Raven the Quarterly Magazine for the Whole of Rainow

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The No.6 Spring 2009 Raven The quarterly magazine for the whole of Rainow

G Village News

G Social Events

G Parish Council News

G Clubs & Societies

G School & Church

Pone oftheeditors namedonthepageopposite. recommend a potential advertiser, pleasecontact arishcosts. Ifyouwouldliketoadvertise orifyoucan needs moreadvertiserstocover theproduction independent andtoensureits continuationitstill continues torisethemagazine isnotyetfully Although theadvertisingincome forthemagazine The Raven background. suitable andgivebriefinformationonyour 14th at12.00.Pleasesaywhyyouthinkare email [email protected] Tuesday April 9, SuttonRoad,Poynton,CheshireSK121SUor Mrs. SarahGiller, ClerktoRainowParishCouncil, If youareinterestedinapplyingpleasewriteto: is nowavacancyforco-optedParishCouncillor boards andasnoonerequestedanelectionthere A Council andwishhimallthebestforfuture. Justin forhisallcontributionstotheParish Councillor duetoworkcommitments.W CouncilGutmann hashadtoresignhisoffice ofParish The CouncilissorrytoannouncethatJustin Vacancy foraCouncillor keep everyoneinformed. A boards. andLAP representation onboththeLSP Parish Councilsandhasmadeof been actingasthemainorganisationfor Local Authorities) onwhichwe are representedhas operational issues.ChALC(Cheshire Cheshire East attended consultativemeetingsheldbytheshadow Representatives oftheParishCouncilhave judge thesuccessorfailureofnewarrangements. To beginwith,fourtrialareaswillbeputinplaceto the Clerk. wish toreceiveanelectroniccopypleasecontact boundariesisavailable;ifyou showing theLAP copyofthemap from PottShrigleytoWincle. A includes MacclesfieldandBollingtonstretches which finalised. We willbeinasubstantialLAP andthesevenareashaveonlyjustbeen LAP much influencewewillhaveasaParishwithinthe not clearhowmuchwewillbeconsultedand here thatweexpecttobemostinvolved.Itisstill bodies. The LAPsarethenextleveldownanditis Services aswellotherpublicandcommunity NewsPolice, EmergencyServices,EducationandHealth includesthe Area Partnerships(LAPs). The LSP Local StrategicPartnership(LSP)andseven the newCheshireEastCouncil. These arethe representation wewillhaveonthetwolevelsbelow we willrelatetothenewauthorityandwhat As wesaidinDecember, ourmajorconcernishow available onthewebsite:www.cheshireeast.gov.uk of CheshireEast.Informationaboutthenewbodyis Rainow nowfindsitselfinthenewUnitary Authority Macclesfield BoroughCouncilceasedtoexistand On 31stMarchCheshireCountyCounciland Cheshire East notice ofelectionappearedonthevillage formal responsetothisisawaitedandwewill Authority coveringbudgetaryand Your UpdateonCouncilActivities ficial requestsfor Association of Cover Photoby Dave Wilcox e thank T own and . to waitforitberepaired! police buttheyhaveonlyonemachineandwe We arehopingtoborrowa“CleverSID”fromthe please contacttheClerkoranyCouncillor. interested inhelpingorwouldlikemoreinformation within sightduringdaylighthours.Ifyouare monitor them?Itwouldonlybeamatterofremaining SIDs” hopefullyfortwoweeks.Canyouhelpusto Hawkins Lanewherewewouldliketoinstall“Clever We havenowobtainedtwoapprovedsiteson Are youconcernedaboutspeedingthroughRainow? Speed IndicatorDevice(SID) Community SpeedManagement on thewebsite foryourinformation. Agenda, minutes andanynoticesarealso available address totheClerkat:[email protected]. the latestnewsandupdates pleaseemailyour If youwouldliketojoinRainow E-NEWSandgetall E-News replaced soon. boundary signsandtheForestClosesignshouldbe beginning tohavevisibleresults. The twovillage improved onSugarLaneandMillersMeadoware Council’s efforts togetsomeoftheroadsurfaces Pleasance Gardenswascompletedontimeandthe Work onthepotentially dangerouswallbythe 0845 11 33311. website: www.cheshire.gov/gritting ortelephone Clerk ofanyproblems. You canalsolookatthe monitor thesituationsopleasenotifyParish problems. The ParishCouncilwillcontinueto the roadstobegrittedhadresultedinsometeething unfamiliaritywith Exceptional conditionsanddrivers’ gritted sothatnewbinswillnotbenecessary. ments forminorroadstobe and theytoldusthathadmadenewarrange highways departmentwastackledaboutthedifficulty was undoubtedlyaprobleminthevillageand and onMillersMeadowRoundMeadow. There of theminorroadsweregrittedaroundschool ly inSugarLaneandHoughHole. clear thatsomegritbinshadgonemissingespecial were passedontohighwaysdepartment.Itbecame number ofcomplaintsaboutthelackgrittingwhich During thecoldsnapinFebruarywereceiveda Other HighwaysMatters At onepointnone - -

