HOTHFIELD NEWS BY THE COMMUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY Volume 8 Number 8 AUGUST 2017 That was the Fête, that was! Sunday 2 July was warm and sunny, which meant that lots stall made a profit of £104.72, and the plant stall took £82.85. and lots of you came to the village green to enjoy an afternoon Obviously, we owe a great debt of gratitude to all the people of games, music, competition, refreshments and fun. who helped; Ian Lloyd was in charge (not bad for a first time, Hothfield’s Village Fête has never been intended primarily as Ian!), the Mayor of Ashford came along and opened the whole a fund-raiser; nevertheless, The Fête provided £500 for the Air thing, many local businesses donated prizes, Peter Edgar the Ambulance, definitely Hothfield’s favourite charity. vet came and judged the Fun Dog Show (and provided the A few figures might help to remind you of what you did at prizes). To all these, and the thirty or so other helpers and the Fête; you spent £377.50 on burgers and sausage rolls, £697 committee members too numerous to list here, we say thank on raffle tickets, even £48 on the coconut shy. The Ice cream you – and we hope to see you again in 2019!

Malcolm invites the Mayor to hook a duck

and Delilah, Basil, the handsomest dog ... the prettiest bitch Saint Margaret’s Church Rector: Rev. Canon Sheila Cox 01233 712598 Churchwardens Hedley Grenfell-Banks 01233 421149, Malcolm Wood 01233 623090 to conserve it. conserve to strive always will and special, and rare something of ans sur- the in common countryside. rounding longer no species contain even churchyards Some communities. animal and plant rich developed have and farming. chemicals from of free remain methods Most past from evolved that relics rural of represent undisturbed, left be can animals road. the bordering hedge the alongside place, ous obvi- less a to area uncut the move to decided have we so entrance, church the to gate the from path the side Trust. along- high Wildlife exceptionally grown has grass the year, This by initiative in an is with This accordance plants. wild and insects animals, for habitat Wildlife inthe Churchyard Services at Saint Margaret’s August in Services We at St. Margaret’s recognise that we are custodi- are we that recognise Margaret’s St. at We and plants where places quiet being Churchyards, a as aside set is Hothfield in churchyard the of Part This is a very enjoyable way of raising much raising of way enjoyable a very isThis Sunday 6 them. See the web site www.friendsofkentchurches.co.uk for more info, including a short film. a short including info, more for www.friendsofkentchurches.co.uk site web the See them. Book the date! FOKC support us (with repairs etc), now we have the opportunity to support support to opportunity have we the now etc), repairs (with us support FOKC date! the Book Please, either: find sponsors and cycle to any number of churches, etc, any denomination denomination any etc, churches, of number any cycle to and sponsors find either: Please, Of the G7 parishes for which I have figures, Hothfield raised most with £428 £428 with most raised Hothfield haveI figures, which for parishes G7 Of the 1030 in1030 G7 service say farewellto toArchdeacon PhilipDown Last year £133,406 was raised. Lots of grants were made, from £500 to £22,500. £22,500. to £500 from made, grants were of wasLots raised. £133,406 year Last This year there will be a prize (modest) for the G7 church that raises the most! raises the that church G7 the for (modest) a will prize be there year This SPONSORED BIKE RIDE AND STRIDE The average amount raised per church was £399 and per person was £144. was £144. person and per was £399 church per raised amount average The Atraditional service from the Book of Common Prayer, hymnswith

Sponsor forms and some information will be available in the churches. churches. the in available be will information and forms some Sponsor For more information, please contact your local organiser on 620880. on organiser local contact your please information, more For Informalservice, lotsof singing, gooda introduction tochurch Aservice Holyof Communionin modern English, with hymns

Sunday 13 Sunday 20

or or or Sunday 27 Trinity 8:Transfiguration

offer to sponsor one of the above. of one sponsor to offer also) this for sponsored be may (you church your visit they riders when welcome to offer good) is particularly (Canterbury walk a/a The number of churches open was 721. was open 721. churches of number The

and half to the church of your choice. your of church and the half to

9 SEPTEMBER For Friends of Kent Churches Kent of Friends For (list of participants available) participants (list of

Trinity 4 Trinity 5 Trinity 6 - needed funds; half of what you raise goes to FOKC, FOKC, to goes raise you what half of funds; needed

