benenden magazine october 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 mobile: 07836 254047 e...

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Benenden Magazine October 2017

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Page 1: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

BenendenMagazineOctober2017

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Domestic Care

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BenendenrsquosSHOP POST OFFICE CAFEacute rsquosB rsquosB itrsquos the word on The StreetAn excellent range of groceries breads vegetables beers and wines

and with Post Office services

and a great place to meet and chat over a coffee or snack

Free Wifiinfobenendenscouk Tel 01580 279808

New Academic Year

New School

New Challenges

Are you considering personal tuition

Clare Leek has spaces available

clareintuitionbtinternetcom

07748 462792

In Tuition

Primary Subjects

Singapore Maths

French

l

1

Ah rsquotis the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness when we look around and see the harvestgathered in and in the garden there is less to do - which is good - though the days are shorter -which is sad Crisp autumn mornings are always bracing and invigorating inviting one to strideout and breathe deeply while the fields are candyflossed with mist We feel we have to make themost of the sun and revel in its lingering warmth Dark and soggy early evenings are less of a joybut even then the scent of woodsmoke and that autumn smell a bit like bramble jelly in the coldair is an invitation to rush in shut the door and light the fire The warmth and comfort insideexperienced all the more acutely after the chilly weather outside

The stars always seem brighter on a cold night and I have been known to walk into a hedge whilestargazing in the course of taking my disapproving dog for a late night amble I can just aboutidentify the Plough and Orionrsquos Belt but that is the extent of my knowledge You can feel thepresence of all those other stargazers at the same sky from the same place over thousands ofyears

I always wish I were a painter or a photographer and could capture some of the wonderfuleffects of light and colour at this time of year evenings when the sun seems to give an almostredrosy light as it goes down sheep and cattle looming out of the mist and the colours ofturning leaves Itrsquos quite possible Irsquove never quite grown up and where Irsquod really like to be is beback at nursery school painting fircones and colouring-in the traced outline of an autumn leafColouring-in was one of my strong suits at school and sadly is something this generation ofchildren doesnrsquot seem to do (making geography in particular much less fun) Howeverpsychiatrists have expounded the many benefits of colouring-in and you can now get adultcolouring-in books of all sorts The perfect occupation in front of the fire

Minnie Garnier Co-Editor

Editorial

The Benenden Magazine is published monthly as a joint venture by Benenden Parish Council and St Georgersquos Parochial Church Council It is distributed free to all residents of the parish Opinionsexpressed are not necessarily those of the publishers Responsibility for accuracy of information restswith contributors and advertisers Neither the publishers nor the editors shall be held responsible foror endorse any opinions products or services printed in the magazine or directory

Editors Kent Barker Minnie Garnier Peter ThomasEditorial Board PCC Rep Tracy Claridge PC Rep Kent Barker Treasurer Charles TrollopeActing Advertising Manager Paul Leek Advertising Assistant Iain FraserDistribution Marilyn and Dick Hill Layout Editor Camilla Macdonald

Contributions to benendenparishmagazinegmailcom by the 15th of the preceding monthAdvertising orders or queries to advertisingbenendenmaggmailcomDistribution queries to ddrhillbtinternetcomPostal address co Community Office Benenden Village Hall Benenden TN17 4DY 01580 240371

2

Church Calendar

St Georgersquos ChurchRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Churchwarden Tracy Claridge 240454 TLClaridgeTLClaridgecoukChurchwarden Julia Collard 241944 Juliacollardbtinternetcomwwwbenendenchurchorg 850849 benendenchurchgmailcomPlease inform the Rector or Churchwardens if you or anyone else is ill or would like a visit or home communion

Sunday 1 October 8am Communion 10am All-age Communion 5pm Choral Evensong and Sunday SchoolSunday 8 October 8am 1662 Communion 11am Harvest Service 5pm Evening Prayer followed by Harvest at Mission Church Lunch Village HallSunday 15 October 8am Communion 10am Sung Eucharist 4pm Messy Church

Sunday 22 October 8am Communion 10am Matins 5pm Praise Service at Mission ChurchSunday 29 October 8am Benefice 10am All-age Communion Communion at St Nicholas SandhurstThursday 2 November 730pm All Souls Day Service

Mission Church SandhurstRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Every Tuesday 10am Communion

Iden Green Congregational ChurchPastor Rev Peter Michell 240642 wwwidengreenorgukSunday Services 10am Morning Worship 530pm Evening Worship

The Roman Catholic ChapelFr Barry Grant 713364 wwwsttheodore-cranbrookorgMasses 9am Sundays 730pm Holy Days

From the Parish RegistersWeddings 9 September Toni Mitchell and Jason Walden 16 September Sarah Channing and Ryan Mills 23 September Kate Driver and Dan Potter

Funeral 21 September Mervyn Carey Funeral at St Margaretrsquos Horsmonden

3

Free but pricelessLast month in my letter I wrote about the beauty of the nature that I had experienced when onholiday over the summer in Scotland and also of the beauty of our churchyard and the wildlifethere I would encourage everyone to be observant and take it all in We are surrounded by thebeauty of creation we are well blessed in the area where we live and in the country we live inwe should not take it for granted

This month in the church we mark the Harvest a traditional village time of celebrating theharvest being gathered in the crops brought into the barns the fruit and hops safely gathered foranother season We have done so down through the centuries to give thanks for the crop fromnature and for the people who have worked through the year to produce the harvest This is atraditional rural event one that we continue to uphold - even though most of us have neverworked on a farm or out in the field What we can all do at this time even if we havenrsquot got ourhands dirty with the earth is celebrate all that we have we can celebrate all the things that wehave been blessed with in our lives Just like the beauty of nature we should not take any of thethings we have been blessed with for granted but recognise them and be thankful

Very early in November we will hold a service to commemorate the faithful departed This givesus all the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those we have known and lovedand have been blessed to share life with The service at St Georgersquos Benenden takes place at730pm on Thursday 2 November (All Soulsrsquo Day) the service at St Nicholas Sandhurst is at 10amon Sunday 5 November A list of all the names read out at last yearrsquos services will be available inboth parish churches in early October can you please check these sometime in the month andlet me know if you would still like the name read out or if there are other names you would likeadding this year Please join us at either service as we remember those whom we love but see nomore those whom we miss in our lives Whether they passed away recently or many years agowe still feel the loss of a loved one Come and remember them in one of these gentle reflectiveservices

We have all been blessed with the gift of life that gift includes those whom we love Life is fragilelife is precious The gift of life is given to us freely - but it is actually priceless Do not take the giftof life for granted but embrace it and respond to it with a generous and grateful heart

Revd David Commander Rector

Rectorrsquos Letter

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We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

Pre-School Assistant part-timePre-School Assistant part-time

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

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TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

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Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

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Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 2: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

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l

1

Ah rsquotis the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness when we look around and see the harvestgathered in and in the garden there is less to do - which is good - though the days are shorter -which is sad Crisp autumn mornings are always bracing and invigorating inviting one to strideout and breathe deeply while the fields are candyflossed with mist We feel we have to make themost of the sun and revel in its lingering warmth Dark and soggy early evenings are less of a joybut even then the scent of woodsmoke and that autumn smell a bit like bramble jelly in the coldair is an invitation to rush in shut the door and light the fire The warmth and comfort insideexperienced all the more acutely after the chilly weather outside

The stars always seem brighter on a cold night and I have been known to walk into a hedge whilestargazing in the course of taking my disapproving dog for a late night amble I can just aboutidentify the Plough and Orionrsquos Belt but that is the extent of my knowledge You can feel thepresence of all those other stargazers at the same sky from the same place over thousands ofyears

I always wish I were a painter or a photographer and could capture some of the wonderfuleffects of light and colour at this time of year evenings when the sun seems to give an almostredrosy light as it goes down sheep and cattle looming out of the mist and the colours ofturning leaves Itrsquos quite possible Irsquove never quite grown up and where Irsquod really like to be is beback at nursery school painting fircones and colouring-in the traced outline of an autumn leafColouring-in was one of my strong suits at school and sadly is something this generation ofchildren doesnrsquot seem to do (making geography in particular much less fun) Howeverpsychiatrists have expounded the many benefits of colouring-in and you can now get adultcolouring-in books of all sorts The perfect occupation in front of the fire

Minnie Garnier Co-Editor

Editorial

The Benenden Magazine is published monthly as a joint venture by Benenden Parish Council and St Georgersquos Parochial Church Council It is distributed free to all residents of the parish Opinionsexpressed are not necessarily those of the publishers Responsibility for accuracy of information restswith contributors and advertisers Neither the publishers nor the editors shall be held responsible foror endorse any opinions products or services printed in the magazine or directory

Editors Kent Barker Minnie Garnier Peter ThomasEditorial Board PCC Rep Tracy Claridge PC Rep Kent Barker Treasurer Charles TrollopeActing Advertising Manager Paul Leek Advertising Assistant Iain FraserDistribution Marilyn and Dick Hill Layout Editor Camilla Macdonald

