Village Tribune 141

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LOCAL PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAMERA

GLINTON CORONATION EVENT

NEWBOROUGH PUBLIC HOUSES

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?

NENE VALLEY CARE HOMES

Garden Lodge Care Home in Glinton

Three small family run care homes in Peterborough and Market Deeping providing a real home-from-home environment with exceptional care from devoted, trusted carers.

Garden Lodge

in Glinton is a detached chalet style bungalow with a very attractive and peaceful garden.

9 ROOMS

Florence House

in Peterborough with all en-suite bedrooms. Situated just a few minutes walk from central park where the residents can enjoy the café and watching the world go by.

19 ROOMS

Garden Lodge: 01733 252 980/07801 273 804 or e-mail: managers@gardenlodgecarehome.co.uk

Florence House: 01733 315 900/07801 273 804 or e-mail: info@careatflorence.co.uk

The Laurels: 07801 273 804 or e-mail: thelaurels@nenevalleycarehomes.co.uk

www.gardenlodgecarehome.co.uk

The Laurels

in Market Deeping (taken over by us in February) is a beautiful Grade-2 Listed Building within walking distance to Market Deeping town centre.

20 ROOMS

FROM THE EDITOR

Wow… just wow!!

The past few weeks have shown what our Tribland communities are all about, with superb Coronation celebrations and events which we feature in this issue.

Saturday 17 June showed what can be achieved when villagers ‘pull together’ for the benefit of their community. Helpstonbury Festival was many months in the making, with input from the village school, pre-school, church, village hall, Hel-Cats, Scouts, The Parish Council and many others.

The day featured music, dancing, singing from the schools, prize raffles, a silent auction, a superb bar, stalls, bouncy castles, vintage vehicles, carboot area and even a special appearance from Spiderman and Little Mermaid Ariel. The photo

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 Social media:  /groups/villagetribune

 Website: www.villagetribune.org.uk

shows some of the trophies for the Helpston Homemade competition.

The BBQ tent sold almost 700 burgers and hot-dogs and it’s estimated that around 1,200 people attended during the afternoon and evening. The event raised an amazing £13,000 for village charities and organisations. Special thanks to the amazing event partners.

The good news is that it looks like Helpstonbury is set to become an annual event. If you would like to be involved in next years’ festival or have any ideas about how we could make it even better – please drop me a line: villagetribuneeditor@me.com

www.villagetribune.org.uk

 Advertising: Alison Henthorn 07702 640361 e: alisonhenthorn@btinternet.com

ADVERTISING DEADLINES



Editor - Tony Henthorn

35 Maxey Road, Helpston PE6 7DP

T: 07590 750128 E: villagetribuneeditor@me.com

Advertising Sales - Alison Henthorn

T 07702 640361

E: alisonhenthorn@btinternet.com



Distribution

 AILSWORTH Saqib Farooq

10 Peterborough Road, Castor PE5 7AX saqib.farooq@peterborough.gov.uk

 ASHTON Hilary Smith

Thatched Cottage, Ashton E: hilly.smith@virgin.net

 BARNACK Mike Mills

17 Bishops Walk, Barnack PE9 3EE

T: 07523 312387 E: mills.mh@gmail.com

 CASTOR Saqib Farooq

10 Peterborough Road, Castor, PE5 7AX



ETTON Anne Curwen

The Coach House, Rectory Lane, Etton

T: 01733 253357 E: acurwen@hotmail.com

 GLINTON Shirley Hodgkinson

30 Websters Close, Glinton

T: 01733 252351 E: hodgkinsons@talktalk.net

 HELPSTON Clive Marsh

Clive Marsh, 34 Maxey Road, Helpston clive.marsh815@btinternet.com M: 07511 011662

 MARHOLM Saqib Farooq

10 Peterborough Road, Castor, PE5 7AX

 MAXEY Cllr Peter Hiller

E: Peter.Hiller@peterborough.gov.uk

 NORTHBOROUGH Polly Beasley

15 Claypole Drive, Northborough

T: 01778 380849 E: polly.beasley@btinternet.com

 PEAKIRK Trish Roberts 9 St Pegas Road

 PILSGATE Sally Hullock

3 Hillside Close, Ufford

sally@sallyhullocktraining.co.uk T: 07795 565658

 SOUTHORPE Daphne Williams

The Old Dairy Barn, Main St. T: 01780 740511

 UFFORD Sally Hullock

3 Hillside Close, Ufford

sally@sallyhullocktraining.co.uk T: 07795 565658

The views expressed within this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor. All copy is believed correct at time of print but no responsibility can be taken for errors and/or omissions. No part of this publication and/or website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. The Village Tribune own all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing.

3

The Amblers in Tribland

5,400 copies of the Tribune are distributed free of charge in Ailsworth, Ashton, Bainton, Barnack, Castor, Deeping Gate, Etton, Glinton, Helpston, Marholm, Maxey, Newborough, Northborough, Peakirk, Pilsgate, Southorpe & Ufford.

Castor & Ailsworth WI

The Women's Institute seeks to bring members together to discuss and learn about a wide range of issues of relevance to life in general, including the arts, crafts and other cultural subjects.

Our local Castor & Ailsworth branch meets regularly at 7pm on the third Tuesday of every month. We usually have an invited speaker covering a topic of general interest. Speakers have covered a wide range of topics, recently including a very memorable evening recounting a local’s recollections of the history of our two parishes. Contrary to popular belief we’ve not yet covered jam making!

Our meeting in May was perhaps a slight departure from the norm as we had a wine tasting evening, sampling and assessing a number of budget wines purchased locally. A thoroughly enjoyable event and one which certainly exercised the taste buds! Whilst there were of course differences in our tastes there was a broad overall consensus on our favourite

‘Rambler 'The Homecoming'

tipple. It was also interesting to find that whilst there are no doubt some outstanding wines available at much higher cost, you don’t need to spend a fortune to get something very palatable.

Our meetings are open to women from the local area if you want to come along and join us you will be very welcome.

Save the Date

CASTOR AND AILSWORTH VILLAGE SHOW

Saturday 5 August at St Kyneburgha Church and the Cedar Centre, Castor.

Show schedule available to download from CADGS web site - cadgs.co.uk

Worth getting steamed up for.

Rambler will be in full steam and in Gibbons’ Yard ( 45, Peterborotough Road) on July 8 2023. Come and see Castor history back home and visit the Castor Festival Fete on Castor school field too.

Copies available from St. Kyneburgha Church Castor, The Coffee Shop, Ailsworth and Andrea Connor Hair and Beauty, Ailsworth.

New members always welcome please contact membership secretary: Susan Edwards on 01733 380 110 or e-mail info@cadgs.co.uk

Updates from Etton

Sunday 7 May was a real day of celebration in the village to mark the new King’s Coronation. Starting with a short outdoor service on the village green, the unveiling of our splendid new ‘Lest we forget bench’ followed by a picnic in the Black Barn. The sun shone on the gathered throng as they pinned the Crown on the new King, enjoyed a right Royal quiz and toasted the new King and Queen with Prosecco and celebration cake. With thanks to Andrea Page and all those who contributed to the event being a success.

On 31 May representatives from Anglian Water updated a group of residents on the current and planned work for the major pipe laying project. Unfortunately for the village, we are the end of one project and the start of another leg of the project so work will be ongoing until 2025. Several issues were raised particularly affecting the local equestrian community. Amy Smitheringale explained that despite being in the middle of the works, that Anglian Water had been sensitive

and responsive regarding any concerns. However, another resident was not happy that the entrance to some works had been made opposite her drive and with no consultation. The project representatives agreed to take this matter outside the meeting. Anglian Water agreed to host a further meeting when needed and suggested that they are looking for volunteering opportunities in the area. Ideas?

Since the last Tribune our first knit and natter meeting has taken place. During the session Jacquie crocheted a Poppy and I knitted one! We now have 16 poppies towards out target of 100 poppies for our Remembrance display. I have been very heartened, as an eleven-year-old girl from Deeping saw my appeal for help and has requested the patterns so she can learn to crochet and produce some poppies for the display. In addition, Janet from Frognall, and Carolyn from Glinton have started knitting for us. Thank you to all our supporters!!

