How two of the nine turbines would have dominated the setting of Sulgrave Manor (visit by schoolchildren in Tudor costume)

At the Sulgrave Parish Council Meeting on Thursday 2nd September, Chairman Graham Roberts presented a letter from Enertrag UK Ltd., the company which had proposed to erect nine 410 feet high wind turbines in the countryside between the village and nearby Weston. After a period of restructuring, and the re-examination of its projects, the company has decided not to proceed with the Sulgrave/Weston Wind Farm scheme (known as the “Weston” wind farm on its website). The reasons given were that the scheme was now considered to be unlikely to receive the necessary planning permission because of issues of cultural heritage and landscape.

The Chairman congratulated members of the Sulgrave and Weston Windfarm Action Group for their year long campaign to prevent this massive development in the unspoilt countryside surrounding the village.

However, the meeting was reminded that the proposal by Broadview Energy Ltd to construct five turbines in the countryside to the south of Sulgrave was very much alive. These would also be 410 feet high and would dominate the village and its immediately surrounding countryside. A planning application is expected later this month. The Parish Council will be consulted on this application and will be meeting to consider its response. The public will be kept fully informed.

See here for details of the Sulgrave/Weston scheme which has been abandoned.

Visit the website of the Helmdon Stuchbury and Greatworth Windfarm Action Group (HSGWAG) for details of the Broadgate Scheme, known as the Spring Farm Ridge Renewable Energy Project.

The Branson Family Mandolin, once used to provide music for the Sulgrave Mummers' Play

The traditional Sulgrave Mummers’ Play was performed in houses and pubs in the village at Christmas time right up to the early nineteen thirties. It was resurrected in 1991 by the Sulgrave History Society and performed on a memorable occasion by members of the society at Sulgrave Manor but it is at least 80 years since it was seen by the public. Moulton Morris Men who are dancing at the Castle Green Autumn Fair on Sunday 5^th September have kindly agreed to re-enact the play during the afternoon.

Mummers’ plays were a regular feature of English village life at Christmas time for many hundreds of years. They were usually loosely based on the legend of St George and often involved the death and resurrection of one of the main characters. Sulgrave’s play was no exception; in this case King George is supposedly killed in a sword fight and brought back to life by a potion administered by a quack doctor, a character who appeared in many other Mummers’ Plays.

All of these characters were played by men and boys of the village who rehearsed for many weeks before Christmas often in the yard at the back of the blacksmith’s shop in Church Street. The village blacksmith in the 1920s and 1930s was George Gascoigne and my father often talked of the importance of the blacksmith’s shop as a social centre for the young men of the village unable to afford the price of a pint at the Star or Six Bells inns. They would gather in the warmth of the forge on a winter’s evening, to chat and help in the work by blowing the bellows or holding the glowing ironwork in long metal tongues whilst George hammered it into shape.

Village Blacksmith George Gascoigne shoeing a horse outside the Forge in the 1950s. (Photo: Courtesy the Gascoigne Family)

George himself played one of the characters and my Uncle Bill Branson another – the strange but apparently very popular “bighead” who appeared at the end of the action, saying:

In comes I as never been yet,

With my big head and little wit,

My head so big, my wit so small,

I can play you a tune that’ll please you all.

Uncle Bill played this tune on the mandolin in the photo at the beginning of this article. My mother also recalls him playing it for family evening entertainment in the cottage she shared with her 11 brothers and sisters in Manor Road. After his tragic death in a bicycle accident in 1940 it gathered dust at “Grannie Branson’s” until her death in 1963 when it passed to me for safe keeping (and occasional not very successful attempts to play it).

Bill Branson haymaking.

Fortunately the old Neapolitan mandolin’s bright cheerful notes are heard once again in Manor Road, where it is played from time to time by my son-in-law Andrew, a talented amateur musician regularly playing violin with the Banbury Symphony Orchestra.

The mandolin will put in an appearance at the Autumn Fair event and who knows, perhaps its notes will ring out once more for the dancing which ends the Mummers’ Play performance.

Don’t miss this unique village event which will celebrate the acquisition for the village of the Castle Green field and its subsequent refurbishment. As well as the Mummers’ Play and Morris Dancing, there will be Child and Dog Races, Saxon and Norman life re-enactments, Bouncy castle, the Ferret Challenge and many more stalls and entertainments. A licensed bar will be provided by the Star Inn and there will also be a barbecue and tea tent. There will also be a unique opportunity to talk to Brian Davison, Director of Excavations on the Castle Mound between 1960 and 1976. A full programme will be available shortly on this website and also in the next edition of the village newsletter.

