Hambleden VALLEY 2013 December Group Magazine Group Serving the Communities of Fawley Fingest Hambleden with Frieth and Skirmett Medmenham Turville HAMBLEDEN VALLEY £1.00 £1.00June 2020 In This Issue Group Letter 1 Group Notes and News 4 Wildlife 7 Hambleden 14 Sunday Services 15 From the Registers 15 Fawley 21 Turville 21 Fingest 21 Medmenham 22 Classified Advertisements 24 Church and Village Activities and Contacts 26 Weekday Services 10am Zoom Daily Prayer Emergencies: If you are unable to contact the Group Priests, please get in touch with your churchwarden. All contributions are welcome, to the Editor, Penny McLeish [email protected] 3 Abbey Cottages, Ferry Lane, Medmenham SL7 2HB Telephone 01491 571288 Please keep articles within 350 words. Copy deadline is 15th of the month. Printed by Higgs and Co., Henley. Tel. 01491 419429 Cover: The Brook at Skirmett photo Nick Boreham. This page: NHS sign at Varnells Terrace, Hambleden Terrace, Varnells sign at page: NHS Boreham. This photo Nick Skirmett The Brook at Cover: 1 GROUP LETTER I wonder who or Nevertheless, Habakkuk waits on God what has been for answers and in the closing verses keeping you is able to say that ‘even though’ things company during aren’t going well…’even though’ the fig our weeks of tree does not blossom, ‘even though’ isolation and there is no fruit on the vine...yet he, lockdown? Habakkuk, will find hope. Brought alive Perhaps it has by the book God among the Ruins, been someone Habakkuk’s story helps us trace our own in your family, paths through adversity and difficulty, someone on encouraging us to search for God as our the other end of phone, a pet or even a own companion in tough times. character from a novel who has become And so that we can be each other’s like a friend. companions on this part of the journey, Over the last few weeks, I have found while lockdown and isolation continue, myself spending time with a rather you are warmly invited to gather for surprising companion - not someone Zoom Church on Wednesdays and with whom I have been much Sundays at 10am. Do look out for acquainted previously, but a rather details in Group Emails or contact Vicky strange comrade: the ancient biblical Hollier [email protected] 01491 prophet Habakkuk. Now please do 638760 if you would like to know more. bear with me before turning the page, As we wait on God in our own because I discovered that Habakkuk situations, we are invited to respond - who lived through some challenging to Jesus’ wonderful words (Matthew times in the 600s BC - actually has much 11:28-30): Come to me…Walk with me in common with those of us who are and work with me—watch how I do it. living through challenging times in 2020. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace… Habakkuk’s world is to be turned upside Keep company with me and you’ll learn as his country is about to be invaded; to live freely and lightly. he questions God, wrestling with him, May God bless you, through this life-changing situation. Sue Morton Design • Print • Copying • Office Supplies • Publishing Publishers of the Henley Standard Printers of the Hambleden Valley Group Magazine Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1AD T: 01491 419429 E: [email protected] W: www.higgsprinting.co.uk 1 Opening Hours Moday - Sunday Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: 8 - 10 am 12 - 2.30pm 6 - 9.30pm The Stag & Huntsman at Hambleden Tel: 01491 571227 www.thestagandhuntsman.com 2 3 Exclusive & Bespoke Restoration Call for a free estimate now on [email protected] thecharmingrestorer.com 07502 131854 Antique and Building and Furniture BespokeBespoke Building Furniture Window & Antique JoineryJoinery & Window Repairs and Repairs and Restoration DesignsDesigns Restoration Restoration Restoration 2 3 GROUP NOTES AND NEWS Documenting Life During Lockdown These have been difficult. The garden centres The Bucks archives team is keen to help are now open. However there have always document people's experiences of this point been vast numbers of online places from in our history during the Covid-19 pandemic. which to purchase plants etc – with varying They’re asking people if they would like to delivery times delayed due to ’unprecedented keep a diary record of day-to-day life during demand’ the catch phrase of lockdown. lockdown, recording experiences and feelings. Taking our daily exercise through the beautiful When this is all over, the diaries can then be countryside in which we live we have seen submitted to the archives team who will store colourful wild flowers and heard much them for use in the future by researchers. birdsong, including whitethroat displaying, If you have any questions please email the team at [email protected]. Your diary record would also be valuable as part of our local Hambleden history. I am