Looking forward, on 30 July, Archdeacon Alison is coming to Glinton Church to officiate at the 10.30am Benefice service. Our group of churches have decided to make this date a special Gift Sunday. Etton church, in particular is struggling to pay the annual Parish Share. If it is important to you to continue to have these heritage buildings available and maintained, please consider giving a donation on 30 July.

You can do this by going online www.parishgiving.org.uk (our parish code 280628321) or ringing 0333 002 1271 or cash cheque payable to St Stephen’s PCC via The Coach House, Etton. Our Church clean up and lunch is planned for 10 September, but the Cheese and wine quiz has been postponed. We are looking for support/expertise to run a fundraising Beer Festival (Mini in the autumn?) bigger one next year……..I believe Kevin is our man!

Anybody interested in getting involved, please do contact me.

Northborough News

On Monday 8 May, a walking treasure hunt was held to celebrate King Charles III Coronation.

Despite the threat of rain, intrepid Crown Jewel treasure hunters came out and were welcomed at the gate of St Andrew’s church by our very own village Beefeater.

Once armed with maps and clues, they set off searching for colourful crowns, each holding its own jewel of information, to help them complete their quest. On their return children were rewarded with a certificate and

invited to have their photos taken on Northborough’s very own throne. We all enjoyed a splendid coronation tea box, including the “infamous” cucumber sandwich, other treats and lots of cake. Prizes were given to the treasure hunt draw winners and the winners of the Art competition, Molly and Kavyd, were awarded rosettes and certificates.

On Wednesday 24 May, in the lovely Manor gardens, we enjoyed an early start to summer with a wonderful performance from the Handlebards, a troupe of four, cycling Shakespearean

Stop the Press!

Parish Councillor decides not to stand in local elections after serving the community for fifty plus years.

Brian Neil Spriggs was a parish Councillor for over half a century and has decided to call time due to ill health.

Brian is a character who many will miss as he ‘patrolled’ the village on his bike wearing his Hi Vis jacket and stopping for frequent chats about all things important and maybe to some folk not so

actors, who entertained us with a gloriously eccentric, funny and very energetic show of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Fairies and humans collided in a hilarious plot, so many characters played by so few actors, bolstered by audience participation, a brilliant, lively and unforgettable performance.

At the end of May we planted a Coronation camomile lawn edging to the church path.

Provided by Northborough Parish Council and planted by the SOSt Andrew’s team, a green tribute to our King!

important. Brian won’t mind me saying this (I hope!), but he wasn’t one to get involved with “them there compooters” and much preferred to be hands on with his contribution including litter picking, general maintenance of village assets such as seat painting, planting and the list goes on.

We salute you Brian and we thank you (and of course Elizabeth) for your devotion, time and hard work that has made Northborough a better place to live.

Glinton Coronation Event

Gerry Kirt

Glinton Parish Council decided to celebrate the King’s Coronation in style on Saturday 6 May. A hard working core team, consisting of Parish Councillors and residents, spent several months planning and organising this ambitious day.

The event took place in the centre of Glinton, consisting of the primary school, village pub, the green, a temporarily closed High Street and surrounding grass areas.

The event involved over 50 activities ranging from Car and Bike shows to a fun dog show. Children's activities included a coconut shy, bouncy slide, climbing wall, face painting, etc. Stalls sold everything from jewellery and chocolate to perfumes and wicker baskets. We had a range of tractors, fire engines and other impressive vehicles where the owners interacted with the community. There were several food outlets including Asian food, pizza, BBQ, hog roast and ice cream. There was also a volunteer tea and cake stand alongside a ‘chill out zone’ for those who needed a rest.

Inside the school hall we had many stands from local groups including Glinton Parish council, PECT, the Friendship Club, Horticultural Society, Art Club and more. There were painting competitions for the school children, a competition to design a new village sign for Glinton and a photographic competition featuring the local countryside and buildings. Entertainment included Bhangra dancers, Dhol drummers, Zumba dancers and children's fancy dress. The

benefice choir sang for us and the bell ringers rang in the new King. In the evening we were entertained by local bands MG and the Nightbeats and Cosmic Rodney, with villagers from Glinton and surrounding areas dancing the night away. Despite less than perfect weather, hundreds of people turned up and stayed all day, many late into the evening.

Feedback has been phenomenal with people posting many very kind comments, telling us what a great day it was and how much they enjoyed it. Parish councillors and the core event team are being asked when the next event will be happening.

Subsequently a number of people have expressed interest in joining the Parish Council: this is an unusual and very welcome situation.

Glinton Parish Council has demonstrated through the success of this event that residents have an appetite for future celebrations and are supportive of activities which will build an even stronger village community.

To ensure this momentum continues our team has already begun to work on next years event which will take place on 8 June 2024.

Glinton Horticultural Society Your friendly gardening club

The first show was held in 1943 in association with the Red Cross and up until 2019 a show was held every year except 1976 when the drought stopped everything from growing. Over the years the show grew in the range and number of entries to become the largest show in the area, attracting entries from all over a wide area around Peterborough. With over a 1000 entries from more than 100 exhibitors we were fortunate that we were able to hire Arthur Mellows College in the village giving us a great venue for the show. Unfortunately the Covid pandemic meant that we were unable to hold the show in 2020 and 2021. The return of the show last September had been eagerly anticipated by both exhibitors and the society and once again it proved to be

a great success. As outlined above this year on the 16 September we will be holding our 78th OPEN SHOW again in Arthur Mellows Village College.

The show has something for everyone with many classes for the average person as well as those for the exhibition growers. If you would like to enter please contact Lynne Best by phone on 01778 342 115 or email lynne.best89@yahoo.co.uk for a schedule. The schedule and details of how to enter are also all on the society website.

The society is thankful for the sponsorship of all the advertisers in the schedule with particular thanks to

The Barn by Cherry Lane who sponsor all the prizes for the children’s classes and to Black Cab Studio for the vouchers for art-work. The show could not take place without the support from volunteers setting up on the Friday, on the Saturday at the show itself and the closing down after the show. The society is always grateful for any help at this event, so If you would like to help, we would be delighted to welcome you. Please contact Penelope Hopkins on 01780 767 309 or email penelope.hopkins@gmail.com

All are welcome to come to the show, so put the 16th of September in your diary and come and see the varied and outstanding exhibits.

www.glintonhorticulturalsociety.org

Glinton FriendshipClub

Pam Kounougakis

Summer days are here at last and we can leave the heating off in the Village Hall. It’s been a very good year so far continuing with the club celebration for the Coronation on May 1 at Northborough.

A super day with a beautifully decorated hall and tables, a great three course meal and quizzes and raffle and musical entertainment. Many thanks to the great team and helpers who made it such a success. And thanks to those who helped at the club stall on the day itself, in the school hall despite the rain.

Our regular programme continues with our annual trip to the River Trent in Nottingham with a meal on board a boat taking us up and down the waterway on June 26. We have a local expert coming to talk about Blue Plaques in the area, a session of nostalgic songs accompanied by guitar, and

group games and activities to suit all tastes. We’ve had a super encaustic wax art craft day, and a great morning of simple but useful physical activities for our slightly

aging bodies. If you or anyone you know would be interested in helping or becoming a member come along to the hall on Mondays between 10am–2pm. Pam

COUNCIL CORNER

GLINTON

Cllr Gerry Kirt, Parish Council Chairman 07591 834163 www.glinton-pc.gov.uk

Cllr Gerry Kirt - Chairman - 01733 252839

Cllr RW Randall, Vice Chairman - 01733 253276

Cllr Helen Aylesbury

Cllr DJ Batty - 01733 252749

Cllr CB Bysshe - 01733 253164

Cllr Steve Jackson - 01733 252409

Cllr David Lane - 01733 252593

Cllr Andy Staines - 07412 158885

Cllr Sukhvinder Singh

Cllr Gordon Wright

Mr J Haste - Clerk - 07591 834163

Cllr Rita Joshi-Boparai

rita.joshi-boparai@glinton-pc.gov.uk

clerk@glinton-pc.gov.uk

Drones, and their larger electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (e-VTOL) derivatives, are rapidly going to become an important new technology that local authorities will most likely take advantage of – to save costs and improve service delivery –but will also have a responsibility to regulate.

