Pleshey parish news - 2015 - 06

PLESHEY PARISH NEWS June 2015

40p where sold

Vicar: Revd. Sheila Coughtrey 237 576 or 237 251 Churchwardens: Liz Eccles-Williams 237 237 Richard Clarke 231 559 Messy Church: Lynne Zwink 231 256 Bell Tower Captains: Paul Reekie and Toby Carpenter

Services at Holy Trinity Church, June 2015 Sunday 7 June 8 am.

Holy Communion (1662) 10 am.

Family Communion

First Sunday after Trinity

Sunday 14 June 10 am.

Sung Eucharist

Second Sunday after Trinity

Sunday 21June 10 am.

Sung Eucharist (Traditional)

Sunday 28 June 10 am.

Sung Eucharist

Third Sunday after Trinity

Fourth Sunday after Trinity

Do you need a prayer?

Each week we pray for local, national and worldwide events, and for other needs. If you would like a special prayer for someone you know, yourself or special events, please contact the Vicar or a Churchwarden.

June Birthdays Birthday wishes to all the June babies‌..‌.

1st 3rd 4th 7th 9th 11th 14th

16th

Jo Pearson Caroline Lewis Sharon Cooper Sally Harris Mary North Fred Manning Teddy Pearson

18th 20th 24th 26th

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Louise Bentley Philip Oates Rita Wilks Catherine Clements Caroline Mandell Sophie Lewis Sue Morris

PLESHEY PARISH NEWS Editor and Essex Chronicle Local Correspondent: Mary Horsnell, “Skylarks� (the bungalow behind the Church), Bury Road, Pleshey, CM3 1HB. tel: 237 283 Sub-Editor: Daniel Kenning, 8 Woolmers Mead, tel. 237 446 e-mail: kenning@pleshey.net Treasurer and subscriptions: Ian Jarrett, 14 Woolmers Mead, CM3 1HH. tel. 237 432 Deadline! All copy must be delivered to the Editor or Sub-Editor no later than the 17th of the month prior to publication.

Pleshey Parish News ensures that as far as possible information in the magazine is correct. Nothing anonymous is published. We cannot accept responsibility for material from third parties, nor do we endorse any advertised product or service.

Back issues may be obtained from the Church or from the Editor.

Brought to you by our steadfast distribution team: Debbie Grant, Mary Horsnell, Peter Horsnell, Anne Manning, Linda Murrell, Robin North, Pat Reekie, Jean Sorrell, Ian Tubby, Lynne Zwink.

Cover: John Bloomer, with the Pleshey facsimile of Magna Carta, in Pleshey Castle during the Magna Carta celebration weekend.

(Essex Chronicle) From the archive: Harold Aitken, Custodian of Pleshey Castle, in front of the bridge in 1977.

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A Thought from the Vicar I meet many people for the first time when they come to ask about having a baptism or wedding in this church because of family links. Their parents or grandparents were married here, or they used to attend services here, or they lived in Pleshey many years before.

They can't really explain why the church has such a pull on them, but I've learned just to respect that rather than urge people to try to pin down their reasons more exactly. Sometimes people come back to this church because they were married here 40 or 50 years before, just to remember.

And then when they come into church memories from years ago get stirred up. They wander around quietly, lost in the past, looking and remembering. I find it humbling to think how long this church has been here (the foundations and the arches date from the collegiate church of the late 14th century so about 600 years!). There's a feeling of being connected with the past, our own past or others', of being connected with something unchanging - and with someone unchanging too.

So when they come for their child's christening or for a wedding in this church they are taking their place in a vast line of people stretching way back into history, who also came here for the same reason. And, in a way they can perhaps only dimly sense, they are connecting with a God "who is the same yesterday, today and forever".

All good wishes Sheila Ride with us and support the High Easter ‘ALWAYS HOPE’ 25 miles Charity Bike Ride - Sunday 14th June 2015, 10.00am Starts and finishes at High Easter Village Hall; tea and cake to 2.30pm.

The Chequers, Matching Green, will open at 11.00am for refreshments!

Entry Fee £10 - Cheques made payable to ‘Always Hope’ All money to ‘Always Hope’ Charity supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital Renal Department www.gosh.org please contact michellereardon@btinternet.com to take part

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Didn't we have a loverly time‌.

