Out with the old….

It seems hard to believe that this newsletter is finishing its fifth year of publication. The editors feel that it is time for a change and so you will see some differences in the appearance of The Ampney Times in 2006.

As always, the newsletter would be nothing without its contributors and wouldn’t exist at all without the band of volunteers who post it through the letter boxes.

To all of them and to all our readers:

A Very Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year.

Music for Christmas

2 December, 7.30 pm A concert of medieval Christmas music and carols by candlelight in Ampney Crucis Church. Performed by ‘Her Majesties Pleasure’ on instruments of the period. Admission at the door on night of the concert £5.00.

Christmas Bazaar

Ampney Crucis Church Christmas Bazaar, 3 December, 2.00 pm, Ampney Crucis Village Hall. Free entry, with many gift stalls, grand raffle, teas, and tombola. Doors open at 1130 am to receive gifts for stalls. Books to John Ducker 851524; other items to Paddy Thompson (851619

Ampney Crucis Cinema

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cert PG. Wednesday 14 December 7.30 pm.

Tim Burton adaptation of the Roald Dahl book - a tale for adults and children alike.

Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Christopher Lee and James Fox.

Ampney Crucis Village Hall £2.50 at the door. Refreshments available. Bring cushions!

Enquiries to Anne Bridges 652471

Wednesday, 25 January Film to be announced.

Special Church Services

27 November 3.00 pm. Community Carol Singing for everyone in Ampney Crucis Church. Beautiful carols to celebrate the beginning of the season of preparation for Christmas. Come and join us in soft candle light to welcome the darkness of Advent and look forward to Christmas. Warming glasses of mulled wine and mince pies will be served afterwards.

11 December 3.00 pm. A Festival of Lights at Ampney St Peter Church. A service for adults and children, with candles, carols and cakes to lighten the darkness of winter and to mark the festival of St Lucia.

15 December 6.00 pm. School Carol Service at Ampney Crucis Church. Everyone is welcome – the more the merrier!

24 December 5.30 pm. Nativity Service at Ampney St Peter Church: the very popular first service of Christmas, with carols, Communion and Blessing the Crib – especially for children and their families.

24 December 11.00 pm. Midnight Communion in Ampney Crucis Church to welcome in the gift of peace.

1 January 10.00 am. A Celebration of the New Year, with Communion, at Ampney Crucis Church.

Liquor Licences – Anne Bridges

Since the end of November 2005 the rules for applying for an occasional liquor licence have changed. Ampney Crucis Village Hall is allowed up to 12 TENs (temporary event notices) in any one year. Once these have been used, no more can be obtained.

If you are planning to hire the hall and will need a licence to sell liquor, we strongly suggest that you contact Anne, with as much notice as possible, to reserve a Notice. The CDC fee is £21 per event, payable when booking. If you have any questions please ring Anne Bridges (652471.

Editor’s Apology

Elisabeth Gerver apologises to any contributor whose information for this issue is still floating in cyberspace because her email system failed several weeks ago. She hopes to be on broadband with a new ISP before Christmas (one should always hope!).

The Ampneys’ Village Directory 2006/7

Planning for the new biennial directory of village organisations, flagged in our two previous issues, is now well under way. It will contain details of organisations and facilities in all three villages, together with maps. The editors, Elisabeth Gerver and Terry Bloxham, hope to have it ready for distribution during the summer of 2006.

If you would like your organisation to be included, or would like to advertise in the directory, please contact Elisabeth Gerver (850508 by 23 December with details of your email address and telephone number.

Ampney Crucis School Report

– Marilu Hignett (School Governor)

Christmas events

The school is gearing up for Christmas, with the children busily practising their new nativity songs! All are welcome to join us at the Carol Service at Ampney Crucis Church at 6 pm on 15 December and also at the Nativity Play at the school on 13 and 14 December (Maple & Willow classes 9.15 am. and Oak class 1.30 pm on both days).

The parents are leading the carol singing in Ampney Crucis again this year, but, having had such a wet evening last year, they have a contingency plan and have set two dates 12 and 13 December, in case of rain!! They will be meeting outside the school at 6 pm; for further details please ring Rosanna Armitage 850005.

