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Day 23 of Lockdown – Don’t Go Down To The Woods

Bluebells at Hillhouse Wood
Hillhouse Wood is renowned for its bluebell display every spring

Day 23 of Lockdown

Day 23 and the sun continued to shine down on us.  Wonderful with a bit of a but.  Each year our popular Hillhouse Wood becomes an attraction as the spring flowers create carpets of colour.  The paths, though, are rather narrow and social distancing will become a problem if the same numbers come along this year.

If you are not a  local resident can you please put off your visit until next year when, all being well, there will be no lockdown.  In other news:

Mediaeval PaintingOld Church Refurbishment

The last update on this project left us with the conservators planning how to deal with the Mediaeval Paintings discovered during refurbishment works.  Well, the plan now is to complete the refurbishment of the interior walls but leaving the paintings Continue reading “Day 23 of Lockdown – Don’t Go Down To The Woods”

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Day 10 of Lockdown – The Police Edition

If the Last Supper was taking place this year

Day 10 of Lockdown

Our day 10 report starts with an update on NEEB’s appeal.  After that, we put together two reports found online yesterday.  Essex Police had noted there had been an uptick in cars on roads and Essex County Council (coincidentally?) gave advice on how to avoid car use.

On the subject of Essex Police, they paid a surprise visit to the allotments yesterday.   The last item is The Police offering advice about social distancing in a musical form.  🙂

Before we move on, a gentle reminder about NO BONFIRES please to protect kids with asthma; recycling collections will resume eventually so please hold your Green waste until then or use the CSH service for recyclables.  So, on to the NEEB update:

Planning Inspectorate Update

It seems that the Planning Inspectorates enquiry into the NEEB Holdings application has Continue reading “Day 10 of Lockdown – The Police Edition”

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Day 2 of Lockdown – Recycling Edition

Day 2 - focus on social distancingDay 2 of Lockdown

So Day 2 of the COVID-19 lockdown and hopefully everybody is getting into the swing of things.  It helps that the skies are blue especially if you are able to get outside for your daily exercise.  Odd not to see vapour trails in the sky but that is probably good for the environment.  So, on to news updates:

Continue reading “Day 2 of Lockdown – Recycling Edition”

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Day 1 of (Soft) Lockdown

Day 1 - Play Equipment ClosedDay 1 of (Soft) Lockdown

As you might imagine, as we sit here in our homes on Day 1 of a relatively soft lockdown, advice and news keep flowing.  This update summarises some of the most relevant:

  • Allotments remain open to plot-holders who can access them ‘for exercise purposes’ once a day.   Observe social distancing!
  • CBC has suspended Garden Waste collections, read more below.
  • Bonfire Warning, read below.
  • Parks closed and use of play equipment not permitted by Government Order.
  • Halls are also closed unless:
    • they are being used to host pre-schools being kept open for key workers, or
    • designated as emergency centres.
  • Charity Commission & Government advice on charity employees.
  • If you are an older person, living alone, and generally feeling the need for support then The Silverline is a useful resource.  The Silverline also offers advice on protecting yourself from COVID-19 and is open 24 x 7.
  • It has been agreed nationally that all VE Day celebration due to be held in May are to be postponed.  It is possible they will be held in August near VJ Day.
  • Concerts by Resonate Choir and Comrie Singers scheduled for Old Church in June are now highly unlikely to happen.

Continue reading “Day 1 of (Soft) Lockdown”

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Allotments Spring Update – COVID-19

Allotments Spring Update

The following Spring Update has been issued by the Allotments Committee:

Hello Plot holders

Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus, we have had to make some important changes to the way we are running the allotments from now.  These changes we feel are important in safeguarding the well being of our plot holders and local residents during these difficult times.

Therefore, effective immediately the following Continue reading “Allotments Spring Update – COVID-19”

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Blame the Plantagenets for delays reopening Old Church

Woodturning

Mediaeval wall painting of a lady's head from Plantagenets eraBlame 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”

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Winter Bird Walk 2020 – will you see a Waxwing?

Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwings migrate from the boreal forests of continental Europe to spend their winters with us in search of rowan and other berries.

Winter Bird Walk 2020

The first guided walk of the year at Hillhouse Wood takes place on Saturday 29th February when Steve Hallam leads the Winter Bird Walk 2020.  Walkers should meet at the Old Church at 10 am (weather permitting), wearing

Continue reading “Winter Bird Walk 2020 – will you see a Waxwing?”

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Downton Abbey – We’ve Been Expecting You

Downton Abbey

West Bergholt Film Club Movie Night

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey, the latest Film Club event on 29th February, picks up in 1927, about 18 months after the TV series ended.  It starts with news of a Royal visit but complications set in with some family issues and a stranger in the village.  The film retains most of the original cast including stars  Michelle Dockery, Matthew Goode & Dame Maggie Smith.  Enjoy the trailer & synopsis of the show below as well as some trivia.  Skip the synopsis if you don’t want to know too much of what happens.

[Source: IMDB]

Taking place in the Orpen Hall, doors will open at 7 pm for showtime at 7:30 pm. Refreshments will be available.

Rating & Tickets

The film is rated PG because of ‘mild’ examples of sex/nudity and drinking.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Tickets are £5 Adults and £3 Children, they are  available in advance from

Continue reading “Downton Abbey – We’ve Been Expecting You”

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Mediaeval Wall Paintings Uncovered – Old Church

Mediaeval Wall Paintings Uncovered

Mediaeval wall painting of a lady's head
The Lady’s Head

The Churches Conservation Trust has made great progress on internal redecoration work at the Old Church.  Mrs Yvonne Henderson’s legacy provided much of the funding for this work. Workers discovered fragments of 3 mediaeval wall paintings; they called in official conservators to assess the paintings which delayed work.

Work has now resumed and this will leave a lady’s head visible (see right) Continue reading “Mediaeval Wall Paintings Uncovered – Old Church”