By 2030, it’s forecast that one million drones will be flying in the UK, generating many new job opportunities and reducing traffic carbon emissions massively. Within local authorities I imagine the many applications for drones will include blue light services, healthcare and social services, traffic management, environmental monitoring and infrastructure inspections, to mention just a few. It’s pretty obvious that this potential increase in drone flying will pose

Droning On…

a considerable headache for local authorities, unprepared for the pressures on the regulation and management of airspace and low-level flight management.

I recently read an in-depth study by an aviation special interest group who are engaged with key government departments. The study highlighted the need to assess where and how drones can be used beneficially and create a clear regulatory framework under which councils would take on additional responsibilities and liabilities. All well and good for ticking boxes, but I think engagement is also needed on delivering the training and expertise required by all types of local authorities and their suppliers, drone management, planning policy, health and safety, residents’

privacy and environmental issues associated, for instance, with ground handling facilities and emergency planning. Through conversations I’ve had with our rural ward’s residents, I'm also aware that nuisance and privacy concerns are commonplace.

A Drone Advisory Bureau has been created to work with government, the industry and local authorities in helping define and communicate the regulatory and responsibility pathways that will likely emerge over the next two to three years. Readers might like to know that Saqib and I will be actively engaging with this group to represent the interests of residents within our rural communities and will report future developments as they occur.

In the very near future, all local authorities are going to need to be drone aware – and a lot sooner than is probably realised…

By 2030, it’s forecast that one million drones will be flying in the UK...

Cllr Peter Hiller, Glinton and Castor Ward.

GLINTON COUNCIL CORNER

Cllr Gerry Kirt, Parish Council Chairman

Glinton’s Coronation Celebration was an outstanding success. I would like to thank the team involved in its organisation, the many volunteers as well as the countless hundreds who braved the inclement weather to make the whole enterprise truly memorable.

Just before the Coronation day we presented each child attending Peakirk cum Glinton preschool and primary school with a special cheerful commemorative mug. These gifts have been incredibly well received by the children and their parents/carers.

Our dedicated Coronation Facebook page has been renamed Glinton Social Events to better reflect our intention to highlight future celebrations that Glinton Parish Council and others will be organising within the village.

We have carefully looked at holding a firework or drone event in November 2023 but unfortunately realised that insufficient time remains to organise the intended extravaganza. Our intention is to push this forward to 2024. This year we are currently considering holding two different village events; a late summer live music event and a garage sale around the village featuring at least one refreshment point. Please see our Glinton Social Events Facebook page for further information.

On 6 June 2024 the country will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and we have been asked to light the Glinton beacon. To complement this momentous occasion the Benefice choir has kindly agreed to perform again next to the village pump.

Rather than just let the week pass we thought it fitting to hold the ‘Glinton Big Celebration 2024’ on Saturday 8 June. This will be a bigger and even better version of the Coronation Event and so please put it in your diary!

Looking towards 2024 we are planning to hold a quiz supper in February or March and there is a strong indication that the PGSA will once again hold the Primary School Summer Fete.

Members of Glinton Parish Council were invited by National Gas for a tour of the gas compressor station off Gasworks Road where work has been taking place to install two new gas compressors. The scale and complexity of the engineering was impressive and it was clear to members just what a significant piece of work is being undertaken. When fully commissioned the two 15 megawatt turbines will be key to the transportation of natural gas through the UK’s high pressure network. Work is expected to be finished in the next few months with the cladding, noise monitoring and mitigation measure and landscaping being the final tasks to be completed.

Glinton’s Neighbourhood Plan has been an outstanding success. Fully adopted into the Local Plan it reflects how

residents wish the village to develop and enables the Parish Council and City Council to support or reject planning applications and highlight potential improvements to the village. Glinton Parish Council will shortly begin work to revise our Neighbourhood Plan with a team comprising of Councillors and residents - the starting point will be a village questionnaire to enable residents to express their opinion on the traffic calming and other Glinton related matters.

PCC has indicated that we are likely to successfully acquire the Ashburn play area. Cllr Helen Aylesbury has already identified suitable new equipment to enable the project to be completed rapidly and once again deliver fun to the local children.

We have successfully obtained grant funding to move ahead with the installation of two additional defibrillators to provide better emergency coverage for residents living at both ends of the village. We recently heard the very sad news of the passing of Gordon Wright. I knew him for over 40 years and more recently he made an outstanding contribution as a Parish Councillor. Our condolences go out to Ruth and his family. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Local People Behind the Camera

In the last issue, we introduced you to Episode 1 of a series of four short films produced specifically for the Village Tribune. In this, Episode 2, it is the turn of Anne Lees who takes photographer Dave Radcliffe on one of her favourite walks.

Anne has been a contributor to the VT for many years, producing interesting articles about the local area and supporting her work with spectacular images. She set up a walking group called The Amblers a few years ago and this group meets on a regular basis throughout the year, enjoying short walks around the area.

Anne took up photography when she got married back in the eighties. It was a shared passion with her husband, and they even went to the extent of setting up a darkroom in a bedroom cupboard. Anne took night classes to expand

her knowledge - using a 35mm single lens reflex camera back then – which included advice on composition. This knowledge serves Anne well when framing her shots for the Tribune on her mobile phone. Yes, all of Anne’s photos these days are captured on her mobile – there’s hope for us all!

In this film, Anne takes us on a walk from the end of Woodgate Lane, Maxey, along the Maxey Cut to Etton, then returns along South Drain via Nunton to the Maxey Cut once more, following it back to her start point at Woodgate Lane. We hear why Anne started

The Amblers, learn a little about how the gravel extraction is used to encourage nature once the workings have finished, and Anne and Dave marvel at etchings carved into some of the bridges by local people around 200 years ago, as mentioned in writing by local poet, John Clare, in the 1800s.

We are delighted that our young 13-year-old pianist and composer, Rohith Varadarajan, has returned to provide another unique soundtrack for this film. What a talent he is! Thank you, Rohith.

You can view Anne’s little tour here: https://youtu.be/p7GEIfXTXNY

Newborough and Borough Fen Carpet Bowls Club

The club meets at Newborough Village Hall every Monday between 2pm and 4pm and on alternate Thursdays, also between 2pm and 4pm. We are a friendly club open to

a wide range of age groups and abilities. If you have never played before, then come and give it a go. We enjoy friendly competition, however, our aim is to have fun, socialise and try

to improve our bowling. Not forgetting the customary tea, coffee and biscuits. There is no annual membership and weekly subs are just £2 per session. (Tea and biscuits included).

Come and give it a try. The first session is free. For more information please contact Brenda Vessey on: 07941 308 148

COUNCIL CORNER

Bryan Cole, Newborough and borough Fen Parish Council

Newborough and Borough Fen Parish Council

As I write this (7 June), it seems the rest of the country is enjoying glorious warmth and sunshine. Yet, for the past few weeks, East Anglia has been covered in cloud with a cold wind blowing from the North Sea – we certainly can’t blame this on Brexit! It was a privilege to be voted in as the Chair of the Parish Council once again, and I must say it’s great to be part of our parish council team. I think we have the best parish council in the area (but maybe I am a little bias in saying that!) with a good healthy mix of views and skills to support our community. Enough of that and back to the day job!

You don’t need me to remind you about the atrocious condition of our roads surrounding the village. At the parish council meeting on the 18 of May, we asked Mr Martin Brooker from Peterborough City Council (Highway Maintenance and Schemes Commissioning Manager) to attend so we could put forward our views and concerns regarding our local roads. Thank you to those of you who came along to the meeting and voiced your concerns about the conditions of the roads. I know it was made very clear to Martin the issues and concerns we have about the

poor state our roads are in. Martin was able to confirm that he had plans in place for many roads to be repaired in Autumn – I will get the full list from Martin and share in the next issue. I should be clear that the roads are not a responsibility of the parish council as this sits with the city council. However, I have always been clear that where the parish council feels it can influence and bring pressure to help resolve wider issues like this, the parish council as group always do its best to try and help. Of course, it never hurts to raise your concerns about roads directly, either to the city council or our three city councillors. The parish council has been approached by some residents who want to support the upkeep of areas such as Crown Gardens. The parish council is very happy to co-ordinate any volunteers who are interested in keeping on top of Crown Gardens. If you are interested, please contact Irene either by email – clerk@ newboroughandboroughfen-pc. gov.uk or phone 07388 584591 (if she doesn’t answer just leave a message with your name and phone number).

