Vanguard Way Association Newsletter – December 2024
Find about the many events and activities of the Vanguard Way Association:
Would you like to sing?
The North Downs Consort are looking for extra singers
It really is good for mind and body!
We’re the North Downs Consort, we rehearse on Monday evenings in St Paul’s, Woldingham and we need extra singers.
Please contact Jan for more information:
07517 276 254
janhamling@gmail.com
The Horticultural Society’s Jubilee Celebrations – Sat 3rd June
WOLDINGHAM & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Do come and join your neighbours and friends this Saturday to celebrate day 3 of the Jubilee
on the Craigmyle Glebe from 11.25 until 4 pm
In the Marquee we shall have 7 local artists:
Rosie Collingridge
Francis O’Connor
Janine Pound
Elena Keen
Ciara Pound
Gloria Whiting
Jackie Flaherty
+ JEFF JEFFERY’s Tribute to Kristin Jeffery
ON DISPLAY: 6 Cacti and 6 Succulents
ON SALE: (cash only) Hundreds of Garden Plants and Books
TO ENJOY: Cakes, teas, scones, coffees, children’s drinks,
& Pimms and Lemonade. Seating for 100 people.
Forget the weather – come and have fun after the village photograph.
Everyone Welcome!
East Surrey Walkers – News April 2022
Samuel Wilberforce Memorial
Spring is with us and the East Surrey Walkers quarterly walks programme is underway details are available via our website.
Our walks frequently reveal sites that tweak our interest and induce us to try and find find out more. information. On a recent walk, near Abinger I came across a large memorial standing in open countryside. The memorial is to Samuel Wilberforce. I knew something of William Wilberforce the architect of reform leading to the abolishment of slavery but nothing of Samuel.
Research revealed Samuel to be the third son, of four, of William. He was born in 1805. I discovered that Samuel became well known as one of the foremost public speakers of his day. He was well known as “Soapy Sam” and best remembered for his opposition to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.
During speeches Samuel apparently had the habit of wringing his hands in the manner of hand washing this gesture was included in a cartoon published in Vanity Fair it is believed this led to the nickname Soapy Sam.
Samuel’s education included a significant grounding in religious teachings. He gained a place at Oriel College, Oxford and joined The United Debating Society (the forerunner of The Oxford Debating Society) this gave him his grounding in public speaking. Samuel left Oxford in 1826 with degrees in maths and classics. During the next three years he travelled on the continent and married the daughter of a rector.
In 1829 he was ordained as a priest his theological career progressed rapidly and he held many senior ecclesiastic appointments including appointments to Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. He was influential at the Royal Court.
Samuel became an effective public speaker his oration was both religiously and politically based. He held a number of controversial views including the politics of Catholic Emancipation. He is best known for his opposition to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution particularly that humans and apes shared common ancestors. Samuels’s opposition was not, as may be assumed, based on religious beliefs but on scientific arguments presented by certain of Darwin’s scientific colleges who refuted the theory.
Why is there a Memorial in Abinger?
In July 1873 Samuel was on his way to visit William Gladstone at Holmbury St. Mary he was involved in a riding accident the injuries sustained led to his death. The memorial marks the location of the incident.
ESW will be delighted to welcome you on their walks – do visit the web site to make you selection. There are walks to suit all abilities.
Stephen Hanks
East Surrey Walkers News – January 2022
ESW will be pleased to welcome you on any of our planned walks. Our current programme is published via our website additional walks are routinely added so please do visit the site to ensure you don’t miss out.
Most readers will be aware of the word “the dole” which is (now) defined as a benefit paid by the state to the unemployed. How does the dole form a link with ESW?
The term the dole is derived from the use of dole stones, tables or ledges. They were usually sited in church porches and occasionally churchyards. During medieval times through to the 17th century these sites were used as facilities where contracts were arranged, debts, bequests and church dues were settled. Significantly they were also points at which bread or money was given (doled) to the needy of the parish and on occasions to travellers. Few dole stones survive today and there are even fewer dole tables.
What is the link with ESW? We are fortunate that one of the few surviving dole tables can be found in the churchyard of St. Johns the Baptist Church in Penshurst in Kent. Several of our walks start or pass through Penshurst providing great opportunities to enjoy a walk in beautiful countryside and view this fine example of an historical and rare artefact. The routes of the Penshurst walks also often include the grounds of the nearby imposing Penshurst Place.
The Penshurst dole table is in the shape of a chest like tomb it is formed of slabs of “ashlars” a now little used term to describe squared facing stones.
Singers wanted!
