The past few weeks have been a sad time in Great Maplestead, with the deaths in quick succession of two well-known and respected residents of the village. You can read an appreciation of their lives and contributions to the community on Pages 7 and 11.
Our Parish News series featuring fascinating information about people hailing from the four parishes continues this month with the interesting story of how a devout woman, who grew up, lived and married locally, became the New World’s First Lady of Massachusetts (Page 5).
In addition to the regular articles on past and future parish events, gardening and nature notes, this issue also contains a schedule showing what’s required and how you can make up boxes daily during November to contribute to Braintree Foodbank’s Christmas appeal (Page 13), an update on the controversial Bramford to Twinstead power-line reinforcement project that has now been given a green light by the Government (Page 17) and information about how, following Central Connect’s demand-responsive bus’s 3-month, fare-free, trial period, the company is now set to provide a charged-for service across the four parishes until at least the middle of next year (Page 25).
Finally, as our cover picture acknowledges November’s firework tradition, it is important to remember, when celebrating, that due consideration should be given to all those neighbours, dogs, cats and horses that are likely to be disturbed by unaccustomed flashes and loud noise.
Thank you – and take care!
The Community Payback Scheme
What is it?
Offenders who receive a community service order have an opportunity to put back something into the community as reparation. They do unpaid work that benefits the community, there are many varied and diverse projects that have benefitted from the scheme, including some of our local churches.
The workers are fully supervised, insured and H&S risk assessed.
We are proud to be part of the scheme at St Giles Church, the project will begin this month and will help to regularly assist in maintaining our churchyard. If you are passing through the churchyard while they are working do please say good morning.
In the Christian calendar we begin the month of November by celebrating All Saints Day, immediately followed by All Souls Day. These first of these two days is an opportunity for believers to remember the saints and martyrs, known and unknown, throughout Christian history and the next day to remember and pray for the faithful departed.
Remembering often brings us comfort, especially when some of the people at the heart of that memory have died. Remembering can be joyful but also difficult. It is not always easy, but it is important that we know it’s OK to hold joy and pain together, to find moments of light and laughter in the darkness, because both the joy and the pain come from the same source, love. If we didn’t love, we wouldn’t grieve.
This month we also have our acts of Remembrance around Armistice Day. Remembrance is not just about the past; it's also about the present and the future. In our prayers and reflections, we consider the men, women and children whose lives are shaped by war, whether as victims, displaced people, humanitarian workers or armed forces. Their sacrifices, their physical and emotional burdens and the toll that war takes on them and their families weigh heavily on our hearts.
In these times of uncertainty and escalating conflict, it is essential for us to maintain hope. We hope for an end to violence and division, for the safe return of those who are far from home, and for the healing of wounds, both seen and unseen. We hope for a world where the lessons of the past guide us towards lasting peace.
We know that hope is not a passive act but an active one. We are called to work towards peace, justice, and reconciliation in our own lives and within our community. Even in the face of despair, hope can be a powerful force for change.
In our parishes and as individuals let us be bearers of hope. Let’s reach out to one another, especially those who may be struggling with the weight of the current conflicts and the heart-breaking images of suffering in our news. Offer comfort, support and a listening ear. In doing so, we can help kindle the light of hope in the darkest of times.
Together, as community, we can be a beacon of light and a source of inspiration for a world in need of hope and peace. Our season of remembering moves into our Advent season of waiting for the light – and ultimately the explosion of the light into the world at Christmas, the light that is Jesus.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5)
Rev’d Beverley
The First Lady of Massachusetts
Margaret Tyndal was born into the Essex gentry in 1591 and grew up living at Chelmshoe House, then a large country estate in Great Maplestead. She was the second daughter of Sir John Tyndal and Lady Anne Egerton Tyndal; Sir John was a Master of Chancery while Lady Anne, the daughter of Thomas Egerton, was the widow of William Deane of Dynes Hall.