BAINTON AND ASHTON PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Susie Lucas

01780 740 159 susie.hall34@gmail.com

Gardening not your thing? The parish council is also looking to get together some volunteers to carry out a regular litter pick around the village rather than just the annual litter pick that is currently carried out. We need likeminded people to come forward, so again, if you’re interested in this, please contact Irene.

The above ideas are from people in the village who came forward with suggestions on how they want to help but need others to join them, so please give what I’ve spoken about here some thought, and if you feel you could help (no matter how much or little), please contact us and we will pull together to help make it happen. And finally, we are still looking for volunteers to distribute The Village Tribune. Generally, if you could help to deliver just your own street, that would be helpful so we can spread the amount the current volunteers deliver. Again, if you can help, just contact the parish council clerk Irene. Here’s hoping the weather picks up soon, and we can all enjoy the summer!

Responsible for: Staffing/HR, Community, Allotments Association, PCC Liaison and Good Neighbours Scheme.

Councillor: Cliff Stanton

01780 749 123 cliffstanton@btinternet.com

Responsible for: Nature Recovery Plan project, Village assets and maintenance and website.

Councillor: Michael Perkins

07587 240 607 hawthornfarm@hotmail.com

Councillor: Irene Walsh

07753 203 844 walshirene@yahoo.co.uk

Responsible for: Internal finances checker.

Responsible for: Planning, Staffing/HR and Community Liaison and Road Safety.

Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer: Jenny Rice 07889 669 550 bainton.ashton.clerk@live.co.uk

Vacancy: Please see website/notice board when applying for this position.

Newborough Public Houses

The Fitzwilliam Arms

There is a very good chance this establishment was so named because the Lord Fitzwilliam, who lived at Milton Hall near Marholm, was a large landowner in the area in and around Newborough. What is unsure is whether the Fitzwilliam Arms was a public house or a beer house. In part one we looked at the difference between a public house and a beer house. To refresh your memory the basic difference is that a public house is licenced to sell; beer, spirits, and wine along with other alcoholic beverages,

Welcome to the third instalment of Newborough Pubs. Before we move into the heart of the village there is one more public house to mention on Thorney Road. whereas, a beer house could only sell beer. The beer could also be brewed on the premises. To sell beer to be drunk on the premises they were known as beer “houses”. If the beer was brewed and sold to be drunk off premises then they required only a beer “shop” licence. Many of these beer houses were simply a room at a residential house that was open for the sale of beer. There is no evidence to identify whether the Fitzwilliam Arms was a public house or a beer house. A very relevant question is; why were there some many pubs in

Newborough when the population was quite small? The answer may lie in the water supply. During the 1800’s and even up to the 1930’s the water supply for the village came from wells and dykes around the village. In fact one of the main supplies came from the Crown Drain that ran along School Road past the cemetery. Understandably there were many records of serious illness from drinking contaminated water. Beer however, has had the water boiled and quite honestly it was much safer to drink the beer than the water.

Paul Cooper

Bull Bank House. This Picture was taken in 2018. The Fitzwilliam Arms was the right hand side cottage when the building was two semi-detached cottages.

What we do know about the Fitzwilliam Arms is that it was based at, what is now, Bull Bank Cottage. Originally the cottage was two cottages which were knocked together from one house during the 1960’s or there about. The pub was in the right hand cottage as you look from Thorney Road. The 1854 Post Office Directory identifies Richard Jackson as a butcher and Beer Retailer at the Fitzwilliam Arms. This may give a clue to the establishment being a beer shop initially as he is identified as a beer retailer. However, by 1855 he is listed as a publican at the same venue. Richard died in 1862 and is buried in the Newborough Cemetery. The 1861 census identified Joseph Bottomley as the publican. Although in other documentation he is described as a shepherd and Beer house keeper. In my opinion; with Bull Bank Cottage formally two semidetached cottages, the likelihood is that the Fitzwilliam Arms was, due to its restricted size, a beer house and not a pub. The fact that some of the documentation refers to the residents as publicans is misleading.

Joseph Bottomley and his wife Anne ran the beer house until 1870. The last person associated with the pub was John Stratton. John is recorded as being a farmer and publican. The Fitzwilliam Arms closed as a beer outlet during 1873.

For our next public house we move along Guntons Road to opposite Reedmace Close. There is now a small development behind the bungalows on Guntons Road with its entrance opposite Reedmace Close. This has been named Carpenters Mews. It has been named after the pub that stood next door to the mews entrance.

The Carpenters Arms

The Carpenters Arms building was demolished in the 1970’s and all that remained until early 2000’s was a pile of rubble and a small section of fence and gate post. In 2003 the former pub site was cleared and numbers 90 and 92a Guntons Road were built in its place.

The pub was opened sometime between 1841 and 1851. The first record of a pub being there is from the 1861 census. This lists Thomas Cooke as the inn keeper. Thomas was born in Greatford in 1806; he was married to Martha and had three children. Joseph Samsby was next and was the publican until Alfred Rowell took over sometime between 1871 and 1881. Alfred died in 1899 and is buried in Newborough Churchyard. Robert Bean and his wife Elizabeth took on the role of publicans shortly before 1890. Robert died in 1900. Elizabeth continued to run the pub until shortly before her death in 1911. For a short while the pub was run by Charles Henry Pinion before Charles Freeman Bailey became the Inn-Keeper. His

name is listed in the 1914 Harrod Directory. It is not sure when Charles left the pub and George Mason took over. In 1929 the Peterborough Standard reports that the license for the Carpenters Arms, Newborough was transferred from George to John William Pinion.

During the early years of the twentieth century there rose a strong temperance movement in England. It was considered by this movement that there were perhaps too many pubs in the country. The agenda included the need to improve public houses. This included the development of recreation and some food provision to distance them from the image of pure drinking houses. Owing to the success of the trial scheme in Birmingham, where pub licenses were surrendered for pubs that were uneconomic or unsuitable, the Public House Licensing Act of 1904 was upgraded, this upgrade included a national scheme of license surrender in the Act of 1910. If the local Licensing Authority decided that a pub was a candidate for closure it would refer the matter to the National Compensation

The Carpenters Arms, Guntons Road. Picture taken shortly before it was demolished.

>> Authority, who would take the decision to close the pub and decide upon a suitable level of compensation to be paid. One of the reasons a local Licensing Authority could refuse to renew a license would be on the grounds of the condition of the premises. A pub that was in a dilapidated state or without satisfactory sanitary provision could be refused a license renewal.

Signs that all was not going well at the Carpenters Arms were starting to show. In 1932 its owners, Warwick and Richardson, applied for planning permission for drainage at the pub. The building was close to 90 years old and needing extensive maintenance. This was following a decision by the Peterborough Licensing Authority in February 1932, to defer renewing the license for one month so that the suitability of the premises could be assessed. At the same meeting the licenses of two other Newborough pubs were deferred for the same reasons (Royal Oak and Plough Inn). The Authority reiterated the previous requirements that “Pubs should be places of enjoyment and not just drinking shops. Sanitary arrangements must be sufficient and suitable for the whole family living there and not just customers”

In a bid to offload the Carpenters Arms the owners, in 1937, attempted to swap the license from the Newborough Pub to a new pub they had built at the end of Star Road in Peterborough (Blue Peter). However, the magistrates at the time said that this was not a requirement to surrender a license to make provision for a new one. A license for the Carpenters Arms was granted for another year. In

February the following year (1938) Warwick and Richardson notified the Licensing Authority that they will not be seeking a renewal of the license at the Carpenters Arms, Newborough when it lapses

Carpenters Arms, Guntons Road, Newborough. After the pub closed the building was used as a private residence until it was demolished in 1970’s. At the time of its closure the Carpenters Arms was owned

on 5th April. So the pub closed its doors for the last time on that date. The licensee at the close was John William Pinion. He was 65 years old when the pub closed. His wife Annie had died in May 1937. John Died on 20th June 1942. The final mention of the Carpenters Arms was in 1942 when it was advertised in the newspaper that the effects of the late John W Pinion would be auctioned at the Old

by Warwick and Richardson Ltd, who bought the property in 1884. The company was formed in 1888 from a merger of the Northgate Brewery owned by Richard Warwick and Sons and Richardson, Earp and Slater from the Trent Brewery. The company of Warwick and Richardson was purchased by The John Smith Tadcaster Brewery Co Ltd and brewing ceased in 1966.