The day we went to ‌.. Pleshey! Luckily we chose the Sunday on the Magna Carta weekend and the sun shone on Pleshey Mount. There was a good crowd of people, which made the atmosphere cheerful. The aroma of the pig roast was tantalising and the knights in battle put on a good show whilst the jester entertained in convincing medieval style. Jousting, falconry, crafts and exhibitions, taking a turn in the stocks for those who were brave enough to take a wet sponge in the face. Many children were playing out their own battles with wooden swords and shields or bows and arrows. There was an interesting mix of ancient and modern stalls, including a coffee stand from Shenfield Station and it was obvious a lot of work had been done by the organisers. For me if was seeing lots of friends and familiar faces. It seemed that people had a good time and went away with something, if not a bracelet, trinket, or home made cake, then a memory of a good day out. See you in another 800 years!

Lynne Ward-Booth

Pleshey Celebrates Magna Carta!

Given that I have lived most of my life within 10 kilometres of Pleshey and spent 25 years in the village itself, it is probably no surprise that when I return, I feel that I am coming home. Thus it was on the weekend of the 9th and 10th of May when I came back to see the Pleshey Magna Carta celebrations. For those of us who go back that far, one might recall the Pleshey 600 event of 1994, organised then in no small part by Daniel Kenning, who now does sterling service in the production of this magazine. This time round the organisation and delivery of the event was undertaken by another small team of dedicated parishioners and what a splendid result they pulled off! Although the weather was less than accommodating on the Saturday, the Sunday was sunny and warm and a good time was clearly had by all. From medieval battle re-enactment to re-creations of everyday medieval life, plus stalls selling all manner of wares, there was something for everybody and, as I understand, a plenitude of visitors and a plethora of groats in the strongbox at the end of the day. Well done Pleshey, you can still do it!

Mike Cuddeford 5

Jenny’s Jottings The other day we went on a “mystery tour and Carvery Lunch”, with the weather now improved, it proved to be a lovely day.

We stopped for coffee in Dedham at “The Old English Rose Tea Rooms”, a very old building dating back to the 1500s. We discovered we knew at least six people from our past—it is good to meet again and catch up on the news. A day in the country, a tale to be told, Memories to cherish, when we arrive home.

After coffee we started to travel into the lovely Suffolk countryside, gradually leaving the built up areas into “the back of beyond”, where there was only lovely fields and a few “Walter Gabriel type” farmsteads dotted about, then we came into Norfolk.

We passed The Pulhams (Market and St Marys), who had proud history particularly for their Royal Navy connections during WW1. Under great secrecy in 1912 a large air station was constructed for operating airships.

The airships were locally given the nickname Pulham Flying Pigs, after someone asked an old Suffolk Countryman what he thought of the airships. His reply in a Suffolk accent “they be like great ol Sows”.

We were all puzzled where we were going for Lunch, we were going deeper into the sticks. We came to a pretty little village called Wacton.

With some lovely cottages and a stream running along the roadside. Then we stopped outside the village hall, the doors opened and two familiar people came to greet us; Michael and Jan Smail. We had a lovely afternoon, superb food as usual. There was a good selection of their puds, you wished you could taste them all… but that's not ladylike is it?

Life is full of small surprises and delightful moments—treasure each and every one.

At the beginning of May the cyclist Alex Dowsett, possibly related to one the oldest families in Pleshey who lived at Lodge Farm and the Leather Bottle, set a new One Hour Cycle record, with a distance of 52.937 km.

Alex races as a professional despite having Haemophilia, to inspire others with the condition to try something like him. Well done Alex!

We shall all have memories of the Magna Carta weekend. I enjoyed t he music. In a small village in the 13th century such as this one it must have been brilliant. I could imagine all the different instruments and trying different tunes. Thank you for all the hard work putting it together!

Jenny 6

Our Community at May’s Messy Church We celebrated our community and the signs of God’s work here in his creation and in the people. We made Catapulting Christians wondering how Christianity spread from country to country without the use of mobile phones, the internet and Messy Church! We created Foam Mosaic Trees remembering Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed which grows into a huge tree providing shelter and fruitfulness for the birds. We sculpted Pleshey Castle from cotton wool, water and glue; and made an edible Pleshey wooden castle from chocolate cake, green icing and chocolate finger biscuits. We made Geoffrey de Mandeville Hangers from clay and Geoffrey Swords to go with our costumes for Pleshey’s Medieval Weekend!

Last but not least, we made soda bread in celebration of the crops grown all around our village. Examples of everything we created are on display in Holy Trinity except, of course, the soda bread which we ate with our sausage special supper and the wooden chocolate Pleshey Castle which was quickly gobbled up for dessert!