Noservice Hothfield.in

11.00

10.30

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2

3 HOTHFIELD PARISH COUNCIL tell you about in due course, when the project has been fully developed. Another very recent devel- opment is the government appears to be on the cusp of revising the method by which 5YHLS targets are established for local authori- ties, and some news is due to break soon. The assump- tion is that as many local authorities are failing to meet their targets, the calcu- lations will produce more achievable numbers – but on the other hand, the govern- ment also wants to see a The Local Plan Revisions policy was “out of date”, speculative developers seek- major step-up in the num- Drop-In exhibition took apparently leaving the way ing to build on sites that do bers of houses being built – place at the village hall on clear for the builders to get not feature in Local Plans, let’s see what happens. 21st July and it was pleasing their own way. These are and Hothfield parish council As you may have seen in to see a fair number of resi- real issues across the UK is participating in a locally- one of Paul Fothergill’s re- dents come along and look and we have a current live driven initiative to undertake cent “weekly round-ups” in at the proposals for Hoth- example in our borough, at some serious lobbying of the local paper, the parish field and ask questions of the Charing, where ABC has central government about council has set up a project, ABC Planning Officers pre- recently rejected such a this – more of which I will … continued on Page 6 sent. As the ABC exhibition “speculative” planning appli- covered Local Plan Revisions cation, but where it is possi- for all Ashford borough par- ble the developer may ap- ishes, we also received visits peal, and perhaps, based on from a good number of non- the premise that ABC is not Village Hall residents as well. delivering its 5YHLS num- People were able to fill in bers, succeed. feedback forms, which were However, in future, per- Regular Activities either left with the ABC haps the developers are not team or they could be taken going to have it all their own Mondays Country Dancing 7.30 to 10.30pm away or posted to ABC. If way. There has been some Tuesdays Irish Dancing 4.30 to 7.30pm you weren’t able to make very recent legal activity, Wednesdays Dog Training 5.30-9pm the Drop-In, you still have involving the Supreme Court Thursdays Craft, every fourth week 1.00 to 5.00pm. the opportunity of giving on a case known as Bingo 6.30-8.30pm your feedback via ABC’s “Hopkins Homes v Suffolk Fridays Toddler Sense 9.00 to 12.00am. website on Coastal District Council and Squad 26 Youth Club 6.30 to 8.30pm. www.ashford.gov.uk/consult Richborough Estates v Saturday Rugby Tots 9-11.45am. (outdoors in the and the consultation period Cheshire East Borough is open until 31 August Council”, which was essen- summer; back in the hall on 9 September. 2017. tially two separate cases

In my July article, I made brought together for the To book the Village Hall for your Parties, reference to the potential purposes of review. The Get-togethers, etc., please ring Minnie on for speculative building de- long story shortened is that 01233 421149,or email [email protected] velopers to force through the Supreme Court ruled “unwanted by local author- that it wasn’t right that deci- Prices: Village £7.50 per hour, ity” planning applications sions are made purely on the Outside Village £10.00/hour because, put simply, many basis that 5YHLS targets are local authorities are failing to being missed, and more nu- All Day Hire – Village £175.00 meet Five Year Housing anced considerations need £175.00 deposit required). Land Supply (5YHLS) targets. to apply to planning applica-

The Courts have allowed tions that are being con- some developments to be tested in the Courts be- All Day Hire – Outside Village £250.00 ( built against the wishes of tween local authorities and £250.00 deposit) local authorities, based upon developers. There’s no a very narrow view that as doubt pressure is building to Children's Birthday £35.00 first 4 hours, the numbers were being ensure that communities are then at hourly rate. (£25.00 deposit required). missed, the local planning better protected from AUGUST ON HOTHFIELD HEATHLANDS 4

