Issue 24 May 2008
Stanton on the Wolds Parish Council
Parish Council Members:
Margaret Healy, Chairman 914 8654 Jim Goodman , Vice-chairman 937 3076
Bryan Baines, 937 2197 Roy Butler 937 2508 Dennis Hackett, 937 2569
Alex McKee, 937 5068 and Mike Sheriston 937 5652
Clerk:
Mike Elliott, 19/21 Mains Street, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5AA, phone 937 6506
or Email elliottnews@btconnect.com
PARISH MEETING - YOUR CHANCE TO HAVE A SAY
Once a year residents have the opportunity through the annual Parish Meeting to raise any matters involving the village - and the meeting is being held on Wednesday May 14th.
The meeting will be held in the parish church on Browns Lane and will start at 7:00pm with a glass of wine. The chairman Councillor Mrs Margaret Healy will present the annual report and this will subsequently be delivered to all residents. The clerk will present a report on the accounts.
The meeting will be followed by the annual meeting of the parish council when the chairman for the coming twelve months will be selected.
Comments sought on County's Rights of Way improvement plan
Nottinghamshire County Council has issued a plan which looks at ways in which the Rights of Way can be improved and residents in Stanton on the Wolds are being given the opportunity to comment on the local situation.
There are four different types of Rights of Way; these being Footpaths, Bridleways (walkers, cyclists and horse riders), Restricted Byways (as Bridleways and Carriage Drivers) and Byways open to all types of traffic.
Parish Councillor Jim Goodman says the new plan gives an opportunity to identify particular improvements we would like to make to any of the routes we have in Stanton.
"The major problems we appear to have are signposting and connectivity. The signs are of course not a problem to those who know the routes although in one or two cases the official route may not always be followed."
Road crossing
"Connections to other paths do create a real problem particularly for horse riders e.g. crossing the A46 there is no directly opposite route to Kinoulton and therefore it is necessary to travel along the A46 for a distance and from Widmerpool Lane to Thurlby Lane where only a footpath exists. Unfortunately the Rights of Way plan as it currently exists makes no specific recommendations about particular problems. It only identifies the principles involved, it does not guarantee fixing problems either. We therefore need to flag up any items we see which we feel need attention, so if you have any particular concerns please either let me know on 937 3076 or better still come along to the Parish Meeting." he says.
Funding for Barn Owl support
A grant of £50 has been agreed by the Parish Council to the Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project volunteer community group.
The cash will sponsor an owl nesting box for five years. There are currently two owl nesting boxes in the parish provided by the group and one has been used by owls.
“The Out-stuffe”
by Alan & Val Hunt
The three field system had been abandoned in Stanton before Charles 1st came to the throne in 1625 Continual recurrences of the Black Death resulted in severe depopulation of the villages of the wolds with some disappearing altogether (Thorpe in Glebe). Another factor was the great sheep boom, which began as early as the 14th century, during which many smallholders and tenant farmers were thrown off their land. The result was just three or four major land owners/farmers. Last issue, we had a glimpse of what life was like in the village 400 years ago, by looking at the household items, listed in inventories, that would have been in use at that time. But what would have been found outside ?
The land itself was measured in akers/acars (acres). The permanent pasture or meadow was known as moghe. Scheepe/sheyppe/sheipe would have been the predominant livestock. The sheep of the year were known as hogges until they were first shorn. Only a few beese/behys/bestes (cattle) would have been kept, with kine being the specific term for cows. Bulkins or bolokes were male calfys/caffes or calves/bullocks, whilst heyfars or effers were the female calves. A few sawes (sows) would have been kept. Haryssys/horsys (horses) were common everywhere, not only for working the land and carting the produce but also for transport. The foals were known as foyles, the colts as cowltes and the mares as mayres/maers. The stabullse (stables) were equipped with cratches or hay and fodder racks and the maner (manure) would have been cleaned out with a mokfreke or mucking-out fork. Gyese/gees and pultre (geese and poultry) would have been kept by everyone along with coyckes/cokes (the roosters). Hyffes/heives, ( bee hives) were valuable, as honey was used to sweeten many dishes and was a key ingredient of mead.