Countryside Access Using the grant funds from Cheshire Community Action mentioned in the last issue of The Raven, the Parish Welcome to Plan Implementation team has now finalised arrange- ments for a new map board in the centre of the village (due in April), number markers on the main paths to link with the Rainow Parish Paths maps*, regular articles in The Raven (the second one in this issue), a new bench and the first two of a series of leaflets describing typical Rainow walks. *Don’t forget! Rainow Parish Paths maps are on sale in all three Rainow pubs and also at The Swan in Kettleshulme. The Community Pride Competition aven eople like livingR in Rainow. That was clear from the As well as taking part in the regular Community Pride answers given to the questionnaires which provided Competition (coming 5th), Pthe basis for the Parish Plan. The main reason was Rainow entered the new the attraction of the countryside and of living in what Community Spirit Competition is still a rural area, and The Raven is doing its bit to for the first time last year and emphasise the importance of the countryside around us we received Highly Commended with regular articles from the Countryside Group and with a £50 award. We have information about the walks around the village. The entered both competitions again second most important reason for liking living here, this year and are hoping that though, was “people and community” and there were everyone in the village will do many comments about friendly people, good neighbours their bit towards helping the team who organise our entry. and community spirit. In this issue we want to put the Looking after the appearance of the village is obviously spotlight on people and the community. important to give ourselves a chance to regain the Best Social activities in Rainow depend on people volunteering Kept Village award but the Community Spirit judges look their time and skills. The Church Fete and the Scarecrow at how people participate in village life and what the Trail make Rainow an attraction for miles around but, community does to develop community spirit. Our thanks without the volunteers who do all the hard work involved, go to Liz Lawson and her team of volunteers for ensuring they would not happen. Regular meetings of Scouts, Cubs Rainow has a real chance of success. and Brownies take place because adults have the community spirit to take charge of the sessions and our Future Council Meetings success in the Best Kept Village competition depends on the efforts of the team of volunteers. We are lucky that so 21st April - Parish Council Meeting 8.00 p.m. many volunteers keep our social groups alive and that 19th May - Parish Council Meeting 8.00 p.m. Rainow has people with such varied talents. 16th June - Parish Council Meeting 8.00 p.m. Running existing events and groups calls for enthusiasm and skill but, when it comes to new ventures in the village, a readiness to take part and to get the ball rolling is needed. Thankfully there are Rainow people prepared to take the initiative to start something and see it through. Your Parish Councillors Recently one group set about reviving table tennis and others are working out to get the financial help they need Ken Butler (Chair) 433168 by seeking a Grassroots Grant (promoted by the Parish Mary Marsh (Deputy) 573508 Council a few weeks ago). Now a new initiative is the Ian Brammer 426059 planning of Rainow’s first Jazz Festival in June. You can Alan Brett 576108 read about these new ventures elsewhere in The Raven. John Cantrell 422107 TAKING PART Geoff Cooper 574878 If you have ideas for more activities or events in the village, talk to people you think could help. Any Rainow John Leigh 574327 Parish Councillor will be glad to hear your ideas, or you John Stagg 572816 could simply talk to someone involved in one of the Alan Taylor 575544 existing activities. Any of The Raven’s editors would also Wendy Vernon 572812 be ready to help or put you in touch with the right person. If you are interested in volunteering to help write or edit Judy Wilkinson 614650 The Raven why not try this as a start? Whether you are a Clerk: Sarah Giller 850532 newcomer or have lived here for years, maybe this is the [email protected] time to “ask not what Rainow can do for you but what you Borough Councillor for Rainow can do for Rainow!” Harold Davenport 01663 763986 Editorial Team: Ian Brammer (01625 426059) County Councillor for Rainow Bob Langstaff (01625 573761) Sylvia Roberts 01625 575306 Tony Nicol (01625 421297) Design by Mel Wilcox (01625 576182)

x q £615 Raised for h e Palestine Children Jazz comes to Rainow

group of local jazz enthusiasts are bringing to Rainow a list of Ainternationally acclaimed jazz, soul, and blues musicians for an exciting weekend of hot (and cool) events. The Festival will run from the night of Friday, 19 June through to Sunday ne of the first events of the year in Rainow lunchtime, 21 June. Major concerts are scheduled for Friday and Saturday Owas the Epiphany Concert by members of nights at The Institute, with other sessions happening at Rainow School, the Daily Service Singers. The programme The Highwayman, Rising Sun and Robin Hood pubs. The whole Festival of seasonal music included Elgar's 'The Snow' will come to a climax with a Summer Jazz Picnic for Fathers’ Day. - maybe they knew a thing or two about the weather ahead! The organisers are keen to stress that this will be a Community event designed to attract and involve all ages and tastes. There will, for Thanks to the generosity of those who braved example, be workshops for children who play the sax or any other wind the cold weather to attend the concert, the instrument at Rainow School throughout Saturday, 20 June. These will be local businesses who donated mulled wine run by professional musicians. Local talent will also be encouraged to and mince pies and, of course, the musicians, participate in the Festival. £615 was raised for UNICEF's Palestinian Children's Appeal. Among the musicians so far booked to appear are:

GG Andy Scott’s Sax Assault (Pic) GG Just Midnight Name: ALAN BRETT G G G Elliott Henshaw Band G The Barrel House Blues Band Time on Council: 3 years GG The Stevie Williams Trio GG Skipping Madrid Particular duties: Chairman of