The glory of Hothfield in basking reptiles and birds, August is the purple heather hopefully for nesting tree or ling, Calluna vulgaris. This pipits one day; thousands of year there were sprigs in seeds for feeding birds, foli- flower already in June, and age food for caterpillars and the pink cross-leaved heath, grazing sheep, nectar and Erica tetralix, had as usual pollen for insects and butter- started even earlier. Calluna flies and moths, which are and Erica grow together on food for patrolling dragon- the dry heath; only Erica flies and birds. Heather tolerates wet bog. needs nutrient-poor soil and Richard Mabey writes of grows slowly; the progress these low-growing ever- from fresh green pioneering green shrubs as the raw ma- seedlings through maturity terial of frugal domestic life, to the eventual collapse of along with companions gaunt woody plants is moni- bracken and gorse. So tored and managed across heather here could have the reserve. been used for fuel (ling Gardeners have a wide comes from the Anglo Saxon choice of cultivars of several work lig for fire), fodder, species including tree and wattle in daub, thatch, winter heathers to provide brooms (calluna is from the flowers almost all year Greek for brush), baskets, round, a feast for the eye fencing, twisted into ropes, and a wonderful larder for packing material or mattress garden wildlife. filling, the roots carved into The name Hothfield for Now rarer than rainforest, unleashed bounding dog small useful items, although this area, meaning heathy heathland is one of our most larger than her just wants to tobacco pipes were made open land, can be traced threatened habitats, hence play. Various trails are sign- from roots of the continen- back to around 1100 AD; Hothfield’s designation as a posted and indicated on the tal tree heather, hence briar also in Kent, Hoath from La Site of Special Scientific In- maps at entrances, which from the French for heather, hathe was used from the terest, the grazing animals also give the location of the bruyère. The flowers might 13thC, in Sussex Hoathly and the team of volunteers livestock. The noticeboard have yielded orange dye and from 1287 and Hadlegh from who work to clear en- down the main slope from honey from wild bees. A 1121. The names all derive croaching scrub on a regular the Cade Road car park local volunteer now keeps from the Old English word basis. There is no white gives recent wildlife sight- an apiary nearby. Flowering hath, meaning heather. heather here but we are ings. For email alerts on the tips might have been used Heathrow in around 1410 very lucky to have this rem- location of the livestock, or for tisane or to flavour and was La Hetherewe, middle nant of rich diversity so to join the volunteers who filter beer, leann froach in English for a row of houses close by, and need to keep it help maintain the reserve, Scotland. on or near the heath. Heath connected to the living land- check the cattle and carry Wildlife was in amongst results from centuries of low scape around. out summer surveys contact the heather before humans -impact grazing and felling, The heathland is open to the Warden on 01622 found it useful. In the same and these names indicate all, including dogs kept in 662012 or at family as bilberries, rhodo- how widespread heathland check; a human toddler can [email protected]. dendrons and blueberries, it was and how great the become terrified of dogs, provides shelter all year for losses in the south-east. not knowing that an Margery Thomas Please don’t feed the ponies Please do not feed the livestock that graze at Hothfield Heathlands. Our Konik ponies are very good-natured, and do a great job of managing the heathland and bogs. However, every time they are given food by visitors, this encourages them to follow people looking for food. For many people this can be very intimidating, and potentially dangerous. The ponies are used to a natural diet; anything out of the ordinary (carrots etc.) can create dangerous health issues. Ultimately we would have to remove the ponies from site, and move them to areas with no public access. Please help us to keep the ponies at Hothfield, enjoy them from a distance, and let them behave as a natural herd. Many thanks. Ian Rickards 5 Hothfield History Society Thank you to those who American slave spoke out ought to join the short mat blacksmith came to the History Soci- against slavery at Zion Bap- bowls club. Our thanks to lived in the ety’s Annual General Meet- tist Church in the centre of Robbie and everyone who adjacent cot- ing in June, when we heard . When Sir Arthur came to see us. tage (now ‘Forge Cottage’ about Smarden’s famous Conan Doyle died in 1930, on the corner of Chapel people, notorious and con- his gardener at the house in Visitor to the old Forge Lane) and worked in the troversial characters and Crowborough moved to You may recall from previ- Forge when he used to visit notable events. Smarden and became the ous editions that we were in the early/mid 1950s. He Smarden resident Martin Minister of Zion Baptist hoping to find information remembers the blacksmith Brooks explained that Church. Mervin Peake, who about the Forge to help a was on crutches as a result Smarden’s early village wrote the Gormenghast relative of the former Black- of injuries sustained by being wealth was based on wool, trilogy, lived at The Grange. smith. Gwyn Davies con- kicked by horses over the the production of Broad- Miss Marple solved a mur- tacted us to say that he used years, and would literally cloth and the cheaper Ker- der mystery at Smarden, and to visit his father’s uncle and prop himself up at the cen- sey cloth, the latter used the actor who married Zsa watch him in the forge, but tral fire with all his tools mainly for the everyday Zsa Gabor and her sister (at wondered if any residents within easy reach and work clothes of the working peo- different times!) would visit remembered him too. there all day, rarely moving ple. In 1333 Edward III his mother in the village. Gwyn, who remembers from the spot. The land granted a charter to the Other radio and television spending his childhood holi- running right down what is village giving it ‘town’ status, personalities have lived at days at ‘The Old Forge’, now the A20 past the cur- something that was never Smarden. along with moun- popped in to the forge in rent ESSO service station really adopted. In the 16th tain climbers, explorers and early July as he was visiting was then attached to The century Elizabeth I renewed at least one MI5 agent. Kent on holiday from his Forge and was a fairly pro- the Charter of Edward III We also had a small display home in Wales. The current ductive orchard – the black- which indicated that at the Village’s Fête last resident, Mark, showed him smith sold off some of the Smarden was still a busy and month and heard more of around the building which is land (at a handsome profit) important place. your stories of Hothfield’s now a house. Gwyn was to allow the service station In the 1840s when the past. The highest score on able to tell the current occu- to be built. railway was being built our old ball game was 42, pant a few details that Mark Gwyn used to come for through the area, the last and the prize was won by didn’t previously know about summer holidays here as a recorded legal ‘bare fist’ fight young Robbie, who is just the layout of The Forge in its child, and as Gwyn’s father took place at Hegg Hill, and two and a half years old, working days, and he worked for a bus company allegedly was seen by the from Plantation Close. He seemed to be pleased to re- in Wales he was able to get Prince of Wales who came kindly donated back some of visit an old haunt and see a free bus ticket for the re- down on the train to witness his winnings to the History how it looks nowadays. turn journey. Gwyn told us it. In 1861, an escaped Society. With those skills he Gwyn told Mark that the that he used to board the bus in Wales at 6pm on a Friday evening and arrive at the bus-stop outside ‘The Woolpack’ (now the Beef- eater) at around noon the following day – there were no motorways back then of course! Chris Rogers