Next Messy Church Wednesday 3rd June 4-6pm in the Village Hall Lynne

Happy pix from Ron Nash, our resident photographer

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A Stag Pays a Visit This stag, like the one on our village sign on the front cover, visited Woolmers Mead on 30th March.

We understand he’d been chased by a dog, and he had some wounds on his face. After the dog was taken away he got a chance to relax a bit and we believe he was OK afterwards despite a lot of interested people peering at him from a distance.

Eventually the stag escaped from his big adventure, trotted back across the field and disappeared into the woods.

Daniel Photo—Lizy Morris

Pleshey Ladies Pleshey Ladies met on 1 May for a meal and catch up at the Leather Bottle. Everyone enjoyed themselves and it was nice to catch up with Doreen and hear about her new house.

Our next meeting is yet to be decided but may be a trip to Ulting Wick Gardens, weather permitting.

Pleshey Ladies will also be hosting, along with Pleshey Circle, the Liberteas on 14 June, so lets get baking ladies. Any offers of cakes will be extremely welcome.

Wendy Driscoll

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Pleshey Circle The Pleshey Circle AGM was held in May with the re-election of officers as follows - Jane Smith, Chairperson, Sue Stevenson, Secretary and Jessica Sumpton, Treasurer. All committee members were happy to continue for another year and we are pleased to welcome Sylvia Eve to the committee.

The Treasurer’s report was shared with the members, informing them of our incomes and expenditure and it was pleasing to note that we can start the year in the black.

The Chairperson’s report reminded us of our members who had not been well, experienced hospital stays and the very sad loss recently of Pat Bruce. We also remembered the times we had enjoyed some very interesting speakers and visits over the year, the ladies from Remus Horse Sanctuary, Essex Wildlife Association and Richard from Essex Beekeepers, the mystery tour to Norfolk, getting together for pub lunches, afternoon tea and a garden visit at the Retreat House. The Chairperson offered the committee’s thanks to all those who work hard to make the meetings a success.

We now look forward to a new Circle year and more enjoyable afternoons spent together Meeting concluded with the raffle which was won by Sue Stevenson and Eileen Terry Jane Smith

If you are 55 years or over, and you would like to come along and see what the Pleshey Circle get up to, please ring either: Jane – 01245 353223 Sue - 07860120585

or Jessica – 01245 230000 Or have a chat with Ron Nash, Carol Sugg or Eileen Terry.

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Farming around Pleshey Farming around Pleshey

Rainfall for April: 24mm another dry month.

We are still getting cold nights often with slight frosts which is keeping growth in check. The benefits of these cooler conditions are that the hedgerows are in bloom for longer as are the flowering periods for the trees and shrubs in the gardens. The roadside verges have also recovered from the muddiness caused by being run on by vehicles over the winter and now look lush and green rather than brown.

Fieldwork has progressed well with fungicidal sprays applied in good time and we managed to avoid the windier days. Some fields of spring sown oats have had herbicide applied to them to take out broadleaved weeds where necessary. Otherwise nothing alarming is happening in the fields at the moment. However the commodity markets are proving to be extremely alarming with prices across the board all falling back to figures not seen since 2008/9. It appears that globally there is plenty of food in store with harvest predicted to be equally good all around the world.

Hopefully these marketing experts will have a change of heart soon as at these levels with current costs of production it could prove to be a disastrous harvest for farmers.

Moving on to something much more exciting ! The bees are in fine shape and I have now got all my hives colonised thanks to a large swarm in the garden three weeks ago. The swarm was easily introduced to their hive with the Queen leading them in and everyone following her pheromones into the hive. Having successfully managed that I thought I would go through the other hives whilst I had my bee suit on. What I didn’t realise was that I had split my hood on a thorn while getting the swarm out of the hedge so that the buzzing noise was a little closer and nosier than normal. A swarming colony of bees is usually very content and placid so my little visitor must have come from the swarm as she didn’t attack me.

All she wanted to do was get back to her mates. I released her and mended my hood with bee proof adhesive tape and returned to the hives to replace the hive floors with clean ones. The first hive had a mass of propolis (bees wax) and bees on the crown board( the roof of the hive) so I knocked them off on to the grass and got on with rest of the hives.

After a while I noticed that the bees I had knocked on to the grass had 10

formed a little ball. Panic. Had I stupidly knocked off the Queen on to the grass ? Delicately, on my hands and knees, I separated them and found her, lost her and finally found and captured her and returned her to the hive. Lesson learnt. Never shake bees onto the ground as the Queen could be amongst them. Usually queens are very secretive and found only in the depths of the hive, not on the roof !. What an exciting time I had with my bees that day. Hopefully I will be rewarded with some delicious honey sometime soon.

