Beer Hackett

REP: John Parker johnwincanton@gmail.com DISTRIBUTOR: Susan Ferdinand

Photo: John Parker

News from St. Michael’s Church the Wriggle Valley. (Sixteen parishes, ‘Living Light – this wonderful place’ seventeen churches in total). On the evening before submission of One of the benefits of this larger this news, our neighbours grouping is the increased Peter and Linda Bell opportunity for friends whose home adjoins our and neighbours in all the churchyard, looked out of villages to share resources, their back door and briefly services and social events saw the bright light of the more widely. setting sun shining on the Lockdown stopped many Wills family memorial, things except the innovative 1885 / 89. Included on the on-line services which were inscription are the words introduced by our clergy “until the day-break and and are widely appreciated. the shadows flee away”. As soon as worship in

As more severe Covid Photo: L & P Bell church was allowed to restrictions were being announced, this resume, our three Gifle churches began was a moving moment, time to reflect sharing a three weekly cycle of a 10am on our good fortune to live in such a Sunday service and this continued beautiful and relatively safe place. throughout September. The services in

St. Michael’s together with St. Mary our three churches have been appreciated Magdalene Thornford and St. Mary the and well attended. Virgin, Bradford Abbas were brought Now followed by socially distanced together as the Gifle Valley Benefice in own drinks and conversation (and even 2009. Now we are all part of the larger John Mooney’s birthday cake and Alan Three Valleys Benefice together with Fall’s home-made Welsh cakes!) churches in the White Hart Vale and You would be most welcome. 8

PS. The Annual Meeting of the Friends of St Michael’s planned for 26 September was postponed.

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Friday 2 October had to be limited to PCC members only, socially distanced in church. If any parishioners would like to read the reports and discussion details, please email john.jbt@btinternet.com.

John Bingham

Jersey Tiger Moth

Walking along the Thornford path very recently, with my dog, I happened to notice what I thought initially was a butterfly. It was so pretty and one that I had not seen before. Luckily for me it came to a rest and it was so unusual, with its closed wings resembling a shield. I managed to take some photos on my phone camera. Researching it when I arrived home, I learnt that it was, to my surprise, a moth. Research tells me that it is a moth which is colonising Britain from the South and didn’t spread much for about a century. Apparently it originates in Scandinavia and central Europe and used to be a rare migrant to the British Isles. I have never come across it before and I just felt I had to share the experience with others as I just could not get over its spectacular appearance. I could not get a photo of it in flight, but this one was a definite red colour and really caught my eye as something very different. Research says it is as big as a butterfly and flies during the day. So, if you want to see something unusual, take a walk along the path to Thornford.

Olive Davison

Mysterious Brounlie Wood

For those villagers and walkers who always suspected that there is something rather magical about Beer Hackett’s ‘Brounlie Wood’ – you may be interested in the following account, recently brought to light by Peter Bell who told this tale over many years to both his children and grandchildren.

Photo: S & B Keene

‘The Legend of the Brounlie Wood Fairies’

In 1966, England won the World Cup 4-2 against Germany. To celebrate, the English ‘Council of Fairies’ announced that four new Fairy Colonies would be established in the following woods: ‘Billy Woods’ – Kippax, Yorkshire (Where Peter Bell grew up) ‘Friday Woods’ – Colchester, Essex ‘The Grunewald Woods’ – Berlin, Germany ‘Brounlie Woods’ – Beer Hackett, Dorset (the family home)

To join and dream with the ‘Brounlie Wood’ Colony you must be under five years old and need to write to the Chief Fairy on an old piece of Silver Birch bark. This must be posted in the Silver Birch tree located where the two footpaths cross at the bottom of the woods as you walk towards Thornford.

You may only apply on the longest summer days (June 20–23). If your letter is accepted it will be removed and replaced with a ‘Golden Gift’ 10

‘Eric & Sid’ are the small but extremely powerful spider gatekeepers of the colony and will only grant access to those little human beings who believe in magic.

If you are lucky enough to be accepted into the Brounlie Wood Fairy World, you will be able to share their magic, dreams and happiness for the rest of your life.

Once you enter this mystical world of the fairies you may meet the following entities as you walk through the woods: The Battle Fairy who frightens the Kuide (Naughty Fairies) by shining brightly at dusk. The ‘Light as a feather fairy’ The Swift Fairy Dancing Fairies Cloaked Fairies Mr Pallet the Woodsman The Wriggly Worm Mr Owl Sydney Squirrel Laurence the Woodpecker Ches Nutt – The Conker The Cray Brothers who live in the River Wiggle along with the mysterious Crok

And many more magical creatures, some of which have never been seen as yet!

Peter Bell

NB. Brounlie Woods and all the fairies and woodland creatures are cared for by The Keene Family who live in Church Farm.

Dog Poo Plea

A kind request on behalf of Ron Buckland, our local Farmer.

Please pick-up and take home your dog waste if using the footpath from the Church grounds down to the footbridge and beyond towards Yetminster as cattle graze in these fields.