Biddestone Broadsheet Full colour issue online : www.biddestonevillage.org.uk August 2017 No 443 Page 1 Editorial Committee [email protected] Editor Linda Lobl-Smith Home Farm 714475 Treasurer Annalisa Duff Willow Lodge 712247 Carolyn Madley Stonehaven, The Green 712831 Julie Walton The Old Rectory 701784 Mary Mullens Parkers Farm Bungalow 714399 Biddestone Broadsheet and the website seek to reflect the life and interests of the village. Written contributions are invited from readers on any subject that will be of interest. Photos, Drawings and Art work would also be welcome. Any opinions expressed or implied within this publication are not necessarily those of the Editor or Committee and no responsibility can be accepted for any errors of fact printed in these pages. We will of course endeavour to be as accurate as possible. Last copy date 3rd Sunday in the month, copy should be sent to the Editor at the email address above. Biddestone Village Website www.biddestonevillage.org.uk A full colour version of the Broadsheet can be found online, If you do not wish to have your contact details published online then please make the editor aware of your preference. Any other notices or contributions to be posted specifically on the website should be sent to the email address above. The website also has a live feed from the Biddestone Village Face- book page ( you can view this without having your own Facebook account ) To post an item on the Facebook page, please email [email protected] To post an item on the Biddestone Village Website, please contact the Editor Linda Lobl-Smith Bridge Club It has been suggested that there might be enough demand for a Biddestone social bridge group to be formed, maybe to play once a month or possibly more. Anyone interested should contact; Ian Smith 01249 714475 Jane Iggulden 01249 713311 Classes available in Biddestone Village Hall (3rd Wednesday in month) Monday 8.00 am – 5.00 pm Play Therapy Wednesday 6.00 – 7.00 pm Circuit Training Sarah Bentley – 07771923097 or playthera- Simon Bennett 07815619138 or in- [email protected] [email protected] Monday 9.45 – 11.45 am Painting Group Sue Tennant – 01249 720615 Thursday 9.00 – 10.00 am Real Life Yoga Emma Cawthra – 07771662567 or emma- Monday 8.00 – 10.00 pm Hips & Haws Clog [email protected] Jan Field – 01380 827140 or [email protected] Thursday 10.30 – 11.30 am Pilates for beginners/ Tuesday 9.00 – 10.00 am Real Life Yoga intermediate Emma Cawthra – 07771662567 or emma- The Stonehouse Clinic -01249 700417 or stonehouseclin- [email protected] ic.co.uk Tuesday 7.00 – 9.00 pm Iyengar Yoga Class Friday 10.00 am – 12 noon Yoga with Naomi Edgar Stringer - [email protected] Naomi Seager 07727124097 or www.pranastar.co.uk Wednesday 10.00 – 11.30 am Iyengar Yoga Class Friday 6.30 – 8.00 pm Yoga for healthy Backs, Knees Lydia Holmes – [email protected] and Shoulders - Lydia Holmes – [email protected] Wednesday 10.00 – 12.00 am Writing Group Sunday 5.15 – 6.15 pm or 6.30 – 7.30 pm Real Life Yoga Tim Smith – 01249 714455 or [email protected] Emma Cawthra – 07771662567 or emma- [email protected] Wednesday 2.00 – 4.00 pm Womens Institute Page 2 July 2017 Front Cover: Fete day, thank you to Nigel Ross-Smith for the photo Welcome to Andrew Bell and his daughter Venetia who have recently moved into The Cottage on The Green, and to Matthew and Angela Smith and their dog, Badger who have moved into 1 Church Cottages. We hope you enjoy living in Biddestone and look forward to getting to know you. Donations The Broadsheet would like to thank the fete committee for the generous donation of £850, plus another £10 from a village resident. A large white ceramic baking dish has been found after the Fete most probably from the fairy cake competition. If it is yours please call Helen at Pool Farm on 07765863876. I have 3 unclaimed plates in Willowbrook where the cake stall was held at the fete.in June. One is large in white/ cream and a very nice edging. Made by Coach House, the other two are a little smaller, made by Sabichi and in plain cream. Please call before collecting to make sure I am in. 01249 713170 Andi Ewen Beware! I have been contacted by Liz Hodges in Slaughterford about a scam phone call purporting to be from BT regarding problems with her computer. She said they were very plausible and became quite indignant when she que- ried them. Do not be caught out, Liz knew that it was a scam because she does not own a computer! See pg 11 Record of meeting of Biddestone & Hartham Women’s Institute, 