Contributions to benendenparishmagazinegmailcom by the 15th of the preceding monthAdvertising orders or queries to advertisingbenendenmaggmailcomDistribution queries to ddrhillbtinternetcomPostal address co Community Office Benenden Village Hall Benenden TN17 4DY 01580 240371

2

Church Calendar

St Georgersquos ChurchRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Churchwarden Tracy Claridge 240454 TLClaridgeTLClaridgecoukChurchwarden Julia Collard 241944 Juliacollardbtinternetcomwwwbenendenchurchorg 850849 benendenchurchgmailcomPlease inform the Rector or Churchwardens if you or anyone else is ill or would like a visit or home communion

Sunday 1 October 8am Communion 10am All-age Communion 5pm Choral Evensong and Sunday SchoolSunday 8 October 8am 1662 Communion 11am Harvest Service 5pm Evening Prayer followed by Harvest at Mission Church Lunch Village HallSunday 15 October 8am Communion 10am Sung Eucharist 4pm Messy Church

Sunday 22 October 8am Communion 10am Matins 5pm Praise Service at Mission ChurchSunday 29 October 8am Benefice 10am All-age Communion Communion at St Nicholas SandhurstThursday 2 November 730pm All Souls Day Service

Mission Church SandhurstRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Every Tuesday 10am Communion

Iden Green Congregational ChurchPastor Rev Peter Michell 240642 wwwidengreenorgukSunday Services 10am Morning Worship 530pm Evening Worship

The Roman Catholic ChapelFr Barry Grant 713364 wwwsttheodore-cranbrookorgMasses 9am Sundays 730pm Holy Days

From the Parish RegistersWeddings 9 September Toni Mitchell and Jason Walden 16 September Sarah Channing and Ryan Mills 23 September Kate Driver and Dan Potter

Funeral 21 September Mervyn Carey Funeral at St Margaretrsquos Horsmonden

3

Free but pricelessLast month in my letter I wrote about the beauty of the nature that I had experienced when onholiday over the summer in Scotland and also of the beauty of our churchyard and the wildlifethere I would encourage everyone to be observant and take it all in We are surrounded by thebeauty of creation we are well blessed in the area where we live and in the country we live inwe should not take it for granted

This month in the church we mark the Harvest a traditional village time of celebrating theharvest being gathered in the crops brought into the barns the fruit and hops safely gathered foranother season We have done so down through the centuries to give thanks for the crop fromnature and for the people who have worked through the year to produce the harvest This is atraditional rural event one that we continue to uphold - even though most of us have neverworked on a farm or out in the field What we can all do at this time even if we havenrsquot got ourhands dirty with the earth is celebrate all that we have we can celebrate all the things that wehave been blessed with in our lives Just like the beauty of nature we should not take any of thethings we have been blessed with for granted but recognise them and be thankful

Very early in November we will hold a service to commemorate the faithful departed This givesus all the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those we have known and lovedand have been blessed to share life with The service at St Georgersquos Benenden takes place at730pm on Thursday 2 November (All Soulsrsquo Day) the service at St Nicholas Sandhurst is at 10amon Sunday 5 November A list of all the names read out at last yearrsquos services will be available inboth parish churches in early October can you please check these sometime in the month andlet me know if you would still like the name read out or if there are other names you would likeadding this year Please join us at either service as we remember those whom we love but see nomore those whom we miss in our lives Whether they passed away recently or many years agowe still feel the loss of a loved one Come and remember them in one of these gentle reflectiveservices

We have all been blessed with the gift of life that gift includes those whom we love Life is fragilelife is precious The gift of life is given to us freely - but it is actually priceless Do not take the giftof life for granted but embrace it and respond to it with a generous and grateful heart

Revd David Commander Rector

Rectorrsquos Letter

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We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

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A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

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AND HAPPINESS

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Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

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DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

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Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

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To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

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Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

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7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 3: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

1

Ah rsquotis the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness when we look around and see the harvestgathered in and in the garden there is less to do - which is good - though the days are shorter -which is sad Crisp autumn mornings are always bracing and invigorating inviting one to strideout and breathe deeply while the fields are candyflossed with mist We feel we have to make themost of the sun and revel in its lingering warmth Dark and soggy early evenings are less of a joybut even then the scent of woodsmoke and that autumn smell a bit like bramble jelly in the coldair is an invitation to rush in shut the door and light the fire The warmth and comfort insideexperienced all the more acutely after the chilly weather outside

The stars always seem brighter on a cold night and I have been known to walk into a hedge whilestargazing in the course of taking my disapproving dog for a late night amble I can just aboutidentify the Plough and Orionrsquos Belt but that is the extent of my knowledge You can feel thepresence of all those other stargazers at the same sky from the same place over thousands ofyears

I always wish I were a painter or a photographer and could capture some of the wonderfuleffects of light and colour at this time of year evenings when the sun seems to give an almostredrosy light as it goes down sheep and cattle looming out of the mist and the colours ofturning leaves Itrsquos quite possible Irsquove never quite grown up and where Irsquod really like to be is beback at nursery school painting fircones and colouring-in the traced outline of an autumn leafColouring-in was one of my strong suits at school and sadly is something this generation ofchildren doesnrsquot seem to do (making geography in particular much less fun) Howeverpsychiatrists have expounded the many benefits of colouring-in and you can now get adultcolouring-in books of all sorts The perfect occupation in front of the fire

Minnie Garnier Co-Editor

Editorial

The Benenden Magazine is published monthly as a joint venture by Benenden Parish Council and St Georgersquos Parochial Church Council It is distributed free to all residents of the parish Opinionsexpressed are not necessarily those of the publishers Responsibility for accuracy of information restswith contributors and advertisers Neither the publishers nor the editors shall be held responsible foror endorse any opinions products or services printed in the magazine or directory

Editors Kent Barker Minnie Garnier Peter ThomasEditorial Board PCC Rep Tracy Claridge PC Rep Kent Barker Treasurer Charles TrollopeActing Advertising Manager Paul Leek Advertising Assistant Iain FraserDistribution Marilyn and Dick Hill Layout Editor Camilla Macdonald

Contributions to benendenparishmagazinegmailcom by the 15th of the preceding monthAdvertising orders or queries to advertisingbenendenmaggmailcomDistribution queries to ddrhillbtinternetcomPostal address co Community Office Benenden Village Hall Benenden TN17 4DY 01580 240371

2

Church Calendar

St Georgersquos ChurchRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Churchwarden Tracy Claridge 240454 TLClaridgeTLClaridgecoukChurchwarden Julia Collard 241944 Juliacollardbtinternetcomwwwbenendenchurchorg 850849 benendenchurchgmailcomPlease inform the Rector or Churchwardens if you or anyone else is ill or would like a visit or home communion

Sunday 1 October 8am Communion 10am All-age Communion 5pm Choral Evensong and Sunday SchoolSunday 8 October 8am 1662 Communion 11am Harvest Service 5pm Evening Prayer followed by Harvest at Mission Church Lunch Village HallSunday 15 October 8am Communion 10am Sung Eucharist 4pm Messy Church

Sunday 22 October 8am Communion 10am Matins 5pm Praise Service at Mission ChurchSunday 29 October 8am Benefice 10am All-age Communion Communion at St Nicholas SandhurstThursday 2 November 730pm All Souls Day Service

Mission Church SandhurstRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Every Tuesday 10am Communion

Iden Green Congregational ChurchPastor Rev Peter Michell 240642 wwwidengreenorgukSunday Services 10am Morning Worship 530pm Evening Worship

The Roman Catholic ChapelFr Barry Grant 713364 wwwsttheodore-cranbrookorgMasses 9am Sundays 730pm Holy Days

From the Parish RegistersWeddings 9 September Toni Mitchell and Jason Walden 16 September Sarah Channing and Ryan Mills 23 September Kate Driver and Dan Potter

Funeral 21 September Mervyn Carey Funeral at St Margaretrsquos Horsmonden

3

Free but pricelessLast month in my letter I wrote about the beauty of the nature that I had experienced when onholiday over the summer in Scotland and also of the beauty of our churchyard and the wildlifethere I would encourage everyone to be observant and take it all in We are surrounded by thebeauty of creation we are well blessed in the area where we live and in the country we live inwe should not take it for granted

This month in the church we mark the Harvest a traditional village time of celebrating theharvest being gathered in the crops brought into the barns the fruit and hops safely gathered foranother season We have done so down through the centuries to give thanks for the crop fromnature and for the people who have worked through the year to produce the harvest This is atraditional rural event one that we continue to uphold - even though most of us have neverworked on a farm or out in the field What we can all do at this time even if we havenrsquot got ourhands dirty with the earth is celebrate all that we have we can celebrate all the things that wehave been blessed with in our lives Just like the beauty of nature we should not take any of thethings we have been blessed with for granted but recognise them and be thankful