Clive Matthews

IAN SHAW PLAYS PLESHEY CHURCH - FRIDAY 5TH JUNE

The Pleshey Church Building Trust are pleased to present Ian Shaw here in Pleshey Church on the evening of Friday 5th June.

"One of the contemporary scene’s class acts" The Guardian Twice named ‘Best Jazz Vocalist’ at the BBC Jazz Awards Tickets are priced at £17.50 and include a complimentary glass of wine and canapés. Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start.

Please come and join us to enjoy a great evening of entertainment in our village. Given Ian Shaw’s reputation, tickets will sell fast, so please contact one of the Trustees below to secure yours.

John Bloomer, Yew Tree Barn - 01245 231196, or Pam Bloomer, Richard Clarke, Simon Eccles-Williams, Paul Reekie, or Roger Zwink

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Pleshey Celebrates

Pleshey’s Medieval Weekend Enormous thanks to everyone who helped to make our Medieval Weekend such a success. There were so many of you who did so many things from offering land for overflow car parks, putting up tents, making posts and signs, loaning fridges and poles, mowing fields, carving hog roasts, manning stalls, litter picking and even taking a turn at replenishing the loo rolls! Plenty of opportunities to learn new skills if you live in Pleshey! You just need bags of enthusiasm and Pleshey village has that in tons!!! Thanks too to everyone who kept the Street and Back Lane free from parked cars so that our visitors used the car park. Didn’t Pleshey look pretty especially in the sunshine on Sunday?

All your help was needed and we quite simply couldn’t have done it without every one of you. The weekend was truly a village event and well done to everyone involved. Thousands came and everyone had a thoroughly good time! We hope you did too. Well done Pleshey!

Sunday 14th June 2.30-5.30pm Pleshey’s LiberTeas in Holy Trinity Churchyard Lets hear it for Geoffrey, Magna Carta, freedom, liberty and democracy!

Come along and celebrate the 800th anniversary with tea and homemade cakes, medieval games, ringing of the church bells at 3pm and possibly lighting of the beacon at sunset.

Monday 15th June Magna Carta Commemoration at Runnymede I n the presence of HM The Queen.

Invited guests will include dignitaries from around the world and representing Pleshey will be Kate Holland, Joan Clarke, Liz EcclesWilliams and Jane Jee. Monday 22nd June at 12.30pm Baron Towns Bike Ride – 800 years in 800 miles Come and welcome Lance Allan, Town Clerk of Trowbridge, home of Baron de Bohun, as he arrives in Pleshey on day 3 of his “800 miles in 8 days” bike ride to all the Rebel Baron towns and villages in England.

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Pleshey Represented at Mansion House The Lord Mayor of London invited the Pleshey Magna Carta team to a reception at the Mansion House on 12th May, along with representatives from all the towns and villages where the 25 Magna Carta barons had their chief manors. The event marked the anniversary of the entry into London of the Baronial army before the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede.

Representing Geoffrey de Mandeville of Pleshey Castle, and celebrating the recent success of our Medieval Weekend, were members of Pleshey’s Magna Carta organising committee; Jane Jee, Joan Clarke, Alison Jeffs, Gill Howeson, Steph Green, Rye and Thelma Mills, Kate Holland, Liz Eccles Williams and Lynne Zwink (not in the photo).

Pleshey’s Mayoral Chain The Magna Carta team were joined at Mansion House by Daniel Kenning, (right of photo), Pleshey’s “Mayor for the Day”, who wore the Pleshey mayoral chain made by Harold Clements of Pleshey Forge. It was made in 1994 for the Pleshey 600 Medieval Festival, when it was presented to Tony Hellier as “Mayor for the Day”. The chain was given to Daniel by Helen Hellier when Tony died, and it will be worn again for Pleshey, and in Royal company, at the national Magna Carta ceremony at Runnymede Meadows on 15 June 2015.

Lost Property Found at Pleshey Castle at the end of the Medieval Weekend: a pair of Foster Grant reading glasses, a mobile zipped phone case and one child’s black glove.

Are they yours? Please claim from Lynne on 231256.

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Applepips Nursery School are hoping to open a new nursery in High Easter in September 2015!