Stamps for Charity

Rosanna Armitage is collecting stamps for a small charity called Reach. The charity sells the stamps to raise money to help children who are missing limbs. So anyone who would like to start saving their stamps can hand them either to Rosanna at Narracott House or Mr Simpson at the school.

Bingo

The school are taking over bingo in the New Year from the Royal British Legion Women’s Section, who have done such a wonderful job that we wish to continue this lovely social evening for the village. The first date is 11 January, Ampney Crucis Village Hall, doors open 7.00 pm; eyes down 7.30 pm. Everyone, old & new, is welcome. Two fat ladies…!

Harvest Festival

The children and families enjoyed a lovely, unusual au naturel harvest festival this term. Due to some rather active bees in the church, we relocated, harvest display and all, to outside the church. The children carried on like true professionals to the delight of their teachers and families. The beautiful displays which the children created were then given to help decorate the Poulton Trafalgar Supper evening, which helped raise money for the RNLI and the Poulton Playground.

Football Team

A team of dedicated parents have started a new school Football team! Their first match on 28 October against Southrop was a resounding success with a 7-3 win!! So if you fancy waving your scarves in support, future matches are planned against Rodmarton and Siddington. For further information please contact Tom Lamond 651296.

Thank you for gardening

The Gardening Club have been inspired this term by all the wonderful donations of plants from the villagers. We are also receiving professional help from two local garden designers, which is very exciting and will enable us to achieve our goal of becoming self-funding by selling our own plants and produce. Plans are underway for a new vegetable patch and greenhouse, with the amphitheatre being completed and the playground updated.

Lost

A Pentax ESP10 160 Camera was lost at the Playing Fields on Friday 4 November. This camera was on loan and is security marked. Sentimental reasons for its return. Please contact Andy Barnes on 850370

Editors’ note

We welcome Marilu as our new school correspondent and thank Andy Simpson for his many interesting reports.

Ampney Crucis Parish Council News – David Vessey

Kim Hartshorne

The Parish Council is sorry to announce that, as a result of unexpected family commitments, Kim has had to resign from the Council. Kim became a Parish Councillor over four years ago and has worked tirelessly to bring the new children’s playground to fruition, playing a major part in dealing with seemingly endless negotiations with grant making bodies and contractors.

Parish Council vacancy

Following the resignation of Kim Hartshorne, there is an opportunity to become a Parish Councillor. If no election is called (the period for claiming an election ended on 25 November), the Council can co-opt a new councillor at its meeting on 9 January. If you are interested in learning more about the work of the Parish Council, please contact the chairman, David Vessey (851438.

Allotments

The Parish Council discussed the question of allotments in which there is clearly a good deal of interest but which has no formal organisation to take the idea forward. The Parish Council has therefore written to the proposers to suggest that they set up a formal association which can then negotiate over land availability and apply for the necessary planning permission.

Parish Council meetings for 2006

The Parish Council will meet on the following dates in 2006. The meetings are always open to the public and will be in the Village Hall starting at 7.15 pm unless stated otherwise:

9 January, 13 March, 8 May (AGM 7.30), 10 July, 18 September, 13 November.

Clean up Day – advance notice

Please put a note in your diaries that the spring Clean Up Day will be the first Saturday in March – 4 March 2006.

Robert Pleydell Trust – David Vessey

The Trust has completed its grant allocations for the year. In addition to a grant to Ampney Crucis Brownies, the Trust was also able to make grants to six students to help them with their studies in further education. The larger part of the Trust’s funds go to supporting the school in the village and the Trustees have been pleased to help the school expand its impressive array of IT equipment which is so much a part of modern day primary education.

Ampney St Peter News – Nick Gibbs

Welcome

Congratulations to Gael and Chris Morling on the birth of their second child, Jacob.

Tile theft

In October tiles were stolen off the rear side of the bus shelter. The police have been informed, but there’s not much they can do. Nick and Julian are looking into grants for re-roofing the shelter, but the Cotswold District Council may demand that we pay for buildings insurance if they support the project.

Parachuting

A liaison committee has been set up to monitor flying activities at South Cerney Aerodrome, involving Cotswold District Council and the local parishes.

New parish clerk

Nick Gibbs has taken over from Norman Simpson as clerk of Ampney St Peter’s Parish Meeting. Norman, who has done so much for the village over the last few years, has agreed to be co-opted for special projects.