Your Editor discovered recently that putting fizzy drinks in the freezer is a really, really bad idea. Continued from Page 3 much “early days” for this the solar farm operators is Triangle in January 2017, in 6 project, as even the cheapest “community” money, so we order to prevent people ...being led by Penny sign costs in the region of would need to get the ap- parking on grass verges and Sutcliffe, to look at having an £6,500 and firstly, we need proval of the community pavements. interactive speed warning to establish how the parish before using the money for We had another complaint sign erected in the village, council can finance the pur- this (or any other) purpose, recently, so I asked a repre- after recently receiving a chase and installation of a just as we did for the broad- sentative from ABC Housing different legal interpretation sign. We are currently in band project. As I have said, Services to meet me to un- about this from KCC High- very early discussions with we have only just kicked off dertake a joint inspection, ways, which has prevented KCC Highways Dept about this project, so there is which we did on 25th July. us from considering this in the provision and installation plenty of time to sort out Prior to this, I made a fair the past. As we all know, the of a sign, and in the mean- the details. As and when the number of tours of The Tri- main roads which lead into time our KCC councillor, parish council decides to ask angle on different days and the village centre from the Charlie Simkins, has very residents to approve the use at different times of the day, A20, and kindly earmarked £1,500 of the community fund, for to see if I could spot any are routinely from his personal budget this or some other purpose, “over-parking” examples subjected to many vehicles towards the cost, for which we will communicate with that might not exist at 2pm being driven through the we are grateful. you via Hothfield News in on a Tuesday afternoon, village centre at high speed, As some of you may recall, the first instance and take which is when the gentleman and it is a miracle that in as part of the planning per- things from there. from ABC was due to meet recent years there haven’t mission given by ABC for Finally, whilst I’m on the me. I can’t say I saw any ter- been any serious accidents the Oaklands Solar Farm subject of roads, we’ve re- rible examples of over- or injuries. We would like to several years ago, the opera- ceived a number of com- parking when I did my own think the Local Plan’s pro- tors undertook to provide plaints this year about resi- tours and what I saw with posed housing development Hothfield parish council with dents having difficulty park- the ABC representative location at the top of Coach payments of £5,000 per an- ing, and what some people looked very similar to what I Drive/Station Road could num for a 25-year period for consider to be an attendant had seen by myself. I think potentially allow for some the benefit of the commu- increased risk to safety and the joint inspection was a measure of traffic calming nity. We used the first concerns about emergency useful exercise, and whilst I near the A20 exit in the three years’ money to fund services’ access to some don’t want to raise peoples’ event a housing estate is the cost of the superfast parts of the village. Parking expectations, there might be built there, so initially we are broadband provision has for many years been one or two improvements likely to consider West brought to the village a cou- regarded as something of a that can be made here and Street as being the first place ple of years ago, and the problem, as will be the case there which would alleviate we might have such a sign, next £5,000 payment is due with all housing estates built some problems. The ABC and perhaps at some future to be made to us very soon. between the 1940’s and representative has gone point, and if the funds exist, It may be possible to utilise 1960’s, where the roads and away to see what might be to have another sign in the this money to fund such a front garden spaces weren’t possible, and I hope to be Bethersden Road/The Street speeding sign, but strictly constructed with 3-4 car able to give you an update in area. speaking, payments received families in mind. The prob- the next edition of Hothfield I should mention it is very by the parish council from lems appear to have been News. made worse since ABC in- David Parker stalled low-level anti-parking Chairman, rails in some parts of The Hothfield Parish Council

