Elizabethan Witch, Romans & Concerts

Elizabethan Witches, Roman Colchester & Concerts

Elizabethan Woman in front of a crowd (AI generated)

The following free events are being hosted by the Friends of St Mary’s Old Church in 2025.

Sunday 11 May – Talk by local historian John Worland on ‘The First Elizabethan Witch Trial’. 2.30pm – free refreshments
Sunday 8 June – Talk by Adam Wightman, Director of Colchester Archaeological Trust on ‘The Former Essex County Hospital Site’’. 2.30pm – free refreshments
Sunday 6 July – Resonate Choir Concert – 4pm-5pm – free refreshments
Sunday 20 July – Summer Songs of Praise Service – 2.30pm – free refreshments
Sunday 30 November – Mulled Wine & Mince Pies with the Octavia Singers – 11am-1pm.
This event is also an opportunity to register or reregister as a Friend of St. Mary’s Old Church
Sunday 21 December – Candlelit Carol Service

As usual everyone is welcome, there’s free parking and free refreshments including a glass of prosecco. Entry to all events is free but the Friends welcome any donations made on the day (cash or card). This will support the ongoing upkeep of the beautiful 1000-year-old church. We look forward to welcoming you there. For more information, or if you wish to tell us you’re coming, please email [email protected].

At both of the following events there will also be an opportunity for a Q&A session.

May 21, 2023February 22, 2024

Steve Hallam leads Big County Birdwatch on a Dawn Walk

Once again, Steve Hallam led a successful Dawn Chorus walk through Hillhouse Wood on 6th May. This year it was one of 19 bird walks taking place in Essex over the Coronation weekend.

Steve Hallam reports:

Well, it looks as if I must have done the odd good thing in a previous life. Despite the distinctly dodgy weekend weather forecast, we had a lovely morning for our 2023 Dawn Chorus walk. Not that we could see this of course, at 03.45, but at least we knew we’d be staying dry. A nice number of 14 people also turned out, despite the distraction of a certain Royal event later that morning. Also different this year was that we had folded the walk into the programme of The Big County Birdwatch, organised by the Essex Birdwatching Society. This had been moved to take place in Spring, rather than Autumn. It was pleasing to welcome EBWS people to the walk.

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Walk the Dawn Chorus 2023

Dawn Chorus 2023 with Friends of Hillhouse Wood

The Dawn Chorus Walk 2023 is taking place on a busy weekend with Bird walks all across Essex. It will form part of the “Big County Birdwatch ’23” which being organised by the Essex Birdwatching Society. First, though, a report by Steve Hallam on the recent Spring Flower Walk at Hillhouse Wood.

Click here if you want to jump to the bird walks.

Spring Flower Dilemma

It is always a dilemma as to which date to set for the Spring Flowers walk. This is because the timing of when the various species flower can vary considerably between early and late seasons. This year I anticipated that the season would be early – so naturally it has been late. The solution was obvious, and so the ‘Bluebell’ walk was re-christened as a ‘Spring flowers’ one. The forecast for the afternoon was either for sunny periods or rain showers, depending on which forecaster you looked at. Either way, undaunted, a pleasingly large group of 22 assembled at the appointed hour and starting point.

March 23, 2020March 23, 2020

Keeping Up To Date on COVID-19

If you want to keep up to date on COVID-19 with a local slant then it is worth tracking Essex County Council’s information page. ECC update this daily with news specific to Essex but it also gives highlights of recent national government announcements. Some of the biggest items addressed most recently are:

Appeal from Council Leader and Director of Public Health

Cllr David Finch and Dr Mike Gogarty express their dismay about the Continue reading “Keeping Up To Date on COVID-19”

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

Fire & Rescue Service – Consultation

Fire & Rescue Service

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has launched a public consultation – a ten-minute survey asking the public of Essex about how their future priorities are delivered.

