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Past Events - 2009
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Dec 16th - Successful trail 'drowning'
Dec 1st - 6th - St Thomas’s Church Christmas Tree Festival
September 20 - Rose Cottage Autumn Open Day
September 17 - Deanery Party
July 11 2009 - Garden Opening
June 20 2009 - Music for the Meadows
June 3 2009 - 18th AGM
May 31 2009 - Festival Walk
May 9 2009 - Family Environment Day at Rose Cottage
March 14 2009 - Open Day Walk
March 6 2009 - Talk on The Harnham Water Meadows in a Wider Landscape by Tim Tatton-Brown
Dec 16th - Successful trail 'drowning'
On December 16th Hadrian Cook and John Beckett successfully did a trial ‘drowning’ of Lower Seven Acres.
Dec 1st - 6th - St Thomas’s Church Christmas Tree Festival
Over 100 Christmas Trees were on display in St Thomas’s from December 1st-6th. Amongst them was our’s – a proper tree this time, decorated with small woolly sheep and larger reproductions of Shaun the Sheep, as well as green and blue ribbons and Bird cutouts. We are very grateful to Pat Hellewell and her grandchildren for doing this for us. |
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September 20 - Rose Cottage Autumn Open Day
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There was something special for everyone to see on the Open Day – this was our beautiful new bird bath, safely installed just a few days before. It was donated to us by Charles Villiers, in memory of his wife Clare, and sculpted by John de Pauley, who lives and works in Bridport.
The bird bath is made of Portland Stone, and bears the inscription ‘Sit Avibus Usui’ translated as ‘Let it be for the benefit of the birds’.
It already looks well settled into place, and is much admired by all. We are immensely grateful to Charles for such a generous gift. |
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September 17 - Deanery Party
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Thanks to the great generosity of the Dean – our Patron – and her husband and family, 80 or so of us had a wonderful evening spreading all over the ground floor of the Deanery, and even out into the garden as it was fine.
David Allen produced a selection of fine wines for people to sample and drink – for which we thank him immensely. And the food was superb and very unusual; |
all home-made by the Friends’ Committee and the Dean’s housekeeper, Emma, who was a tower of strength. I am extremely proud of my Committee for turning to in such a wonderful way and for all their help in acting as waitresses, barmen and raffle ticket sellers.
Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves (judging by the noise level anyway!) and we had a very successful raffle and also sold our publications. As a result we made £569 – a great result.
J. Bowen
July 11 2009 - Garden Opening
On a grey mizzly Saturday (July 11th) we had a very happy day in Myles Place garden. We are extremely grateful to John and Anne Kelly, who not only allowed us into the garden but were kindness itself, and helped us so much.
The garden is lovely, and everyone remarked on its peace and tranquility, particularly sitting looking over the river to the Water Meadows - with Leroy appearing occasionally and a kingfisher dashing between the reeds. It was a lovely atmosphere, in spite of the damp - and hot drinks, cake and ploughmans lunches flowed effortlesly (it seemed) through the window from the kitchen. |
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About 150 people came, and we made a profit of £560 which is really great.
I would like to say thank you to all the helpers, and particularly, of course, to the Kellys - and their charming daughters.
Jennifer Bowen
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June 20 2009 - Music for the Meadows
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On Saturday, June 20 a large and enthusiastic audience were entertained in St Martin’s Church by about 40 children of the Salisbury Cathedral Junior Choir, under their inspirational director, Ian Wicks, and some 25 older pupils of the Cathedral School who form ‘Jazzbytes’, under their equally inspirational conductor, Dave Andrews.
The evening was enormous fun, with a friendly, involved audience who created a wonderful atmosphere - and they were treated to a level of music making no-one would have thought possible in view of the youthful age of the participants - some of their solo brass playing was utterly amazing. |
In view of what the concert was in aid of (us!), Ian Wicks chose songs relating to the environment and our concerns over what is happening to the world, while Dave Andrews had us ‘golden oldies’ getting very nostalgic (remember Bill Haley & The Comets?) and all of us clapping and tapping along. The final song from the Junior Choir was The Lord’s Prayer from David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus, and we were privileged to have the composer and his wife present.
We are incredibly grateful to Ian Wicks, the choir’s accompanist, Stephen Moore, and to Dave Andrews, - not to mention all the participants. Also to Sarah Flanaghan and Barry Makin for all their organisational help.
Thanks to the generosity of everyone present, we made a profit of £920 - which will certainly help substantially to ‘Save a Meadow’.
