The Byword A Village Magazine for Byfield April/May 2022
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The Byword
A Village Magazine for
Byfield
April/May 2022
Magazine and Parish Information
A magazine published by Holy Cross Church, Byfield, for all the residents in the village. The magazines
are issued in February, April, June, August, October and December. Contributions are always welcome:
copy to the Editor by the first Sunday of the preceding month, please.
Editor: Miss Pam Hicks (pamhicks@uwclub.net) Tel: 261257
Advertising: Mrs Lyn Grennan, 35 The Twistle Tel: 261596
Distribution: Mrs Lyn Grennan, 35 The Twistle Tel: 261596
Parish Church of Holy Cross:
Rector Revd. Paul Trathen (paul.trathen@btopenworld.com) Tel: 260204
Lay Reader Mrs Lesley Palmer (lep23a@gmail.com) Tel: 264374
Churchwardens: Mrs Chris Cross, 28 Bell Lane Tel: 260764
Mrs Lyn Grennan, 35 The Twistle Tel: 261596
Hon. Treasurer: Miss Pam Hicks, 1 Edwards Close Tel: 261257
Deputy Treasurer: Mrs Diana Charters Tel: 261725
Baptisms, Banns, Marriages, Funerals: Contact Revd. Paul
Choir Practice: Wednesdays at 7.00pm.
Organists: Diana Charters and Meriel Gardner
Choir Mistress: Mrs Alison Buck (alisonbuck1@hotmail.co.uk) Tel: 260977
Bell ringing Practice: Thursdays at 7.45pm
Tower Captain: Mr James Grennan Tel: 261596
Methodist Church:
Minister: Revd. Lin Francis (bancir@outlook.com) Tel: 01295 262602
R.C. Church of the Sacred Heart, Main Street, Aston le Walls:
Parish Priest: Father John Conroy, The Presbytery, Aston le Walls Tel: 01295 660592
Useful Telephone Numbers Stagecoach (Banbury) 01865 772250
TRANSCO Gas 0800 111 999
Byfield Medical Centre 01327 265841 Anglian Water 0800 771 881
Urgent medical concerns 24/7 111 Thames Water (sewers) 0845 9200 800
Rural Wheels 01327 263627/260878 Environment Agency Floodline 0845 9881188
Byfield School 01327 260349 Powergen (general) 08455 191523
Byfield Nursery 01327 264230 (emergencies) 0800 056 8090
Daventry Library 0300 1267000 E.ON 0904 545 0286
Police (non-emergency) 03000 111222 Western Power 0800 6783 105
Fire Headquarters 01604 797000 Samaritans – free national 116123
Ambulance Headquarters 01604 230555 Samaritans – Banbury 01295 270000
Horton Hospital 01295 275500
N’pton Gen Hospital 01604 634700 To report an abandoned vehicle:
Danetre Hospital 01327 708800 Call ELVIS on 08456 121 999
Rugby Hospital 01788 572831
Richard Corbett (Village Hall) 01327 260180 West Northants Council 0300 126 7000
2
Café & Co
Join us for free tea & coffee & cake
Every 3rd Sunday of the month
Village Hall
2-4pm
We can help with :
Shopping
Collecting prescriptions
Friendship and company
We can get in touch with you regularly, or you can call us on 01327 227000.
If you have a problem or issue, you can turn to us, and if we can’t help, we’ll find
you someone who can.
Queen’s Jubilee
Good Neighbours are here to help you attend any of the
village’s celebrations – just give us a call in plenty of time
and we will get you to your fun.
New Volunteers always welcome!
We’d particularly like to add to our team of drivers who bring people to events or
appointments. If you feel you have time a couple of times a month to be someone’s
lifeline, please do get in touch.
It’s an easy way to make friends, offer support and be a part of the community in a
valued way.
ByfieldGNS@gmail.com 01327 227000
Follow us on Facebook!!
Join our mailing list for information on Share our Shed offers / requests & more
Good Neighbours news
www.byfieldgoodneighbours.com & sign up on the Newsletter page
3
4
Queens’ Platinum Jubilee Events
Thursday 2nd June Big Breakfast Village Hall
Morning 10am – 1pm Come and watch live
screening of Trooping of
the Colour while enjoying
a delicious freshly
prepared breakfast
Friday 3rd June and Exhibition of past Jubilee Holy Cross Church
Saturday 4th June items, photos and flower
display
Friday 3rd June Tea and cakes Holy Cross Church
Afternoon 12 – 4pm
Saturday 4th June Village Produce Show Village Hall
Morning, early afternoon Details to be announced
Saturday 4th June Lost Chord Singers Village Hall
Evening Concert
Sunday 5th June Church Service Holy Cross Church
Morning
Here is an outline plan of events organised to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. Everyone will be
welcome at these events, tickets will be available nearer the time for the concert.
The Lost Chord Singers
Byfield’s Community Choir
Saturday 4th June 7.30pm
In celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
A concert featuring
Songs from around the Commonwealth
Interval quiz
Licensed bar
Refreshments provided by the WI
Tickets £5 from:
Pat Cannell: 01327 260483, Diana Charters 07788 763060 or any choir member
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6
RAISING THE ROOF OF ST. MARY’S CHURCH, BANBURY
Banbury Choral Society will raise the roof of St. Mary’s Church with a concert of JS Bach’s
masterpiece St John Passion on Saturday 2 April at 7.30pm. The Choir will be accompanied
by the St James’ Players, an authentic Baroque ensemble from London, with a line up of bright
young soloists on the verge of their careers, including Mollie Smith (soprano), Rosamond
Thomas (contralto) and Christopher Willoughby (tenor), all under the baton of the choir’s
inspirational conductor, Julian Harris.
Bach St John Passion is intensely dramatic with an overriding message of compassion, hope and
ultimate salvation, and is one of the most demanding, and rewarding, works for a choir to perform
This oratorio was first performed on Good Friday in Leipzig in April 1724.
Julian Harris said: It is an absolute privilege to conduct this wondrous masterpiece again. It is,
undoubtedly, one of the greatest works of genius ever written, and created by the mind of the
greatest genius that ever lived. Page after page drips with inspiration and emotion, telling the
most dramatic and powerful story ever told. It really is an evening like no other and not to be
missed.