Sunhill

After refusal by Cotswold District Council, planning permission has been given by Gloucestershire County Council to the Agricultural Supply Company’s application to process green waste at Sunhill. The campaign group (SAG) may lodge an appeal. As you will have seen in the local paper, the Sunhill Action Group has vowed to continue the fight. The county council does not accept the group’s criticisms of its procedures.

Bridle path

Following changes to the bridle path that meets the A417 from Ranbury Circle, the parish is seeking advice on the possibility of prosecuting those responsible. The appropriate authorities are currently studying the changes.

Grass mowing

Cilla Halliday has agreed to carry on mowing the grass around the pond and along the main road and Charlham Lane next year.

Editors’ note

We wish to thank Sue Tufnell, who has now retired as our Ampney St Peter correspondent, for all her interesting contributions to The Ampney Times, and we warmly welcome Nick Gibbs to our team.

The Story of Susanna – Evelyn Smith

During my work as a NADFAS church recorder at Ampney Crucis Church earlier this year, I was especially moved by the sad epitaph on the vestry wall. My husband translated it from Latin as follows:

‘Sacred to be memory of

That most blameless maiden, Susanna Pleydall

Third daughter of Robert Pleydall Esquire

And his wife Elizabeth. Having been sent to Hackney,

Near London by her parents to be educated in the manners

Appropriate to her age and sex,

And having spent eighteen months there, she contracted an illness

[colic of the bowels] which was widespread at the time.

She suffered the many pains and various torments of dysentery

And having displayed for some days

An example of patience beyond her years

She gave back to God her body and pure spirit

On 26th September AD 1676,

In her tenth year.

That the ashes of the said SUSANNAH should be

Returned to this place was the concern of her most devout mother

ELIZABETH PLEYDALL, so that she might sleep together

With the remains of her family

Until the glorious Resurrection of them all.’

Poor little Susannah - but whatever was she doing in Hackney? In the 17th century it was a long way from Ampney Crucis to Hackney, near London. Then I came across the following account in Restoration London by Liza Picard:

‘A very few girls, statistically speaking, went to one of the finishing schools clustered round Chelsea and Fulham, and particularly in the country village of Hackney’. At Mrs Perwich's school there were ‘100 pupils learning music, dancing, romance reading, lute, harpsichord, singing, violin playing and chamber music, with visiting masters of high standard. They also learnt all other parts of excellent well-breeding such as calligraphy, accountancy, housewifery, cookery, handicrafts and embroidery’. Hannah Wolley's school offered ‘all works wrought with needle, all transparent works, shell-work, mosswork [and] ... pretty toys’. It was hoped that by sending their children to these schools they would find suitable partners for marriage. But little Susannah never made it.

This kind of discovery is what makes church recording so fascinating and helps me forget the times we are cold, often dirty and - dare I say it - occasionally a little bored!

Mobile Police Station

The mobile police station, with PC Reuben Wyatt, will visit the Ampneys at approximately the following times:

A Crucis A St M A St P

1 December 1245 1300 1400

17 December 1245 1300 1400

14 January 1245 1300 1400

24 January 1245 1300 1400

(07734 068276 egmps@gloucestershire.police.uk

Gloucestershire Gardens – Gerry Cutts

At a well attended meeting of the Gardening Club on 20 October, we heard a talk on the National Gardens Scheme. Mrs Stella Martin, County Organiser of the Scheme, gave us a thumb nail sketch of the organisation followed by many beautiful slides of some of the 79 gardens that are open to the public in Gloucestershire during the year. The scheme, first started in 1927 to raise money for District Nurses, now supports other charities as well. Nationally £1.8 million was raised in 2004 with £98,000 coming from Gloucestershire. We all found it an enjoyable and informative evening.

Advertisements

Personal ads cost £1 per issue. Local businesses may place an ad (£5) or sponsor an issue (£15). Please contact David Vessey (851438 for details

Ampney Crucis School Report

– Marilu Hignett (School Governor)

Christmas events

Bingo

Whist

Ampney and District Royal British Legion Women’s Section

Ampneys Gardening Club

Mothers’ Union

Sixties Club

Women’s Institute

Youth Club