For full minutes of meetings of Hothfield Parish Council, please either see the noticeboard outside the village shop or visit www.hothfield.org.uk 7

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Call 01233 421149. Aunt Jemima’s shaggy dog stories

1. An ancient jungle king tyrannized his subjects other, constantly making them build him new thrones – first of mud, then bamboo, then tin, then copper, then silver, and so on. When the king became tired of each throne, he would store it in the attic of his grass hut. One day the attic collapsed, and the thrones crashed down upon the chief’ s head and killed him. Which just goes to show that people who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones.

2. A congregation decided to paint the walls of the church. They were doing an admirable job until they began to run out of paint, so they decided to mix water with the stuff in order to complete their task. Shortly after the job was finished, the rains descended from the heavens, and the paint began to peel from the walls of the church, and a thunderous voice boomed from above: ‘Repent! And thin no more!’

3. In days of old when knights were bold, people were a lot smaller than they are today; so much smaller, in fact, that many knights rode upon large dogs when they couldn't get horses. One dark and stormy night, a squire entered a pet store in order to purchase a large dog for his master, the Black Knight. Unfortunately, all the shopkeeper could offer the squire was one undersized, mangy dachshund. .No’, said the squire, ‘I can’t send a knight out on a dog like this.’

4. In Baghdad, a worthy young man named Abdul found a beautiful urn. When he began to polish the urn, out came a cute lady genie, who introduced herself as Penny. She granted Abdul the obligatory three wishes and bade him good-bye. Abdul knew that if he could cut off Penny’s hair, the genie would have to return to the urn and grant him three more wishes. Wielding a magic razor, Abdul cut off Penny’s hair., and, sure enough, Penny flew back into the enchanted vessel. The Moral: a Penny shaved is a Penny urned.

5. A Frenchman and a Czechoslovakian went out hunting for bear. When the two had not returned after four days, their friends, fearing the worst, went out searching for them. The group came to a clearing, and, sure enough, they saw a mother and father bear, each with a bloated stomach. Slashing open the belly of the female, the distraught friends found therein the remains of the Frenchman. Their darkest fears confirmed, the leader looked at the other bear and said, ‘The Czech’s in the male.’ School’s out for Summer! Happy Holiday to all our children

is edited, printed and published by Hedley Grenfell-Banks for HGB Services, Gardens open daily 1pm – 6pm £5.00gardens only) financed by House Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays Hothfield Parish Council from 14th April to 1st October 1pm – 5pm and distributed to every house in the village £9.00 (house and gardens). Last tour 4pm by a dedicated band of volunteers. For more information please visit www.godintonhouse.co.uk or phone 01233 643854 Email [email protected] telephone 421149 OPEN AIR THEATRE: THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER 4th August19:30 – 22:00 Available on line at www.hothfield.org.uk.

The deadline for the September 2017 issue The Rude Mechanicals is 20 August. Letters and articles for return to publication are always welcome.

with a production of Advertising is free to businesses working in, The Commercial Traveller; or for, the Parish of Hothfield. remember to bring your chairs, Email the Editor for information on rugs and picnics. advertising prices for outside companies.

Tickets can be purchased from ww.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk,. OUR THANKS Picnics from 6.30pm go to the Hothfield Educational Foundation performance 7.30pm. for once more financing the purchase of a Booking essential second-hand printer.