This marks the 80th anniversary of Banbury Choral Society, originally founded by Geoffrey Furnish
and know as the Banbury Co-operative Choral Society.
Banbury Choral Society goes from strength to strength and attracts members from Oxfordshire,
Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
Tickets St John Passion: £15 (£5 under 16s) from www.banburychoralsoc.co.uk;
Box office: 07721 204734 or the Banbury Tourist Information Centre.
.
Wanted for Jubilee Exhibition
Holy Cross Church is putting together a collection of memorabilia of Queen
Elizabeth II for exhibiting at the Jubilee Bank Holiday.
If you have mugs, plates or pictures etc that you could lend to us we would be
very grateful and of course we will take great care of all the items.
If you have anything to lend us, then please ring Pam on 261257.
Thank you
7
Letter from the Rectory
Dear friends,
Though my own children are too old for such things, now, I recall plenty of years of
singing bedtime songs with them, when they were younger. A favourite in my household – or,
at least, with me (!) – was ‘Hot Cross Buns’:
Hot Cross Buns;, Hot Cross Buns;
One a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross buns;
Give them to your daughters, give them to your sons:
One a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns.
Perhaps it needs a bit of updating these days, what with prices being the way they are? About
thirty-five pence a bun seems to be the going rate, these days: that's seven shillings, as my
Nanny was wont to say!
But we have been doing some other ‘updating’, haven’t we? When I was young, Hot Cross
Buns were reserved exclusively for Easter. You couldn't find one in the shops before Good
Friday. But most of our supermarkets have been selling them since January, alongside Easter
eggs, some of which I saw in the shops immediately after Christmas. Why have we ‘updated’
our habits, in this regard, I wonder?
If I ruled the world, I'd make a law reserving the sale of everything to its due season: no
fireworks until a week before Bonfire Night; no Christmas decorations in the shops until the
beginning of December; no Easter eggs until a fortnight before Easter Sunday; no Hot Cross
Buns until Good Friday itself.
I guess we all live in a "wish and get" culture nowadays. If we want something, we want it now.
Buy now and pay later. We can't be bothered to wait. We live life in a rush. We demand instant
communication, through our mobile phones and our emails. And these things are wonderful,
but we let them run our lives a bit too much.
Shortly -15th April, this year - we will mark Good Friday, the most solemn day in the Christian
year. It is the day when Christians remember the cruel execution of Jesus outside the walls of
Jerusalem in about AD 33. Christians, though, call this day "Good" Friday. How can the judicial
murder of Jesus, God in human form, be considered "Good"?
Because the death of Jesus, in ways no-one fully understands, is the price that Jesus paid for
our forgiveness. This wasn't a cheap "buy now, pay later" transaction; it was a "come on into
the Kingdom of God: I've paid for you" transaction. It was the greatest deal ever struck.
Words from a great hymn, now:
There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin;
he only could unlock the gate
of heaven, and let us in.
So enjoy your Hot Cross Bun on Good Friday, look at the Cross on it, and remember.
Go well. Your pastor, priest and friend,
Rev. Paul
PS Why not join the prayer & worship at Byfield Village Hall this Good Friday, or indeed journey
through Holy Week and into Easter, at any of our special devotions? God is waiting, patiently,
to meet with you, there. Details (including those also of the other four parish churches in our
Fiveways Benefice) are listed at the back page of this edition of The Byword.
8
Did you know that?
Interesting facts about the area we live in
Murder and Mayhem Part 2
Passion and crime at Charwelton
The next murder story takes us a little closer to home …. in fact, to Charwelton, just a couple of
miles up the road.
Many of you will know that the original village of Charwelton lay a short
distance from that which we know as Charwelton now and was centred
around the church and the two houses which remain.
However, the murder we are about to relate happened on the outskirts of
Charwelton, along the Priors Marston/Hellidon Road in a 16th century
farmhouse called ‘Cherwell House’ which was one of the largest houses in the community at
that time. It was owned in 1821 by a wealthy farmer called John Clarke, who was 67.
John Clarke had a much younger wife called Mary who was a mere 35 years. No doubt some
gentlemen of 67 years can prove to be a very exciting marriage partner but apparently John
lacked some of the sparkle and romance that Mary obviously desired, so she began to search
for it elsewhere and that elsewhere was already tried and tested!. Unbeknown to John, Mary
had managed to conduct a clandestine relationship with a farm labourer called Philip Haynes for
at least 7 years and even for a while before the marriage, but this had remained unnoticed by
John, proving how much attention he paid to his wife.
The result of this pre-marriage relationship had been a secret illegitimate child, who was farmed
out to close friends but who died within the year.
Shortly after the birth of her child Mary moved into John’s farmhouse as his mistress, managing
to use some of his money for her own purposes. However, her position, lack of financial security
and John’s irritating habits caused endless rows and after one of these Mary ran off to
Northampton. In order to lure Mary back, John was forced to offer a proposal of marriage, which
meant she automatically became heiress to all his property and wealth on his death.
Mary was hesitant to go back to the life she had led but her lover Philip Haynes persuaded her
that as John was old it would probably not be long before he died and she would become rich,
ensuring the two lovers could be together. So, she returned and was duly married.
As the marriage continued 2 children were born but it is perhaps as well that DNA tests could
not be used in those days to establish the true father! Mary asked John if her mother could
come and live with them as a helper with the children and this was agreed but it meant that the
two women were gradually dictating the farmer’s business affairs and in 1819 one of these
‘suggestions’ was to employ Philip Haynes as a labourer. At first John was pleased by Haynes’
work as a labourer but eventually even he noticed that the man was paying far too much
attention to his wife, so he was evicted off the premises. Her reaction was to hurriedly arrange
lodgings for Philip with her friend Elizabeth Bush and her husband John, who lived at Byfield.
9
Now Mary was desperate to get rid of her husband and couldn’t wait until nature took its course
so she persuaded Philip that the death would have to be ‘hastened’. Her lover agreed to this but
although he may have been successful in the romantic stakes he was to prove weak and inept
in the carrying out of the deed.
Philip reasoned that the murder would have to appear to be accidental so the first attempt he
made was to tie a rope at chest height across a road he knew John Clarke would ride home on
that evening. The rope fetched the farmer off his horse but didn’t hit the target of his neck so
didn’t prove fatal. Clarke assumed that rogues were lying in wait to rob him and consequently
warned all the locals of the danger.