GG Steve Shannon Jazz Fusion Band G Sam Andrae rs G Parish Plan Implementation Group The Festival will be non-profit-making and will be funded from ticket sales, sponsorship and contributions from Friends of Rainow Jazz. Born: Barnet, Hertfordshire on 29 June 1954 This is going to be a really exciting event for the village so put dates in your diary now and check out the Festival website for prices and details: Present Home: Lincoln Close, Rainow www.rainowjazz.org.uk Family: Wife Jane Brett, current Chair of Rainow School Governing body, sons James (reading Military History at Birmingham University) and Henry in year 5 at Rainow School

Occupation: Director of Transport t the Councillo Planning Consultancy responsible for W EEKEND F ESTIVAL PLANNED FOR J UNE major projects throughout the UK Hobbies: Model railways – indoor Mee and outdoor of many different gauges – proud owner and operator Table Tennis of the ‘Rainow Express’ portable miniature takes off! railway as seen at the recent Church Fetes here are bats everywhere and School Christmas in the Rainow Institute T Fairs. Qualified these days. Especially on volunteer guard on Tuesday nights between 8.30 the Ffestiniog railway and 10 pm when the newly in North Wales. formed table tennis club Other hobbies include meets for a spot of healthy photography, walking competition. So if you’re up for a bit of exercise and socialising, you’ll be very and DIY (aka tidying welcome. There’s a modest charge of £2 to help cover the rental cost of the up the garage!). hall and there are plenty of spare bats if you haven’t got one of your own!

The WI Goes Gardening by Mary Meecham

he WI movement has always been a air and exercise, donated the land for the many years by members of the WI, who great supporter of communities. This playground to the school. The children meet throughout the year to weed, prune Thas been done in Rainow through had to join in regular drill (PE to our and re-plant. It is a popular spot to sit and seventy-two years, from war-time younger readers) sessions. The land was relax for village people, for visitors to the jam making to 60's produce shows, 90's put in the care of the Vicar of the time, church and school, for walkers, for scare- gardening and 00's scarecrows. There who was the sole Trustee. When the new crow watchers and those waiting for the are many gardens in Rainow of all sorts school was built the Highway Authority next bus. The WI is currently applying for and sizes. Some are hidden, but one took some of the land to improve visibility a grant to help with re-organizing and which is not is Trinity Gardens, which sits on the corner, and the Vicar gave the land re-planting the garden which, after on the corner opposite the church. for the garden to the Parish Council for a about twenty years, could do with a peppercorn sum. To remember the link face-lift. The WI gardeners hope every- The site has an interesting history. Over a with the church and church school it was body will be pleased when the work is hundred years ago our local benefactor, named Trinity Gardens. done; don't forget to peep over the wall Miss Theodora Gaskell, who believed that when you pass, we won't mind if you young people should have plenty of fresh The garden has been maintained for "re-home" a couple of dandelions.

Church News by Mary Meecham ne of the good ideas which have of any size. Although intended as a give a warm welcome to all who enter, come from the Parish Plan is the place of worship, it would therefore be whether they come for a wedding or a OChristmas Market, which for the the only one in most cases where quiet time, for a peaceful evensong or last two years has been set up on people could gather, for religious, the bustling morning service with lots of the car park. There has been a festive or serious reasons. Most people children, to hear the organ playing wonderful array of things for sale, from led hard lives, the calendar of festivals or the young people's drums, to see Christmas trees to sausages, and through the year would provide a the pews full for a service or turned calendars to cup cakes. The only welcome break from toil for young and into market stalls. People are still problem has been the upside down old. meeting and making friends. You are weather - in February it was deep and always welcome. crisp and even, in December it was For the majority of people who couldn't February-fill-dyke. In 2007 a sudden read, the miracle plays would tell the storm sent tents flying, and people also gospel stories, being acted in the wide flying, into the shelter of the church. In open space - without pews. 2008 some brave souls stayed outside Many churches would have been for a while, but eventually opted for the decorated in those days. Some had warm and dry, with everybody else. patterns painted on the walls, and It was lovely to see the church full of coloured mural paintings have been people of all ages enjoying themselves, uncovered in others. These would have meeting and making friends, with been another aid for people who music from the youngsters, the aroma couldn't read. Roof timbers were often of steaming hot soup, and pews turned picked out in colour, and carved figures into stalls offering varied and colourful appeared on pillars and seats. The wares. If Rainow had an ancient Puritans put an end to all this, and church, like Pott Shrigley or Prestbury, churches had a more sober face for the old stones would not have found centuries. this strange. Long ago, the church was Rainow church was built by the probably the only permanent building in villagers; rather plain, with little money The Christmas Market a village, and certainly the only one to spare for extras. It does however in the Church Car Park