The most important agricultural crops were oytes/oottes, bareley/barlle, weytte/wayte and paysse/peece (oats, barley, wheat and peas and beans). The land was horse-ploughed using ploghes/blouys followed by horse drawn harrewes/arroys (harrows). A horselock was a hobble for the horse’s feet to stop it from wandering. Crops would have been harvested by hand using sekeelles (sickles) and taken to the lathe (barn) in a wain ( a four-wheeled wagon). A bare wain was an open-sided wagon whilst a bound wain had sides. Over the winter when farming activity was at a minimum the geyr/gaere (harnesses and tackle) and yaittes (gates) would be repaired or flakes/fleykes made (wattle hurdles).
“Re-greening” of the Wolds
The dictionary definition of a ‘wold’ is an open area of upland country, its derivation coming from the Old English ‘wald’ meaning wood or forest. During the third week of December 2007 a team of tree planters from Three Shires Ltd of Melton Mowbray, who had been commissioned by Stuart Bridge, Managing Director of Wheyfeed of Stanton on the Wolds, set about planting two fields below Hill Farm on the west facing slope. A total of 62 standard trees were planted in groups of up to five to provide a broken parkland vista intended to compliment the ground contours and the old drive to Hill Farm. The tree species used were Small-leaved Lime, English Oak, Ash, Alder, Hazel, Horse Chestnut, Willow and Whitebeam.
A further 1500 whips (1st year tree seedlings) were planted as woodland on the other side of the stream. This planting may be clearly seen from the new bridge on the new road leading to Wheyfeed. The trees have been planted in a rising pyramid. In the outer zone there are lower growing shrubby species with Dog Wood, Hazel, Guelder Rose, Evergreen Honeysuckle and Spindle. Inside this is a zone of small to medium sized trees with Holly, Whitebeam, Rowan, Gean or Wild Cherry, Bird Cherry, Silver Birch, Field Maple and Goat Willow. In the centre zone the taller trees include Corsican Pine, Larch, Small-leaved Lime, English Oak, Ash, Alder, Beech and Horse Chestnut. Apart from this recent planting, Stuart has already planted 1+ miles of new hedging and another 10+ acres of mixed woodlands further towards the Fosse. This “re-greening” of the Stanton wolds can be seen all along Walk 1 as described in the December 2007 Parish Newsletter. This walk shows an excellent example of practical conservation and several rescued dew-ponds may be seen along the route. I
What’s new on the SoWPC web site. www.stantononthewoldsparishcouncil.gov.uk
The complete set of Censuses for our village are now available on-line and may be accessed by clicking on “Census” in the top active zone. Along the same line “Parish Registers” now contain all the known marriages, baptisms and interments at the parish church of All Saints from 1627 to 1904. The Minutes of the Parish Council meetings of the 11th July, 12th September and 14th November 2007 and for the 13th January 2008 may be accessed by clicking on “Minutes” on the top menu. Parish Newsletter number 22 for October 2007 has been added to the “Newsletters” tab in the top menu. The village “History” item in Newsletter no 22 has been added to the “History” tab in the left menu.
The Parish Council’s web site continues to attract interest, not only locally but internationally. To the end of February 2008, 11 months since it’s inception there had been 60,000 hits and the numbers of countries retrieving pages has increased from 23 to 58.
BITS & BOBS
Rushcliffe Borough Council are looking to introduce micro-bttle banks throughout the area as they step up efforts to increase the amount of glass they recycle. The banks will take the form of wheelie-bin style units placed in strategic areas in as many parishes as possible.
A sum of £50 has been allocated by the council to enable the purchase of evergreen bushes to be planted near the seat and sign at the Browns Lane / Stanton Lane corner.
Flooding that occurs on the highway at the Browns Lane / Stanton Lane corner after heavy or prolonged rain is being reported by the Parish Council to Notts County Council highways department.
The Parish Council have agreed to continue its membership of the Notts Association of Local Councils. The annual subscription is costing them just under £76.
Web site appeal
Alan Hunt is appealing to residents to look to see if they have any photographs or film of Stanton events that could be offered to him for use on the village web site.
YOUR LOCAL CHURCHES
Stanton on the Wolds Parish Church: Rev. Jim Wellington, tel 0115 937 2017.
Catholic Church, Willowbrook: Fr John Kyne, tel 01509 852147.
Methodists: Rev Peter Green, tel 0115 921 2146.
Baptists: Mrs Barbara Lister tel 0115 937 3565.
United Reformed: Rev Chris Ford, tel 0115 937 5086.
The next meeting of the Stanton on the Wolds Parish Council will be on Wednesday 9th January 2008 at All Saints Parish Church at 7:30pm
THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
Your own soul is noutished when you are kind
it is destroyed when you are cruel