happy to collate these, so feel free to send me your offerings, and I will see what I can do. Eventually, we may publish a supplement to the Parish Magazine. Meanwhile, keep safe. Chris Whitehead blackcap and skylark, but no cuckoo. The song thrush seems also absent in Skirmett. A Danesfield Gardens first sighting for me was a striking plant with abundant yellow flowers on the edge of Great Danesfield Gardens Nursery is OPEN for Wood. This was identified as Wintercress business. Barbarea vulgaris, a medium sized ‘rocket’ Many thanks to all our customers for their found in dampish, disturbed habitats on patience and support over the last month road-verges, river banks and rough grassland. or so. Covid Rules are being applied (gloves Its clusters of small yellow flowers appear to be worn and 2m social distancing) in April. The leaves have been eaten as a when visiting the Nursery. We are offering vegetable, but are exceedingly bitter. vulnerable customers appointments between 8 - 9.30am. Please call Isabel to book. (07920 All blossoms have been noteworthy with 448131 or email [email protected]). Wisteria- Leguminosae apilionacae – standing Normal opening hours 9.30am – 5.30pm out. With careful attention to its twice yearly (last entry 5pm) seven days a week. pruning and also frost free conditions the long Isabel McCrindle pendent racemes come with pink/purple/ white flowers from April onwards. These flowers may be single or double and are Hambleden Valley Gardening Club followed by bean-like seed pods. Wisteria can Living in this surreal world of Coronavirus, be trained up walls, over arches and pergolas lockdown and beyond I thought that it was as the magnificent one at Greys Court or time that I, on behalf of the Hambleden Valley grown as standard trees. Loved by bees. Garden Club would submit a few words. Abiding by Government advice the HVGC Gardeners are naturally sociable people who will restart as soon as possible when details love to share their hobby, sharing advice, will be sent out to all members. Would exchange of plants and visiting gardens. Continued on page 7 4 5 . Fabulous Villa. Soller Majorca Secluded family villa in tiny village 5 minutes from Soller. Overlooked by Tramuntana Mountains. Private pool. Air conditioning. Sleeps 10. Tel: 01494 881176 www.sollervilla.co.uk 4 5 The perfect venue in the middle of the beautiful village of Hambleden. Large hall, full kitchen facilities, patio, WiFi, hearing loop, free parking. Hire by the hour or by session. For more details and prices contact Jamie Baker on 01491 410669 or email: [email protected] visit www.hambledenvillagehall.org Turville Nursery, Come to explore & get mucky Preschool in a home-from-home & Forest School atmosphere Expanding Educational Boundaries Small classes and tailored learning for children aged from 0 - 5 years old. We would love to meet you! 01491 638 071 [email protected] 6 7 WILDLIFE at least four medium sized leaves which must be covered by grass in the summer to prevent them turning yellow before the caterpillars are fully grown. On top of this the male only lives on average for 5 days and has trouble finding females who like to stay hidden in foliage. That is nothing to the complexity of the Large Blue’s requirements. A number of people over the years have studied the decline of this butterfly. Amongst one of its very demanding needs is a particular species of ant! This ant is also extremely fussy in the conditions it requires, including the right height of grass (1cm good, 3cm bad). Too- long grass shades the soil preventing it from anyone offer their garden for a virtual tour? warming up enough for the ant nest where Watch this space! the butterfly lays its eggs. The lengths one man, Jeremy Thomas, went to - spending Celia Warren six summers studying this butterfly before enlisting the help of another enthusiast, WILDFLIFE David Simcoy, to bring it back to this country The Butterfly Isles after it became extinct - were extraordinary. They found the right site, assisted by the I hope everyone is managing their isolation National Trust and Nature Conservancy, safely and not getting too bored. With the a warm south-facing heath, ensured it was lovely weather we have been having it kept well grazed to build up the ant colonies, has given me a good chance to do some then they scoured Europe for a suitable gardening. With that and ringing friends colony of Large Blue butterflies from which who live on their own for long chats, time is they gathered eggs and planted them in the passing OK. ant nests. And it worked! More colonies were At the moment I am also reading more and encouraged, all on private ground except am particularly enjoying a book, picked up a National Trust site at Collard Hill where on impulse in one of the many second hand visitors can observe them.