Lady Anne’s brother, Stephen Edgerton, belonged to ‘The Godly Elite’, the predominant Puritan faction of the 1570s and 1580s, so Margaret was taught at home to read and write, being ‘encouraged in habits of study and piety’ by tutors and governesses; her later letter-writing suggests she was both a thoughtful and intelligent woman.
Through her father’s legal connections, Margaret was introduced to an attorney and Justice of the Peace, John Winthrop, whose Puritan family owned Groton Manor, a 500-acre estate in Suffolk. Margaret and John began courting in 1613; her family was opposed to the match for financial reasons, John countering their objections by saying that his piety was a virtue that more than compensated for his modest income…
The couple were married in St Giles’ Church on the 29th April 1618, Margaret becoming John’s third wife, his previous two having died early. They lived at Groton Manor although, as an attorney with the Court of Wards and Liveries in London, John spent most of his time in chambers and seldom returned to the Manor. During these lengthy separations, Margaret wrote many letters to her husband, each beginning and ending with a commemoration of God's love; for both Margaret and John human love remained secondary to the love of God and her letters provide dignified examples of this religious feeling
In 1629 the Puritans’ plans to migrate to the New World were being firmed up and the Massachusetts Bay Company, at that time based in England, elected John to be Governor of their future colony. He left Yarmouth in March 1630, becoming one of the 700 original settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which became the city of Boston. Pregnant at the time, Margaret remained at Groton to give birth to a child, Anne, and settle the family's estate. With correspondence now being impossible, prior to parting the two agreed to a spiritual communion, thinking of each other from five to six o'clock every Monday and Friday evening until they were reunited.
John landed near Salem Massachusetts on the 12th June 1630 but Margaret was unable to join him until more than a year later, arriving in Boston on the Lyon on the 4th November 1631; her baby Anne died during their time at sea.
As John’s wife, Margaret became the First Lady of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and remained so for the next sixteen years. She eventually succumbed to influenza during an epidemic, dying in Boston on the 14th June 1647, aged 56. John died just two years later and is buried next to Margaret in Boston's King's Chapel Churchyard.
Sources: Encyclopedia.com/Wikipedia/Geni
In Memory of Gill Peskett
Gill was born in Stretford, Manchester on 14th February 1943. Her parents were David and Dora Smith and she had an elder brother, Tony. Sadly, Dora died when Gill was three, and the family moved to Hornchurch, Essex. Her father remarried and she had a sister, Linda, born in 1950.
Gill loved school, and although her reports suggest she was a little talkative, she passed the Scholarship and gained her place at Hornchurch Grammar School. In 1959 she got her first job at the Bank of England and loved the freedom and excitement of working in the City. She bought her first car, a navy blue Ford Anglia and moved on to work for Lloyds Bank, Gidea Park. She became No.1 Cashier and the Manager at that time was Eric Peskett, who she went on to marry in January 1968. They moved to Highwood, near Chelmsford and she became step mum to Janet, aged twelve and Graham, aged eight. Clare was born in February 1969 and Stuart in September 1973.
Gill returned to work as a library assistant at Writtle Agricultural College with her great friend, Barbara Mckenzie. She also passed two A-Levels in English Literature and Accounting. She and Eric moved from Highwood, renting in Earls Colne for a short time before settling in Great Maplestead in 1999.
Sadly, Eric died in 2001 but her life in the village really helped her through, including her time in the choir, her work as Church Warden for many years with her best friend Jill, being a WI member and President, and as a church governor at the school: being part of such a close knit community was invaluable.
Gill was very proud of her six grandsons, Matthew, Elliot, Ross, Craig, Samuel and William, who brought her great joy. She was a lifelong supporter of Manchester United and Lancashire CC and a passionate gardener. She was a very resourceful, meticulous but practical person and her quick wit and gentle humour will never be forgotten. She treasured her family, her friends and her life in Great Maplestead, where she died peacefully, aged 81, on September 14th 2024.
Gill’s funeral service, well-attended by her family and her many friends, was held in St Giles’ Church on Tuesday 22nd October.