This rare photograph from the 1920’s shows Hildred Lilley with her daughters Mary, Pat and Ethel. This was taken in the back garden of what was a neighbouring pair of cottages. In the background is the rear of the Carpenters Arms. (Photo: Rose Dunn collection)

Newborough and Borough Fen Parish Council

Parish Clerk's Update

The Parish Council had a wonderful time celebrating the King’s Coronation, with an ‘Afternoon Tea Party’ themed event on the 7 May in the Village Hall, Guntons Road.

The weather on the day was lovely, and the children thoroughly enjoyed the free teacup ride on the car park. There were free sandwich platters, scones, cakes, and drink following a successful lottery fund application, with a contribution matched by the Parish Council. Amo la Pizza were also on site offering delicious wood fired pizzas.

The children (and adults!) enjoyed making crowns, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate such a historic event. Pin badges were provided to Newborough primary school and pre-school children as a keepsake for the day, which were very much appreciated.

Thank you to all who were able to join us, and to our volunteers Vicki Coleman, Wendy Sayer, John Fox and Judy Fox for helping me with all the festivities on the day.

The Parish Council would like to also thank the village hall trustees for use of the hall and car park for our event.

Distribution of the Village Tribune

The Parish Council remain very grateful to local volunteers who have been assisting with delivering

copies of the Village Tribune to everyone’s homes. However, there are some outstanding streets listed below which are still unallocated, showing the number of homes requiring delivery.

anyone who might wish to litter pick on a walk around the village, or as part of a larger group.

Allotments on Peterborough Road, Newborough

There are a few plots available for tenancy on Peterborough Road. If you are interested in ‘growing your own’ or would like some further information, please let the Clerk know.

Neighbourhood Plan

If you are able to assist, please contact the Clerk.

Crown Garden

If you are interested in becoming part of a working party to keep ‘Crown Garden’ tidy and well maintained, please contact the Clerk for further information.

The Parish Council also have litter pickers and bags available for

A Neighbourhood Plan for the parish is now underway, and the steering group have met a couple of times to get the ball rolling for this initiative. If you are interested in getting involved or would like some further information, please contact the Clerk.

VIVACITY event, in

conjunction with the Parish Council

Following previous successes, plans are in progress for another family fun day event on Friday 18th August at Coronation field, Newborough.

Watch this space for further information……

Long Live the King

Maxey comes together to celebrate with a ‘Picnic in the Field’

A spectacular day for a very royal event. Following the Coronation of King Charles III a successful ‘Picnic in the Field’ was held on the John Perkins Field, Maxey. Approximately 250 people gathered from 1pm on Sunday 7 May to celebrate our new King and Queen. Glorious sunshine arrived just in time and a great time was had by all.

The crowd was entertained by singer Roger Williams, who sang a wide variety of songs through the decades. We were then brought back to the current day with a modern playlist from Tommy Philpott. There was plenty of dancing and singing along which could be heard far and wide across the village. The entertainment certainly got everyone in the party spirit.

The Children's activities were a hit and many sported colourful ‘crown’ creations and painted faces. The raffle was a popular stall where there was the opportunity to win a wheelbarrow full of Summer! The raffle will be drawn over the Maxey Midsummer Madness Weekend, 23–25 June, all proceeds will go towards the upkeep of the Village Hall. Everyone came together when the Beacon was lit as the event came to a close.

Thank you to everyone who attended, it will be a celebration to remember. Another thank you to CK4 Limited, Princebuild, PSG Roofline and the Bluebell Pub. Thank you to our Councillor Peter Hiller for taking many photographs on the day. The A4 size group photograph below can be purchased for a £5 donation by calling Sarah on 07590 847 365.

A BIG THANK YOU to the team at Maxey Community Association for organising the event. We are planning to do a similar event, late August Bank Holiday, follow us on Facebook and our Community website maxeyvillagehall. co.uk If you would like any information about our committee or the hall please call me on 07710 150 825.

Mark Asplin, Maxey Community Association

Maxey Picnic in the Field, taken by Councillor Peter Hiller

Helpston Local History Group

The May 18th group meeting started off in the garden of the former Royal Oak public house in Woodgate where Brian Cocks showed us the further excavation of the mysterious structure sitting about two feet below his front lawn.

We are hoping to find an interested professional or enthusiastic, knowledgeable, amateur archaeologist to help us identify exactly what this stonework is. The numerous finds, from the careful brushing and scraping in the trench by members of the group, were on display in the Village Hall for the second part of our meeting and there was a lively discussion about the finds and structure over refreshments.

The group put up a display of farms and farming in Helpston on the 21st of May at the Willowbrook Open Farm event. A good steady number of people visited the stand even though the gazebo was attempting to fly off in the wind.

The website is regularly updated and the latest article is William Dolby at Woodgate End Cottage. Please do take a look at the site (link below) and leave a comment or two if you can add to our articles in any way. We have recently received comments from the public that helped us to further our knowledge and research on various articles on

the page. We are always on the lookout for interesting events in the village’s past and interesting village characters so would ask you to look out your old family photos, newspaper cuttings or even give us your written or verbal experiences so we can keep the website up to date, relevant and interesting for the local and wider spread community.

We received a response to our call out in the Tribune issue 139 concerning the papier maché plate and now know of three more; thank you for taking the time to get in touch.

The group were gifted some display boards which has made exhibiting our hard work and research so much easier, we are really very grateful for the boards and for thinking of us in the first place.

Our July open meeting will be a talk about Margaret Beaufort. Look

out for details nearer the time but for now put the date in your diary – Thursday 20th July 2023, 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Again, we are requesting information, artefacts and photos you may have concerning Helpston’s Home Front – 1939 -1945. We especially would love any wedding photos from weddings that took place during the 2nd World War, (we know from the records and newspapers that there were a few in the village), and Land Army and Home Guard information is also very much part of Helpston’s war effort at home. Thank you to those who have already shared your photos and memories with us, we are putting everything together ready for our project that will be on display in November. Please contact us (email address below) if you have anything you could contribute or let us scan.

Please consider becoming a member of Helpston Local History Group. Membership is £12 per annum for single membership and £18 per annum for a couple in the same household. Website: www.helpstonhistory.org.uk E: helpstonhistory@gmail.com

Jackie Robinson

Royal Oak Display Evening

MOT TESTING NB SANDERS

WE TEST, BUT DON’T REPAIR, SO YOUR MOT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN YOUR BEST INTERESTS

PEAKIRK COUNCIL CORNER

www.peakirkvillage.co.uk

PROTECTING OUR FUTURE

TALK AND FORUM

LED BY SIMON NORTHCOTT SUPPORTER OF GREENPEACE, THE GREEN PARTY AND EXTINCTION REBELLION

Facilitated by The Peakirk Climate Emergency Group of the Peakirk Parish Council 14th July, 6:30–8pm at the Peakirk Village Hall, PE6 7NF

PEAKIRK PARISH COUNCIL

For all Peakrik news, minutes and agendas visit: www.peakirkvillage.co.uk

Chairman: Henry Clark – Tel: 01733 253 203

Sally Jackson – Tel: 01733 253 483

Emma Crowson – Tel: 01733 252 200

David Fovargue – Tel: 01733 254 227

Anne Tuley – Tel: 01733 254 114

Sarah Smith – Tel: 07588 055 553

Kamal Sisodia – Tel: 07958 053 439

Clerk: Angela Hankins – Tel: 01733 253 397, Email: clerk@peakirk-pc.gov.uk

HELPSTON PARISH COUNCIL

Parish Council Clerk: Syd Smith

E: helpstonpc@hotmail.co.uk

Chair: Joe Dobson

T: 01733 252 192

E: councilmessages@btinternet.com

Vice Chair: Ali Peat

T: 07399 532 266

E: alastair@alfrescolandscaping.co.uk

Councillor: Alastair Bradley

T: 07941 570 653

E: alastairbradley@hotmail.com

Councillor: Andy Ratnett

T: 07798 651 872

E: andy@ratnett.co.uk

Councillor: David Dykes

T: 07515 288 606

E: david.dykes@btopenworld.com

Councillor: Eric Sieker

T: 07464 092 273

Councillor: Gill Jolly

T: 07713 329 141

E: ghaigh6d@hotmail.com

Councillor: Leslie Newitt

T: 07766 616 961

Councillor: Rosemary Morton

T: 01733 252 243

E: g.morton526@btinternet.com

www.helpstonparishcouncil.org

I love the hay grass when the flower head swings, To summer winds and insects happy wings, That sport about the meadow…’

...