Very early in November we will hold a service to commemorate the faithful departed This givesus all the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those we have known and lovedand have been blessed to share life with The service at St Georgersquos Benenden takes place at730pm on Thursday 2 November (All Soulsrsquo Day) the service at St Nicholas Sandhurst is at 10amon Sunday 5 November A list of all the names read out at last yearrsquos services will be available inboth parish churches in early October can you please check these sometime in the month andlet me know if you would still like the name read out or if there are other names you would likeadding this year Please join us at either service as we remember those whom we love but see nomore those whom we miss in our lives Whether they passed away recently or many years agowe still feel the loss of a loved one Come and remember them in one of these gentle reflectiveservices

We have all been blessed with the gift of life that gift includes those whom we love Life is fragilelife is precious The gift of life is given to us freely - but it is actually priceless Do not take the giftof life for granted but embrace it and respond to it with a generous and grateful heart

Revd David Commander Rector

Rectorrsquos Letter

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We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

Pre-School Assistant part-timePre-School Assistant part-time

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

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Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

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y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

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l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

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FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

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BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

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Free to learn

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25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

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TRAV

EL G

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Flights Hotels Car Hire

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FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

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24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

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Hawkhurst01580 752301

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Also at Rye and Canterbury

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Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

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Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

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01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

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To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

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Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

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Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

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Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 4: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

2

Church Calendar

St Georgersquos ChurchRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Churchwarden Tracy Claridge 240454 TLClaridgeTLClaridgecoukChurchwarden Julia Collard 241944 Juliacollardbtinternetcomwwwbenendenchurchorg 850849 benendenchurchgmailcomPlease inform the Rector or Churchwardens if you or anyone else is ill or would like a visit or home communion

Sunday 1 October 8am Communion 10am All-age Communion 5pm Choral Evensong and Sunday SchoolSunday 8 October 8am 1662 Communion 11am Harvest Service 5pm Evening Prayer followed by Harvest at Mission Church Lunch Village HallSunday 15 October 8am Communion 10am Sung Eucharist 4pm Messy Church

Sunday 22 October 8am Communion 10am Matins 5pm Praise Service at Mission ChurchSunday 29 October 8am Benefice 10am All-age Communion Communion at St Nicholas SandhurstThursday 2 November 730pm All Souls Day Service

Mission Church SandhurstRector Revd David Commander 240658 daviddc-ukcouk (day off Thursday)Every Tuesday 10am Communion

Iden Green Congregational ChurchPastor Rev Peter Michell 240642 wwwidengreenorgukSunday Services 10am Morning Worship 530pm Evening Worship

The Roman Catholic ChapelFr Barry Grant 713364 wwwsttheodore-cranbrookorgMasses 9am Sundays 730pm Holy Days

From the Parish RegistersWeddings 9 September Toni Mitchell and Jason Walden 16 September Sarah Channing and Ryan Mills 23 September Kate Driver and Dan Potter

Funeral 21 September Mervyn Carey Funeral at St Margaretrsquos Horsmonden

3

Free but pricelessLast month in my letter I wrote about the beauty of the nature that I had experienced when onholiday over the summer in Scotland and also of the beauty of our churchyard and the wildlifethere I would encourage everyone to be observant and take it all in We are surrounded by thebeauty of creation we are well blessed in the area where we live and in the country we live inwe should not take it for granted

This month in the church we mark the Harvest a traditional village time of celebrating theharvest being gathered in the crops brought into the barns the fruit and hops safely gathered foranother season We have done so down through the centuries to give thanks for the crop fromnature and for the people who have worked through the year to produce the harvest This is atraditional rural event one that we continue to uphold - even though most of us have neverworked on a farm or out in the field What we can all do at this time even if we havenrsquot got ourhands dirty with the earth is celebrate all that we have we can celebrate all the things that wehave been blessed with in our lives Just like the beauty of nature we should not take any of thethings we have been blessed with for granted but recognise them and be thankful

Very early in November we will hold a service to commemorate the faithful departed This givesus all the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those we have known and lovedand have been blessed to share life with The service at St Georgersquos Benenden takes place at730pm on Thursday 2 November (All Soulsrsquo Day) the service at St Nicholas Sandhurst is at 10amon Sunday 5 November A list of all the names read out at last yearrsquos services will be available inboth parish churches in early October can you please check these sometime in the month andlet me know if you would still like the name read out or if there are other names you would likeadding this year Please join us at either service as we remember those whom we love but see nomore those whom we miss in our lives Whether they passed away recently or many years agowe still feel the loss of a loved one Come and remember them in one of these gentle reflectiveservices

We have all been blessed with the gift of life that gift includes those whom we love Life is fragilelife is precious The gift of life is given to us freely - but it is actually priceless Do not take the giftof life for granted but embrace it and respond to it with a generous and grateful heart

Revd David Commander Rector

Rectorrsquos Letter

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For free home sample viewing

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13

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We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

Pre-School Assistant part-timePre-School Assistant part-time

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 5: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

3

Free but pricelessLast month in my letter I wrote about the beauty of the nature that I had experienced when onholiday over the summer in Scotland and also of the beauty of our churchyard and the wildlifethere I would encourage everyone to be observant and take it all in We are surrounded by thebeauty of creation we are well blessed in the area where we live and in the country we live inwe should not take it for granted

This month in the church we mark the Harvest a traditional village time of celebrating theharvest being gathered in the crops brought into the barns the fruit and hops safely gathered foranother season We have done so down through the centuries to give thanks for the crop fromnature and for the people who have worked through the year to produce the harvest This is atraditional rural event one that we continue to uphold - even though most of us have neverworked on a farm or out in the field What we can all do at this time even if we havenrsquot got ourhands dirty with the earth is celebrate all that we have we can celebrate all the things that wehave been blessed with in our lives Just like the beauty of nature we should not take any of thethings we have been blessed with for granted but recognise them and be thankful

Very early in November we will hold a service to commemorate the faithful departed This givesus all the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of those we have known and lovedand have been blessed to share life with The service at St Georgersquos Benenden takes place at730pm on Thursday 2 November (All Soulsrsquo Day) the service at St Nicholas Sandhurst is at 10amon Sunday 5 November A list of all the names read out at last yearrsquos services will be available inboth parish churches in early October can you please check these sometime in the month andlet me know if you would still like the name read out or if there are other names you would likeadding this year Please join us at either service as we remember those whom we love but see nomore those whom we miss in our lives Whether they passed away recently or many years agowe still feel the loss of a loved one Come and remember them in one of these gentle reflectiveservices

We have all been blessed with the gift of life that gift includes those whom we love Life is fragilelife is precious The gift of life is given to us freely - but it is actually priceless Do not take the giftof life for granted but embrace it and respond to it with a generous and grateful heart

Revd David Commander Rector

Rectorrsquos Letter

45 amp 51 High StreetTenterden

Bargain Carpets amp Floors

Carpet Vinyl Laminate and Wood supplied and fitted at reduced rates

bull Same choice as any shop but up to half the price

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For free home sample viewing

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wwwbargainfloorscouk

13

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e

We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

Pre-School Assistant part-timePre-School Assistant part-time

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

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Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

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7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 6: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

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13

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We are looking for a caring hardworking anddedicated Assistant to join our lovely villagePre-School

Level 3 qualifications requiredThe post is subject to satisfactory referencesand an enhanced DBS check

Please contact our Chairman Charlotte on 01580 241323 or emailchairmanbenendenpreschoolcouk

Pre-School Assistant part-timePre-School Assistant part-time

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 7: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

A novice at GreenbeltlsquoSo where is the tentrsquolsquoOver therersquo my daughter exclaims waving in the direction of the sea of tentslsquoAnd which one of the 1764 tents might it bersquo I ask tentativelylsquoItrsquos a blue onersquolsquoOh thatrsquos good it cuts it down nicely to one of 593rsquo

Having finally located the tent and unloaded my baggage I take a look around There are youthgroups church groups families of varying sizes people from nine months to 90 years all sorts ofeverybody It is the Greenbelt Christian Festival Time to plan how to get through the next threedays without being sucked up into the giant soap bubbles emanating from the childrenrsquos noveltytent or deafened by the rock and pop groups pounding their self expression from the main stageor waylaid by a multitude of stalls determined to significantly lower my cholesterol or clothe mein environmentally friendly ethically traded natural products from the developing world

I studied the thick directory all laid out in user-friendly colour-coded sections In the end Ithought if I stuck a pin in six blue three pink one purple and a green it would give me asatisfactory mix In my randomness I seemed to have landed Molten Meditation Fuse Factor Feelthe Noise Loving the Hell out of People and lsquoBaby Makes Threersquo - maybe Irsquoll just try that again

