Sutton Hoo – Dialects – History

Sutton Hoo in Local History Group’s Resumption Plans

Although West Bergholt is a substantial still growing village, it has an interesting history. Members of the active Local History Group continue to investigate, research and document it. They usually meet at the Orpen Hall on the second Wednesday of each month from September through to April, except December. In the months of May through to August they try to arrange group visits to places of local historical interest.

As with most groups, the COVID-19 Pandemic interrupted group activities since March 2020 but, hopefully, that is now changing.

Emerging Plans

November 6, 2020November 6, 2020

Remembrance & Old Church Update

Old Church Renovations YouTube presentation

Remembrance & Old Church Update

Last week we announced the plans for a Remembrance Service partially in St Mary’s (socially distanced and limited numbers) with Zoom. The new Lockdown has thwarted that and plans have changed. We also have an update report from the Friends of St Mary’s Old Church with a video presentation to the parish council. First, Remembrance:

Remembrance Day Events

With the new Lockdown rules, the village can now only Continue reading “Remembrance & Old Church Update”

November 2, 2020

Lockdown Strikes – No Cakes!

One of 2020 Xmas Cards - features Old Church Organ - but no cakes

Lockdown Strikes – No Cakes!

Last week’s news roundup spoke of fundraising ideas from the Friends of St Mary’s Old Church but there will now be no cakes. Unfortunately, Lockdown restrictions have made it very difficult to organise the sale of cakes, Cards & books on Saturday as had been planned. There is a slim chance that they may be able to rearrange for December but this is likely to be too late for Xmas post.

Gift Idea?

Continue reading “Lockdown Strikes – No Cakes!”

October 30, 2020November 6, 2020

Cakes, History, Remembrance & Fitness

Cakes, History, Remembrance, Fitness & St Mary’s Update – Updated for Lockdown

This news update covers several topics, starting with Cakes, History & Xmas, then covering:

Remembrance Day 2020, how it will be different;
News about an Essex scheme to improve our fitness & health with a side-dish of helping us resist COVID;
St Mary’s regular news update covering:
- Operation Shoebox,
- New Church Wardens,
- Zoom Home Groups,
- Remembrance Sunday,
- Prayer & Light Relief, as well as services & contacts.

First let’s find out what Cakes, History & Xmas have in common:

Cards, Cakes, History & Xmas – what’s not to like?

Continue reading “Cakes, History, Remembrance & Fitness”

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

Lockdown Edition of Village Bulletin now Online

Cover of Lockdown Edition Village Bulletin

Lockdown Edition of Village Bulletin now Online

The Lockdown Edition of the Village Bulletin joins pretty much every other Bulletin and Newsletter issued since June 2006. You can view them all on our website on the Bulletin Page. Highlights of this edition include articles about:

Volunteers,
Open Gardens,
Co-op Dancers,
‘The Bears’,
Lockdown Wildlife,
Guiding, Brownies & Concert Band by Zoom,
Allotments,
Cakes,
A rather large Echium.

Previous Editions

A ‘trawl’ through the archive reveals stories about: Continue reading “Lockdown Edition of Village Bulletin now Online”

September 6, 2020September 6, 2020

The Taylor Maids – History by Zoom

The Taylor Maids

The “Taylor Maids” referred to are, of course, Ann & Jane Taylor, authors of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. They lived in West Stockwell Street in the 1800’s and Peter Jones of the Local History Group will be talking about them at their next meeting.

Zoom In & Enjoy

Because of the continued uncertainty about COVID-19, this meeting will not take place in the Orpen Hall but will, instead, take place on Zoom. Continue reading “The Taylor Maids – History by Zoom”

August 6, 2020December 29, 2020

Old Church Redecoration Ends at Last

Old Church Redecoration Ends at Last – Now Open Daily

Having resumed work at the end of lockdown on 26th May, Bakers of Danbury are now completing the interior redecoration of the Old Church. The Friends of St Mary’s are looking forward to seeing more visitors to the restored interior.

The Friends have given the church a good clean, and Continue reading “Old Church Redecoration Ends at Last”

July 28, 2020October 5, 2020

Lexden Road Pond To Get a Facelift

Lexden Road Pond Needs a Facelift

Parish Councillors are developing an environment action plan using their professional skills and capabilities. This will help develop the village environmental care and management over the years ahead. As implemented it will run in parallel with regular and planned maintenance activities.

The Queens Head, Lexden and Hall Road ponds all need appropriate management if they are to remain havens for wildlife and attractive features of our village. The Queen’s Head pond had significant work completed two years ago; it included dredging and clearance of the banks. More recently the council replaced the railings which were approaching end of life. Continue reading “Lexden Road Pond To Get a Facelift”

May 18, 2020November 21, 2020

Day 56 of (is it?) Lockdown – the Mental Health edition

Day 56 of (is it?) Lockdown

If you’re feeling mentally frayed these days, day 56 sees the start of Mental Health Awareness Week. We start with that and then address:

Daily Poetry,
Essex Country Parks will soon be reopening,
A new ‘socially distanced’ Archaeological dig for a Roman Road,
Essex Schools update on reopening, and finally
A rewriting of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Mental Health Awareness Week

The theme this year is all about “Kindness Matters”, something we are already seeing a lot of during the COVID-19 crisis. Continue reading “Day 56 of (is it?) Lockdown – the Mental Health edition”

March 6, 2020August 17, 2020

Blame the Plantagenets for delays reopening Old Church

Blame the Plantagenets

If the Old Church mediaeval paintings are, as believed, around 700 years old, then we can blame the Plantagenets for its delayed reopening. Apparently, deciding how best to preserve them has become a bit of a headache which is delaying the internal redecoration. Accordingly, the Friends of St Mary’s have revised their event plans for 2020 as follows: Continue reading “Blame the Plantagenets for delays reopening Old Church”