Peter Haylock – An Appreciation
Peter Haylock, who died peacefully at home on 13th October 2024, had lived at Mossings in Great Maplestead for almost half a century.
The founder of Haylock Investment and Management Services, with offices in Halstead managing an extensive portfolio of local properties, Peter was also a long-time member of Great Maplestead Parish Council, unique during his 35 years in having served as Clerk, Councillor and Chairman before finally standing down in 2023.
A great friend to many, Peter had a collaborative, respectful and professional approach in all that he did for the Council. The Clerks who served with him when he was Chairman have all remarked on the kindness and support he showed them. His dedication, commitment and concern for the well-being of the village was second to none and will be a lasting legacy to all those who follow.
Our thoughts are with his wife Lyn and his entire family at this sad time.
Peter’s funeral service is being held in St Giles’ Church at 12.00noon on Tuesday 5th November 2024.
Steve Harris – Parish Council Chairman
Foodbank Reverse Advent Calendar 2024
Help to make a real difference for people in need this Christmas!
Build up your own Foodbank Box during November, putting a selected item into it each day
We know it’s hard for many more people this year, that’s why most of the items listed are small – and, if making up a whole Foodbank box is just too much, why not join together with friends or neighbours to collect items?
Reverse Advent Calendar – November 2024
Please try and put an item into your box each day during November (remember, long use-by dates please and no fresh food –except Christmas cake and Christmas puddings, which usually have long dates)
When your box is complete, please drop it off to either: Dorothy Weight (1 Stone Cottages, Church Street) or Ann Harris (The Forge, Lucking Street) by Sunday 1st December so that the boxes can be taken to Halstead Food Bank on Monday 2nd December https://braintreearea.foodbank.org.uk/
National Grid: Bramford to Twinstead Project
In September an application by National Grid Electricity Transmission for an order granting Development Consent for the Bramford to Twinstead Reinforcement Project was approved by Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
This project, to improve the electricity transmission network between Bramford substation in Suffolk and Twinstead Tee in Essex, is designed to increase network capacity and help deliver cleaner, greener energy from East Anglian solar and North Sea windfarms, where it is generated, to the inland areas where it is used.
The application for development consent was originally submitted in April 2023, following three rounds of public consultations in 2021 and 2022, after which a panel appointed by the Planning Inspectorate undertook an independent examination of the proposals. The Secretary of State has now consented to the development despite the many logistical and environmental objections submitted by MPs, private individuals, institutions and Councils across East Anglia, including Essex County and Braintree District.
The finally approved plans include removing around 27km of existing overhead power lines and replacing them with 18km of new overhead lines, carried on 50 additional pylons, along with 11km of underground cabling through the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding National Beauty. The plans also cover any
additional work that is needed to support the construction, maintenance and operational infrastructure, such as haul roads for construction traffic and the compulsory permanent or temporary purchase of land.
In anticipation of the Secretary of State’s decision, pre-construction surveys were already underway at various locations along the project’s route, whilst major construction activity is planned to start in the first half of 2025.
Meanwhile, having previously received planning permission from Braintree District Council, the construction work that commenced earlier this year at a grid supply point (GSP) on a site west of the A131, between Butler’s and Waldegrave Woods near Twinstead Green, is continuing (left). This site will eventually contain a new 400/132 kilovolt (kv) substation with two super grid transformers, associated buildings, equipment, switch gear and a 1200m2 cable sealing end compound housing the support structure and a terminal tower/pylon to facilitate the power transition from overhead lines to an underground cable.
National Grid have promised to share more information on the progress of the construction work during the coming months.
Gardening Corner
November can be a dull month with short days and intermittent rain. Looking on the positive side, make the most of the frosty mornings when trees and shrubs appear covered in sugar coating. The reds, oranges and yellow leaf colours give a completely different palette to a garden.
Continue raking up fallen leaves, as they can harbour rust and blackspot spores; pay particular attention to rose beds.
