Photograph: Tony Keatley

More photographs by Tony on the next page.

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Photograph: Graham Roberts

Two more photographs by Graham:

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Photograph: Tony Keatley

Kym writes:

Yes it’s that time of the year again. What a wonderful 1st window last night. Thank you so much Olivia, Ben and not forgetting Bertie (Loved his christmas jumper) for the lovely window, Very unusual really good. To all of you who came out for the unveiling thank you. It was great to see so many of you. Hope you all enjoyed the prosecco. We are getting good feed back already on our trial this year. The next gathering will be Friday 6th at Wotton House, Little Street. In between we have non gatherings 2,3,4,5 all details to be found in your newsletter. That’s all for now. Photos will be going onto the Sulgrave village website soon.

More photos by Tony Keatley on the next page.

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Photograph: Graham Roberts

Photograph: Graham Roberts.

Many apologies for wrongly attributing this window when I first uploaded the post!

Colin Wootton

The beautiful crib in the church awaits the figurines representing the Holy Family, the Kings and the Shepherds.

For almost twenty years I have tried to cover all Sulgrave Christmas events and upload photographs on to the website. I apologise for the fact that family circumstance no longer make this possible. I am grateful, therefore, to Tony Keatley for sending me pictures of the Christingle service which can be seen on the following pages.

Colin Wootton

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Sheep grazing the fields to the east of the village.
Photograph: Colin Wootton

Richard Fonge writes:

November has been mild and with very little wind and no rain so far, it has meant that it has allowed the sowing of the winter corn to progress with most farmers in the area having now caught up with their seasonal work. Beans have been direct drilled in the fields up the concrete road before the bridge.

As can be seen from the news, there is much unrest within the farming community with threats of direct action. Land is a precious commodity, especially on our small island where there is a need to feed an expanding population, to house people, to conserve, to provide recreational use and to provide green energy. Farming is a generational industry with large estates and owner occupied farms going back many years and centuries in many cases.

In our Parish we have land owned by an Oxford college stretching over to Weston. One tenant grazing with sheep the pasture land, another tenant growing crops up the concrete road and beyond. The Oxford and Cambridge colleges have always been large landowners with their land farmed by tenants.

On the southern edge of the Parish we have a privately owned estate mostly farmed in hand. The other land surrounding the village is privately owned by various farmers, all bringing a diversity of land management. So we have grazing pastures, arable and conservation managed land all within our parish, and this is replicated across our county and beyond. We also have many woods, copses and railway embankments for our fauna, flora and wildlife. Today land managers and farmers are aided by grants to enhance conservation and biodiversity and much sound advice is available to them and it is in their nature to look after their land and protect the landscape. This is not something new as for centuries it was the gamekeeper on the estate or farm who managed the conservation along with his job of maintaining field sports with great skill. Always keeping a balance, as I witnessed when working for a large estate in the late seventies, and they still do today because their understanding of the countryside has been often passed down through generations, as has the estate.

Farmers have always been innovative, and welcoming to new entrants and ideas and along with their love of the land they feel betrayed by politicians of all parties at times who fail to see and understand the rural life and what it brings to the benefit of the nation.

A countryman was asked how he felt one morning. Reply. “Up and down like the sparrows”.

Richard Fonge

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You can either print off the above image or cut out the order form from the December edition of the Village Newsletter.

Castle Green at noon on Armistice Day 2024

At 10.30 am on Monday 11th November 2014, villagers and visitors gathered on Castle Green especially to remember those of Sulgrave who lost their lives in two world wars and also to recall the countless casualties of all nationalities in those wars and subsequent conflicts.

In the absence of an outdoor memorial, the now familiar silhouette of a Great War soldier once more served as a focus for the ceremony and at whose feet the traditional wreaths of poppies were laid.

As the sounds of the nearby church clock striking eleven died away the traditional words of remembrance were spoken and the  Last Post sounded. The flag of the Royal British Legion was lowered in tribute by a member of the local branch. During the two minutes silence which followed the only sound to be heard was of a small plane flying slowly overhead, which seemed somehow appropriate to people of my generation.

Finally, the moving poem “Flanders’ Fields” was read out by the Chair of the Parish Council.

See pictures on the next page.

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