The Missing Lynx! HarropRainow Fold Farm Tel: 01625 560085 n our last issue of the IRaven, we reported on the sighting in the Somewhere very special... Harrop meadows of what was thought to A Quintessentially English Experience, be a member of the Delightful Award Winning Lynx family. This Guest Farmhouse and raised quite some Self-Catering Cottage Accommodation. enthusiasm on the part of local wildlife Cheshire’s only 5 Star graded Farmhouse enthusiasts, but set in extensive grounds with also some breathtaking views. questions about the sobriety and We offer Day & Residential Art Courses sanity of the with our Resident Professional Artist. observers. So, when we And also Cookery Demo & Dine received a call from the owners of a nearby farmhouse inviting us to come and meet their feline friends, we jumped at the experiences using the finest local opportunity to redeem our integrity. At last, the missing Lynx was to be ingredients led by our own Cordon Bleu revealed. Or so we thought. trained Chef. But alas, rather than being greeted by a ferocious snarl, we were introduced Gift Vouchers available and Corporate and to Mister Beau and Miss Tiggy, two very rare and beautiful Bengal cats. Miss Group Bookings welcome. Tiggy was rather shy but, like most men, Mister Beau was only too willing to pose for our camera. Focussing on the handsome fellow it was easy to see www.harropfoldfarm.co.uk how we might have made our hasty identification: the colouring and markings were exotic, the tail was long and languid, the ears were just a little bit pointy! www.michaelmooreart.co.uk www.leahspantry.co.uk As to size, well… anybody can make a mistake can’t they!

Out of School by Mark Bertinshaw e have enjoyed many exciting Many of you who are involved with Mrs Norman will carry with her many Wactivities this term. The children school or village life will know Mrs happy memories of her work at school were especially delighted by the Norman, our much valued school and the people that she has met over falls of snow in February. As you can caretaker. Mrs Norman will be retiring the years. Whilst she will be pleased at see in the photograph on the centre from her post at Easter after a total of the opportunity to spend more time pages, the highlight for many of them forty years outstanding service to with Mr Norman, I know that the staff, was the opportunity to work together to Rainow School. She was initially the parents and especially the children will build a wonderful igloo with their caretaker at the Methodist and The certainly miss her. I’m sure that you teacher Mr Humphreys. Church School for 15 years before will join us in wishing her a long and Rainow School moved to its current happy retirement. We have had many visitors to school location 25 years ago. recently. The children in the lower juniors enjoyed working with a book illustrator as an ‘Artist in Residence’ to create wonderful illustrations for a class book. On World Book Day we welcomed a local author, Andy Hall, who entertained the children with readings from his book as well as providing a creative writing workshop for the older pupils. The children have taken part in many visits over the term. The highlight for the younger pupils was a visit to a Victorian schoolroom in Macclesfield. They were delighted to return to their warm and friendly 21st century classrooms back at school! A typical Victorian schoolroom

A Brief History of Rainow's Population (...or 200 Years of Comings and Goings) by Richard Leigh uried deep within the archives of the Office of National out in the countryside means that Rainow is, once again, BStatistics are the census records of Rainow parish from a popular place to live. the last two hundred years. From these dusty volumes Here are half a dozen census facts to amuse your family the Raven Magazine can now illustrate the village's and amaze your friends: changing population over two centuries. Prior to this period Rainow was a typical agricultural area 1. The 1841 census return for Rainow included 47 persons but the availability of water power from the Dean and its in the Rainow Union Workhouse. Hayles Clough and Mill Brook tributaries meant that Rainow 2. Prior to 1863, when Rainow became a parish in its own was able to play a part in the early stages of the industrial right, the village was a Township or Chapelry of revolution. Prestbury parish...so it was a long walk to get married. Through the first part of the 19th century there was a 3. Sometime between 1871 and 1881 Rainow shrank by significant rise in the village's population as labourers and 2 hectares. artisans were attracted to work in the new fangled cotton mills such as those at Cow Lane (built c.1789), 4. There was no census in 1941 - a bit of bother abroad Gin Clough (c.1793) and Hough Hole (c.1803). apparently. 5. Over the two centuries, the number of households has This was followed by a hundred years of steady decline, more than doubled from 242 in 1801 to 491 in 2001. attributable to the rise of Bollington as a manufacturing centre following the arrival of the Macclesfield Canal 6. But, the number of people per household has declined (c. 1830) and the Macclesfield, Bollington & Marple Railway from 5.6 in 1831 (the village's peak) to 2.6 in 2001. (c. 1870). Quite what the next two hundred years will bring no-one can There was further loss of population following World War I know, but the village always seems to find itself a purpose and (possibly) the 1918-20 flu pandemic. in the modern world. Construction of Round Meadow in the early 1930s arrested The author is grateful for the assistance of the ONS Census the downward trend and the building of Millers Meadow in Customer Services (www.statistics.gov.uk) and Bob the mid- to late-1960s actually reversed it. Improved mobility Langstaff whilst researching this article. The data described from increasing car ownership and a natural desire to live here is also available online at www.rainow.org. Round Meadow in the early 1930’s

Millers Meadow in the 1960’s Millers Meadow today

d pupils ton and ads, James Dumble g in the Local l t again te triumphed ye ctic weather inspire Allan Heathco y’s ar y Sheepdog trials ebruar ental igloos. buildin ges xperim ound in the Novice and Nurser Early F l gr earns Low. They beat off challen schoo held at Y gland to try a little e rs from throughout En from competito ainow certainly has the talent! and Wales – R The Raven’ s Eye View

ainow or R g f s Five-a-Sideo teamphy in the g The Cub petition g one andtirin its unners-up tr d the r ton District com orty years ofxistin carin gaine gle . fter f th the e rman is re7. field and Con eisure Centre A ls (bo t No pril 1 ane th the Maccles ayed at Macc L schoo sors) J d by bo pl deces taker on Ase ff. pre as care l sta