My recommended plant family are Sedums, now reclassified as Hylotelephium. Two particular varieties ‘Spectabile’ (left) and ‘Karlfunkelstein’ (right) are tried-and-tested to give red, green and burgundy foliage, which contrasts well with their pink and mauve flowers. They make ideal companion plants with Asters and ornamental grasses.
Open your greenhouse and cold frame doors/tops during any sunny days –it’s important to keep any glass-house structure well-ventilated during daylight hours as this will minimise mildew on cuttings and stock plants. Also reduce watering to a minimum – compost should feel slightly damp to the touch, over-watering can cause stem rot.
Thinking ahead to next spring, another statement plant best grown in a container off the ground (minimising slug damage) is Hosta ‘Fire and Ice’ – these magnificent plants are usually on sale March to April.
Give the lawn a cut when we have a dry day, keeping the mower blades on a high setting as this will help remove leaves, twigs and any long grass; lawns deteriorate under a carpet of debris.
Winter digging can be undertaken this month. As I have said before, if you start too early the weed seeds germinate behind you!
Now is the time to plant Tulip bulbs, Polyanthus, Pansies and Violas. The latter make excellent plants for hanging baskets. If you are planting one of these at this time of year, you could also place a small conifer, or even a ‘spiky’ grass, in the centre as an interesting focal point.
Spread home-made compost on flower borders and vegetable plots and sow garlic cloves this month: break the bulbs into segments, as this onion family member requires a long growing season and frost to stimulate germination.
Lastly, before any really cold weather sets in, lift and divide perennials. Ideally complete this job by the second week of the month.
Keep warm out there!
The Arborist
Nature Notes
As the days shorten, we become more aware of the approaching winter, although around the patch I still hear snatches of birdsong and at least three species of butterfly are still on the wing; Comma, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral were all seen on a warmish, sunny day recently. Tawny owls are starting to call in the evenings and red-legged partridges are appearing in the garden in small groups – during the breeding season pairs become solitary and are seen less frequently
The Green Woodpecker is a common bird in our area, conspicuous and vocal. The old name for the bird is the Yaffle, and this name is also given to the loud laughing call they make in the breeding season. Unlike Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, the Green feeds almost exclusively on ants, which is why it is often seen on the ground. It has a long tongue, up to four inches in length, with which it probes ant nests it has found and excavated. The tongue is supplied with a sticky saliva to ensnare its prey. The beak is not as robust as the other woodpeckers and it does not drum or hammer away at hard wood, although it will probe soft and rotting wood for food. With its loud call, bounding flight and bright yellow rump it is always a joy to behold.
October is in the middle of migration time with millions of birds heading south to warmer climes. Inevitably mishaps occur and birds get blown off course or simply lose their way. This possibility keeps birdwatchers ever alert for the unusual.
There is a bird that stands out for its exotic appearance and is common over much of Europe, and many readers will have seen it whilst on holiday. It is the Hoopoe, named after its call, Upupa epops. One was spotted by a lady on her farm in Birdbrook, Essex, and she alerted the Essex Birdwatching Society. Several of us went and were very happy to see the bird, a mega-rarity for Essex, pictured here by my friend Colin Undrill from Greenstead Green
If you didn’t know the month, a quick look in a moth trap would provide immediate clues. In October there are a few marker species, and the Greenbrindled Crescent (Allophyes oxyacanthae) is one of these. Quite large (17-20mm forewing length), it has bright metallic green scales on the wing with a diagnostic white crescent.
Another regular autumn visitor is the immigrant Delicate (Mythimna vitellina, right), also largeish and intricately marked. Seasonal varieties only add to the delight of this particular interest.
Captain Lawrence Oates’ Mother
On Saturday 14th September around eighty people gathered in St Mary’s Church Gestingthorpe to hear a talk by Ashley Cooper on the subject of Captain Oates' mother, Caroline Oates (right), who was a dominant figure in Gestingthorpe for several decades.
This redoubtable lady stoically endured the loss of her husband to malaria, which he had contracted during African explorations and of her elder son, lost in the Antarctic snows during Scott's last expedition in 1912.
