: Martley: Alan Boon (01886 Enquiries: Jeff and Thelma 01886 821772 888527), Nellie Bradley (01886 888339), Kate Martley Folk Club: 1st Wednesday in the King (01886 888439), Beth Williams (01886 month at The Admiral Rodney 888273) Wichenford: Janet Andrews (01886 Martley WI: 2nd Wednesday in the 888303), Sheila Richards (01886 888378) month 7.30pm at Heaton House. Advertising: Neil Stammers (01886 888513) Distribution: Martley George & June Lawrence (01886 821064) Wichenford Bill & Jo Root Thursdays (01886 888585) Wichenford Wine Club: 3rd Thursday in Contact The Villager: leave articles at Martley the month Post Office, call Janet or Sheila (Wichenford) or Martley & District Horticultural email the Editor at [email protected] Society: last Thursday in the month Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily 7.30pm Martley Memorial Hall those of The Villager. The Villager cannot be held responsible for any goods or services advertised in the magazine Other events: Citizens Advice Bureau Teme Valley Telephone Service: Mon & Tue 10am— 3pm Thu 10am— 7.30pm Great Witley Regular events in Martley &Knightwick Surgeries: Weds 10am - and Wichenford: 4pm - by appt. 01584 810860 Sundays See Church Words for details of services 2nd Sunday in the month: Teme Valley Farmers Market for local See articles inside for details of special produce 11am The Talbot, Knightwick events AND changes of times or dates of Martley Ramblers meet Church car park regular events 3rd Sunday in the month: Walking Not Working with the Path-or- See the Diary page on Nones. Meet 9.30am Village Hall car park www.martley.org.uk for a complete listing to help survey the footpaths of all forthcoming events (that the Diary page Editor knows about) Mondays 1st Monday in the month: Martley Parish Council 8pm Memorial Hall Articles to go in The Villager must be with the Editor by the 1st of the previous month TheThe Villager Villager * *January May 2006 2006 9 OUT AND ABOUT IN MARTLEY Visit our website—www.martley.org.uk And in the good old days? May Day celebrations have their ori- gins in the Roman festival of Flora, goddess of fruit and flowers, which marked the beginning of summer. Peo- ple would decorate their houses and villages with fresh-cut foliage and flowers gathered at dawn in the belief that the vegetation spirits would bring good fortune. Mischief night Historically, May Eve was known as Games for May Mischief Night in some parts of Brit- ain and all sorts of practical jokes were The first day of the month is tradition- played and a general nuisance made. ally known as May Day. It is the time May Day was an important day in the of year when warmer weather begins Middle Ages and was a favourite holi- and flowers and trees start to blossom. day of many English villages. People It’s also a time when people celebrate used to cut down young trees and stick the coming of summer with lots of them in the ground in the village to different customs that are expressions mark the arrival of summer. This is the of joy and hope after a long winter. origin of the maypole. People danced around them in celebration of the end May Day Bank Holiday of winter and the start of the fine May has many traditions and celebra- weather that would allow planting to tions. For the public, many May Day begin. activities have now been moved to the In the early morning, young girls went May Day holiday, on the first Monday into the fields and washed their faces of the month. with dew. They believed this made 10 The Villager * May 2006 them beautiful for the following year. May Day was also the day when the young men of each village tried to win prizes with their bows and arrows. In the North of England, the first of May was a kind of late April Fooling, when all sorts of pranks would take place and “May Gosling” was the shout if you managed to trick some- one. The response would be: “May Goslings past and gone. You're the fool for making me one!” May Day Celebrations today In some places May Day celebrations begin at sunset on 30 April. They in- clude lots of floral decorations and processions through towns and vil- lages. Many English villages still have a maypole, and on May 1 many villagers Maypole dancing still dance around it. Maypoles were once common all over Odd fact England and were kept from one year to the next. These were usually tree Although May Day is now the first trunks or long branches and did not day of the month of May, before 1752, always resemble the maypoles of mod- when the calendar was changed, it was ern times. The tallest maypole is said 11 days earlier. to have been erected in London on the Strand in 1661; it stood over 143 feet Martley WI – 10 May 7.30pm high. It was felled in 1717, when it at Heaton House was used by Isaac Newton to support Huygen's new reflecting telescope. The WI and Elgar Housing Associa- May is the month for traditional danc- tion have agreed on the terms for ing round the maypole. Schools would meeting at Heaton House for the com- practise skipping round the pole for ing months, but please will members weeks before the final show on the not park in the residents’ allocated village greens. The end results would places. There is a car park at the rear be either a beautiful plaited pattern of of the building with a pathway leading ribbons round the pole or a tangled to the front. cat's cradle, depending on how much Discussion of the resolutions for the rehearsing had been done. annual meeting, this year in Cardiff, May 2006 * The Villager 11 always brings forward some interest- Egyptian foot soak ing, if not provocative, points of view. “Fancy, I have known her for years Mix together 0.25 litres lemon juice, ½ and never knew she felt that way about teaspoon cinnamon, 1-2 tablespoons that!” Usually a decision is made for olive oil and 0.10 litres milk. Add guidance for the delegate. After that, enough warm water to make a soak to cheese and wine will be offered as a cover your feet and soak for about 10 relaxation. The competition is a mem- minutes. Wash with soap (if needed) ber’s tale, not necessarily true, in un- and dry thoroughly. Use once a week. der 200 words, of an interesting day. Farah, NFWI staff member These will be read out later. A flyer giving details of our meetings Answers on a postcard went out with the April Villager. Whatever is a broadband: Is it some- Please do give us a try if anyone is thing I can wear? interested. The possibility of offering A belt perhaps for waists like mine or baby-sitting to local families was dis- something for my hair? cussed at the last meeting. Please get Where should I put an iPod? Has it in touch with members for further de- come from outer space? tails. Many thanks to Sheila Craker for Should I keep it in my deepfreeze or arranging the annual dinner at the Ad- find another space? miral Rodney and to the staff for their I just can’t think where eBay is – it has friendly and efficient service. Conver- a foreign sound, sation did not lag and the jokes told I seem to think that someone sold it were not too risqué, so we hope we for several hundred pounds. can return next year. And what’s a maxi-pixel? Kate King Might I have one in my pond – a rather dumpy garden gnome whose shape has gone all wrong. Explain to me “down-loading”, think I Martley Library might be pleased with those, if they put away my shopping whilst I Martley Village Hall, Berrow Green have a little doze. Road, Martley, WR66PQ. Tel: 01886 888396 If you have any answers, write them Opening hours on a postcard, Mon 2.00-7.00 Please don’t phone, then drop them in Wed 4.00-7.30 the digibox Thurs 10.00-1.00 That I planted near my home. Fri 2.00-4.00 Sat 10.00-12 noon Margaret Waddingham 12 The Villager * May 2006 Pudford Lane head, While lay-by diners keep wildlife fed. The flowers have come, so have the The plastic wraps from thrown-out rains. food “Thanks” to the Lengthman who has Kill more wildlife than cars on the cleared the drains. road. Vauxhall hub-caps are here again, On the ridge young buzzards cry They’ve moved to Hillend Bridge and For food from parents circling by. Lane. Bluebells and orchids line the Lane - Frisbee-like from wheels they fly - “Hurrah” for Spring is here again. Bad luck to any passers by. Kate King Tornadoes and Harriers scream over- For all you sweet tooths – we will be Pre-school snippets holding a cake sale in the Primary School hall on Friday 28th May at 2.3opm. Any helpers and cake dona- tions gratefully welcomed. Don’t for- get to send your children along with an extra few pence on the day! There will also be a sponsored walk in May.