Are we to lose our peace and quietness? Are we to become just another urban conurbation? Will the council tax escalate? All these questions need answering before things get out of hand. It could also mean an influx of tourists, as at Hambledon Hill, where English Nature is inviting anyone who owns a torch, to go along at 9 p.m. on Thursday 17th July to hunt for glow worms. So you see, if it got out that we at Woodcutts had our own glow-worms we could be inundated with torch waving 'naturist', and that could be dangerous, even fatal. So please keep our new street lighting secret.
Now to more trivial matters. Last week on leaving the churchyard, I drove out on to the top of the High Street, just after teatime, although I hadn't had mine, shame I hear you cry; I did, didn't I? Anyway a flight of small birds, which at first I took to be sparrows, even though their flight pattern was very rapid and dexterous, (I originally typed dextrose, but then realised that it needed no sweetening.) Then we noticed the red breasts, these birds were in fact linnets, but what on earth were they doing at the top of the busy, village high street? I did write 'we' noticed, because my wife was with me, and I can assure you they were linnets.
As every bird book will tell you, these birds are found on open ground, with shrubs and bushes, not at the top of village high streets. I suppose, just another anomaly that can be put down to global warming. (At this stage I must apologies that it is taking you even longer to read this than usual; it is because I am typing with both hands. You see, with using both hands I make many more mistakes, it is probably something to do with that old saying, "The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.") Anyway, despite all this I would like to know if anyone else has seen these linnets. Hopefully that will have cleared that up, so we progress to other events here at Woodcutts.
A diary extract:- Tuesday, 3rd. of June 2003
4.30 a.m. I am leaving the house with Bic, our cat, following; he in fact is the only other inhabitant up. It is a wonderful morning, clear sky, birds singing with the exception of the pigeons, which are cooing in hopes of drowning all other song. As I walk done the lane, mug of tea in hand, I am glad I decided on shoes rather than slippers this morning as there is a very heavy dew. It is a couple of weeks since I have walked this way and I am in the middle of what could be a farmer's nightmare. Field after field of oats are before me, all very reasonable crops, but how, you might ask is this a nightmare situation?
This answer is that it will need good combine strength and favourable weather conditions, if all these crops are to be successfully harvested. Oats, unlike wheat, barley and rye will not stand around waiting for the harvester. The flower heads are loose panicles of grain, with the individual grains attached to the parent plant by fragile threads. When the seed is ripe the crop has to be cut or the grain is shed onto the ground, at considerable loss to the farmer. The oat itself is much taller than wheat or barley, this means the straw is under a much greater likelihood of being laid, i.e. it is bent over and laid on the soil. This not only makes it difficult to pick up and cut, it is much more liable to shed in the process, while rain on it can cause it to sprout. The latter of course is not appreciated because it spoils the grain sample. Thunderstorms can create havoc
Enough about agriculture, back to the wildlife, e.g. the deer I can see moving in the tramlines. I wonder if there is a fawn at foot with mum, hidden by the tall oat straw.
My mug of tea is now finished and as I put the empty mug into my jacket pocket, in doing so I think of old Jock, (Shep) and turn to look at his cottage. A carrion crow objects to my presence by cawing loudly and taking to the air in its somewhat clumsy flight. I am quite convinced it is swearing at me. On down the lane, with high hedges on either side, the sycamores, ashes and maples all showing wonderful crops of seeds. Likewise the elders have done us proud this year, with the flower harvesting over for cordial and champagne, there will be a plentiful supply of berries later, for that countryman's answer to port. At ground level Mother Nature has been busy too, here bedstaw, scabious, red dead nettle, buttercups and several varieties of grass are all flowering. As I turn into the next field, a grazing hare is working towards me, he is so engaged in feeding he does not notice me and comes progressively nearer to me.
As I move forward he suddenly sits up on his haunches, ears erect, then turns at right angles and away into the long grass at top speed.
I too move into the long grass to look at the beech trees planted there, which, when I first saw them some four years ago, had just been planted, now they are well established and are a good deal taller than me. If I am to keep pace with this growth rate it is time to return to the kitchen and more tea. As I take my mug from my pocket I notice it is completely empty, perhaps the small flies contained therein had had the last few drops.
After the above there is little else to report, apart from the fact that on Wednesday last, together with the usual slow worms disturbed by the strimmer in the churchyard, I also saw a pair of grass snakes. The first we have recorded there.
Apart from this, I have little to add, except to show below how to make a fool proof garden barometer. So until I write again in October, may God be with you all.
The following is reproduced from Kelly’s Directory for 1855. Submitted by Julian Forder
HANDLEY or SIXPENNY HANDLEY, a town and parish in the Hundred of its name and Union of Wimborne, situated on the border of Wiltshire, 5 miles north-west from Cranbourne, and 10 north-east from Blandford. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Salisbury, the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. The Rev. Arthur Anstey, M.A., is the present incumbent. The church is an ancient edifice of Gothic architecture. There are two small chapels for Wesleyans, and a school on the National system. This parish comprises the chapelry of Gussage St. Andrew and the hamlet of Minchington. Lord Rivers is lord of the manor. The population, in 1851, was 1,229, and the area is 5,928 acres. It once had a market. Here is brick-earth.
The chapelry of GUSSAGE ST. ANDREW is 2½ miles south-west; Minchington hamlet, 3 miles south-west; Dean Lane tithing, Updean and Lowdean, 2 miles south-west; Woodcutts tithing and Gainsend, 2 miles west; Denland and Upwood, 1 mile north; Cashmore, 3 miles south; Denham, 1½ miles north-west; Newton is a village. On Workly Down are Worbarrow and other barrows, and some pits. On Thorny Down are likewise many barrows.
GENTRY
Ansty Rev. Arthur
Lill Mr. Thomas
Markland Mrs
TRADERS
Adams John, carpenter & wheelwright
Bartlett Samuel, farmer, Chapel farm
Bennett Adam, farmer, Woodcutts
Burt Charles, farmer, Minchington
Button John, shopkeeper & confectioner
Carpenter John, tailor
Coles William, ‘Thorney Down,’ & farmer
Cookman Joseph, tailor
Day John, brickmaker
Dibben Ann, farmer
Dutch James, carrier & shopkeeper
Elderton Nathaniel, shopkeeper
Fanner Joshua, shopkeeper
Fry Henry, shopkeeper
Harrington Miss Jane, mistress of National school
Hibbard Aaron, farmer
Hibbard Charles, butcher
Hicks Benjamin, farmer
Hiscock John, tailor & shopkeeper
Humby Joseph, farmer, Minchington
Jeffery William, 'Roebuck,' & cattle dealer
Kendall Ambrose, carpenter & wheel-wright
Keates John, blacksmith
Kendall John, ‘Cashmoor,' & wheel-wright.
Kingsbury Wm. Lake, farmer, Upwood
Lill Thomas, jun. shopkeeper
Porks William, farmer, Woodcutts
Rymand Joseph, carpenter & shopkeeper
Simpson William, shopkeeper
Sims James, beer retailer & blacksmith
Stainer Lot, shoemaker
Warren James, grocer
Wells Frederick, farmer
White John, draper & postmaster
White William, carrier, Cashmoor
Young William, shopkeeper
POST OFFICE. - John White, receiver. Letters are received from Cranborne at 10 a.m.; dispatched 3 p.m.
The nearest money order office is at Cranborne National School (for boys & girls), Miss Jane Harrington, mistress
CARRIERS:-
To & From Salisbury - William White & William Wyatt, every tues. & James Dutch, every tues. & sat.
To & From Blandford - William Wyatt & William White, every Saturday