Illustrated by some digitised old photographs and a range of paintings of imagined scenes from the Antarctic expedition, Ashley's talk covered many aspects of village life in the Edwardian era, as well as ranging far and wide, including South Africa and the Arctic as well as the Antarctic.
Ashley set alongside each other the final days of the Antarctic tragedy and the details of a local planning dispute about the siting of the northern wall to the garden of Gestingthorpe Hall, a dispute won hands down by Mrs Oates on behalf of her elder son (left). Poignantly, mother and son were both engaged in struggles at the same time without either being aware of what the other was experiencing.
In his talk Ashley stressed the great generosity of the Oates family to the village, especially in relation to the fabric of the church. He explained how Caroline Oates did not just give money, she arranged events and also encouraged other people to contribute – leadership that was highly effective in engaging the whole community.
Essex County Archives contain Mrs Oates' detailed account books, which describe every item of expenditure in intriguing detail. Ashley has spent some considerable time at the County Records office and his research clearly added context and many important new details to what some might have thought the familiar story of the hero who sacrificed his own life in almost unimaginably harsh conditions.
The audience applauded Ashley heartily and gave generously to the Church’s Fabric Fund in a retiring collection. The churchwardens would like to thank everyone who attended and of course Ashley, along with the Gestingthorpe History Group, who publicised the talk and helped with the production, and all those who had provided the half time refreshments.
The talk was recorded and you can see and hear it in full by clicking on: https://youtu.be/AEP8iH9Vdxw
Defibrillator, VETs, Coffee and Litter-Picking
Gestingthorpe Defibrillator and Village Emergency Telephone System (VETS)
The Gestingthorpe Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) is located in the old telephone kiosk on Church Green, Church Street CO9 3BB (what3words ///frail.underline.saga)
If you call the Emergency Services they will tell you if the AED is required. Access to the AED is controlled by an access code which will be given to you by the Emergency Services (via the 999 call). ALWAYS DIAL 999 FIRST.
To use the AED, you will be guided by a sequence of voice commands and screen message – you do not need a medical background or training.
If you need help collecting the AED, or with the emergency itself, you can call the VETS phone number 01787 852 850. This will dial volunteers in the village who can come to your assistance. REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CALL 999 BEFORE CALLING THE VETS NUMBER
The AED is managed under an arrangement with Community Heartbeat Trust and checked on a weekly basis by a team of volunteers. The annual running cost of the AED and the VETS line is funded by donations, fundraising and the Parish Council.
If you would like to be part of the team that checks the AED, donate towards its upkeep, or just find out more about the AED or VETS line, please e-mail GestingthorpeAED@gmail.com.
Gestingthorpe Coffee Mornings & Book Exchange
Please come and join your friends & neighbours in the Village Hall for tea & coffee and delicious homemade cakes, made by our lovely Cake Queens.
‘Gatherings’ in November/December will be from 10.00am to 12 noon November : on the Fridays of the 1st/15th/29th December : on the Friday of the 13th
Bring a book to swap with one from our bookcase or you can buy a book for a £1. Our Bookcase is located next to the big window in the small hall. All funds raised go towards the running & maintenance of the Village Hall.
Village Litter Pick & Gestingthorpe Grill – Thank you!
A big thank you to everyone who took part in the litter pick on Saturday 5th October. More than 15 bags of rubbish were collected so it was not a wasted effort. The roadsides in the village look much better because of everyone’s hard work.
Thanks to the Parish Council for organising and to Steve and Andy for manning the BBQ.
The Gestingthorpe Grill is now closed for 2024. It will open again in March 2025.
Interesting Talks and Latest Bus News
Hedingham Heritage Society
Autumn fades and winter will soon be here, bringing an end to this year’s Heritage Society programme with two talks/meetings of seasonal significance:
Thursday 7th November
‘Lawrence Oates and the Quest for the South Pole’. Ashley Cooper, farmer, local historian and author will be talking about Captain Lawrence Oates, who walked from his tent into a blizzard with the words: “I am just going outside and may be some time” before sacrificing himself in an effort to save others in Captain Scott’s doomed South Pole expedition.