While their primary focus will always be:

to prevent emergencies, and
protect our most vulnerable residents,

… this consultation is a chance to Continue reading “Fire & Rescue Service – Consultation”

November 21, 2018November 22, 2018

Wild Flowers of Essex

Wild Flowers of Essex

West Bergholt Gardeners recently enjoyed an interesting talk by Dr. Chris Gibson about “Wild Flowers of Essex”. Chris drew on his 30+ year career as a nature conservationist, working to preserve Essex wildlife and landscapes. The Gardeners learnt about the large areas of ancient woodland around the county (which includes Hillhouse Wood) and the flowers and plants which flourish there.

Threats to Wild Flowers

Continue reading “Wild Flowers of Essex”

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018

County Maps of Essex – 1576 – 1805

County Maps of Essex – 1576 – 1805

County Maps of Essex was the topic of discussion at the Local History Group’s last meeting on 12th September. An audience of 40 members and visitors heard speaker Peter Walker introduce his specialist subject. It soon became clear that our County was one of the most mapped counties in England. Peter started with one produced by Continue reading “County Maps of Essex – 1576 – 1805”

March 29, 2018March 29, 2018

Cricket Colts Prepare for New Season

West Bergholt Cricket Colts have active youth activities even before the main cricket season starts, they have provided the following update.

Indoor Training.

The cricketing new year started off for us in March with our latest indoor cricket training sessions for our young cricketers (Colts) at Holmwood House school. We held sessions for our Junior Colts who are those still at primary school and the Senior Colts who are at secondary school.

Over the course of the sessions, our Junior Colts were shown the basics of the game and got to try out their newly acquired skills through a range of fun mini-games. Our Senior colts also had some fun games to improve their techniques and improve their reaction times before finally padding up for batting and bowling practice.

We still have two more weeks of the indoor training to run in April getting the players ready for the outdoor season which will start on the 5th of May with Colts Registration and training at 10.30 a.m.

Specsavers County Championship Cup.

Hearing of all the effort we had been putting into re-energising the Colts Section and cleaning up the Club House, Essex Cricket chose us as one of only 6 Clubs to visit on Nat West Club Force Day with the Specsavers County Championship Cup, of which Essex are the current holders.

Our youngsters (and some of our older volunteers too) enjoyed the opportunity to hold the cup and dream big. The Essex representative also brought some positive news that after being unsuccessful in an earlier funding bid to provide a separate changing area for ladies and youths we are being considered for some alternate funding so fingers crossed we are successful in that!

Nat West Club Force.

On Saturday the 24th March we took part in the Club Force Initiative which brings volunteers and clubs all over the country together to get Cricket Grounds and Club Houses ready for the forthcoming season. We were lucky to have 15 volunteers both adults and children come along and give us a hand to get the club ready.

ECB All Stars Cricket.

March also brought the start of the registration process for All Stars Cricket, which is a training programme specially designed for 5- to 8-year-olds. The programme provides eight weeks of training plus a bat, personalised shirt and backpack all for £40.

We are very lucky to have Mr Gareth Minter, P.E. Co-Ordinator from Heathlands Primary School, leading the programme for us. At the time of writing, we already have 18 children booked onto our sessions which start on the 2nd June, so we are very much looking forward to welcoming these little cricketers to the club. We welcomed 3 of the All Stars on Saturday when the County Championship Cup came to visit, they were very excited to have their first mini-game of cricket on the Club’s cricket pitch.

February 23, 2017March 14, 2017

Consultation on Essex Police, Fire & Rescue

The Future of Essex Police, Fire & Rescue?

The people of Essex are being urged to have their say in the potential change in the way Essex Police and Essex County Fire & Rescue Service is governed. To have your say respond to the consultation that ends on Wednesday 10th May.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables police and crime commissioners to become the fire and rescue authority where a strong local case is made. The Government has also created a statutory duty to collaborate.

Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst said: Continue reading “Consultation on Essex Police, Fire & Rescue”

July 7, 2016

Passenger Transport Survey

Essex County Council is a major funder of local passenger transport services including:

providing transport for over 20,000 children to travel to mainstream and special need schools each day.
providing transport for children in care, older people and people with learning disabilities and physical or sensory impairments.
supporting around 15% of local bus services in the County including many evening, rural and Sunday buses that are socially necessary but loss-making and so need funding support.

Continue reading “Passenger Transport Survey”