To find out more about us and register your child please call into the High Easter Village Hall On Monday 8th June 2015 From 3.30pm – 7.00pm …

Or you can contact us for information on 01245 362455 / 237483 info@applepipsnurseryschool.co.uk

Essex County Council Since London 2012, Essex County Council, with Active Essex, have been developing Hadleigh Park into a world class sporting venue around its Olympic mountain-bike courses. It opened on 29th April and incorporates bike trails, car park, café, bike shop and an outdoor play area.

A must for the burgeoning numbers of off road cyclists of all standards.

Beginners and advanced cyclists can take advantage of free “Bikeability” tuition, which is being facilitated by Braintree District Council and Essex County Council at Great Notley Country Park every Saturday morning, starting at 9.30am. These “Bikeability” sessions are government approved and overseen by the Department for Transport and are open to all especially those who may have rediscovered their enthusiasm for cycling.

Please let me know of any problems concerning the County Council on 01245 421524 or email cllr.john.aldridge@essex.gov.uk John Aldridge CC 14

Hundred Parishes Society Whilst our lovely, historic area is a joy to explore at any time of the year, the summer months offer extra opportunities to enjoy our heritage and culture.

Several of our fine buildings and gardens will be open on specific days. Within the What’s On page of our website www.hundredparishes.org.uk you will find dates when you could, for example, enjoy a guided tour of 16th-century Spains Hall in Finchingfield or 14th-century Old Sun Inn in Saffron Walden. Visiting is by prior appointment – details on the website. These buildings are listed as Grade I for their special architectural or historic importance. There are less than a hundred Grade I listings in the whole of the Hundred Parishes. The majority are churches.

What’s On also gives details of open gardens, including Arkesden, Clavering, Duxford, Helions Bumpstead, Little Easton, Stebbing, Thundridge or Wendens Ambo. Others will be added in due course.

June will see more local events celebrating the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. Several local churches will participate in the national peal of bells on the afternoon of Magna Carta Day, June 14, whilst Stansted Mountfitchet will unveil a tapestry that has been worked by volunteers to commemorate the anniversary.

Thaxted will be the centre of varied cultural activities through the summer. Visiting teams of Morris dancers will be performing there during the annual Morris Weekend on the last weekend of May and the Thaxted Music Festival runs from mid-June to mid-July. Our website lists other music events, including concerts at Saffron Hall in Saffron Walden.

Before you set off to one of these special events, please review our short introduction for that parish – it will give some historic context and we hope will increase your knowledge and enjoyment.

Ken McDonald Secretary

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Leather Bottle events May Taster Evening With Laurence Phillip Wines

30th May

June Taster Evening

27th June

8th July 8:15pm

Thaxted Morris Men with Chelmsford Morris

we are THINKING of hosting a Safari Night on a Monday and a Pie, Mash & Liqueur Night on a Tuesday (perhaps accompanied by a Leather Bottle Quiz Night) in a couple of weeks time!

Please phone 237 291 or call in to talk to Sharon for more details.

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Evening/ weekend and home visits available.

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Local Information Vicar: The Rev. Sheila Coughtrey:

Tel: 01245 237 576

Parish Council: Clerk: Mr. C. Robertshaw: email:

Tel: 01245 362 182 plesheypc@gmail.com

Village Hall: Phone Annette for bookings:

Tel: 01245 237 530

Tennis Courts: Phone Katherine for bookings:

Tel: 01245 231 515

Lt. Waltham Surgery: Broomfield Hospital: NHS non-emergency and out of hours help:

Tel: 01245 360 253 Tel: 01245 362 000 Tel: 111

Community Agent (Rural Community Council for Essex): Sally Austin, 07540 720602 , Freephone: 0800 9775858, sally.austin@vaessex.org.uk Police non-emergency number: Tel: 101 Neighbourhood Policing Team: Tel: 07817 454 525 Essex Watch Liaison Officer : Tel: 07970 599923 Mobile Library: at the bus stop by Woolmers Mead.

11:15 - 11:30: Thursday 4th and 18th Jume Bus Times: Service 52, by Regal Busways, Departs Pleshey, Woolmers Mead: Weekdays 07:51 09:00 13:00 16:20

Tel: 01245 249001 Saturdays

09:40

14:00

Saturdays

13:22

17:04

Departs Chelmsford, Bus Station (bay 9): Weekdays 12:17 15:42 17:12

Recycling Collections:

Please put materials out for collection by 7:00 am. If you can’t remember what goes where, look here: http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/recycling

Thur 4th Jun

Black + brown bins, food waste, paper + plastics sacks

Thur 11th Jun

Black bin, food waste, green box, card sack

Thur 18th Jun

Black + brown bins, food waste, paper + plastics sacks

Thur 25th Jun

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