7.30pm Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
Thursday 5th December
‘A Victorian Magic Lantern Show’.
David Tibbets-Chaplin will be inviting us to take a step back in time this Christmas, with some old and fascinating technology!
7.30pm Castle Hedingham Memorial Hall
Our new programme for 2025 will be available at this meeting.
Do join our local and natural history society. Annual membership is £15. Members come free to all walks and talks : Non-Members - £5. Everybody is Welcome. Contacts: Rob: 01787 460 664 : Trudi: 01787 462 889 : Mark: 07906 472 636 E-mail: hedinghamheritage@gmail.com or visit www.hedinghamheritage.org.uk
Local Bus Service Update
Central Connect, which took over responsibility for the DaRT3 bus service at the beginning of August for a 3-month initial trial period, has now confirmed that this service is set to continue until at least June 2025.
However, this means that the trial’s fare-free period will now be coming to an end. Charging for journeys will commence from Monday 4th November, with the fares being £5 for a single journey and £10 for a return.
Remember, DaRT3 needs to be pre-booked: it does not run to a regular, or published, operating timetable and it is not a taxi service – it will only operate if 4 or more passengers want to do similar journeys at broadly similar times.
DaRT3 operates Mondays to Saturdays between 6.00am and 8.00pm. The Booking Centre is open between 8.00am and 6.00pm Mondays to Saturdays. You must book by 6.00pm on the day before you wish to travel.
To book, or if you have any questions or need further information, call: 0115 777 3187 or e-mail: dart@central-connect.co.uk
Keeping Roads and Footpaths Clear
Landowners with ditches, low hanging trees or overgrown vegetation near roads and footpaths should always ensure these are cleared or cut back during the winter so that, as the vegetation starts growing again during the spring, roads, pavements and footpaths remain clear and easier to use for motorists and pedestrians.
Private landowners, including District, City and Parish Councils, housing associations and homeowners, have a responsibility for maintaining the trees, hedges, shrubs and ditches on their land, especially those close to or next to a footpath, road or pavement. They have a duty of care and must take all reasonable steps to allow access to prevent or minimise the risk of injury or damage to any users of the paths and roads.
Examples of maintenance that landowners should carry out include:
Cutting back overhanging branches that reduce the width of, or block the view of, a footpath, road or pavement.
Cutting back overhanging branches that reduce the height or clearance of the road for tall vehicles, such as double decker school buses.
Removing or trimming damaged or diseased trees that are in danger of falling onto a footpath, road or pavement.
Trimming overgrown hedges obscuring road signs or streetlights.
Clearing ditches on private land to prevent flooding during heavy rain.
Hedgerow protections lapsed when cross compliance with European rules ended at the beginning of this year but, effective from 23rd May 2024, The Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 were made into law, providing a legal baseline for hedgerow management practices.
This includes:
a 2-metre buffer strip, measured from the centre of a hedgerow, where a green cover must be established and maintained. Also, no cultivation or the application of pesticides or fertilisers should take place within this buffer.
a hedgerow cutting ban from 1st March to 31st August (inclusive).
The legislation, which does not apply to garden hedges, broadly mirrors the approach taken under the previous EU rules, which means compliance by landowners should be in line with already established practices.
Parish News Information
Advertising/Announcements/Articles
The 2024 Parish News Business Advertising Rates for a year (10 issues, pro-rated as applicable) and for monthly single issues are shown below, along with the copy deadline date for the final issue of 2024.
Contacts:
Articles
Please submit by e-mail, preferably as a Word document attachment with separate images: ½ page: 150-160 words Full page: 400-420 words
Advertising Ann Harris ann66harris@gmail.com Editorial Parish News Team parishnewsmaplestead@gmail.com
The Parish Representatives, to whom articles and event announcement submissions should be sent, are listed on the Inside Front Cover.