The next attempt saw Haynes manufacturing a large club and lying in wait for Clarke by a gated
wall near to the farmhouse. Soon the farmer came by and the inefficient ’murderer’
leapt out and hit him over the head, which merely knocked him to the ground, causing the
would-be assassin to flee the scene. Fortunately for Haynes the victim was stunned which
prevented him from seeing his attacker clearly.
After two failed attempts Mary was getting impatient and urging her lover to be more
courageous and daring but his response was merely to put the onus back on her by purchasing
some poison (laudanum) and sending it to Mary to put in her husband’s tea. This she did but
failed to make the dose strong enough to kill, instead making John very sick.
By this time things were becoming very fraught between the pair of
plotters and Mary persuaded Haynes that he should shoot Clarke and
then flee the scene. In spite of his initial reluctance Haynes bought a
horse pistol and some large shot, taking up a vantage point for the next
few days in the barn’s hen roost and getting frequent supplies of food and
drink from Mary. Beset by doubts, Haynes became conscious of what he
was doing and had to be goaded by Mary into action. Eventually he fired a shot at Clarke on
10th February 1821 as he was passing the barn and hit him below the elbow and on the upper
arm, causing gaping holes but initially escaping detection.
As he was so badly wounded John Clarke was helped to his bed and a surgeon from Badby
was called, advising amputation to stop gangrene setting in. Realising he probably did not have
long to live John completed his will before the amputation and a cursory search was made for
the culprit. Haynes did not dare move for fear of discovery and hid himself well in the hay until 2
days later a farm worker remembered a puff of smoke coming from the hay loft and proceeded
to search it by prodding the hay with a pitchfork causing the culprit to stand up suddenly and
declare himself. He was taken prisoner but Clarke requested his presence before he was taken
away. He was led into Clarke’s bedroom and the injured man roused himself enough to point at
Haynes and declare,”You bloody minded fellow, how could you do me such an unkind act?” He
was later to die of his injuries at 4 a.m. the following morning.
A search of Haynes’ coat and his Byfield lodgings revealed some shot and incriminating letters
between the pair. As a result they were tried at Northampton assizes and hung on Northampton
Heath on March 10th 1821 ….exactly one month after the murder attempt and a much quicker
resolution of justice than in modern times!
As for the scene of the crime, Cherwell House was demolished in 1978 and a new farmhouse
built close by. So no monument remains to remind us of the tale.
C.C.
(Thanks to numerous sources including ‘Northamptonshire Murders’ by Paul Harrison)
10The Kalabergo Murder
Some of you may have heard of Williamscot Hill on the A361 between Wardington and Banbury
referred to as Kalabergo’s Hill (sometimes spelt Kalabargo). The reason for this is that it was
the scene of the murder of John Kalabergo on 9th January 1852.
John Kalabergo was an Italian jeweller and maker of watches, clocks and
barometers who had come from Italy and settled in Banbury for more than forty
years, becoming anglicised and changing his name from Giovanni to the John he
was generally known as.
John had a twenty-two-year-old nephew (also called Giovanni or William) living in
Italy who was very keen to come to England and join his uncle in Banbury. At first
John resisted his pleas but eventually gave way, insisting that his nephew William
should ’behave like a real English gentleman and would be expected to be
obedient at all times ….’
A barometer made
by John
Consequently, William joined his uncle but soon became disillusioned at
his new life as John was constantly extremely strict and critical of the
young man, threatening to turn him out on the streets with no money for
his fare back to Italy. So it was that a murderous plan was conceived by
William, further fuelled by the fact that he was the sole recipient of his
uncle’s wealth as named in his will.
John Kalabergo
Uncle and nephew used to take a horse drawn cart around the
villages in the Banbury area selling their wares and so it was that they were returning home on
the evening of 9th January 1852 and beginning the walk up the steep Williamscot Hill, at which
both men dismounted. John was leading the horse by its bridle with William following behind the
cart when William discharged two shots from a pistol into the back of John’s head.
The occupants of the cart following at some distance behind had also dismounted and heard
the shots. As they arrived on the scene they came upon the horse and cart standing riderless
and what looked like a greatcoat lying in the road, but on further examination proved to be the
dead body of John Kalabergo.
Meanwhile William had taken off in a blind panic across the fields towards Banbury and arrived
back at the home they both occupied yelling, “Uncle dead!” to the servants. As William still
couldn’t speak much English a neighbour who spoke a little Italian and a Catholic Priest coaxed
William’s story out of him. He claimed that he and his uncle had been set upon by three robbers
demanding money who had countered John’s resistance with two pistol shots. This explanation
did not convince the police who were suspicious as no money or goods had been taken by the
so called ‘robbers’. from either of the men.
William (Giovanni) was arrested and a search of his room revealed bullets and traces of
gunpowder. In addition, a Banbury gunsmith supplied the information that the young man had
purchased a pistol off him previously which sealed the evidence in the case.
Consequently, William was held on charges of murder and despite two escape attempts was
hung at Oxford on 22nd March 1852.
(Thanks to numerous sources including ‘Oxfordshire Murders’ by Nicola Sly)
C.Cross
11CHARITIES APPLICATION
NEED A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS AN UNEXPECTED
FINANCIAL NEED FOR YOURSELF OR A GROUP?
Then you fill in the form on this page and give it to one of the
Trustees listed. It would help if you can give a copy of a receipt or
quote. We try to help by giving at least some of the money you are
asking for and it comes in cheque form. Applications need to be in by
Friday 9th April.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application Form for Funding
Do you wish to apply for funding for yourself?
Name --------------------------------------------------------------
Address ----------------------------------------------------------- Phone ------------------
Someone else?
Name -------------------------------------------------------------
Address -----------------------------------------------------------
A Byfield organisation?
Name of group ---------------------------------------------------
Applicant ----------------------------------------------------------- Phone --------------------
What is the funding for?