She will beren much and misthe schoo child 8

Members of the Junio teddies and o r Chur Glamour was the n sponso ther species intoch thetook Chur their various as the cub ame of the gam gam red sleepover s strutted their stu e es, the kid ff at the annual . After lo Show in the I s slept soundlyts in of aid fun of andChildch m f nstitute. T or a of parents and friend he packed house Child s were quick to show their ren’s Hom es appreciation of the all-r es in I sy they obviously know realound talent entertainm when the see it! ndia ren in ent – . n’ s Eye View

The KRIV p Maccles winter monthsroject resto has been bus and her aidefield Bob Mayo kindly entertaine y over the our Cub r Thelma J waterfall on the Savioring aHouse V estate With a little mo ictorian tiere s to a fascin ackson re l d at the T spring andscapin atin , it will be an adde g to com . own Hallg evenin d ple to view on their countrd feature f te this . g or ramblers yside walks.

Rainow Home Guard on Parade

efore he died, the late Stan Sharpley gave a copy of this historic picture to his Hawkins Lane neighbour Peter Back Row: ? Jackson, Unknown, Joe Ware, Unknown, Rathbone. Peter tidied the old print up on his computer Steven Wheeldon, Jack Pickford, Unknown, Shipley Broster, B Jack Oldfield, John Crome, Unknown and sent it to us in the hope that we could help identify some of the characters who lined up outside the old Methodist Middle Row: Len Broster, Thomas Broster, Ken Sutton, School for the photo sixty-six years ago. Unknown, Frank Belfield, Frank Thorley, Tom Davis, Albert Shufflebotham, Harold Bullock, Harold Pickford, Because he has a reputation as a Rainow memory man, we Stan Sharpley, Unknown, Unknown went to see Len Broster who, unbeknown to us, was standing Front Row: Tom Norman, Sam Horton, Jack Welsh, on the far left of the middle row when the picture was taken. Wilf Palmer, Jim Lucking, Jack Leigh, Harry Jackson Without hesitation he rattled off a dozen or more names and then came up with a few others some days later. However, even after Len’s prodigious feat, we’re still left with half a dozen unrecognised faces, so if you have any ideas that will help us put names to those ‘unknown’ faces, please give us a call.

Mothers Union Rainow people have always been version of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Celebration enthusiastic supporters of the Bollington a tango night, major jazz concerts, Festival and this year’s programme a comedy triple bill and the Upbeat n April 21st in the Church promises to the biggest and best yet. Beatles singing the Fab Four’s great hits and Church Centre, Rainow live with the Festival Orchestra. O It will run from May 8 – 25 with 94 Mothers’ Union will be celebrating eighty-five years as events ranging from a dog show to opera For the more active, there is a six-mile a branch of this world-wide (three of them). Three Peaks race taking in three stiff local organisation. summits. For book-lovers, there’s a clutch Many of the events happen on stage in Among those attending will be Jean of literary events. Shelmerdine, the Diocesan the Festival Marquee on the Recreation President and members from all the Ground: the Big Chris Barber Band, a There are also several plays and a talk by Macclesfield Deanery Mothers’ concert including Mendelssohn’s fourth Mark Elder, music director of the Hallé. Unions. symphony, singer-songwriter Joni Fuller, Ticket prices are not steep. But to suit Everyone is most welcome to join in the aZZiz company of drummers and these recessionary times, many events are this special event, which starts at dancers from South Africa, a concert free. Find out more at website above. 7.30pm. IT’S FESTIVAL YEAR IN BOLLINGTON

The (in)Experience of a New Farmer by Andrew Renshaw

he course of life seems to be governed mainly by chance or Tcoincidence and these factors decreed that a very much un-dyed-in-the-wool person (namely myself) became a sheep farmer. Or maybe, as someone jokingly commented ‘God must have a tremendous sense of humour’. Be that as it may, not having had much experience of farming, a long series of bizarre coincidences resulted in my purchase of Back o’ th’ Crofts Farm in November 2007. Four or five years before this, I had acquired some land and some sheep, so the realisation had already dawned that land actually needs to be maintained and that this is a multi-faceted task. It becomes quickly apparent that sufficient livestock must be available to eat growing grass and that a sufficient quantity of grass must be stored, by one means or another, for stock kept over winter. This balance of headage, weather and grass can only be achieved by either crystal ball gazing or (un)inspired guesstimation.