John Clare

This John Clare quote from ‘I love to see the Summer’ perfectly conjures up the essence of the Amblers’ recent walks. Whether through open meadows, along tree-lined riverbanks, or in shady woods; tall grasses, cow parsley, ox-eye daisies and buttercups abound, and sway in the breeze or rebound from the slightest touch of a butterfly or dragonfly wing. Summer is here at last! Long awaited, slow to start, but very welcome.

by Anne Lees

The Amblers in Tribland

The various Trib’land habitats are a hive of industry as insects navigate their way around the abundance of wildflowers and grasses, seeking food, gathering pollen, or looking for a resting place. Butterflies catch our eye but are elusive to close observation, busily darting backwards and forwards along field margins and hedgerows with their undulating flight. Bees hum as they travel from flower to flower, eagerly absorbing the nectar, and pollinating plants as they go. Dragonflies bask on warm surfaces near the water, and damselflies make interesting shapes as they pair up to mate. (By the way, if you spot what you think is a black butterfly in the air – especially near slow-flowing water – try to track it and see where it lands, as it is highly likely to be a Banded Demoiselle damselfly, easily identified when at rest due to the black bands across its otherwise translucent wings. It is larger than other damselflies and the male has a peacock-coloured body – very pretty.)

There is so much to see, if we take the time to look, and the Amblers are constantly being surprised by new nature knowledge: for instance, did you know that stickyweed (also known as cleavers or goosegrass) has flowers? I had never noticed them until recently but that’s hardly surprising, as they are tiny (see the magnified white, fourpetalled flower in the photo). The plant’s scientific name is Galium aparine, with Galium being derived from the Greek word for ‘milk’, apparently because the flowers were used to curdle milk in cheese making, and Aparine meaning ‘clinging’ or ‘siezing’ (Wikipedia). Its fruits – burrs which are covered with hooked hairs that get caught on animal fur and human clothing – are an extremely effective method of seed dispersal as evidenced by the amount of it in the countryside and our gardens!

There was much excitement last month when a small group visited Penfield Nature Reserve in Langtoft and heard not only a cuckoo, but also a bittern, calling. Bitterns belong to the same bird family as herons, storks and ibises but are more thickset. With their all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars, they are wellcamouflaged for life spent around wetlands with large reedbeds. As a result they are not often seen but, in Spring, the male’s farcarrying mating call can be heard. It is called ‘booming’ and sounds rather like someone blowing across the top of an open bottle neck. Sadly, they are an Amber List species – that is, of moderate

concern relating to conservation – due to their dependence on reedbed habitats, so it was especially heart-warming to have experienced its totally unexpected presence, even from a distance. Every walk with the Amblers is a wonder, and I am particularly miffed to have missed that one!

We amble on Friday mornings in various Trib’land locations and you are welcome to join us. If you would like to come along, or offer to show us around your locality, text the Amblers on 07714 021131 for more information, or PM me via the Village Tribune Facebook page.

We look forward to meeting you!

We amble on Friday mornings in various Trib’land locations and you are welcome to join us. If you would like to come along, or offer to show us around your locality, text the Amblers on 07714 021 131 for more information, or PM me on the Village Tribune Facebook page. We look forward to meeting you.

Helpston Coronation Celebrations

Photo credits: Jackie Robinson

HELPSTONBURY - A FESTIVAL IN A DAY 

We would like each and every one of you who came to enjoy the festival on Saturday (17th June . Across all the organisations in the village, the total sum raised was an incredible £13,000. Each organisation keeps the return from the service or stall that they ran. Some incredible commitment from the Friends of John Clare School, the Church, the Preschool and The Village Hall Committee.

Please join us in thanking these amazing organisations alongside the Helpston Community Activity Team - HelCats, the 7th Helpston Scout Group, the generous company sponsors and the many volunteers on the day.

Helpston Community - Group

DEEPINLOCKS 

Thanks to David from deepinlocks of Deeping St James, who popped into St Botolph's Helpston and unlocked this amazing case from us. It once contained a communion set which Revd Charles Mossop (the rector in John Clare's time) had presented to the church to mark 30 years of his ministry there. He managed to combine his role at Helpston with various ministries in Greatford, West Deeping, and Etton. He left Helpston completely in 1853, and is buried in his churchyard at Etton. By a coincidence, Mossop's father is buried at Deeping St James Priory, where he was perpetual curate.

Gary Alderson

LOLHAM 

In 2020 Lolham Bridges, somehow, took some serious damage to the stone work. Thankfully it is a listed structure which necessitated a sympathetic repair in keeping with the original design. Just 3 years later and it already looks a very sorry state. We used to be able to build and make things that lasted and it leaves me wondering where it all went wrong. Does this work come with any kind of warranty?

Steve Zealand

THE MILLSTONE BARN STORE & CAFE 

Whilst our newly launched Lounge is very much its own entity, it is also an important part of The Millstone family. So our plan over the next few weeks is to post all our social media in one place. So please follow The Lounge news on TheMillstoneBarnack Facebook page & Instagram account. Thank you! The Lounge

PEAHEN 

Anyone lost a Peahen; I’ve acquired one in my garden!

Lesley South

How our weather changes, but looking back May can be a month of many weathers. Over the last 60 years I, like many of you have witnessed snow in the first week of May and a heatwave by the second and third week - this is what happened 58 years ago when I had a short stay in St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Looking across the Thames the snowflakes were that big you could not see the Houses of Parliament on the other side, so things don’t change do they?

DIARY FARMING Rosemary’s

With this warmer weather plant life has blossomed magnificently changing the whole appearance of the countryside and we ourselves are feeling much uplifted for it, along with the animals, birds and all the wildlife. Following on from a very long winter it really is a pleasure to be able to enjoy being outside without having to put on layers of clothes and having the sun on our backs. Our usual Spring/

summer field work has all moved on at a pace, top dressing, weed control, along with fungicide application, silage making, the cattle going out into the grass fields from their winter housing, loading grain out of the stores has been ongoing each month throughout the winter and spring. We are about cleared out and this enables us to give the buildings a thorough clean. Winter wheats are showing their

ears, with some promising yields if we get the right weather in the next 8-10 weeks. As I write these notes at the beginning of June all gardens and fields are in need of some rain before too long. Our open farm Sunday was blessed with some excellent weather, was very well attended with both visitors and stall holders having a lovely and enjoyable day. I would like to thank all visitors, stall holders including traditional exhibitors and all staff who gave their day off to make the day possible. It also created much interest with some of the traditional methods of farming

and how labour intensive it was. Also utilising materials which were sourced locally (in the villages in many cases) from the woods, stone, animal bi-products, including wool to name but a few. Helpston History group put on a very interesting and for me a rather nostalgic day – as for my involvement in farming, I like many others of my age could relate to the horse and cart before the tractor became fully on stream, along with other mechanical equipment. In fact I think agriculture has seen the most advanced progress since the Second World War that has ever been recorded in farming history. My generation have had the pleasure of dealing with this remarkable transitional era and it is still introducing numerous new technologies with science playing a major role. As with anything new one

can be sceptical, treading very cautiously before implementing into their business, for some it can bring tremendous advantages, for others it doesn’t (one hat doesn’t fit all as the saying goes).