Signature ………………….. (Give or post to a trustee listed)
Byfield Combined Charities Trustees:
Chris Cross (Chairman), 28 Bell Lane … Rev. Paul Trathen, The Rectory, Church
St. … Christl Davis, 20 Westhorpe Lane … Lyn Grennan, 35 The Twistle … Pam
Hicks (Treasurer), 1 Edwards Close … Rosemary Johnson (Secretary), The
Corner House, 34 Bell Lane … Angela Weller, 18 Church St.
12Byfield Parish Council
The Parish Council has its own website https://www.byfield-pc.gov.uk/ where all agendas,
minutes and useful documents can be seen. The Parish Council normally meets on the second
Thursday of the month in the village hall starting at 19.30 hrs. Members of the press and public
are always welcome to attend.
The Queens Platinum Jubilee
The Parish Council is keen to hear of any planned events and what we can do to support villagers
as we celebrate this milestone in our nation’s history. Please get in touch with either the Clerk or
any parish councillor to learn more.
Chairman’s Report
If you are moving away, then farewell and thank you for being part of our community. If you are
new to Byfield then welcome, we are sure this will become a happy and fulfilling place for you to
have your home.
We are starting to ‘live with covid’ but life is still not ‘normal’ and the pandemic is still not over, so
please continue to be kind to those who remain anxious about Covid and consider wearing a face
covering inside the shop and petrol station to show regard for the staff and other customers.
In the last Byword I referred to Rodger Peachey as a new parish councillor and must apologise
because his name is Rodger Peach. I also mentioned that we had three villagers interested in the
one remaining vacancy and I am pleased to be able to tell you that Mrs Diane Burton has joined
the parish council.
The Parish Council was shocked to be advised of the withdrawal of the bus service without any
opportunity to consult the community or consider alternatives. We are very disappointed by the
actions and attitude of West Northants Council officials who did not consider it even worth
mentioning to the affected parishes that they would not support us with a rural bus service. We
expect to see more of this ‘Northampton centric’ approach to local government over the coming
years. Many people have been in touch with local councillors and our MP to see if anything can
be done to save the service or develop an alternative. Byfield Parish Council will explore what we
can do in all aspects.
Footpaths
Remember whenever using public footpaths to follow the countryside code, pick up after your
dog, leave gates as you find them and keep to established paths.
Lights and Utilities
Cllr Davis is the first point of call for any faulty light - email christl.davis@byfield-pc.gov.uk
This year we aim to complete our three year programme to update all street lights to new LED
lights which are much more efficient and climate friendly.
Environment
Spring is coming, please cut hedges and roadside planting back to your
boundary to keep the footpaths clear and safe for everyone.
The Parish Council is grateful to villagers who trim grass, plant shrubs or
otherwise maintain public areas near their property, it is a neighbourly thing to
13do. No one should place themselves at any risk doing this and of course it does not create any
exclusive rights of access or ownership to a piece of land.
Planning
As most of you will know the 78 houses and new medical centre was again considered by West
Northants Planning Committee at its meeting in February. The eventual outcome of that meeting
was to once again defer a final decision to enable the applicants to provide answers to questions
and requirements first put to them two years ago.
One significant, and relieving, fact to come out of the meeting was that the surgery is not under
threat of closure. The surgery continues in its good work helping the people of Byfield and
surrounding villages, continues to accept new patients and has recently advertised for another
doctor to join the team.
The medical centre is not run by the NHS, it is a private business that is contracted to provide
services to the NHS and we acknowledge the skill, kindness and dedication shown by everyone
who works there.
We have engaged on this application for five years now and note that:
• the latest iteration is a smaller building with reduced services and facilities than originally
proposed
• although the number of houses has reduced, the density has increased leaving a strip of
land for potential future development
• most significantly the traffic / pedestrian issues remain unresolved, the solution offered by
the developers of five sets of traffic lights with the urbanisation and related problems that
they would bring have not been accepted by the local Northamptonshire Highways
Authority
The PC has responded to all of the various alterations that have been submitted and is grateful
to the councillors and villagers who give of their time and expertise to advise and comment.
We remain very conscious that this is a major development for Byfield and it is vitally important
that we continue to take an overview to ensure that any planning permission produces the best
possible outcome for everyone in the parish. The social and environmental issues created by
traffic queuing at the Fiveways junction and the urbanisation of our village community continues
to concern us. Byfield Parish Council has always been prepared to discuss the plans and remains
open to such conversations.
All other planning applications, parish council comments and the record of decisions can be found
in the Parish Council minutes on our website. Items of interest recently include:
• WND/2021/0087 - Variation of planning permission DA/2014/1115 to allow for
repositioning and enlargement of detached garage – Turvins, Boddington Road
• WND/2021/0061 – Lawful development certificate to allow development of roof space and
roof lights – The Old Manse, The Green
• WND/2021/0132 – Construction of a new agricultural building - Land off Banbury Road
•
If you are considering making a planning application in order to extend or improve your property
you might find it helpful to contact the planning office at the Daventry office of West Northants
Council. The advice they give could save time and help to ensure that your application proceeds
14as quickly as possible. It is also helpful to inform your neighbours of your plans so that if they
have any concerns, these can be discussed.
HS2 and Highways
Cllr Crowshaw acts as our liaison with HS2 contractors. We will continue to post occasional
updates of significance or importance to Byfield on our website but also encourage villagers to
find much more information, and personalize what they receive, you can get a lot of information
from the HS2 website.
If you have a question about HS2 or their works, please contact the HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081
434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Allotments
Councillor Lindsay Clark continues to oversee the area and we now follow a policy of sub dividing
the bigger plots into more manageable sized areas. We currently have several plots available, if
anybody fancies having a try at growing your own fruit, flowers and vegetables why not get in
touch?
To rent an allotment please contact the clerk clerk@byfield-pc.gov.uk .Byfield Parishioners have
priority on the waiting list.
Communications and Social Media
The Parish Council has a presence on social media as follows:
• Facebook – please follow @byfieldparishcouncil
• Website – please go to our website www.www.byfield-pc.gov.uk
Ways to contact us:
Our Facebook page allows for Parishioners to contact us directly via Facebook Messenger, and
we try to respond to every message we receive as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Our email
addresses can also be found on the website, where there is also an option to complete an online
form.
Brightwell Recreation Ground – Playground
The play equipment is always well used and the whole area continues to be an attractive and
important part of the village.