Mowing, tedding and baling are glutinous ‘cow-belly’ and replace the feeling rather a fraud as I did so. But I haymaking arts where the necessary section of blocked drain with modern do think I can now make a genuine apprenticeship has not yet been plastic drainage tubing. If only the mud claim to a reasonable understanding of served and there does seem to be didn’t stick so tenaciously to the spade! the reality of farming as it is today. quite a bit more to these than meets There’s much to contend with: the If some of the foregoing seems to be the eye! Luckily in the so-called dynamic nature of prices and climate, somewhat negative, then there is also summer of 2008 help was at hand from the burden of vast amounts of a very positive side. It seems to me ‘proper’ farmers, who, accustomed to legislation, the hard and unremitting that to farm is to take part in the the vagaries of the weather, enabled nature of the work, but above all the natural cycle of renewal and replace- an adequate crop to be harvested generally poor returns. Sometimes it ment which is absolutely fundamental despite the unusually wet summer. seems that the public perception of to survival. It is this connection with The weather, which caused such farmers is less than appreciative. But reality which makes farming a very problems in haymaking, had the it appears to me that those whose worthwhile activity. And, as they say, additional ‘benefit’ of highlighting livelihood comes from farming are every cloud has its silver lining, even drainage problems. Not being initially worthy of much respect for the the present financial one. The dramatic aware that there exists a vast but dedication and diligence they fall of the pound has enabled much uncharted network of drains underlying exemplify. It may not be very long until farm produce to be exported and at the fields but soon discovering the we have much greater need of them. present the prices obtained at auction damage and difficulty blocked drains for the various classes of sheep are can cause, an endless source of time very high compared with those of the and energy expenditure was revealed. last few years, due of course to the Many of the stone-built drainage influx of foreign buyers taking soughs, some of them doubtless advantage of this cheap pound. several hundred years old, are still Should this continue, sheep farming running freely, but some seem to have might even become a reasonable way been built ‘on the cheap’ without base to earn a living and hopefully the stones and these tend to move and decline in the national flock of sheep, become blocked. The resulting water- which decreased by 7% in 2008, will logged land is sometimes known as be reversed. ‘cow-belly’. Springs and swallow holes often appear and the cure for these ills Filling in some official form recently, is of course to dig down through the I wrote ‘farmer’ as my occupation,

Walks for All; Rambles in Rainow by Plodder Carry on ahead on the track (FP43) and Saddle of Kerridge. After a couple of through another two gates before bearing hundred metres, the path switches to the immediately left onto a gently rising path other side of the wall and eventually (FP50). passes through two kissing gates and This tree-lined track runs almost directly to arrives at the splendid white monument the top of the ridge passing old quarries known as White Nancy...you have now left on your left. Near the top is a kissing gate Rainow! and then some undulating rough ground White Nancy was erected by the Gaskell before you emerge onto a lovely green family of Ingersley Hall (now Savio House) track rising eventually to the ‘trig’ point at after the Napoleonic wars. It is now a 313m. famous landmark (see Bollington calendar ‘Trig’ or trigonometric points are no longer for 2009!). A few years ago it was used since the advent of GPS but were mysteriously painted pink around the time used originally by the Ordnance Survey in of Manchester’s Gay Pride Week. You’ll the nineteenth century to accurately get glorious views from here down into survey Britain using the principal that if Bollington and out towards Manchester you can measure the length of one side of and sweeping round the hills above Pott a triangle and two of the angles then the Shrigley and then right round over Rainow lengths of the other two sides (and the and on a clear day you’ll be able to see area) can be calculated. (‘Trig’ points were the masts by the Cat and Fiddle on the thus erected all over the land on high Buxton Road. ground so that accurate sightings could be Leaving White Nancy and heading taken between them to determine the roughly North West, descend carefully angles. Surveyors went out in all down the long flight of rough stone steps Walk 2: Sunnyside Up weathers and built these small obelisks until you come to a metalled track (FP17) throughout Britain. When the total where you turn right. Continue on the Distance: approx 3 miles (4.8km) distance from south to north was broad track over the cattle grid, at which measured using GPS one hundred and point you are back into Rainow Parish and Ascent: about 100m fifty years later, the error was just a few onto FP43. At the next farm entrance Going: Good tracks and paths metres – fantastic! (North End Farm), the track bears right The Parish Council is planning to place a over a wooden stile to the left of the cattle Allow 1.5 hours Time: seat near the ‘trig’ point so that those who grid, continuing below the farmhouse and Start and Finish: Rising Sun have made the climb can enjoy a well- alongside a large wire aviary. Stay on this track, crossing the fields until you come to Pub, Hawkins Lane earned rest and admire the view. Until then stop awhile anyway and check out a wooden gate by a copse of trees on Please take a copy of the Rainow Parish what you can see. Down to the east you your left enclosing a house. Follow the Footpath Map with you – the FP numbers can spot the sprawl of the pill factory – track around the back of the house and used below relate to that map. AstraZeneca – and south of that then continue straight ahead through two Macclesfield itself. On a good day you’ll field gates and on to the next wooden Set off from the Rising Sun. With the pub be able to see the Clwydian Hills where gate where you bear left onto the behind you turn right (south) along the Offa’s Dyke marches between Wales and Gritstone Trail (FP45). You’ll very quickly road and head towards Kerridge End, England. arrive at another wooden gate bearing passing the green triangle of Mount slightly to the right onto FP 46. After Descend gently from the high point along Pleasant on your left. Follow the road passing alongside a plantation on your the grass track until reaching a confluence rising gently to Lidgetts Lane. Turn sharp right hand side you will see on your left of paths running up from Rainow and right and head steeply up the lane. It very the remains of Cow Lane Mill. Carry on Bollington. Cross the stile on your left but soon bends to the left but leave the road past the mill and up the slight rise to the then follow the wall on your right (FP90) and keep straight on over the (steep) stile main road where you turn right and find straight on along what is known as the by the gate on to a track. yourself back at the Rising Sun Inn in a hundred metres or so.