Read more about Sulgrave Mummers in the village chronicles.

Colin Wootton

Thanks to the efforts of Sue Pearce in trimming back the lower branches of an overhanging yew tree, the graves of John Percival and Winifred Hilda Brown and Ernest Charles and Edith and Archie Parker on the north side of the church, can now be plainly seen.

Zero tolerance on alcohol related offending, is the strong message from Northamptonshire Police, as the force launches its hard-hitting countywide marketing campaign to tackling alcohol fuelled violence, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

As part of Operation Nightsafe and in support of the wider multi-agency county alcohol harm reduction strategy, Northamptonshire Police have launched a campaign to raise awareness amongst drinkers that officers are clamping down on violence, disorder and underage drinking.

This campaign is being rolled out in key locations across Northamptonshire where there is a night time economy. A targeted radio campaign has also begun to remind listeners of the police activity.

It is also being coupled with tailored operational activity that will see officers providing a more visible police presence into the earlier hours when demand is greater.

Currently, alcohol is a big factor in a significant number of violent offences. The campaign uses impactive imagery of drunken violence and disorder as well as underage drinking to get the message out to the public that the police are clamping down.

Operation Nightsafe forms part of the force’s bid to build confidence in the fight against crime, and is the alcohol ‘branch’ in the overarching countywide ‘Confident Against Crime’ campaign.

Officers will be conducting intelligence led visits, targeting licensed premises suspected of committing offences and breaching the conditions of their licence.

The aim is to target the very small percentage of licensed premises that choose to ignore the law and the conditions of their licence and persist in selling alcohol to those who are under age or who are drunk.

Superintendent Mark Evans, leading on Nightsafe, said: “We want to ensure that Northamptonshire has a safe night-time economy, where people either out and about or living or working in the county can do so safely without fear of violence or anti-social behaviour.

“We want to make sure that it is communicated to the public, that we are clamping down.

“We will be working with town centre managers, licensing partners, traders, door staff, and the ambulance service to provide a coordinated response.

“Officers will also be wearing body worn video cameras that can be used to capture any disorder and allow us to take robust action against individuals who create problems in our town centres or leisure zones.

“We want to reassure people that they can have a safe and enjoyable time, whether visiting, working or living in the county and if people choose to offend we will take action against them.”

Check out the Force’s website at www.northants.police.uk to find out more about Operation Nightsafe.

OX-EYE DAISY (leucanthemum vulgare)

Also known as marguerite, moon daisy or, in the north of England, dog daisy, this is a plant of old unsprayed hay meadows or, more likely nowadays, of waysides and road verges. The leaves are variable; the lower ones usually rounded, the upper ones narrower and toothed, clasping the stem. The large daisy flowers are borne singly. The rays (petals) are white, and the central disc florets are yellow. Ox-eye daisy is often included in wildflower sowings in meadows or along motorway verges.

It has been used in salves and medicines for many diseases, such as chest and liver complaints and has been recommended as a cure for asthma and consumption, wounds and ulcers.

Ox-eye daisies decorate a village verge, as they did in many places fifty years ago

From this plant have been developed many garden varieties of daisy, usually under the latin tag of leucantheum x superburn. These include double-flowered varieties, such as “Esther Read”. The story has it that a gardening enthusiast travelling on a slow local train back in the early part of the last century spotted a double flower growing on an embankment and on the return journey pulled the communication cord to stop the train in order to collect the plant. We are not told whether he had to pay the usual fine!

Text: George Metcalfe.  Photographs: Colin Wootton.

Silver coin of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066), about the size of a modern one penny piece, found at Stuchbury

Sulgrave History Society invites all those with an interest in local history to take part in a GUIDED FIELD WALK at Stuchbury at 6.30 pm on Thursday 26th August, by kind permission of Michael and Joan Tims.

Martin Sirot-Smith, Chairman of Sulgrave History Society says:

We will be investigating the site of the ancient Pre-Roman settlement of Stoteberie.

We will walk along its streets and past house platforms to discover the evidence of this thriving community that continued until over 600years ago.

We will explore and make sense of all the channels, ponds and springs that gave the village its prosperity for over 1000 years.

Do come along to learn more about Stuchbury and its history, and see for yourself what could happen to this important site.