19 July 2017 Carol welcomed 11 members and one visitor to her home for our annual Garden Party. It was warm enough to sit outside in her lovely garden, and we spent time chatting together and enjoying the wide variety of food provided by members. In the brief business meeting, chaired by Val R., the Minutes of the June meeting were taken as read, and there were no Matters Arising. Val read out a note received from Jo, and in return a card signed by all present was sent to her. Correspondence. Reminder about the Grand Auction in aid of Denman on 19 August. Orders for 2018 calendars and diaries to be in by 18 August. August outing. Confirmed as lunch at the Flemish Weaver followed by a visit to Corsham Court on 16 August. Numbers of those interested were given to Betty. It was agreed that the quiz prepared by Val S-J and Alison should be held over to the Christmas Party. Challenge. Val S-J reported that the potatoes grown by members were being weighed, and the result would be an- nounced at the September meeting. Val R. thanked Carol for her hospitality. Children Wanted! Your Broadsheet needs you! Wondering what to do in the summer holidays? Get creative, we want your artwork, poems, short stories, puzzles, jokes, reviews of games, films or books; do you have a favourite place you always visit in holidays like Bowood or Longleat? Tell us about it or anything else you would like to share about Bid- destone or the area around us. We are launching a competition for the front cover of the Sep- tember issue, an original artwork of approx. A4 size. The dead- line for this and all other items is August 18th. You can email your entries to [email protected] or give it to a member of the committee or drop it into Home Farm. Good Luck! Page 3 Little Challows – Graham Priest Compared with the picturesque cottages dotted around Biddestone the houses lacked any vernacular link with the Cotswolds. The dwellings owed much to the 1961 Homes for Today and Tomorrow report of the Parker Morris Committee Most visitors, as well as recent residents, may not realise that Bid- which established 'Parker Morris Standards' two years later. The Ministry of destone has three greens. The oldest, The Butts may date from the ear- Housing was focused on public accommodation with its 1963 Design Bulletin 6 liest recorded archery law of 1252. [Fig.1] The 'Assize of - Space in the Home but many private developers adopted the measures too. Arms' (Ordinance) of King Henry III ordered that all English:- Over half a century later many readers may be unaware that as late as "...citizens, burgesses, free tenants, villeins and others from 15 to 60 1975 some million British homes were still rated as slums, and another 1.8 mil- years of age..." should be armed to aid in the defence of the realm and lion unfit for habitation. Even in Biddestone many of the now desirable resi- in loyalty to the monarch. The poorest were expected to have a halberd dences lacked basic amenities such as bathrooms and inside toilets. A 1960s and knife, as well as a bow if they owned land worth more than £2. alternative for newly weds with practical skills was to buy a cheap run-down Edward III's later law of 1363 commanded obligatory practice of ar- cottage and 'convert' it to 20th century standards. Others snapped up any new chery on Sundays and holidays. This:- "...forbade, on pain of death, all buildings within their price range, cheaper in the countryside because Rateable sport that took up time better spent on war training especially archery Values were less. practice". The new rules required one interior flushing toilet, possibly in the bathroom. A Butts (probably derived from the Anglo French word 'bouter' to semi-detached house for four/five people stipulated a net floor area of 72-82 expel) were located on flat ground near the edges of settlements and square metres. The kitchen volume was set at 2.3 cubic metres. When the exter- were to be at least 219yards (200m) in length. Targets were a number of nal temperature was -1°C heating systems had to maintain the kitchen and circu- circular, turf-covered mounds with level tops 6.5 ft (2m) to 26.25ft lation space at 13°C and the living and dining spaces at 18°C. As a result of (8m) across and 3.3ft (1m) to 10ft (3m) in height. No trace of these more affluence and large government initiatives in the 1960s/70s more homes edifices remained at Biddestone. The directives were in force for centu- were built in the Britain than at any other time (over 425,000 in1968).