There is plenty of space on the Brightwell Recreation Ground where dogs can run free and at
least 8 bins where waste can be disposed of safely so please keep your dog on its lead around
the play equipment.
Burial Ground
Any remaining Remembrance Day wreaths and tokens and Christmas decorations will be
removed by the end of April to ensure the area is tidy and well cared for.
Families and friends of those interred are politely reminded of the rules around items left on graves
and that plot edging is not permitted. Please do not put plastic, cellophane, metal or other non-
compostable materials such as florists ‘oasis’, plant pots and sachets of cut flower food into the
compost bins. Things such as holly and ivy are also better going into the dustbin since they can
take years to decompose.
15Pocket Park
The Pocket Park area is coming to life once again, it is exciting and comforting to see the bulbs,
blossom and new growth. The area remains a popular area for dog walking and for children to
explore the informal pathways and woodland.
The Pocket Park Volunteers will restart in Spring 2022, they meet at 10.00 at the carpark by
Pocket Park usually on a Thursday once a month. Cake and hot drinks are provided. Come along
and meet our friendly group or get in touch with Pom Boddington pom.boddington@byfield-
pc.gov.uk You can do as much or as little as you like.
John Gillic - Chair - Byfield Parish Council
The Annual Parish Council Meeting will be on Thursday 26th May in Byfield
Village Hall and is open to all the village and the press.
16Live theatre in Byfield!!
Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens
An interpretation by the Pantaloons Theatre Co.
Friday 22nd April at 7.30pm in Byfield Village Hall
Tickets - £14 for adults (18+) £12 for over 65s £8 for under 18s
Tickets available from: Christl Davis 01327 261504 – cash or cheque to 1st Byfield Scout
Group,
Angela Weller 01327 260022 – cash or cheque to 1st Byfield Scout Group
Fiveways Filling Station - cash only
Interval refreshments and bar
If you have seen the Pantaloons Theatre Co at Canons Ashby House you will know they do
not generally take their subjects too seriously!
Arranged by Byfield Scout Group, with the hope of raising a few £s to keep the Group HQ in
a good state of repair and bringing enjoyment to the people of Byfield and surrounding
villages.
17Boddington & District Gardeners’ Association
Gardening update
This month’s gardening tips and news from Boddington & District Gardeners’ Association.
Fancy creating a pond this year?
Guest speaker this month, Philip Aubury, will be sharing advice on how to make the most of
your garden ponds or start a new pond. You’re welcome to come along (7.30pm on 27 April at
Boddington Village Hall). It’s free to members, annual membership is £6.
April in the garden
Here’s Philip’s expert advice on gardening this month, “For many people, April is the start of the
gardening year. The days are getting longer and the soil is warming up.
“To give your garden a good start to the year, a dressing of general fertilizer
(Growmore or chicken pellets) will improve the growth of shrubs and herbaceous
plant. For roses I like to use a specific rose fertilizer which has additional
nutrients. If you have not dug out your compost heap in the winter months now is
an ideal time to do so. Applied as a mulch to your borders it will help to conserve
the winter rains.
“Herbaceous plants will be making some good growth so now is the time to add
supports to the taller plants. I usually use circular wire grids on metal supports
that the plants can grow through but pea sticks (branched wood stems) do a great job.
"If you have planted new trees or shrubs in the winter, they may need re-firming and if there are
dry periods give them a good soaking to make sure that they get a good start.
“Spring bulbs and bedding plants will be at their best in April but do regularly remove dead
flowers and if growing in pots ensure that they do not dry out. Perennial shrubs in pots need top
dressing at this time of year. Scrape away some of the old surface compost and give a dressing
of fertilizer. I use fish, blood and bone and then top up with John Innes No3 compost.
“With a few exceptions it is too early to plant summer bedding. Antirrhinums and sweet peas will
withstand late frosts but you will have to wait till later in May to be sure that our summer
plantings do not get killed by frost. It is, however, a great month to plant up tubs and hanging
baskets if you have a conservatory or cold greenhouse to provide protection. You can also save
a lot of expense by buying plug plants in early April and potting them up and growing them on in
a conservatory or greenhouse.
“In the vegetable garden the soil will now be warm enough to direct sow in
prepared soil the majority of vegetables, lettuce, beetroot, carrots, brassicas
etc. For tender vegetables such as runner beans, french beans, sweet corn
and courgettes I like to sow the seeds in small pots so they can be planted out
when risk of frost has passed.
“Early flowering shrubs such as forsythia and flowering currants will now need
pruning to rejuvenate them by removing some of the oldest wood. Also at this
time of year lawns will be growing strongly but will benefit from a sprinkle of spring fertiliser and
regular mowing.”
Gardening visits
Two dates for your dairy…local trips being organised by the club with reduced entry fees
• 17 June: A visit to Thenford (Lord and Lady Heseltine’s garden)
• 20 July: A private visit to Broughton Castle
• How to join the clubYou can join the club when you come along to a meeting or email Barbara
at bridyard@icloud.com Meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm in
Boddington Village Hall (Jan-May and Sept-Nov).
18With the evenings getting lighter and signs of spring all around us, it's time to ditch the
weekends stuck inside and get back to enjoying the outdoors. We have plenty of ways that you
can support our hospice while getting some fresh air – from taking part in events to volunteering
for one of our collections. We couldn’t keep supporting local people without your help. Thank
you!
Moonlight Walk - UPDATE
Our Moonlight Walk has a new date and venue! Our much-loved
fundraising event will now take place on 16th July, setting off from
Easington Sports Football Club in Banbury. We're bringing back all
the best bits of the 80s – so get some friends together and have
your leg warmers at the ready! Tickets are on sale now. All that’s left
is to choose between our 6- and 10-mile walk.
Open Gardens return
We have an incredible seven dates for our Open Garden scheme running throughout the spring
and summer – with more to come! A huge thank you to all our green-fingered supporters who
are opening their gardens to help raise money for our hospice. If you’re looking for some fun
family days out in the months ahead then take a look at our Open Gardens page to find out
more.
Out on the town!
We’re always on the lookout for more volunteers for our street collections. Each collection slot
lasts for 1.5 hours – so it’s a great introduction to volunteering if it's something you've been
thinking about. Find out how you can get involved on the volunteering page of our website.