We are officially in summer season today, 1st June, half way through the year, can’t quite believe it. Farming isn’t able to switch at a press of a button, a minimum of 5 years planning is needed including the cropping rotation; although in recent years it’s quite difficult to plan because of all the changes that have occurred particularly over the last 2 or 3 years and are still occurring with government regulations which change quite frequently – they are obviously oblivious or inexperienced to the fact that farming unlike other industries does rely on a long planning structure to be in place. At the end of the day ultimately

of course the weather does have the last call. It is farmer’s interests to work alongside the environment which we have been doing for many years and will continue to do – different breeding, different cultivations, as much organic matter as is possible applied and so on. 80 years ago farmers were very much needed to produce food to feed the nation; during the Second World War they were ordered to clear all land to produce as much food as possible, the order of the day was to provide cheap food and plenty of it, no mention of the detrimental impact this may have on the environment over the future years. Despite this pressure farmers have always tried to balance the demand with looking after the countryside they farm. This country is quite capable of being self-sufficient so that empty shelves aren’t seen like they have been over the last few months as the usual supplies from abroad couldn’t get through. Growers in this country are beginning to be able to produce different crops that weren’t available years gone by, but now we are gradually getting more and more variety. Ultimately it is up to the government of the day to put a clear mandate to the farming fraternity or give them the assurances they need to produce this home grown produce. Lets hope the summer is one where we can enjoy better weather and is good for the gardens and the growing crops in the fields. By the time we see the next edition of the Tribune we will be well into harvest and will hopefully start to see the benefits of our hard work over the last 12 months.

ARE YOU SITTING

COMFORTABLY?

By Dr Avril Lumley Prior

Nowadays, churchgoers have little trouble finding a place to sit unless, of course, they are attending a wedding, funeral or baptism. Even at Christmas and Easter there is rarely standing room only. Yet, back in Anglo-Saxon and medieval times it was an entirely different scenario. The church was designed along the lines of the lord-of-the-manor’s hall with seating only at the ‘high end’ or chancel. In contrast, the nave was a free space that could also be used for markets and community festivals like ‘church ales’. The hoi-polloi stood throughout the Masses, though the elderly and infirm could sit on stone benches around the peripheries, hence the phrase, ‘the weakest must go to the wall’.

A Seat in the Stalls Churches attached to monasteries (like Peterborough) or colleges of canons, whose role it was to offer constant prayers for the souls of its founders (as in

eleventh-century Peakirk) were provided with tip-up ‘mercy seats’ called misericords. There, weary monks could rest their rumps on a little shelf during Masses, and give a semblance of standing.

After Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1539, and his son, Edward VI, outlawed the Latin Mass in 1547 and the chanting of prayers for souls, misericords became redundant. continued overleaf >>

>> Yet many endured for centuries after the Reformation, simply because they were adorned with secular and often

are at Tansor, rescued from Fotheringhay church, when its chancel was demolished, in 1553.

nineteenth century. In Tribland, you can still find examples at Bainton, Barnack, Castor and Ufford; whilst, at Sutton there is an impressive, twelfthcentury, lion bench end and, at Helpston, two more depicting Death’s head and a winged beast, both from c.1300.

Tansor: Misericords

humorous carvings of mythical beasts and domestic scenes rather than religious themes. Then, alas, thousands fell prey

Unlike monastic establishments or college chapels, medieval parish churches had three stone (or occasionally wooden) seats called sedilia built into the south wall of the chancel for the use of the priest, deacon and sub-deacon during services. Again, many were lost or hidden behind panelling when chancels were re-ordered in the

Bainton: Wooden Sedilia

to neglect, woodworm or dry-rot; or they were used as firewood by Victorian vicars and church wardens during modernisation projects or because their images were considered to be too saucy. Our nearest extant misericords

Ufford: Stone sedilia with piscina (for the washing of ritual vessels)

Our mystery seat is the triangular-headed, stone ‘throne’ inside Barnack’s Anglo-Saxon tower. During restoration work in 1854/5, the bases of a further 40 seats were discovered lining the walls. This has led to speculation that, during the late-tenth century, a church court was held here or that the area was used as a baptistry.

Taking a Pew

Edward VI’s Reformed English Church promoted The Word of God rather than the religious imagery, ‘bells and smells’ and Latin Masses of the old Catholic faith. Sermons became mind-numbingly long and congregants were expected to read psalms and responses from prayer books instead of gazing at wall paintings and stained glass or praying to

Sutton: 12th-century bench end

Helpston: Death’s-head bench end, c.1300

Seat in Barnack church tower, c.975

statues (which by now had been limewashed over or destroyed). So, everyone needed to be seated.

Purgatory (a place of great suffering whilst awaiting God’s judgement) was abolished and wealthy worshippers could no longer reduce their time there or do penance by sponsoring murals or representations of saints. But old habits die hard. Instead, the great and the purportedly good hedged their bets by lavishing money on pews and benches with elaborate carved ends in the hope that God would still notice their generosity. There are some glorious sixteenthcentury examples of grimacing faces and spewing green-men at Ufford. Here, I have to admit that those dastardly Victorians, who ruined countless medieval churches, did a grand job of creating matching bench ends for the nave and south aisle, as well as for St Benedict’s Glinton. Apart from the truly godly, there were folk who went to church to see and be seen and others who went only because it was expected of them. For the latter type, eighteenth- century, high box pews (initially to keep out the draughts) were a godsend. Within their confines, occupants could take forty winks, play cards or dice, read novels, eat, imbibe or even canoodle to relieve the tedium of the sermons, only standing to attention for hymn singing. Understandably, by the midnineteenth century, almost all ‘high’ pews had been replaced by the ‘low’ versions that grace many of our churches today, enabling the parson to keep a vigilant eye on his entire flock –at least during services!

The most cruel and hypocritical of Victorian religious innovations were the ‘free sittings’ at the very back of the church for those who could afford neither to sponsor nor rent a pew. Thus, the now banished and unwoke lines from Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander’s popular hymn, All Things Bright and Beautiful, were deplorably echoed: ‘The rich man in his castle, The poor man at his gate, God made them high and lowly, And ordered their estate.’ And woe betide anyone who had ideas above his/her station! No wonder members of the working classes were attracted to Methodist chapels, where they were treated as equals, all seats were free and selfimprovement was encouraged.

A Seat on the Bench

And finally, a few words about porches. During the medieval period, they had a variety of functions beyond protecting parishioners and doorways from the elements. It was there that the Marriage Banns were announced and the ring placed on the bride’s finger at the beginning of the ceremony; women were ‘churched’ after childbirth and babies were allowed no further except for baptism. Coffins rested in the porch before funerals; business contracts and debtors’ pledges were made there and, occasionally, peasant children received a basic education. For these reasons, stone benches were installed. But look closer and you will notice that some of the seating may have had a previous use elsewhere. At Peakirk, the chamfered edges suggest that that they were recycled grave

slabs, coffin lids or even the tops of broken tabletombs found lying around in the churchyard by jobbing builders or resourceful and thrifty church wardens. The hotch-potch of uneven blocks at Bainton, Castor and Ufford hint at a similar practice there too. A case of waste not, want not, perhaps?

A Brave New Church?

Today, the question of church seating seems to turning full circle as pews are being removed to enable churches to become uncluttered and more versatile, just like in medieval days. This works rather well at St Michael and All Angels, Sutton, which doubles as a village hall with a servery and loos at the west end. Chairs are arranged in various formations for services, lectures, concerts and coffee mornings but can be cleared away for exercise classes, exhibitions and fund-raising events. Traditionalists may not agree that this is the way forward but all options should be considered as churches struggle to raise funds in an increasingly secular world.

Peakirk porch with recycled seating

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Keeping silicone mould-free and intact is the best way to avoid costly water damage and leaks

We offer local pickup. Courtesy car available (pre-booking required).

Service and repairs to most makes and models up to 7.5 tons. We supply and fit tyres, batteries and exhausts. Our fully qualified staff are trained in electronic diagnostics, air-conditioning servicing, clutches and many other vehicle repairs.

01733 252611

E: greensgarage@btinternet.com 24 Church Street, Northborough (opposite Northborough School)

FAMILY RUN BUSINESS, ESTABLISHED IN THE VILLAGE FOR OVER 45 YEARS.

PETERBOROUGH MILTON GOLF CLUB

Enjoying a superb position at the entrance to the Fitzwilliam Estate, Peterborough Milton Golf Club has become a popular venue for relaxing and enjoying a drink, meal or social function in our recently refurbished clubhouse, or on the patio overlooking the 18th green.