North Downs Consort is a small choir that rehearses and gives concerts in St Paul’s Church, Woldingham.
You can hear us sing this year at Carols in The Crescent on 11th December at 6:30pm.
We are a small friendly group. Our singers can read music, some more expertly than others. Why not come to a rehearsal or two to see if it’s for you? We rehearse on Monday evenings.
Email JanHamling@gmail.com
Visit northdownsconsort.org.uk
East Surrey Walkers News – November 2021
East Surrey Walkers (ESW) News & Article
ESW are presently compiling our programme of walks to cover the period from January to March 2022. This will be published in December. Please do check our website for our current walk programme which covers the period to the end of this year. It’s always a good idea to check the programme near a walk date just in case there have been any last minute alterations.
Stuart and Alice Pickford, 2018
I began this article writing about a completely different subject but was interrupted by the sad news of the death of a legendary member of East Surrey Walkers. Stuart Pickford has died at the age of 96, he joined the ramblers in 1948 (73 years unbroken membership) and walked until the age of 91 when he finally hung up his boots.
At the age of 95 Stuart spoke of the changes in walking equipment that occurred since his early days as a walker. Stuart’s recollections were recorded by ESW member Pamela Cunnife. With thanks to Pamela I’m reproducing a number of Stuart’s comments as a tribute to a remarkable man. I hope that you may share my interest in how kit developed and the elements of social history Stuart mentioned.
In the 70 years of walking, clothing and accessories have changed out of all recognition – from the adaptation of normal everyday wear to scientifically designed garments and footwear.
The Rucksack – in the 1940s there was nothing specifically available in city stores and one borrowed knapsacks from parents and slung them over one’s shoulder. After the War a more commodious sack, with a detachable ‘A’ frame came into use, this was followed by ex-Army Commando rucksacks with a rigid metal frame which stood the test of years until, in the 1980s, came the ‘H’ frame where the rucksack became a cylinder and stood up to head level or higher. It was comfortable but unsuitable for woodland trails as the sack kept snagging branches and, from the rear, one looked like a walking pillar-box! Finally, a compromise came between the ‘A’ and the ‘H’ frame resulting in a ventilating space between you and the sack and padded support at the waist reaching just up to the shoulders. Made of water-repellent fabric,
The Ramblers, circa 1940s
The Walking Stick was essential in the 1940s for fending off frisky cattle and hacking through brambles. In those Wartime days, restrictions as to how cattle should be penned, or obligations to keep footpaths clear, did not exist.
Footwear – with clothing coupons used only for essential items, walking was undertaken in stout but everyday shoes, worn with galoshes if muddy
conditions or slippery rocks were encountered. In the 1950s a double skin waterproof leather shoe, ‘Veltschoen’, with Commando rubber sole came on the market.
Trousers – trousers were just trousers! Ordinary trousers getting a bit threadbare were quite suitable for walking. If it rained, it rained. In summer, shorts were worn, combined with long socks to protect from nettles or biting insects. Waterproof over trousers sweated and it wasn’t until designer trousers that dried quickly came on the market ‘Regatta’ seemed to have solved the problem.
The Jacket – In the 1940s an old sports jacket was worn, preferably three buttoned, with maybe a pullover underneath. Not until clothing coupons ended in the 1950s was any alternative available. Then it was an ex-RAF Bomber jacket, with buttoned waist and zippered front. They were warm lined and waterproof but they sweated and became uncomfortable. Ten years later came the ‘Grenfell’ jacket. Almost knee length, with copious pockets and double skin of water-repellent fabric and sweat proof. However, before this satisfactory garment, one had to protect the sports jacket of the 1940s from rain. Ordinary raingear was a gabardine raincoat, too cumbersome to carry in the small rucksacks of the time. But available, if you knew where to look, was a fold up pure plastic mac with stitched seams. This was secured round the waist by a string of binder twine, and lasted until the stitched seams rotted in the rain. Luckily, by the 1950s, ex-army Gas Capes came on the market, voluminous in the extreme they had the advantage of a large pouch at the back which fitted over the rucksack. They were waterproof and didn’t sweat much as they were so voluminous and flapped around when one was walking. Eventually, the plastic mac returned with welded seams, also reinforced with nylon.
Headgear – The office trilby was first used until one windy holiday I nearly lost it! So next was a cloth cap and then a beret, keeping the hair dry but offering little protection to the neck. A Sou-Wester with tie on cord did the trick for many years until the arrival of the ‘Tilley’ hat. Cool in summer, dry in rain, screwable up to stuff in the pocket.
