The claim to fame of the buildings lay in the late 17th century for the date 1672 was clearly discernible in a beam above the fireplace when, as The Woodyates Inn, it was the local hostelry. There are many who still aver that, on 7th July 1685, four dishevelled travellers here sought refuge for the night and a change of clothes. Next morning their leader left in shepherd's attire, the landlord perhaps little knowing that he had let £5000 slip through his fingers, the reward money on the head of the Duke of Monmouth, now fleeing towards Poole and the safety of a ship after the shambles of Sedgemoor. But for all four, local guide Holiday, Grey and Buyse, the sands of time were fast running out and only six miles away, at Woodlands, Amy Farrant watched as the quartet prepared to spend the next night in a grove. The alarm given, Grey and the guide managed to slip away to freedom that was to last a further twenty-four hours but Buyse and his ill-fated master were hunted down at first light and captured, complely exhausted, in an overgrown ditch beneath a tree to this day known as Monmouth's Ash. Hauled before Anthony Elricks at Holt Lodge, the rebel leader was already well on his way to the gallows. It is a nice story that Monmouth's sword was later purchased from mummers at The Woodyates Inn but, hard pressed and in full flight, it would seem highly unlikely that this pathetic party of fugitives would choose to lay up even for a single night in a tavern when the open countryside seemed to hold better hope of concealment and eventual escape. No, this episode is perhaps best ascribed to legend rather than factual history.
But, with the road becoming even busier and Woodyates the first stage stop to change tired and sweating westbound horses after The White Hart at Salisbury, the Inn presently moved to more commodious quarters across the road so that here, in June 1804, the Duke of Cambridge dined and made advance arrangements for George III to stay overnight on his way to Weymouth for, even at this time, The Gloucester Lodge, looking out across the new-found delights of Weymouth Bay, was a full, twelve, dusty and uncomfortable hours away even by Royal transport. Details finalised, the 24th August saw all the locals present when, with harness a-jingle, the 10th Dragoons escorted the Royal coach into the yard of the Inn, now known as The Shaftesbury Arms. It must, indeed, have been a thrilling spectacle for Dorset rustics, disrespectfully inclined to refer to their portly sovereign as "Varmer Garge"! continued in Dec 97 issue
Against a backdrop of clear blue skies, the Annual Flower Show took place on August 16th.
There was a band, line-dancing, axe men, stalls, trade stands, vintage cars, an organ, teas, a multitude of attractions supplied by For the Kidz, fire-juggling, a dog show, and the grand marquee with
the exhibits of flower, fruit, vegetables, crafts, cookery, honey, photography and many more delightful events.
Notable amongst the exhibits was an impressive and prize winning pedestal arrangement by Liz Scriven, beautiful gladioli, and mouth-watering cookery from Mrs Wyn Judd.
The band played, the children had their faces painted, and many enjoyed the excellent cream teas in the Village Hall.
The day drew to a close with the traditional raffle and the auction of produce donated from the judged exhibits.
Amongst the many hardworking helpers to the committee were the W.I., Chase Community Friends, Homewatch, and Cricket Club
At the end of the day it only remained for the committee, of which there were few, to clear the site and for the marquee to be dismantled.
The accounts are not yet finalised but it is hoped to have a result by the next issue.
The 19th show was low on both entries and gate admission but for those who did attend it was a worthwhile and enjoyable few hours.
The annual prizegiving for the Dorset Best Kept Village competition was held at Fontmell Magna Village Hall on Thursday 25th September.
What an exciting evening it turned out to be for our parishes. The evening started with a short introduction to the competition by one of the judges Mrs Eileen Bryan (District Councillor for West Dorset). This was followed by a short talk by Mrs Mary Norman of the International Tree Foundation who proceeded to announce the winners of the environmental prizes.
Much to our joy the village of Pentridge was awarded the East Dorset District Council Environmental Prize and our representative accepted a cheque for £50 on their behalf from the Chairman of EDDC.
The evening continued with a slide show by Colonel Terry Parsons, Chairman Dorset CPRE, with pictures taken during their visits to the 39 villages entered in the main competition. Amongst the slides was one of the Sixpenny Handley recycling area and the village was complimented on the siting of this facility, hidden away, as it is, from the main thoroughfare.
Following this show the prizes were awarded for the Vital Villages section of the competition. This section encompassed village activities and their impact on the community.
In the highlight of the evening for Sixpenny Handley your representative was delighted to accept on behalf of Chase Community Friends the County Award for the Best Individual Community Initiative 1997 together with a cheque for £50 for their funds. Ms Lois Ray, Dorset Community Action, spoke for a couple of minutes to the audience about the activities and commitment by the Chase Community Friends and was extremely complimentary.
The best kept village award followed and was won by Fontmell Magna and they will go forward into the national competition.
Back packers completing wilderness camping trips in the U.S were asked to suggest improvements in the environment. Below we give some of the responses. Perhaps our own officials would take some of these comments on board to improve the Dorset countryside?
Footpath Liaison Officers.
"Escalators would help on steep uphill sections"
"Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands"
"Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill"
"Please pave the trails so they can be ploughed of snow in the winter"
"Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights"
"The places where trails do not exist are not well marked"
Countryside Rangers
"A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed?"
"Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals"
"Found a smouldering cigarette left by a horse"
"Too many bugs, leeches, spiders and spiders webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests"
"The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals"
Parish Council Planning Committee
"Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest service needs to reduce world-wide population growth to limit the number of Visitors to the wilderness"
"Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them"
"Too many rocks in the mountains"
"Need more signs to keep area pristine"
"A McDonalds would be nice at the trailhead"
One of the joys of early morning walks at this time of year is the sight of literally hundreds of cobwebs along the footpaths and bridleways, especially on one of those misty dawns when a watery sun almost succeeds in penetrating the milky scene. The shape and design of some of these structures is quite amazing; but the most fascinating thing of all is the single thread of silk that stretches 6 yards across a track, sometimes at a height of 8 feet, from one tall hedgerow shrub to another. How a tiny insect can produce such a thin thread to cross that distance is beyond me.
The efforts of a spider brings me to the decision by the East Dorset Planning Committee to refuse the planning application for a telecommunications mast at Cobley Farm. This was based mainly on the fact that the proposed development would represent an alien structure, in an otherwise natural setting and would be contrary to the Local Plan and one of the primary objectives of the AONB, i.e. the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty and character of the area. If this reason can be given by East Dorset District Council for refusing the plan then there must be questions to be asked of Salisbury District Council over its decision to grant permission for the Verditch mast. Or is it just convenient for planning committees to use the AONB as an excuse only when it suits their purposes?
And talking of AONBS, I was lucky enough to be given a copy of the East Dorset District Council's Land Assessment document on the part of Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which lies within its area of responsibility. It divides this region into several zones, the first of which is entitled "Chalk Downlands" and includes the settlements of Sixpenny Handley, Pentridge and Woodyates, each of which is given a separate section in the document. The zonal area for Woodyates is described as follows: - "Contained by farming land, this tiny zone embraces the hamlet of Woodyates. Unlike most Chase villages, the settlement lies on elevated land close to the main A354. This is on account of the celebrated Woodyates Inn, a regular meeting place of Chase landowners, located as it was on the eighteenth-century Great Western Turnpike. It was here that George III liked to break his journey between London and Weymouth..... The historic core of the village, centred on Manor Farm, is set amongst trees that reinforce the strong sense of enclosure as well as providing valuable shelter. To the north of Woodyates the lane rises gradually and continuously towards the Ox Drove, passing Cobley Manor that overlooks an otherwise remote and almost primeval landscape of woods and enclosures. The area is littered with ancient earthworks, though their impact on the landscape is limited." I will refer again to the document in future issues.
It is probably one of those strange anomalies of Local Government Organisation but I was staggered to discover that, under tax band "D", the Parish of Pentridge is now the highest council-taxed parish in the whole of East Dorset, and the second highest council-taxed area in the District. Only the tax-paying residents of Wimborne Town pay more. And, since East Dorset is the highest taxing District Council in Dorset, I can only assume that the tax-paying resident of this parish pays comparably more council tax than any other parish resident in the whole of Dorset. Although the difference can be measured in terms of a few pounds, it is a league table position, which Pentridge does not deserve. It is almost as bad as discovering that members of the District Council cost the taxpayer £600,000 a year, an average of over £16,000 a year per elected member. When a parish councillor costs nothing, what is the justification for this huge expenditure on a District Councillor?
Children at Sixpenny Handley First School have particular cause for keeping an eye on the Autumn weather as they eagerly look forward to the new term's sporting activities.
A new class of would-be tennis stars now take up their racquets, under the expert guidance of our qualified coach, Mrs. Roni Peck, for a new season of short tennis.
We are indeed fortunate in being able to make use of the new village courts, in such close proximity, and hope to extend our 'season' as long as weather permits this term, and to re-commence next
year, in good time for Wimbledon!
Successfully piloted last term, short tennis has proved an exciting new focus in PE, and immensely popular with all participants. As well as providing an excellent context for improving ball skills
and physical control, it offers an important early training towards future sporting opportunities.
Further excitement will no doubt be caused in the next four weeks by the weekly arrival of the ‘Action Van’. This sporting initiative is provided by the Local Authority with the aim of introducing children to a wide variety of sporting activities and providing equipment for a range of games and skills. We look forward to this mobile ‘box of delights’.
Together with the whole school’s participation in the Youth Sport Trust's new ‘Top Play’ scheme, these activities will help to convey the message that Physical Education can not
only lead on to ‘fitness for life’, but is also fun!
July was a very dry month, sandwiched in between a very wet June (five inches) and an equally wet August (also five inches), with a quarter of an inch at the beginning of the month and half an inch at the end.
My guess of perhaps "a thunderstorm or two" for July was answered at the beginning of August. There was a storm of sorts with heavy rain on the fifth. In the four days 3rd to 6th inclusive we had nearly three inches and two more fell at the end of the month with a dry fortnight in between.
Since 1991, when July gave us nearly four inches, each subsequent calendar month of July has been drier than its predecessor with 1997 the driest. The average July rainfall over the past twelve years was one and three quarter inches so this July's niggardly three quarters of an inch needed to be atoned for in August, as indeed it was.
Now in mid-September we are back in a dry spell with summer skies and W sunshine. Incidentally, I can remember one Friday in September (probably 1928 or 29) when the thermometer soared so high that the paper shop in Fisherton Street had a placard outside proclaiming "FRY-DAY". Those were the days!