I also appeared to be letting myself in for a lot of walking between tents the arena and somelarge marquees but significantly my daughter let slip that everyone sits on the ground Now therewas a limit to the amount of earth-hugging that this novice Greenbelter was prepared to engagein To fold myself double on the ground and remain in a semi-foetal position for anything up to anhour whilst some person endeavoured to lift my soul was a step too far

lsquoWell you can take a camp chairrsquo she reluctantly conceded lsquobut you will have to sit round theedgersquo The edge was fine by me Still I trotted from this venue to that and looked listened sanglaughed thought and listened again I even took part in lsquoharmonic temple singingrsquo if only once

Preparing for bed came some time after midnight but that was just as well since nobody underthe age of 25 even considered the possibility before then Which brings me to the delicate topicof portaloos Never mind spiritual challenges I will just say that I soon learnt to use thepermanent facilities whenever the opportunity arose

I suppose Sunday night was the most memorable As I lay under my duvet on my camp bedsheltered from the wind and rain there was wave after wave of loud enthusiastic singingApparently the visitors to the organic beer tent were moved to sing traditional hymns andchoruses to modern pop tunes and were not subject to the midnight curfew as it was deemed anlsquoact of worshiprsquo Quite an experience but a good one

Sue Fisher

5

Just a Thought

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 8: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

6

SeptemberSunday 24 Benenden Pre-School 50th Birthday Tea Party Benenden Village Hall 10am p9

OctoberFriday 6 Woodland Wide Games Iden Green Congregational Church 7pmSaturday 7 Bingo with nibbles St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 8 St Georgersquos Harvest Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p9Thursday 12 Benenden Womenrsquos Club Iden Green Pavilion 730pm p17Friday 13 The Music Scholars of Benenden School St Georgersquos Church 730pm p23Saturday 14 Churchyard Working Party St Georgersquos Benenden 930-12noonSaturday 14 Benenden Bowls Club Coffee Morning Memorial Hall 10-12noonSaturday 14 Pavilion Quiz Night Iden Green Pavilion 7pm p17Saturday 14 Quiz Night St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 15 Messy Church St Georgersquos Church 4-6pm p25Monday 16 Planning Committee and Transportation Meeting Memorial Hall 7pmMonday 16 Parish Council Meeting Memorial Hall 730pmTuesday 17 Village Lunch Benenden Village Hall 1230pm p29Tuesday 17 Iden Green and Benenden WI Whale Watching Memorial Hall 2pm p21Saturday 21 Hospice in the Weald Concert and Supper Benenden Village Hall 7pm p15Saturday 21 Cornhole Tossing St Georgersquos Club 815pmTuesday 24 Merry and Bright Memorial Hall 3pmTuesday 24 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM Memorial Hall 730pm p23Saturday 28 Benenden Engineering Society local MG TC under restoration visit 10amSaturday 28 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-5pm p35Saturday 28 Fish and Chip Supper St Georgersquos Club 815pmSunday 29 Stephen Message Art Exhibition Memorial Hall 10-4pm p35

NovemberThursday 2 Commemoration of the Faithful Departed St Georgersquos Church 730pm p25Wednesday 8 Benenden Engineering Society Giants of Brede The Bull 8pm

Benenden Youth ClubStreetcruizer age 11+Tuesdays at Benenden Village Hall 630-830pm

Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall 10-12noon

Cakes amp Chaos Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St Georgersquos Church 9-1130am

Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 7 October for GardenCompostable WasteBenenden Village Hall layby 8-920am and Iden Green crossroads 940-11am

Village Calendar

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 9: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

7

Parish Council

Recent months have seen increasing concern in local parishes on pressures for developmentparticularly new housing This is of course a national problem with a rapid growth in populationall of whom have to be housed It is not just Benenden but also neighbouring villages and smalltowns such as Rolvenden and Tenterden both in Ashford Borough

In our Borough there are proposals for significant new development in Cranbrook andHawkhurst and even here in Benenden Of course there has to be growth to keep our villagevibrant and to maintain local facilities - the school churches shops and pubs etc In the lattercase they are closing at an alarming rate and this will get worse as the new Business Rate regimehits home

Our priority here for the next few months is to develop our own plan for Benenden - theNeighbourhood Development Plan We have a group of active workers to progress this - and ifyou wish to help in this regard please let me know

There will be a series of public meetings to comment listen and as workshops to develop afuture path for our community All in the village are invited to take part These will all be in theVillage Hall on Saturday 28 October at 930am Saturday 11 November from 130pm and again onSaturday 9 December from 130pm

Our autumn litter pick as mentioned in the last magazine has been put back to Saturday 18November It will be colder then but we should look neat and tidy for Christmas

Finally another issue which we need to be aware of is local crime Benenden is a largely crime-free area and we want to keep it that way However over the summer there have been incidentsin the car park in Hemsted Forest off Goddards Green Road If you go there by car please donot leave handbags and other valuables visible There have also been incidents of theft and at leastone house has been burgled Please if you experience or witness anything like this do report itto the police They need to know if we are to be properly policed and protected

Peter Davies BPC Chairman01580 240723 chairbenendenpcgmailcom

Caroline Levett Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 clerkbenendenparishcouncilorgFor more information see our website wwwbenendenparishcouncilorg or find us on facebook

Parish Council MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 730pm

Planning and TransportationCommittee MeetingMonday 16 October 2017 Memorial Hall 7pm(new timing for a trial period)

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 10: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Warm friendly welcome Full English breakfast with homemade breads and preserves

Charming ensuite rooms two double and one twin Set in three acres of woodland gardens

Afternoon tea and homemade cake on arrival

The Holt Bed and BreakfastQuietly situated within walking distance of Benenden village

Kate Rundell 01580 240414 katetheholtorg wwwtheholtorg

OFFERING LONG-TERM RESIDENCE CONVALESCENCE amp RESPITE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES WHO VALUE PRIVACY LUXURY

AND HAPPINESS

PEASMARSH PLACE For Brochure amp Details Church Lane Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6XETel 01797 230555

Idyllic rural locationIndividual heated chalets housing up to four catsAlso welcome rabbits

guinea pigs hamsters etcCome and see us before booking

F o r e s tF a r mC a t

H o t e l

Call Lucy on 01580 242961or 07720 966374

email enquiriesforestfarmcathotelcoukor see our website

wwwforestfarmcathotelcouk

INTERVIEW PRACTICEand CV WRITING

Retired City insurance companyChief Executive

For university entranceor job interviews

Call Charles Hume on01580 240838

charleshumebtinternetcom

DBS certificated

Luxury Nail amp Brow Salon - The Street BenendenOur house of nails and brows offers a friendly and relaxing environment

in which to enjoy a range of luxury manicure amp pedicure treatments using natural productsWe have a great selection of polish colours and options including nail lacquers amp gels

Gift Vouchers now available - start early for Christmas

Maison Manicure The Beauty Box The Street Benenden TN17 4DBTel 01580 388190 Email NailsMaisonmanicurecouk Facebook maisonmanicurecouk

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 11: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

News and EventsBenenden Pre-School NewsWelcome back Benenden Pre-Schoolers We kickoff the new school year by celebrating the 50thanniversary of Benenden Pre-School with abirthday tea party in the village hall and a tripdown memory lane The anniversary has alsobeen the theme for the Pre-School this termwith the children taking part in exciting activitiessuch as helping to create a colourful display ofhandprintsNew memories continue to be made as we

welcome all our new and returning children whohave settled in brilliantly during their first monthThe Pre-School staff have been working hard tocreate a real sense of belonging for the childrenso they become familiar with the routines andenvironment as well as making new friendsWe also look forward to our annual Autumn

Walk coming up later this month where thechildren get to explore the changing colours ofnature hellip whilst kicking a few leaves and jumpingin puddlesTo find out more about Benenden Pre-School

please emailsupervisorbenendenpre-schoolcouk

New Houses for Iden GreenA well attended meeting of the Benenden ParishCouncil was told of plans for a housingdevelopment on farming land by the Iden Greencross-roads with an entrance off Standen StreetThe proposal for eight houses of between threeand five bedrooms was outlined byrepresentatives of the Cyster FarmingPartnership The land currently a commercialapple orchard is outside the limit of builtdevelopment in the village and is covered by theArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty Itrsquosunderstood that a formal planning applicationmay be submitted by the end of this year

9

New Garden Settlement in the WealdFaced with the requirement from centralgovernment for Tunbridge Wells to find space for more than 12000 new homes the BoroughCouncil is currently reviewing its options in anew Local PlanMany local residents may not have realised

that the consultation process has now closednor that one option is to create a new lsquoGardenSettlementrsquo of between 5000 and 7000 newhomes - a sort of Milton Keynes or Harlow inthe Weald No site in the borough has beenidentified for this new town But equally nonehas been ruled outPlanners and council members are currently

shaping the final strategy and making possiblesite allocations There are four other optionscompeting with the Garden Settlement conceptCorridor Growth mainly along the A21 FocusedGrowth mainly around Tunbridge Wells andSouthborough Semi-dispersed Growth addingPaddock Wood Cranbrook and Hawkhurst tothe mix and finally Dispersed Growth -development distribution proportional across all of the Boroughrsquos settlements IncludingBenenden and Iden GreenTo read the full Issues and Options document