A cracking 10k
Ready to step-up your running this autumn? We’ve teamed up with Brackley Running Club and
are excited to offer places on the ‘egg-cellent’ 10k Chicken Run!
Join the Katharine House team to take on this popular local running event and raise money for a
fantastic cause.
Walk the walk
If you love nothing more than lacing up your walking boots and getting out to see the world, then
we have three new challenge events that will be right up your street.
• Cotswold Way Challenge - 25 June
• Thames Path Challenge - 10 September
• Halloween Walk - 29 October
So whether you fancy something beautifully scenic or a little bit spooky – we've got you
covered! Find out about these challenges and more on our website.
Digital monthly newsletter – keep up to date with your hospice
Sign up to receive our Katharine House digital monthly newsletter, which is designed to keep
you in touch with all our latest news and fundraising events at the hospice.
Find out more
Head to our website for more details, events and news: www.khh.org.uk.
19Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust
Ride and Stride 2021
A Great Big Thank you to all who took part in September 2021 and helped to make it another
record-breaking year, despite all the restrictions and challenges!
We were all hoping for a more ’normal’ Ride and Stride Day with some of the benefits of lessons
learnt during 2020; we were not disappointed and churches all tried very hard to rise to the
challenge and show that we were back in business. On the day the weather was good and
there were record numbers of Riders and Striders.
332 churches took part in Northamptonshire and of them around 200 were manned for at
least part of the time; it does make such a difference to have a welcome face there, perhaps
with information about interesting features in the church and directions to their next stop. It is
sometimes a struggle for churches to find volunteers to sit in the church, but we have always
suggested that church sitters can be sponsored for manning the church and this year it has
been great to have ‘Pray and Stay’ and ‘Knit and Natter’ as novel ways of solving the
problem! Of course, free refreshments offered by most churches figure highly in the rating of
churches’ welcome. Coffee mornings and cream teas also raised the spirits and energy levels
and led to more visitors and welcome fund raising at the same time.
The grand total to date for 2021 is £56,195 including Gift Aid. A magnificent total and we
are grateful to all those churches who helped reach this figure. The following churches raised
over £1000 each: Hinton in the Hedges, Kings Sutton, Marston Trussell, Oundle Holy Jesus RC,
Stoke Doyle and Walgrave. (Church of England unless mentioned otherwise). A special thank
you to them.
This is yet another record-breaking year and a real tribute to all those volunteers who work to
make Ride and Stride in Northamptonshire the success that it is particularly in these difficult
times.
Particularly-
• The enthusiasm of Local Organisers who keep us informed of their church arrangements
as they changed and persuaded folk to ride and stride and find sponsors
• Our team of Area Organisers who each have a group of Local Organisers, work
tirelessly, firstly in the spring collating information about which churches will be open, and
then sending out all the information to the Local Organisers.
• Eddie Byland, our Treasurer who sends cheques for 50% of the amount received in
sponsorship back to each church
And of course, thank you to all the Riders and Striders and all their sponsors. Without them we
would not have reached that record breaking total!
(Taken from the Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust recent Newsletter)
NB Holy Cross Church always participates in the Ride and Stride event and has also benefitted
from grants from Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust when we have been doing work to
the church building.
We would love more people to participate on behalf of Holy Cross Church.
20Come and join us !!
We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at Byfield School Hall, 7.30pm.
April 20th
Resolutions, Game, Coffee/Tea & Chat
May 18th
Book Debate (4 books chosen by members)
May 20th, 7.30pm, School Hall
Open evening with Stephen Wass
“The Archaeology of Stowe House Gardens”
£10 including Ploughman’s meal, and of course there
is a raffle.
(see posters for details)
EVERYONE WELCOME!
For more details contact Sally Doran:
Tel 07866 701666
Email sally.doran@hotmail.co.uk
******
1st Byfield Scout Group
Contact: Rob Gericke Email beavers.1stByfield@gmail.com
1st Byfield Beavers
The Beaver Colony is the first and youngest section of the Scout Group. Beaver Scouts are
boys and girls aged between 6 and 8 years old. There is flexibility in the age range: children
can join from age 5¾ and can move to Cubs between age 7½ and 8½.
We meet on Tuesdays, 5.30-6.30pm in Byfield at the Scout Hut next to the cricket club. They
enjoy all that Scouting has to offer; being introduced to outdoor activities, having the opportunity
21to be creative, explore their local community and experience the excitement of a Beaver Scout
sleepover with their friends.
For any interested children, we suggest putting their names down on the waiting list early, to
avoid disappointment. We have children on the list that are 3 years old!
If you would like more information, please contact Robert Gericke on
beavers.1stbyfield@gmail.com
Contact: Helen Mason Tel 01295 660508 or 07910 341637
Email gsl.1stByfield@gmail.com
Contact: Sally Huband Tel 07900 212064
Email
skip.1stbyfieldscouts@gmail.com
During the wettest weekend of 2021 Byfield Scouts undertook their Expedition Challenge!
Working in teams, Byfield scouts who are aged between 11 and 14 years caught the train from
Banbury to Bournemouth, changed onto a bus to Poole and walked to a bunkhouse on Poole
harbour.
After an afternoon of kayaking and paddleboarding the scouts stayed overnight and the next
morning (after a fabulous fry up!) and with the sun finally shining the 13 scouts headed out to
catch the ferry from Poole to Studland and walked 5 miles along the South West Coast path to
Swanage.
The Scout leaders met them at several points during the weekend – but on the whole the scouts
both planned the trip and completed it themselves working in teams we call Patrols. They
followed timetables and maps to ensure the Expedition was completed safely and with a whole
lot of fun!!
We’ve enjoyed a hike from Horley to Hornton and also a night hike from Cropredy to Chipping
Warden. Our hikes ensure the scouts put their map and compass knowledge into practical use.
First Aid is an essential skill and our scouts have learned what to do in Emergency situations
achieving their Level 2 Emergency Aid badges.
22We had a short hiatus when the Covid level increased but we are now back to face to face
scouting with a vengence!
Cooking is always a popular activity and this term we’ve
made curry, veggie chilli and white chocolate cheesecake to
help towards gaining the Chefs Badge.