Stile on Lidgetts Lane Trig Point at the Summit The Saddle of Kerridge

Take a Map for a Walk Recipe of the Month

olin Pickford has written to us to Cpoint out certain inaccuracies in Jacqui Richardson’s the RAINOW RAMBLES column in our last issue. He also takes fairly vigorous issue with the writer’s opinion Cheese Biscuits that a footpath map isn’t essential on local walks. The route in question skirted Colin’s land and he was concerned that conflict can often arise as a result of ramblers losing their way. He is, of course, quite right and we would encourage our readers to carry their Rainow Footpath Map wherever they may stride in the Parish. Copies can be had from local pubs or from Ian Brammer on 01625 426059. This popular recipe from the President Carole Harvey Telemarketing of Rainow W.I. is often served at W.I Parties!

Ingredients New Business Development 4 oz / 110g Soft Margarine Appointment Setting 2 oz / 50g Semolina 4 oz / 110g Self Raising Flour Telephone Marketing 3 oz / 75g Fairly strong Cheese, grated 22 Millers Meadow, Rainow, Macclesfield 01625 573576 [email protected] 1 /2 level teaspoon dry Mustard A little Salt Computer & I.T. Solutions for home or office Method Commonside Farm Work all the ingredients Ecton Avenue, Buxton Road,Macclesfield together in a food processor. SK10 1RB It is sticky! Form into sausage Contact STUART [email protected] shapes in cling film and put 01625 669750 or 07770315443 into ‘fridge for half an hour or so. When firm, slice into small biscuits and bake at 180 C (Gas Mark 4) for about fifteen minutes. You can decorate with either a cashew nut or half an almond before baking. Cool on a wire rack. Since these biscuits keep well in a tin you can double the quantities.

We are waiting for your recipes! If you have a favourite you would like to share with other readers please write to Richard Buckley T/A Travelbreeze, Higher Fold Farm, Rainow Road, Macclesfield one of the editors with the details.

ROY McCARTHY Coaches for every occasion 35 - 70 Seaters FAMILY BUTCHERS 54 Sugar Lane, Rainow, Macclesfield,Cheshire. SK10 5UJ Palmerston Street, THE COACH Bollington DEPOT Tel: 01625 572202 SNAPE ROAD Studio/Gallery@Kerridge End 114 Wellington Road, MACCLESFIELD Cesterbridge Cottage Kerridge End Rainow Bollington Tel: 01625 573172 Tel: Macclesfield Telephone: 01625 612478 (01625) 425060 5 Fountain Place, Poynton Tel: 01625 872154 www.roymccarthycoaches.co.uk www.janeosmond.net JOHN LEIGH (PLUMBING) Plumbing & Heating Engineer

Oil & Gas N Corgi Registered Kerridge End Holiday Cottages Rainow's Only 5 Star Self Catering Holiday Cottages Cheshire's Only Green Tourism Silver Award winning Cottages 2 Hough Close, Rainow, N The Hayloft sleeps 6 N The Coach House sleeps 4 N The Stables sleeps 2 Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 5UN For details of each cottage see: www.kerridgeendholidaycottages.co.uk s On Email enquiries: [email protected] Telephone: Home (01625) 574327 Telephone enquiries: 01625 424220 Mobile: 07885 819031

Villa Azur a to rent. Luxury 3 bedroom vill rt of Les Issambres. d in the chic seaside reso Situate . Cote d’Azur . g the Bay of St Tropez Tranquil hillside location overlookin ent. Secure, gated developm l. 1km from sandy beaches, Communal swimming poo restaurants and shops. . Two golf courses nearby om Frejus om Nice Airport, 20 mins fr Approx 50 mins fr ropez. and 30 mins from St T aazur.co.uk tails please visit www.vill For further de el: 575963 Or contact Mark & Sue Ewer T .co.uk E-mail: mark.ewer@tiscali

Common Barn Holiday Cottages

Wellington Road, Bollington SK10 5JR G For jazz G For comedy G For chamber music G For professional & amateur Self Catering Holiday Cottages and B&B in the Peak District situated on a traditional theatre productions working sheep farm, ideally located for G For talks exploring the magnificent scenery. We enjoy G For art exhibitions excellent open countryside with far-reaching G views over the Cheshire Plain. We have 5 For poetry readings To advertise in this space B&B rooms, plus 2 self catering holiday G For rehearsal space cottages in tastefully converted stone barns. G G We also run a tea shop on the farm, open daily. For classes For hire call Ian Brammer on For more details please visit: For more information visit our website: www.commonbarnfarm.co.uk www.bollingtonartscentre.org.uk 01625 426059 or 01625 574878 or ring 573863

14 What’

What’s On in Rainow and Bollington APRIL 2009 3 - 4 Daily Art Exhibition Rainow Church Centre 10 10.00am Contemplative Service Rainow Church 8.30pm Kerridge Cross Service Rainow Church 12 10.00am Easter Day Service Rainow Church 3.00pm Easter Day Services Jenkin Chapel, Forest Chapel 15 10.30am Bridgend Centre Walk Bridge End Centre Tel: 01625 576311 Bollington 20 7.30pm Rainow WI Rainow Institute For better or for worse – Rev. Michael Burgess 21 7.30pm Mothers Union 85th Anniversary Celebration Rainow Church Centre