- go to httpconsulttunbridgewellsgovukportaland chose the 11th topic on the list

St Georgersquos ChurchHarvest LunchSunday 8 October Benenden Village Hall1230-3pmThe Harvest Lunch will follow the HarvestFestival Service which will start at 11amThe menu includes smoked salmon terrineshepherdrsquos pie with peas and carrots (vegetarian option available) fresh fruit pastries with cream Tea coffee amp soft drinks are included but wine amp beer will be available to buyAlways a popular occasion so buy your ticketsearly (adults pound7 under 12s pound350) fromBenendenrsquos Community Shop in Church or fromLesley Attwood 243318lesleyattwoodskycomEveryone Welcome

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

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FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 12: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Saint RSSaSaiSainSaintSaint Saint RonanrsquoSaint RoSaint RonSaint RonaSaint RonanSaint RonanrsquosSaint Ronanrsquos ScSaint Ronanrsquos Saint Ronanrsquos SSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolSaint Ronanrsquos SchSaint Ronanrsquos SchoSaint Ronanrsquos SchooSaint Ronanrsquos SchoolHawkhurst Kent bull Founded 1883 bull wwwsaintronanscoukBoys amp Girls from 3-13 bull Day amp Boarding bull Forest School

Discover the magic Email emmatvsaintronanscouk

or call 01580 752271 to book an appointment

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 13: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Saturday Saturday 44thth NovemberNovember

Tickets available online from 4th October 2017 wwwbenenden reworkscouk

Supported by

Benenden Bonfire Benenden Bonfire ampamp FireworksFireworks

Hot Food

Licensed Bar amp

lots more

Value Family Fun Adults pound5 Children pound250 (15 amp under)

under 5rsquos FREE

Gates open 530pm Bonfire 630pm Fireworks 7pm

Advanced cket holders will bene t from fast track entry

To reduce conges on allow me to walk or car share if you can

No personal sparklers or reworks please

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 14: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

To mark this very special occasionlocal artist Harriet Evans has

designed a commemorative tea towelAvailable for pound5 To purchase one

please contact Laura 01580 241969

50th Anniversary Tea Towel50th Anniversary Tea Towel

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 15: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

today marks a very significant milestonetowards providing the children of Benendenand the surrounding area with the facilitiesthey richly deserveldquoIf you have any further questions or

comments about the new school then pleaseemail officebenenden-cepkentschukrdquoThe new school to be built on the lsquopasture

sitersquo adjacent to the Glebe Field consists of ahorseshoe-shaped building around a centralcourtyard and will replace the current schoolbuildings on the Green which date back some400 years The schoolrsquos facilities weredescribed as ldquoinadequaterdquo as long ago as 2003by Ofsted who estimated that around 20 percent of the pupilsrsquo day was wasted trekkingacross the Green and the main roadThe project is estimated to cost between

pound4 million and pound5 million with the costs splitbetween ESFA and KCC who will fund theincrease in pupil numbers allowing thePublished Admission Number to rise from 175 to 210 pupils as part of a push to create8000 new school places countywide by 2022The scheme has been delayed of late by

funding issues partly involving the need todiverge from standard ESFA design because ofthe sitersquos position in an Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty and a Conservation Area The final design has been reduced in size by approximately ten per cent but will lookessentially the same adhering closely to the original concept and including all therequired facilitiesFirst work on the site will consist of an

early works enabling contract which willinclude construction of the new accessarrangements some earthworks around the new school car park and fencingPeter Thomas

13

New Primary School the great leap forwardFunding agreement removes barrier to the big buildThe time for talking may soon be over and thetime for digging finally upon us with the newsthat plans for a new primary school inBenenden have taken a mighty leap forwardThe long-running saga of the school has

taken many twists and turns and the proposedbuilding and its site have been wrangled over for at least 17 years - according toconservative estimates - but at a meeting heldat the lsquooldrsquo school last month Kent CountyCouncil announced that funding issues hadfinally been resolved bringing the project thatmuch closer to fruitionA statement from the Governors of

Benenden Church of England Primary Schoolsaid ldquoAt our most recent meeting with KCCon 15 September we discussed progresstowards building our much-needed newschool We are absolutely delighted toannounce that during the meeting RogerGough - Cabinet Member for Children YoungPeople and Education - confirmed that KCChave reached an agreement with the Educationand Skills Funding Agency for the full fundingof the new schoolldquoThis is fantastic news and removes the

largest remaining obstacle to commencingbuilding work Conversations are nowunderway with potential contractors in orderto determine dates for the work to begin and- most importantly - when the new schoolbuilding will openldquoThe schoolrsquos governing body will continue

to push for the earliest possible opening dateand will keep you fully informed aboutprogress A large number of people haveworked tirelessly for many many years tomake the building of a new school a realityWhilst there is still much work to be done

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

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TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 16: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

See potentialRealise the vision

Open MorningCome and see the dierenceThursday 5th October 900 am ndash12 noon

Contact our Registrar for details registrardulwichprepcranbrookorg

dulwichprepcranbrookorg

bull Familybull Residential Conveyancingbull Willsbull Probatebull Trustsbull Commercial Propertybull Court of Protectionbull Powers of Attorneybull Business Services

bull Charitiesbull Civil Libertiesbull Complete Legal Carebull Debt Recoverybull Employmentbull Personal Injurybull Professional Negligencebull Licensingbull Mediation

Call 01580 762248 Email infopengelly-rylandscoukwwwpengelly-rylandscoukVisit 3941 High Street Tenterden Kent TN30 6BJ

Harris Forestry Servicesamp Tree Care

land clearancegrubbing out

stump removallogs

chestnut fencing

NPTC Qualified amp Insured

01580 38939607808 738097

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

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Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

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01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

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01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

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BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

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Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

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Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 17: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

15

9th annual Richard BeattieDavis musical eventWednesday 11 October Sandhurst 3pmComing from Italy for a masterclass andconcert in London and then down toSandhurst for the final 2017 recital Gil Jetleyrsquosprogramme includes Bach Busoni ChaconneeSchumann Kinderszenen Chopin Ballade no 4Mendelssohn Rondo Capriccio In aid ofHospice in the Weald Tickets by donation(minimum pound16) in advance from Gillian Davis01580 850384Meanwhile on Tuesday 12 September at

3pm we were blessed with the weather thatwe should have had for the summer gardenparty Unfortunately several people werelsquounder the weatherrsquo and they missed a veryspecial event Malcolm Binns played his heartout and it wasnrsquot until the second encore thathe said that his hands had had enoughMalcolm received a bottle of the speciallsquoCuveacutee de Richardrsquo wine A special thank yougoes to Ruth Fagg who kindly dealt with lsquofrontof housersquo and fruit juice in the garden Onceagain everyone showed their appreciation withextra donations and after expenses we raisedan unbelievable pound515 for Hospice in the Weald Gillian Davis 850384

JJoinJoJoiJoin uJoin Join usJoin us fJoin us Join us foJoin us forJoin us for aJoin us for Join us for a ffanfafantastfantfantafantasfantastifantasticfantastic fantastic eeveveeveneveninevenieveningevening ofevening evening oevening of evening of rrorocrockrockrock rock jjazjajazzjazz anjazz jazz ajazz andjazz and cjazz and jazz and cljazz and classijazz and clajazz and clasjazz and classjazz and classicjazz and classicaljazz and classicajazz and classical sijazz and classical jazz and classical sjazz and classical sinjazz and classical singjazz and classical singijazz and classical singinjazz and classical singingjazz and classical singing jazz and classical singing ffeafefeatfeatufeaturifeaturfeaturinfeaturingfeaturing

TTonToTonbTonbriTonbrTonbridTonbridgTonbridgeTonbridge RTonbridge Tonbridge RocTonbridge RoTonbridge Rock ChTonbridge RockTonbridge Rock Tonbridge Rock CTonbridge Rock ChoiTonbridge Rock ChoTonbridge Rock ChoirTonbridge Rock Choir

BBlBluBlue JaBlueBlue Blue JBlue JasBlue JasmBlue Jasmine Blue JasmiBlue JasminBlue JasmineBlue Jasmine

TThThe TheThe WWeWealWeaWealdeWealdWealdenWealden DuoWealden Wealden DWealden DuWealden Duo

Charity Concert in aiinin in aidin aiin aid oin aid in aid of Hoin aid ofin aid of in aid of Hin aid of Hosin aid of Hospin aid of Hospicin aid of Hospiin aid of Hospicein aid of Hospice in tin aid of Hospice in aid of Hospice iin aid of Hospice inin aid of Hospice in in aid of Hospice in thein aid of Hospice in thin aid of Hospice in the Win aid of Hospice in the in aid of Hospice in the Wein aid of Hospice in the Weain aid of Hospice in the Wealin aid of Hospice in the Wealdin aid of Hospice in the Weald