 Sky Sports on our new big screen 2.6M x 1.7M ideal for major sporting events

 Fully licensed bar and catering open to non-members. 11am – 9pm daily

 Conveniently situated for villages to the north-west of Peterborough

 Excellent Sunday lunches and private parties catered for

 Air-conditioned meeting room available for hire

 Themed evenings and live entertainment

 Disabled access and toilet facilities

 Large free car park

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIPS also available providing discounts on all food and drinks

Pay us a visit, or find out more by contacting Oliver Brett on 01733 380489 or email admin@pmgc.org.uk www.pmgc.org.uk Milton Ferry, Peterborough PE6 7AG

Come and Play!

Helpston Playhouse are holding a brand-new parent and toddler session and we’d love you to join us.

Helpston Playhouse, the Ofsted rated outstanding preschool in Helpston are holding a new stay and play session every Friday, from 10am till 11.30am. The session is open to all parents and carers of children aged 12 months to 4 years.

We chat to Playhouse manager Lucy to find out what you can expect from this new and totally free group.

What can parents and carers expect from the session?

There will be a range of activities for the children to try such as; crafts, sensory play and painting. They’ll also be free to play with and explore all the areas, toys and activities available at

How much will it cost and do I have to book?

The session is completely free. We do ask that if you would like to attend that you drop us an email to let us know you are coming just so we can manage numbers. We also ask that all

Why did you decide to start this session?

We are a registered charity and wanted to provide an opportunity for local parents to come together with their toddlers and socialise. Tea and coffee will be provided for adults and they’ll be lots of activities to keep the children entertained.

It’s also a great way to help socialise children and give them a gentle introduction to a preschool environment.

the Playhouse. Whether that’s playing in the mud kitchen, doing role play in the home corner or looking for bugs in our forest school garden there will be plenty to keep them (and parents) busy. Children will also be provided with a tasty and healthy snack.

parents and carers must stay throughout the session and be responsible for their children. Please email us at playhouse@ helpstonplayhouse.com to let us know if you can come.

For more information about Helpston Playhouse contact us: 01733 253 243 | www.helpstonplayhouse.org.uk

CASTOR AND AILSWORTH SOCIETY OF ART

Thursday Evenings, 7.30pm

Castor and Ailsworth Society of Art (CASA) has finalised its programme of events for this year.

A professional artist will be demonstrating a different painting in a variety of styles and mediums. Whether you’re a regular painter, a beginner just starting to realise your artistic talent, or you’d just like to see how the experts do it, everyone can learn tricks and tips from a professional, and gain inspiration to create something for themselves.

Demonstrations will be at the Castor Village Hall, starting at 7.30pm. CASA members £3, nonmembers £5, under-25s free.

For more information email Richard Moon at castor. ailsworth.art@gmail.com and for general info about CASA, visit www.paintwithcasa.com

20 July – James Power

Equestrian in Oil – This July demo will be from James Power, who will be demonstrating an equestrian painting in oils.

17 August – Phil Biggs

21 September – Tim Fisher Landscape or townscape in watercolour.

19 October – Denise Allen Bullseye watercolour.

16 November

AGM and Social Evening at the Cedar Centre.

NEWBOROUGH PRESCHOOL PLAYGROUP

Open Day, Saturday 1 July 1.40–3.30pm

For potential new families looking to join us.

Summer Fayre, Saturday 15 July 2-4pm

Adult Only Live Music Event, Saturday 16 September 7.30pm till late

WI LADIES MEET

July 14 2023 - Games Evening

August 11 2023 - Tour of Longthorpe Tower, 7:30pm, Northborough Village Hall

Our aim is to provide something of interest for everyone with our varied activities and speakers. In addition, we run walking and craft groups, a lunch club and a book club for the likeminded. We currently have spaces for new members so, if you’re looking to make friends and try new things, come and join us!

THE SEALED KNOT ARE COMING!

23 & 24 September

Come and find out about Northborough’s connections to the English Civil War.

The Sealed Knot are the oldest re-enactment society in the UK, a registered educational charity and the single biggest re-enactment society in Europe. Keep a lookout for more information on posters, in magazines and on Facebook or contact:

Clare: clare@euro-pa.net / 07802 487 679.

Teresa: tabscott@btinternet.com / 07874 860 148.

The Gift of the Present

The past so often lives in a rosy glow for us. If we are thinking of our own younger years, we think things were brighter, happier, more fulfilling. Often forgetting that the reason for this is not that the world was any better – more that we were younger and healthier. Our horizons were widening, rather than narrowing.

As the Rector of numerous historic churches, I’m aware of how we need to respect the past, but also to function in the future. I tend not to worry too much about the future – my experience working in computing was that every time you tried to “future-proof” a system, the future wasn’t what you had anticipated when you got there.

As the John Clare weekend comes round again in Helpston, we can see the disjoint between our imagined history and the one that actually unfolded. When we talk today about “John Clare’s countryside”, it’s easy to forget that the landscape Clare was born into wasn’t the current one. The wide drained fields, the straight dykes, the orderly hedgerows weren’t what he grew up with, although ironically that was the

landscape that he helped to create, as he worked as a labourer on the Enclosures himself. The marshy land encouraged mosquitoes and disease. And Clare himself may have been a great poet, but he was clearly a difficult person to have to live with.

And when I look at Helpston church – much of the building is as Clare knew it (albeit he spent most of his Sundays away from it, wandering the fields and byways). But even if he had come to church regularly, he could not have sat on the pews – as they weren’t installed until 20 years after his death. The church shows work over nearly 1,000 years – as people in different eras needed differing things from the building. Side aisles were built so the posh people didn’t have to sit with the poor ones – and then “squints” were needed so the posh people could see the High Altar. Up to the Reformation, the church would have been brightly painted, with statues –likely also brightly painted – on the plinths. Today, we have very little in the way of statues. And the coat of arms reminds us that

in the 17th century, the Crown wanted to make sure we all knew who was in charge.

The Victorians put in the pews, and rebuilt the porch and much of the tower – and in the process lost the last evidence of AngloSaxon work in the tower.

So the church we have is like the past we have. A mixture of half-memories, motives we can’t fully understand, appearing consistent and encouraging nostalgia and yet – today is the day we are actually given.

Where our predecessors had their own needs in the church, so do we. In particular, the need for accessible toilet facilities and somewhere appropriate to serve drinks and snacks. So in Bainton and in Helpston, we are currently looking to those key present-day needs – respecting the past, while living in the present. And in our lives, likewise. We can treasure the past, we will nearly always gild it in retrospect. But the day we are given is “today”. Whatever it has to hold, it’s where we have to live. And the place where we can do all the good we can.

“Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.” (Ecclesiastes 7:10)

Gary Alderson

St Pega’s Church

It was lovely to come together on a such a sunny day for a Picnic and games on the Village Green, there was an excellent “turn out” and a good time was had by all. The children enjoyed competing against each other in a tug of war, and not wanting to be left out there was a friendly game of bowls for the adults.

There was also a cake stall which raised £125 for the Red Cross Appeal. Children were also able to make a crown and sceptre and follow a coronation themed trail which involved solving clues and collecting letters to spell out a phrase, this was organized by Messy Church.

The community then came together for the Big Help Out on Monday with about 40 people turning up to clean the church, litter pick around the village, tidy the Churchyard and many other jobs.

Tuesday @10 held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month in Peakirk Village Hall continues to go from strength to strength, one month we had 50 people turn up to share in fellowship and conversation and try the Scone of the Month all beautifully made by Jane Harris.

We have many families join us on the 1st Sunday of each month for Messy Church, we started this just before lockdown and the number of families we attract has grown month on month, each month we enjoy crafts and interactive worship based around a theme connected to the Bible, we also prepare a food item which can be shared at the end when we come together for refreshments and conversation.

St Pega’s and St Benedict’s congregation came together on 28 May for an outdoor service on

the Village green to celebrate Pentecost, this was a lovely service led by Fr. Michael Matthews and everybody looked resplendent in Red.Yellow or Orange. Refreshments were served after the service; everybody joined together in conversation and appreciated the delightful weather.

Details of events will be posted on the notice board by the Village Hall, on the website: www.peakirkvillage.co.uk and on the Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/peakirkvillage/

A special service was held in St Pega’s Church on Sunday 7 May to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, the bells were rung and there was a toast to the King led by Derek Harris.

NOTE

During the period of interregnum, we are supported and/or those taking the services. Please refer to your local

by local clergy and it may be necessary to change some services local church notice boards or Church Wardens for the latest information.

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