In conclusion no reference to Stuart is complete without mentioning Alice his wife of 69 years an equally committed walker. They are pictured above in 2018.
A walking expression states “there’s no such thing as wrong weather only wrong kit “I’m not sure that would apply to most of Stuart and Alice’s walking career which was more a demonstration of their spirit , determination and dedication to walking.
ESW wish you happy walking (hopefully in comfortable and protective kit).
Stephen Hanks
(ESW Publicity Officer)
East Surrey Walkers – October 2021 News
ESW’s programme of walks has now been published and is available on our web site. Please ensure you keep checking the site as at time of writing we have had to amend the programme in consequence of the fuel situation. We also plan to add walks on some of the currently vacant dates.
Many of our walks are based within East Surrey however we frequently walk in other locations and counties, and in so doing discover points if interest. An example can be found in the Kentish Village of Chiddingstone. The clue is in the name of the village deconstructed it becomes Chiding Stone. Indeed there is such a named stone in the village. The Chiding Stone is situated at the end of a footpath adjacent to the school. It is formed by a large rock of sandstone, formed about 135 million years ago when that part of the country was underwater and swamp like.
Folklore plays a significant part in the name of the stone if not the village. Variously versions include that the stone was used in ancient druid rituals including as a location where judgements were handed down. Similarly that it was used by the ancient Britons as a place to conduct judicial hearings. Possibly it was used as a boundary marker in Saxon times.
From the Medieval era folklore indicates nagging wives, wrongdoers and witches were brought to the stone to be chided by an assembly of villagers.
Perhaps a little more prosaically it’s said the village name means ‘stone of Chidda’s tribe’. The Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names indicates that Cidingstaene means a stone associated with someone called Cidd or Cidda.
I’d like to think that aspects of the folklore have some merit but will leave it to the reader to decide.
ESW wish you happy walking,
Stephen Hanks
(ESW Publicity Officer)
Singers wanted!
North Downs Consort is a small choir that rehearses and gives concerts in St Paul’s Church, Woldingham. We rehearse on Monday evenings in St Paul’s. We are a small friendly group. Our next concert will be on the theme “Joyful” as we celebrate being able to sing together again and live music being heard again. Our singers can read music, some more expertly than others; the less expert become confident of the music during our rehearsals. If you’d like to try out singing with us, please email JanHamling@gmail.com. See northdownsconsort.org.uk.
East Surrey Walkers – August 2021 News
I consistently extol the physical and mental health advantages that walking provides not to mention the opportunities to get close to nature. I have discovered an additional benefit. Residents are sometimes, vaguely, aware of local places of interest perhaps only briefly noticing them in passing. Walking often allows one to look at things more closely and may induce a desire to learn more about such places and in turn learn a little more general background and history.
Many of our walks include such land mark places many of our walk leaders will give you a brief insight to such places. Typical is an ESW circular walk from South Nutfield via Outwood taking in a land mark Outwood Windmill. Indeed known to many but did you know it was one of a pair on the site?
The surviving mill is a post mill. This is the earliest type of European windmill. Its defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have been built in the 12th century.
The Outwood post mill was built for Thomas Budgen commencing in 1665. It is believed to be the oldest working post mill in England, The original deed for its erection is still in existence. Budgen borrowed the money to finance the project clearly it was a good investment as he was able to repay the loan within two years.
Rumour has it that the builders of the mill could see the Great Fire of London (1666) glowing in the distance,
The mill continued to be used through the centuries however by the 1930’s it was little used and deteriorated. Planned restoration was postponed due to World War ll. milling ceased in 1949 following the failure of the breast beam and collapse of the sails.
During the mid 20th century to the present day various owners have carried out restoration and indeed repairs following several severe weather damage incidents.
The second mill on the site was a smock mill. This is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weather boarded, thatched, or shingled tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind. This type of windmill got its name from its resemblance to smocks worn by farmers in an earlier period
In 1796, William Budgen was granted leave to erect a windmill on a plot of land near the original post mill. This was in fact built to be in competition with the original mill following a family dispute.
The smock mill was run by the Budgen family until 1885 when the lease was sold to the Scott family (of Woolpits Mill in Nutfield ). This mill continued to be worked by the Scott family, In 1903 one of the sails broke it was then worked with only two sails, assisted by a portable steam engine. In 1953 a survey revealed rot had penetrated the cant posts and sills at the south west side (ie facing the prevailing weather) the cost to repair was prohibitive and unfortunately the mill finally collapsed in November 1960.
We hope that you may consider joining us on some of our walks please see our web site for details.
ESW wish you happy walking,
Stephen Hanks
(ESW Publicity Officer)