Tickets pound25 to include two-course hot meal Tables of 8 Cash bar

For tickets call Jenny 01580 388831 or Kay 01580 240566

Saturday 21st October 7pm Benenden Village Hall

wwwhospice

inthewe

aldorguk Re

gistered Ch

arity No 280276

Hospice in the WealdWe have been busy and have had some verysuccessful eventsl We hosted lsquoTea at Threersquo at HarmsworthCourt and raised pound130

l Charlotte Molesworth held her OpenStudios in June and volunteers fromHospice in the Weald fundraising groupmade cakes and helped serve teas for someof the days We were amazed and delightedthat Charlotte donated over pound1000 to theHospice Thank you Charlotte

l On Sunday 18 June there were two OpenGardens in Mockbeggar Lane Biddenden Asit was Fatherrsquos Day we werenrsquot sure of theresponse wersquod get but we raised pound193148In addition to this Sue and Derek Eastopened their gardens for NGS and raisedpound71688 for the Hospice This made thetotal from the Open Gardens pound264836 forwhich we are very grateful

l On Friday 18 August we all enjoyed thewonderful gardens at Moonrakers inBiddenden along with a glass or two ofwine and fantastic canapes The music fromBlue Jasmine was great - easy listening jazz -it complemented the event perfectly Wewere thrilled to make nearly pound2000 for theHospiceAs always we are very grateful to everyone

who has supported these events in aid of sucha worthwhile charity

Future Eventsl Saturday 21 October - Concert inBenenden Village Hall to include a rockchoir jazz music and classical music toinclude a hot meal Tickets pound25 each - try tomake up a table of eight and enjoy a greatvariety of music

l Thursday 7 December - Sheila Hume -Christmas wreath making - more details to follow

Please do contact me for further detailsJenny Stevens Hospice in the Weald Friends Co-ordinator for Benenden and Sandhurst 07720 006244 jennytenterdengmailcom

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 18: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

07718920249wwwevansconservationuk

HISTORIC BUILDINGSPECIALISTS

A Wood Fired Oven can providefantastic fresh and fast food for you

and your guests

We are local to Benenden and can caterfor private parties wedding receptions

and events of all kinds

Most people only think of pizza butthere are lots of alternatives

Give me a call to discuss on01580 279000 or 07788 279000

infowowcookingcouk

or visit our websitewwwwowcookingcouk

YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers Kids amp Teens

Benenden Village Hallamp Sutton Valence Prep School

For more info please contactHayley on 01580 240982infonamastekidscouk

wwwnamastekidscouk

NAMASTE KIDSamp TEENS

Free trialclass

WWaWant to learn toWanWantWant Want tWant toWant to Want to lWant to leWant to leaWant to learWant to learnWant to learn Want to learn tWant to learn topaint and drWant to learn topWant to learn topaWant to learn topaiWant to learn topainWant to learn topaintWant to learn topaint Want to learn topaint aWant to learn topaint anWant to learn topaint andWant to learn topaint and Want to learn topaint and dWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and draWant to learn topaint and drawWant to learn topaint and drawSteve Pierce-Smith is a professional artist and has taught painting anddrawing for a many years

This 10 week painting anddrawing course is open toall comers from purebeginners to moreexperienced artists It willcover a wide range oftopics from paintingtechniques and sketchingto the study of artistsWe will use a mixture ofmaterials - watercolouracrylic pastel and pencil

Classes allow for personaltuition for everyone

Monday afternoon 1pm - 3pm Benenden Village HallOther classes take place in Horsmondenand Isfield

So if you feel like exploring your artisticside or improving your skills in a relaxedatmosphere emailsteveremingtonscouk or call01797 253285 for details

Bishopsdale OastFOR RENT

6 bedroom and 6 bathrooms

Cranbrook catchment area

2 private and secluded acres

CONTACT THE OWNERS D IRECT

Bishopsdale Oast

Biddenden Kent TN27 8DR

01580 291027

drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

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Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

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pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

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BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

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Tailor-made Itineraries and

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Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

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01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

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01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

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Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

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PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

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Hawkhurst01580 752301

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Also at Rye and Canterbury

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Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

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Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

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To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 19: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

17

Village Activity and Fun DayThank you to everyone involved in any way inthe second village Fun Day and making it sucha success The weather was kind to us andmany people came along and simply hellip had funtogether The events were free and enjoyed byyoung and old some got quite competitive Ifyou werenrsquot there you missed hook-a-duckpolelathe turning and greenwood workingdemonstrations chuck(and catch)-the-eggsplat-the-rat wet sponges face paintingstretchy elastic bell ringing and church towervisits coconut shy a childrenrsquos entertainerwheelbarrow racing cream teas a raffle andsome great live music Thank you to all thosewho contributed prizes or food or their timeand talents to make the day happen Theobjective was not to make money but to havefun but there was a profit and the Committeehave made a donation to the St Georgersquos Pre-School If you missed the fun this year nextyearrsquos Fun Day is on Saturday 1st September2018 if you would like to get involved pleasecontactRevd David Commander 240658daviddc-ukcoukThank you to Hayley Daley for some of thephotographs on the back cover

Benenden Womenrsquos ClubWow What a terrific afternoon we had onThursday 14 September when we visitedGodinton House near Ashford The houseoriginally a mediaeval hall house was constructed in the 14th century andsubsequently altered and extended to becomethe amazing property that it is today The lastowner had no family but wanted Godinton to be open to the public to enjoy following hisdeath in 1996 and therefore a Trust was createdto manage the house and magnificent gardensWe were treated to an excellent guided

tour of the house followed by a superb creamtea and were then free to explore the gardensand parkland at our leisureOur next meeting will be held on Thursday

12 October in the Iden Green Pavilion and thesubject will be advised at a later dateRuth Barwick

Pavilion Quiz NightSaturday 14 October Iden Green Pavilion 7pmpound10pp to include a delicious hot meal Please bring your own refreshments nibbles and a sense of humourTo book your table or places please contactBill Lewis 243093

Cakes amp ChaosDrop-in Cafe

amp Toddler Group

St Georgersquos Church BenendenEvery Friday during term time 9-1130am

Please come and enjoy lovely cakesreal coffee and a selection of teas

If yoursquove got little ones let them playin the church

Only pound1 per family

For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658

or email daviddc-ukcoukor helenjcommandergmailcom

Do you have the needlework expertise we are looking for to lead a team to make replacementsContact Julia Collard 01580 241944 or Tracy Claridge 01580 240454

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 20: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Benenden History

Three years after the death of lsquoCherryrsquo Ingramof The Grange in Benenden the house andgardens were bought by the rock musicianproducer Alan Parsons who turned a wing ofthe house into a recording studio This is hisexclusive account of his time there

When Rock and Roll came to BenendenWe were living in London in 1984 and we decidedto move out of the city So we drove around Kentlooking for a big house - a sort of rock starresidence - and The Grange was the first one wersquodseen We stopped off in Tenterden and went intothe estate agent in the High Street and he showedus round and we went for it straight away Wemoved there in January 1985 We werenrsquot the firstowners after Ingram The house was first occupiedby Martin and Judith Miller who ran the famousMillerrsquos Antiques Guide from there I think theymust have been there at least two years After webought it The Millers then founded the ChilstonPark Country House Hotel near Maidstone

It was a big and quite expensive job to put astudio in hellip and the sad thing was that when we

sold it the guy turned itinto a car repair shop

Benenden was a fairdistance from London soI tried to avoid goingthere and stayed inKent It was a colossalhouse for our family -my then wife and ourtwo children - somethinglike 15 bedrooms andthe idea was that itwould be used for the

studio clients It wasmainly self-generatedwork from peopleconnected to the AlanParsons Project Wemade two albums there- Gaudi and Freudiana -and legendary producerGus Dudgeon whorsquodworked with Elton Johnfor years also recordedthere John Miles was avocalist on our albumsso he was around a lotPaul McCartney was there for a day or two and weworked on a track together but it never came toanything unfortunately We did one album for aband called Vitamin Z with Geoff Barradale whonow manages the Arctic Monkeys

I remember Donald Molesworth the gardenerwas very knowledgeable on all the plants and treesWe didnrsquot know much about lsquoCherryrsquo Ingram andhis trees except what Donald told us but we didlove living in such a fantastic botanical location Ido remember we lost more than a hundred trees inthe storm in 1987 - a huge oak tree blocked thedriveway so that was pretty traumatic at the time

Eventually we sold The Grange and moved to asmaller place a beautiful Hall House in Standen

Alan Parsons

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

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Business accounts welcome

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Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

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G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 21: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Street (in Iden Green) now owned by the theatreproducer Michael Codron - it was quainter andmore manageable and we started building a studioin the barn next door but then around 1990 wedecided the kids should go to a Steiner school inForest Row East Sussex so we moved there andthat was the end of our Benenden experience

I loved the village but I suppose I was seen asthe rock and roller who had made all his money inmusic and didnrsquot deserve to live in that house Iremember we had a pointer puppy who we didnrsquotlike being inside and the only time the neighboursactually complained was when he barked at night