This term we are competing in the Monopoly Run on
Saturday 5th March which has scout and guide teams from
all over the UK converging on London to play a ‘real life’ version of the ever popular board
game. Using an App the teams race to visit the actual sites that appear on the board. Tactics
are key – how would you play?
Our spring sleepover at the scout hut in Byfield includes an evening debate with our local
Member of Parliament plus some DIY and Bike Maintenance skills during the day. No doubt
there will be campfires and marshmallows at some point too!
With a “Survival Camp” planned for April we are as busy as ever….
Some scouts in their natural habitat!
It’s fantastic to announce that 2 Byfield Scout Group members have been selected to go as part
of the UK contingency to the 2023 World Jamboree which is being held in South Korea – what
an amazing adventure they can look forward to. We’re all very proud of you – there was fierce
competition for places.
Well done Eliza Dickson-Lewis and Emily Strong!
As the UK’s largest mixed youth organisation Scouts aims to build and develop young people’s
confidence, sense of adventure and outdoor skills, as well as encouraging them to explore their
beliefs and attitudes and be creative. It offers them the independence to put these skills into
practice at camps and even on international trips.
Scouts are encouraged to work together and take the lead on all sorts of projects, from
community based work to planning games and activities for their meetings.
The Scout Troop is the third section in the Scout Group, above Beavers and Cubs. The Scout
Section is for young people aged between 10½ and 14½ years.
Byfield Scout troop meets on Tuesday evenings from 7pm-8.30pm at The Scout HQ at the
Brightwell Recreation Ground in Byfield.
If you would like any further information contact: Sally Huband, (Leader) on 07900 212064
23Little Angels are back!
This is our time of simple worship for families with
babies and pre-school children, held
in Holy Cross Church, Byfield on the third Monday in the month in term time from
2—2.45pm.
We have a short interactive story, one or two action songs and a simple prayer.
There are then activities and toys for the children - and time for a cup of tea and a
chat!
In January we followed the Journey of the Magi all the way from Arabia to the
house in Bethlehem where Jesus and his family had moved from the stable. The
magi were probably astrologers so we made them telescopes so that they could get
a good view of the stars!
Our meeting in February followed Storm Eunice so we listened to the story of Jesus
calming the storm and made a model of the boat rocking on the waves.
We will be meeting on 25th April (the third Monday is Bank Holiday), 16th May, 20th
June and 18th July. Do come and join us!
Rising Stars!
A Junior Church youth group for those aged 7 – 12 years.
We meet in Holy Cross Church, Byfield usually on the third Thursday in the month
from 6 – 7.30pm. Our evening is based on a Bible story but will include games,
puzzles, crafts and FOOD!
In January we also followed the story of the Magi and took journeying as our
theme. The first activity involved following clues to take us on a journey round the
main features in the church. We had a bit of a quiz to fix the story in our heads and
then discussed the decisions that the magi had to make on their way. Each group
devised a ‘board game’ using the ‘decisions’ and possible outcomes as ‘fast
forwards’ or ‘back to the beginning’! We finished with pizza.
In February our theme was ‘making choices’. We listened to the story of Jesus
choosing his disciples and talked about the difficulty of making choices. We had a
food tasting to see if we could pick out the REAL McVitie’s chocolate digestives from
a own brand and REAL Walkers Crisps from cheaper
alternatives. Jasmine was very astute and decided all
the cheaper ones tasted better! We couldn’t really be
persuaded by the smarties that weren’t ‘Smarties’ –
they had a VERY hard outer covering.
We discussed possible future careers and identified
what the young people felt they were good at. We
agreed that we were all good at something and the
important thing was to choose to use our gifts in the
right way. We made a fish from a button, adding a tail
on which we wrote one of our gifts – as a reminder.
This time we finished with Hot Dogs.
We will be meeting on 21st April, 19th May and 16th
June. Do come and join us. Cost £2
For further details of either group, ring or text Lesley on 07941 328535.
Email: lep23a@gmail.com KA, LG, LP
24On the second Sunday in the month at 11am we are
having Café Church at Holy Cross. This is an informal
service for people of any age to enjoy with tea, coffee
and cold drinks with cakes and biscuits on offer from
the beginning of the service. We have tables across the front of the church where
families and groups can sit. We also use the pews so that we can spread out a little
more. We serve people with drinks so that we don’t get a huddle round the servery
and encourage people to come one or two at a time to choose cakes and biscuits.
The service is usually based on the gospel reading for the day with discussions for
all and activities for the children and anyone else who would like to join in. We sing
accompanied by our wonderful musicians – and some percussion, praising God with
much enthusiasm!
We will be meeting on 8th May and 12th June at 11am. We’d love to see you!
LP
A visit from Horse Chestnut Class, Byfield School
On 7th March, Horse Chestnut Class set out on their first adventure in the village
since the start of the Covid pandemic! As part of the RE Curriculum for KS1 pupils,
they are learning about Christianity. They had a lot of questions that they wanted
to ask and so they came to Holy Cross Church to find some answers!
Mrs Grennan and Mrs Palmer were very pleased to welcome them. We began our
ascent to the church from the Brightwell, stopping to look at the beautiful flowers
on a recent grave and to talk about the gravestones. We stopped again to marvel
at the height of the tower and to talk about the ‘golden cockerel’ that sits on top of
the spire.
In the porch we had a look at the stone gargoyles that used to spout the water
away from the roof – they are rather rude!! Mrs Grennan let us in the heavy door
from the porch and showed the children the huge key that is needed. Just behind
the door we stopped to look at the font in which some of the children had been
baptized.
The children were extremely well behaved and an absolute pleasure to be with and
to talk to. We were able to answer most of their questions and to show them the
things that we felt were important to Christians when they come to worship in
church Some children had questions that we could not answer, so have asked them to
investigate and let us know!
Since the visit we have received ‘thank
you’ letters from every child telling us
what they found most interesting. This
ranged from the Cockerel, through the
pews, to the stained-glass windows and
the font.
LG, LP
25Sustainability – what can you do?
Do you want to be more sustainable? But not sure where to start?
Here are some ideas for things you can do at home:
• Use rechargeable batteries
• Diversify your garden to build a wildlife habitat, do you need
all that lawn?