MAY 2009 8 See notice boards Mystery Gig Rainow Church Centre Newly formed local band. Tickets £3 from Ravens members 8 - 25 See festival Bollington Festival Throughout Bollington brochure 94 events from dog shows to opera. Visit: www.bollingtonfestival.org.uk for the full programme 10 -25 10.00am - 5.00pm Open Garden & Sculpture Trail One House Nursery, (National Garden Scheme Day 10th) Buxton Road Adults £3.00. School age children free 11 7.30pm Rainow WI Rainow Institute s On Resolutions followed by Social time 12 Mothers Union Outing 18 10.30am - 3.00pm Youth Group Car Wash Rainow Church Plus refreshment & sale of second-hand goods Car Park 20 10.30am Bridgend Centre Walk Bridge End Centre, Tel: 01625 576311 Bollington 24 11.00am Kerridge Cricket Club 6-Aside Competition Kerridge Cricket Tel: 01625 572124 Ground 26 - 30 Bollington Light Opera Group Civic Hall, Bollington Anything Goes Contact: 01625 431038

JUNE 2009 7 - 28 Art Exhibition Arts Centre, Bollington The Romantic North Colin Halliday and Dean Entwistle 8 7.30pm Rainow W.I. Rainow Institute Mountain Rescue Search Dogs – Malcolm Bowyer 13 10.30 - 3.00pm Youth Group Car Wash Rainow Church Plus refreshment & sale of second-hand goods Car park 16 7.30pm Mothers Union Rainow Church Centre Coffee Evening 17 10.30am Bridgend Centre Walk Bridge End Centre, Tel; 01625 576311 Bollington 19 - 21 Rainow Jazz Throughout Rainow See the article in this magazine. Rainow’s first jazz festival includes jazz workshops for players of all ages and a summer jazz picnic will bring the event to a grand finale! Visit: www.rainowjazz.org.uk for full details of all the bands and venues 23 12.30pm Rainow NSPCC Salmon & Strawberry Lunch 24 Manchester Road, Contact : Carolyn Gittins 01625 420135 Tytherington

We have made this list as comprehensive as space permits & it is necessarily a selection of the events we know about. If you have anything planned that you would like us to list in the next issue, please call 01625 426059.

What’ 15

Tony’s next book could hardly be said to have followed hot on the heels of its predecessor – Rainow’s it was ten years in the making! Captain of the Crowd is the story of the legendary cricket Historyማሜምሞ Family and football rhymester, Albert Craig, who became almost as tretching away from Jane and Tony Laughton’s famous as the great W.G Grace home, the beautiful valley of the River Dean himself, simply by selling his provides a constant and timeless reminder that printed rhymes to sporting history is ever present. crowds at a penny a sheet. Although It was the peace and eloquence of this landscape, once packed with part of Macclesfield’s Royal Forest, that was a major S cricketing data factor in drawing the couple to move to Rainow twenty- and match one years ago. And it has been a source of inspiration reports, the ever since, helping them both to succeed in writing book is, acclaimed histories of their respective passions. nonethe- For Jane, this meant the evolution and social nuances of less, an medieval England, while for Tony, it was the evocative quintessential Englishness of the great game of life, and cricket. romantic Jane’s first published book was Seventeenth Century record Rainow, The story of a Cheshire Hill Village and it of a poorly-born confirmed her enormous talent for researching and Yorkshireman who went retelling not just the mainstream of history, but also the on to entertain millions minutiae of life for the whole spectrum of society. The throughout Victorian England. book’s local launch was in1990 at Lower Brook Farm at The book was launched, the end of Smithy Lane. It is well remembered as one of appropriately, in the Long the quietest parties ever held in Rainow – everybody just Room at Lord’s Cricket wanted to read! Ground. After taking degrees at Birmingham, Leicester and If one were to seek a theme Manchester Universities, Jane obtained a PhD at that links these two Cambridge for her work on medieval Chester and industrious and creative brought her academic career to a splendid climax as a people, one’s first instinct Research Fellow back at Birmingham. would be to identify the shared fascination with precise Jane’s Cambridge thesis provided the raw material for and attributable historic data. her most important contribution to scholarship, Life in a But go a little deeper into their Medieval City: Chester, 1275 – 1520, launched at the books and you will find at Chester Literature Festival last October. Medieval work a social consciousness histories tend to be about the good and the great. This that helps to unveil the many book focuses on the everyday lives of all strata of hidden and often romantic society. stories that decorate and In between she managed to research and write The animate their work. Church in the Market Place, a major history of St So it’s not too surprising that Michael’s Church in Macclesfield, contribute hugely to Jane now plans to write a the work of the Rainow History Group in the creation of popular novel about medieval Rainow Caught in Time, and, as a professional historian, Rainow, based upon real people publish many learned articles on her medieval speciality. and places set against a Meanwhile, husband Tony, once a keen middle-order background of actual historical batsman, was bringing to a close his career in the textile events. industry and was looking forward to indulging his love Tony, on the other hand, for cricket, both as a spectator and as an historian. intends to spend time Inspired by the great John Arlott and his commentating investigating new areas in the comrades of the BBC’s Test Match Special team, Tony relationship between literature was already deeply immersed in the literature and detail and cricket and who knows of game, but now had the leisure time in which bring the what dramas may emerge! historical perspective to life for his fellow enthusiasts. His first published book was a carefully researched appreciation of the cricket writer and collector, A. D. Taylor. Entitled The Cricketologist, it quickly became an intrinsic part of cricket scholarship.