I wonder if my telephone box is still in thegarden I moved it from a British Telecom depotsomewhere around Tonbridge and installed it in

the grounds but it wasincredibly heavy - ittook 12 people to lift - soit probably is still theresomewhere Give mybest wishes to anyonewho remembers us

Alan Parsons wastalking from his homein Santa Barbara toKent Barker

Alan Parsons is an audio engineersongwriter musician and record producer

He worked on the Beatlesrsquo lsquoAbbey Roadrsquoand lsquoLet it Bersquo albums

He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Pink Floydrsquos lsquoDark Side of the Moonrsquo

He engineered and produced Al StewartrsquoslsquoYear of the Catrsquo

In 1975 he formed The Alan ParsonsProject with songwriter Eric Woolfson

The Alan Parsons Project made ten albumsincluding the famous lsquoI Robotrsquo

He has since made a number of soloalbums and is still touring with his bandlsquoThe Alan Parsons Live Projectrsquo

He now lives in Santa Barbara California

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

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Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

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Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

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Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

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or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

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provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

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y y

Everything Outside

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FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

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Free to learn

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mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

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01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

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Lewes 01273 472466

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01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

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FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

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Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

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Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 22: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Why put your life on hold while you wait for treatmentChoosing Benenden Hospital as a private patient means that you can rapidly access safe treatment by our specialist consultants and enjoy our state-of-the-art comfortable facilities allowing you to get back to your active life as quickly as possible

The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee Registered in England number 3454120 Registered charity number 1065995 Registered office The Benenden Hospital Trust Goddardrsquos Green Road Benenden Cranbrook Kent TN17 4AX

Call us now on 01580 242 521 wwwbenendenhospitalorguk

Benenden Hospital oers a wide range oftreatments including

General surgery

Gynaecology

Respiratory

Urology

Orthopaedic

Gastroenterology

YourLOCAL

PRIVATEHospital

Topsoils Composts Barks Grass Seed Aggregates Decorative Stones Small Bags Bulk Bags or Loose Loads

Delivered or Collected

Providing private hire and taxi servicefrom Benenden

We offer a reliable professional serviceincluding airport and station transfers

courier service andinformative tours for visitors to the area

across Kent and Sussex

Fully insured licensed and DBS checked

Contact us to discuss availabilityand tariffs on

01580 242898 or 07707 242898

or visit our websitefor further information

wwwhemstedcarscouk

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

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Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

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01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

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01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 23: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Village Hall highlightsLife as the Village Hall Administrator is alwaysvaried and never boring I took over the role inJanuary 2016 and itrsquos a privilege to be involvedin something which is such a big part of ourcommunity and great to see the hall so busyand bustling with activityEvery month I will be letting you know all

thatrsquos happening whether it be new classes andevents updates and information on our currentclasses or improvements at the hall (we havesome very exciting things in the pipeline)In September we said a big hello to our

Primary Schoolrsquos breakfast club in addition to an incredible four new classes starting alongsideour regulars For children and young adults wehave lsquoMessy Mini-Makersrsquo an arts and craftsclass for 1-5 year olds and we welcome judo to its new home on a Saturday morning(previously held at the Weald Sports Centre)For adults we have a ten-week painting and

drawing course and in October a free tastercourse in flamenco dancing in readiness for aregular Tuesday evening slot (perfect if theStrictly bug has bitten you)Information about all classes can be found

on our website (wwwbenendenvillagehallorg)or you can pick up a paper copy of thetimetable at the village shop or the hallLorraine Jones 243123

Iden Green and Benenden WIWe travelled the West Coast of America thismonth with our speaker who enjoyed thebeautiful countryside and its wide open spacesas well as seeing some city sightsSome of our members enjoyed a return

trip from Tenterden to Bodiam on the railwaywith lovely weather to enjoy the views along the wayIn December (sorry for such an early

mention) we are holding the District WI CarolService in St Georgersquos Church Benenden onMonday 4 December at 11am villagers friendsand family are all welcomeDates to remember

Tuesday 17 October Whale Watching MinnieGarnier Memorial Hall 2-4pmTuesday 21 November Membersrsquo Winter PartyMemorial Hall 2-4pmSaturday 25 November Coffee MorningMemorial Hall 10-12noonElisabeth Spicer 01797 252456

Students and School-LeaversGrants are available from the Gibbon andBuckland Charity The charity started in 1602with the gift of the School House at the foot ofthe Green it still gives some support to thePrimary School but also uses its income to giveworthwhile grants to young persons under theage of 25 who are resident in and have beenresident in the Parish of Benenden for not lessthan three years to support them in furthereducation or in getting started in working lifeTrustees will also give consideration to

applications for grants for gap year projects ofeducational worth Application forms availablefrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop or from theClerk to the Charity David Harmsworth atgibbonandbucklandgmailcom or 01580240683Latest date for applications 30 September

21

Sweet PeaWorkshopat

Blue Hen Flowers

Saturday 7 October10-1230pm

Irsquoll provide all you need togrow stunning sweet peasnext year

Wersquoll talk through bestmethod of growing youchoose colours and typeand sow into root trainersto take away

Free flowing essentialcoffee and cake

pound20 a head

Please sign up inBenendenrsquos CommunityShop or email Sheila Humebluehenflowersgmailcom

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

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Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

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Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

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FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

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Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

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01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

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01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

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wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 24: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Welcome to your Village Pub with Rooms All our rooms have en-suite shower or bathrooms a smart TV WIFI a coffee machine bluetooth speaker usb points soft cotton sheets sumptuous anti allergy duvets amp pillows

dressing gowns and complimentary toiletries Rates include a hearty Bull breakfast

The Bull at Benenden 01580 240 054 roomsthebullatbenendencouk wwwthebullatbenendencouk

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

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Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

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Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

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Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

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l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

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Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 25: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Workshop for smallbusinessesWednesday 11 October Blue Hen FlowersBenenden 930-1pmWant to take your business up a gear Are youkeen to work more efficiently Do you wantadvice on best use of social media Then cometo this workshop with Chloe Scragg ofExecutive Support ConsultantsNow a true lsquocompany of onersquo she helps

time-starved freelancers and small businesseswith limited resources to navigate their waythrough the myriad tools and systems availableon the market in order to grow their businesses and reduce the feeling of beingcompletely overwhelmedChloe can share first-hand experience and

case studies of where to focus your energieshow to utilise your best skills the importance of up-skilling the need to find proactive peopleto help you and which tools will aid yourbusiness and which ones will waste your timeIf like me you just want to grow flowers

(make trufflesrun a holiday letmake jewellery)but canrsquot keep up with all that needs to be donecome to an interactive morning with time toshare experience and problems over coffee andcake with other wonderful small businesses The cost is pound3500 To book please contactSheila Hume 240838bluehenflowersgmailcom 23

News from Benenden SchoolI am writing this as the lovely sound of girlschatting and laughing once again fills thecorridors here at Benenden - which of coursemarks the very welcome start of the newschool yearWe are still celebrating our GCSE results

in which more than half of all results weregraded at A Eighty per cent of all grades were at A or A and 40 per cent of the yeargroup received nothing less than an A We areunderstandably delighted with these resultsand are incredibly proud of our girls whosehard work richly deserves such successWe are looking forward to an equally

successful and enjoyable 2017-18 The AutumnTerm is always particularly busy and upcominghighlights are numerous These include aHistory trip to Russia the girls involved in ourionics liquids research project will be visitingUCL we are hosting a Science TechnologyEngineering and Maths conference and aComputer Science Day the Chapel Choir are singing evensong at St Georgersquos Windsorvisiting speakers include Dr David Starkey and December will mark the 10th BenendenModel United Nations conference which willbe a proud occasion for the School There isalso the small matter of the whole-schoolproduction of The Sound of Music beingperformed over three days and work beganthis week in earnest on what promises to be a magnificent showWe will also be represented once again at

the villagersquos Remembrance parade and ourMusic Scholars are busy preparing for theirconcert at St Georgersquos on 13 October and wewould be delighted to see many of you thereSamantha Price Headmistress

The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 24 October Memorial Hall 730pmAll branch members will be very welcome

The Friends of St Georgersquos Churchare proud to sponsor a concert by

The Music Scholarsof Benenden School

Friday 13 October 2017at 730pm in St Georgersquos Church

Tickets pound5 for adults - 16 and under Free(ticket includes refreshments a glass of winesoft drink)

Tickets available at the door in church after servicesfrom Benendenrsquos Community Shop

or from Jo Clube 01580 242956 joclubeavivacom

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

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Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

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Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

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Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

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FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

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Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 26: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Volunteers NeededFor