This was undoubtedly one of the most successful of all our fund raising efforts - and one that will long linger in the memory.
Jennifer Bowen
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June 3 2009 - 18th AGM - click here for downloadable pdf
May 31 2009 - Festival Walk
May 9 2009 - Family Environment Day at Rose Cottage
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This was the fifth year that this event has been held and it attracted a large number of visitors although not quite as many children as previously. Blessed again by sunny, if breezy weather, the exhibitors made a colourful show on the now extensive lawns which undoubtedly attracted several tourists to come in and see what was going on.
The new lady leader of the Living River Project in her waders was kept very busy river dipping and found an |
amazing assortment of minibeasts to show the enthusiastic group of children gathered on the bank. An innovation for this year was Jessica from Salisbury Library who held ‘story time’ for young listeners under the birch tree. Also new was Britford Farm Shop who brought an attractive selection of of their wares. The plant stall did well, as did the raffle and the monies from refreshments and entrance all helped to contribute to the funds. About twenty people enjoyed a walk on the meadows themselves, which was greatly enhanced by the new gates and bridges which give much better access from Rose Cottage garden to the main sluice, and other points of special interest.
Thanks go to all who helped to make the afternoon such a success and if you missed it this time please be sure to be there next year on Saturday 8 May 2010.
Rosemary Allen
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March 14 2009 - Open Day Walk
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March 06 2009 - Talk on The Harnham Water Meadows in a Wider Landscape by Tim Tatton-Brown
The end of winter was celebrated by an intriguing account of the landscape around the water meadows, illustrated by detailed and panoramic views of the boundaries and ownership of the meadows and the new Turnpike roads. The significance of the geology of the area with its alluvial land, valleys, downs and gravel, was explained. The scholarship and hard work in unravelling all of this from limited evidence given the destruction within living memory is daunting. It was a privilege to listen to this vivid presentation.
The development of the water meadows took place between the 17th and 19th centuries and in the earlier part of the 20th century. By the 1880s there was a slow decline described in the publications. |
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The ownership boundaries can still be discerned, indicated by old hedges or solitary trees. The concrete bridges are 19th century, brick work is earlier. The Town Path is a raised causeway of the 18th century, and provided an important route for carts and walkers alike. The two mills, Fisherton and Harnham stood on higher land and worked in tandem. Our recent weather has demonstrated the bleak uplands where snow remains longer with poorer quality grass and the importance of the earlier crop provided by the watering system of the meadows. The wealthy landowners, the Earls of Radnor and Pembroke, controlled and owned most of the water meadows. The latter owned the Manor of Harnham. There were other owners, individuals and estates such as De Vaux College, St. Nicholas Hospital and Parsonage Farm, (a 12th century Cathedral prebendary of Coombe Bissett and Harnham was the original owner). The new town of Salisbury on the Bishop’s land was surrounded by large estates. Cranborne, Grovelly and Britford were royal foundations. Britford is of particular interest possessing high quality mid-Anglo Saxon church sculpture indicating a royal manor. The gravel beds under the Cathedral were ideal foundations which have ensured its survival.
Until the early 20th century there was little change in West Harnham parish, from 1787, with minimal house building. Walking around this area and across the meadows to Bemerton, and up to the chalk pit in the other direction reveals surviving old
landmarks. It is even possible to pick out ancient chalk pits, and abandoned crofts and fields dating from the Black Death and subsequent depopulation. They have left platforms along the river land strips. The network of lanes and roads are of medieval origin with drove roads leading to the Downs. The long and mainly straight Turnpike roads (1773) constructed across the chalk uplands are still there. The old ordinance survey maps (last issue 1960) show railway lines and parish boundaries which are invaluable.
Salisbury’s successful growth made it one of the top ten major towns and it is not surprising that the water meadow enterprise took off.
Those of us who are not geologists were grateful for the description of the significance of the three zones - the chalk uplands, the gravel terraces and the richer alluvial land bordering the rivers where the villages and crofts grew up.
Our Speaker created a vivid picture of past times and we will be stimulated to read the associated publications.
(Publications include: The Harnham Water Meadows Sarum Studies 3, Hadrian Cook, Michael Cowan, Tim Tatton Brown, Harnham Mill Salisbury Sarum Studies 2, Michael Cowan, Wiltshire Water Meadows, Michael Cowan and Milford Sarum Studies 1, Richard Durham).
Anne Tanner
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