Meet in the large area in front of Stuchbury Hall Farm at 6.30pm.  Wear suitable footwear.

Please phone 01295 710340 or 01295 768224 to give us an idea of numbers, or for further information.

Carved masonry reused in a later building at Stuchbury

Finally, Martin points out that:

This important historical site is likely to be completely despoiled if the proposed WIND FARM DEVELOPMENT (known as the Spring Farm Ridge Renewable Energy Project) takes place.

Photo: Anthony Barrett

Jill Barrett reports a family of green woodpeckers in the Pocket Park and sends this picture of a youngster waiting anxiously to be fed!

Here’s a picture of both parents:

Photo: Anthony Barrett

More about Green Woodpeckers.

SPARROWHAWK (Accipiter nisus)

There was a time, in the 1950s and 1960s, when the sparrowhawk population crashed because of the use in agriculture of organo-chlorine pesticides. Following the banning of these products, numbers of this bird have steadily increased, and this predator is now quite common in our area.

The female sparrowhawk is noticeably larger than the male. Both birds have grey backs; the underparts are heavily barred, the female in grey, the male with a rufous tinge. The yellow legs are quite long, as is the tail. The wings are broader than those of falcons such as the kestrel, which are sharply pointed. The flight usually consists of a few quick wingbeats followed by a short glide.

As the name implies, the sparrowhawk’s diet comprises almost exclusively birds, of all sizes from the smallest up to, say, pigeon-size. This has caused the bird to be widely accused of the decline in the numbers of many of our songbirds. In fact, these also declined, indicating that other factors such as the use of pesticides and the destruction of habitat are more likely causes. Moreover, studies have shown that some of the sparrowhawk’s favourite prey, such as the robin, the great tit, the greenfinch and the collared dove, have in fact increased in numbers alongside the sparrowhawk. Why, then, is it so vilified?

No doubt it is upsetting to see this efficient predator snatch “our” robin from the bird table, but that’s nature. After all, it seems that we love owls, and admire the peregrine, which, like the sparrowhawk, have to kill in order to survive. Sentiment has little place in nature’s scheme of things!

See Bird Archive for other birds in this series.

Text: George Metcalfe.  Photograph: John Sheppard.

Do you have an unwanted item which could be re-used? Instead of simply throwing it away you can take it to your nearest County Council Re-use Shop, which for Sulgrave is at Recyclemart, 61 High Street, Daventry. (The location of a Re-use Shop at Towcester will be announced later)

Further information on recycling and re-use shops on the Northamptonshire County Council website.

Beautiful mid-summer weather for the US Independence Day celebrations at Sulgrave Manor. Visitors and villagers alike enjoyed a whole range of performances and activities, including the “One Step Beyond” Appalachian Dancers, the “String of Pearls” close harmony vocal trio, Husky Dogs, a Circus Skills Workshop, a display of Native American artefacts, clothing and pictures, and of course, the American Bald Eagle. The children followed historic trails, completed quizzes and tried their hands at brass rubbings. Others took part in guided tours of the Manor House itself or strolled in the famous Rose Garden or the scented garden of the Herb Society of Great Britain.

As always on Independence day, visitors were greeted in the courtyard by Wotan of Cotswold Falconry, the symbolic and magnificent bald eagle, ever popular with the children….

Photo: Wendy Barnes

Photo: Wendy Barnes

On best behaviour with PC Gez Shillito!

The formal Rose Garden which forms such a beautiful setting for the mellow stone of the Manor House

The warmth of the summer's afternoon brought out the many fragrances to be enjoyed in the Herb Garden

The Stars and Stripes has flown proudly over the surrounding countryside for almost a hundred years….

….maintained by a special trust.

A pause for musical entertainment by……

….the “String of Pearls” close harmony vocal trio.

The “Hug a Husky” demonstration….

…with the gentle giants of the canine world as star performers

Circus skills to be learnt……

….by children…

…and adults alike!

Exhibition of native American crafts….

…including this beautiful model canoe and moccasins…

Head-dress worn by Four Souls Rocky Boy Cree Montana in 1930

The boys try their skills at brass rubbing…

….and colouring

Introductory music for….

….the “One Step Beyond” Appalachian dancers

Competing their display with a flourish!

A reminder of the symbolic importance of Sulgrave Manor

Independence Day Celebrations at the Manor in 2008

Village residents are reminded that they can gain free access
to these lovely events by using their pass cards.

More about Sulgrave Manor at www.sulgravemanor.org.uk.