• Buy local to reduce transport emissions
• Use hard soap not liquid or refill your bottles e.g.
www.splosh.com
• Grow your own vegetables
• Use beeswax wrap instead of clingfilm or use reusable silicon
• Consider buying organic produce where you can as this is better for the environment
than intensive farming
• Encourage hedgehogs by cutting passages in fences or leaving gaps in walls
• Try to buy things from organisations that do the sustainability research for you! Such as
www.goodclub.co.uk
• Use brown paper and paper tape for wrapping. You can even decorate the paper
yourself for a truly unique touch
Not sure why it is important to be sustainable?
Climate change is real and affects us all, from changes in weather patterns to food shortages,
we know there is much to do. One person changing one thing may not have a huge impact but
100 people changing one thing starts to be more significant. This is particularly impactful if we
work as a community and in Byfield we are such a community.
Got ideas for things the village could do to be more sustainable? Interested in finding out more?
Then contact India on india@cantab.net or 07919 656477 to be added to a mailing list.
Garden Waste Collections
How much does it cost?
The two-weekly garden waste service costs £42 from April 2022 to April 2023 with a small
break over Christmas, equating to approximately £1.68 per collection over the year – this is
in line with the cost of last year’s service.
How do I renew / sign up and when by?
You can pay online at https://www.northampton.gov.uk/xfp/form/382 via credit or debit card
from 14th February 2022. You are encouraged to sign up for the service before it begins on
4th April. The annual charge of £42 per bin runs from April 2022 until the end of March
2023. The cost will not change if you join after 4th April.
Or you can ring 0300 126 7000 and follow the instructions.
How will you know I have renewed when you collect my bin?
You will receive a new sticker to put on your bin to show that you have registered for the
service. You can subscribe any time before 4th April. Collections will take place fortnightly
with a small break over Christmas.
26Byfield and District Branch of the Royal British Legion
Welcome to your Byfield and District RBL branch news as we start to
recover from the last two years and all the restrictions that we have
endured. We hope that all our members have fared well and are in
good health as we all look to become more active and outgoing again in the coming months.
Looking ahead further into 2022 we will be having a local speaker at our meetings every other
month. We started in February with Tim Boddington giving a fascinating talk on Venice to us,
and planned for our meeting in April is a talk on the Malayan Emergency. This will be given by
Bob Cubitt who has also taken over as our Branch Secretary this year. On this note, we send
our grateful thanks to Alan Bailey who held the mantle of Branch Secretary for many years. Alan
will remain as a branch member and I am sure we will be calling on his knowledge over the
coming months. Our meetings take place on the first Monday of each month in Byfield Village
Hall annex at 8pm. A list of these dates can be found on the Byfield Village Hall website. Both
members and non-members are welcome at our meetings with non-members being asked for a
donation on the night.
Our Annual Quiz Night that was regrettably postponed from November last year is now firmly
booked for Friday 29th April 2022 at Byfield Village Hall 7.30pm. Preparations are well
underway and we hope to see as many of you as possible on the night. With tables of 4 people
only costing you £10, with a bar, bacon butties courtesy of the local PTA, and a raffle, why
wouldn’t you want to come along to test your knowledge and enjoy a fun local evening? If
anyone has any raffle donations, they would like to make please contact Bob Cubitt on either
07957 810158 or cubittbob@yahoo.co.uk.
On 2nd April 1982, Argentinian forces
invaded the British overseas territory
of the Falkland Islands. The Falklands
War was a ten-week undeclared war
between Argentina and the United
Kingdom in 1982 over two British
dependent territories in the South
Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its
territorial dependency, South Georgia
and the South Sandwich Islands.
The 2021 Annual Poppy Appeal is
now closed and Major Tom Smith, our
local Poppy Appeal Organiser, is very
pleased to report that the district has
banked a total of £10,822. To all businesses, shops, poppy appeal collectors, poppy appeal co-
ordinators and of course all that donated, we send our grateful thanks to everyone involved in
this effort; well done.
Our website (search for RBL Byfield) http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/byfield-
district-branch-in-rural-sw-northants-uk
and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/byfield.britishlegion.1 are there for you and
please remember ALL are welcome at Byfield & District RBL - you don't have to be ex-service to
be part of this organisation, both men and women are Members of the Byfield & District RBL -
and there are no age limits.
27Big Breakfast
Dates for 2022 are:
April 2nd 10am – 1pm
May 14th 10am – 1pm
June 2nd (Thursday) 10am – 1pm
Same great food
Same great price (£7 for adults and £3 for children)
Come and join us!
Byfield 2nd Tuesday Group
Film Night at the Priors (Previously Byfield Over 60s Club)
Hall
Byfield Village Hall
Friday 22 nd
April 2.15pm for 2.30pm start
West Side Story April 12th By a sleepy lagoon Pat Cannell will
be cast away with her 8 memorable records, book
Year of Release 2021 etc.
Certificate 12A
Running Time 2 hrs 36 mins May 10th Afternoon visit to Coton Manor Gardens
Doors Open 7pm, – for the bluebells
Film starts 7:30pm
Annual subscription is £9 and the meeting fee is £2
Byfield Village Hall
For information about Byfield Village Hall please go to: www.byfieldvillagehall.org.uk
The website should provide all the information you require about forthcoming events and the
facilities available if you are interested in making a booking.
To make a booking you can do that on the website by going to Bookings/Booking Form.
Complete the form, press Submit we shall respond. To find out if the Hall is available at your
chosen time, search the Calendar on the Home Page or click on Availability on Home Page.
You can also contact Richard Corbett on 01327 260180 or 07780 678996 or
email byfield.calendar@gmail.com
28GRS PLUMBING
Bathroom And Wet Room
Specialists
• Complete fitting service
• Repairs
• Leaks
• Blockages
• Tiling
For all your plumbing requirements
by a local and reliable plumber
with over 20 years’ experience.
For a free estimate
Contact 07826 927864 or
sleemandco@yahoo.co.uk
What season is it best to
go on a trampoline?
Springtime!
Why is the letter A like a
flower?
A bee comes after it!
200 Club
You can join the Holy Cross Church 200 Club at any
What did the mother worm time.
say to the little worm who
The cost is £12 for the year and the prizes of £50 and
was late?
£25 are awarded each month.
Where in earth have you
Contact Chris Cross (260764) for more details.
been?” 29You can also read