Shop Serviceamp

Cafeacute Service

Learn how to makethat perfect coffee

and serve it

01580 279808

wwwbenendenscoukvolunteers

infobenendenscouk

RM Sports TherapyA professional mobile service

provided by fully insuredGraduate Sports Therapist offering

Injury and posture assessmenttreatment and exercise rehabilitation

Your aches and pains from overuseor sport participation can be eased

through massage mobilisationsstretching taping andexercise rehabilitation

pound10 off your initial consultationon production of this advert

Rebecca Manford (BSc Hons MSST)07923 965601

y y

Everything Outside

Every job is treated with a professionalfriendly and reliable service

Free no obligation quotation Fully InsuredWilliam Smith

T 07795 465 861 01580 766232E smith_25hotmailcoukwwweverything-outsidecouk

l FENCINGl MOWINGl HEDGE TRIMMINGl DRAINAGEl CLEARANCE

l LANDSCAPINGl GARDENINGl DIGGER WORKl CONCRETINGl TREE SURGERY

FRANKLIN MEDIATION01892 300320

Divorce MediationThe legal alternative to Court

Offices in Benenden Tunbridge Wells Maidstone and London(evening and weekend availability in Benenden)

wwwfranklinmediationcouk

BIDDENDEN AND BODIAMTelephone 07484 744200infoukelectricbikecouk

Mr noahrsquos nursery school

Free to learn

tel 240642 mnnsidengreenorguk

mrnoahsorg

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 27: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

25

Talking ShopLETrsquoS EAT CAKEWith the weather getting cooler there is avery welcome return of our sumptuouswarming soup to the cafeacute at Benendenrsquos Shopalong with a new addition of a deliciouschicken curry and rice which is already provingvery popularMoreover for a scrumptious sweet course

or a perfect accompaniment to tea or coffeethere is a wonderful selection of home-madecakes lovingly prepared by Su Lacy and RonnieHogben These highly proficient cooks producecakes somehow redolent of childhood teatimesin a bygone age Su has been producing hercakes for seven years now and is responsiblefor the hugely popular and unique lemon andginger cake She began as Ronnie did by bakingas a hobby for family and friends but sheadmits she got lsquocarried awayrsquo Thank goodnessshe did We are happy to enjoy the benefitsRonniersquos family also enjoy the results of her

baking successes her daughter requests cakeslsquofor the officersquo knowing how the sharing of cakecan cement relationships and make the worldseem brighter One of the greatest pleasures ofvolunteering in the shop is seeing customersenjoy a slice of cake while putting the world torights Ronniersquos husband Jim has proved to bepriceless in the kitchen as a tester and cookrsquosaid and we have him to thank for meticulouslymeasuring out the ingredients so that theproduct is absolutely perfect Ronnieenthusiastically described the pleasure ofshutting the door on a cold dismal day andenjoying the process of baking in a warmkitchen suffused with baking aromasBenendenrsquos have a wide range of cakes on

offer Bakewell tart white or dark chocolateand raspberry lime and coconut coffee andwalnut apple pecan and caramel Victoriasponge cappuccino and fruit cake to name buta few Many customers have surrendered to thetemptation of a slice and we havenrsquot yet metanyone who has regretted itBev Beveridge

Commemoration of theFaithful Departed serviceThursday 2 November St Georgersquos Church730pmIf you would like the name of a loved one readout in this reflective service please let RevdDavid know Refreshments will be available fora time of fellowship from 7pmRevd David Commander Rector 240658daviddc-ukcouk

In Benenden and Sandhurst

A different way of being churchof doing church

Come along on Sunday 15 OctoberThis month at St Georgersquos Church Benenden 4-6pm

Aimed at all the family whatever your ageHave fun being church together doing crafts together worshipping together and eating togetherThe first hour is the craft stuffThen we have a short time of informal worshipFinally wersquoll sit down and eat a meal together

Please come and join us You do not have to get messy just have fun

Revd David Commander Rector01580 240658 daviddc-ukcouk

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

Contemporary

Worship

Praise Service

Sunday

22 October

Sandhurst

Mission Church

at 5pm

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 28: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

BA

LDW

INS

TRAV

EL G

RO

UP Specialists in

Tailor-made Itineraries and

Cruising

Baldwins Travel - Cranbrook

01580 714411 Baldwins Travel -

Maidstone 01622 762141

Travelux -Tenterden 01580 764344

Baldwins Travel - Tunbridge Wells

01892 511999 Baldwins Travel -

Tonbridge 01732 351223

Baldwins Travel - Uckfield

01825 760488 Sevenoaks Travel

01732 458255 Baldwins Travel -

Lewes 01273 472466

BBTM - Business Travel

01892 515900

Travel Insurance

Foreign Currency

Independent Family

and Group Travel

Flights Hotels Car Hire

Tours amp Packages

wwwbaldwinstravelcouk HolidayInspirations

PF WARD amp SONS

FAMILY BUTCHERS

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

VARIETY of HOME MADE SAUSAGES

amp BURGERS

Phone 01580 240612

Benenden Village HallldquoLet your imagination run

wild ndash the hall can be anything you wantrdquo

Call Lorraine on 01580 243123 for details

www b e n e n d e nv i l l age h a l l o r g

C a k e For any occas ion

Ca l l o r pop into enqui re

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 29: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

Come to the Standen Fruit Farm

Apple DaySunday 15 October1ndash4pm

Enjoy our traditionalKentish Orchard

Pick your own applesMake your own juiceBBQ Cider tasting honey display music ampattractions for the family

Free admission andparking Entrance oppositeOrchard Cottage StandenStreet Iden Green TN17 4LB

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 30: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

The Walled Nursery The Old Fire Station

Short and long term work Daytime evening and weekend sessions available

Counselling children teenagers and adults

BACP registered

MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant MP for Maidstone and the Weald holds regular surgeries around the constituency If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you please e-mail Helen at helengrantmpparliamentuk or telephone 020 7219 7107

wwwhelengrantorgProduced by Helen Grant MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA

kevinkjoneselectricalgmailcom

Domestic Commercial IndustrialElectriciansAll work insured and guaranteedTrusted locally for 40 years

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 31: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

29

Calling all Bridge PlayersWe cannot teach beginners but if you can playbasic Acol and wish to improve either of thefollowing friendly clubs may be for you

Friendly Bridge Chicago Bridge is played in theMission Church Back Road Sandhurst Mondayafternoons from 2-5pm For furtherinformation please contactEve Willard 01797 253431 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Benenden Bridge Club A small and friendlyclub which plays rubber bridge on Thursdayafternoons from 2-5pm in the Memorial HallBenenden For further information pleasecontactLesley Attwood 243318 or Anne Tylden-Wright 850281

Village LunchTuesday 17 October Benenden Village Hall1230pmAll welcome - pound4 a head If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange itPlease contact Sheila on 01580 240838 if youhavenrsquot already put your name down but wouldlike to come We look forward to seeing you

Janersquos KitchenA favourite Delicious served with sausages

EASY DAUPHINOISE POTATOESServes 6Prep time 15min Cooking time 50min

340ml full cream milk3 cloves garlic finely chopped284ml double creamfrac14tsp grated nutmeg125kg potatoes peeled175g grated gruyereSalt and black pepper to taste

METHODl In a large saucepan bring milk and garlic tothe boil add cream nutmeg and stir

l Slice potatoes approximately 5mm widel Season and add to saucepan of liquidl Simmer until just cooked - about 20minl Turn rather than stir every 5min so they donot catch at the bottom

l Gently fold in half of the cheesel Put in a buttered oven proof dish and scatterrest of cheese on top for 20-25min untilgolden brown and bubblingJane Drysdale 291027drysdalebishopsdaleoastcouk

The Friends of St Georgersquos Church

Quiz NightQuiz Night Friday 10 November 2017

Benenden Village Hall 715 for 730pm

Gourmet Tables of 8 pie supper at pound12 a head

Invite your friends and make up a table

To book a table please contact

deborahjenkins26b nternetcom 01580 241878

Saturday 4th November

Gates open 530pm Glebe Field Benenden

From 4th Oct buy your cket in advance and save me

wwwbenenden reworkscouk

or from Benenden Village Shop On the night to reduce conges on please allow me to walk or car share if you can

Benenden Bon re amp Fireworks

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 32: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Providing diagnostic and surgicalservices throughoutKent andEast Sussex

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Mobile and Clinic based Services

wwwmilbournequinecouk

Hawkhurst01580 752301

Ashford01233 500505

Also at Rye and Canterbury

CINQUE PORTS VETSDedicated to your petrsquos well being

wwwcinqueportsvetscouk

Hawkhurst Veterinary Surgery 01580 752187

24 Hour365 Days Emergency Service

Tenterden Veterinary Surgery 01580 763309

Caring for your petrsquos health every step of the way

Surgeries also at Rye Ashford Lydd and Wye

Image courtesy of Manuel Canovas

Hand-Finished Curtains amp Blinds

Fabrics amp Poles

Upholstery amp Loose Covers

Wallpaper amp Paint

Lighting amp Carpets

The Paper Mill Oast Hinksden RoadBenenden Kent TN17 4BA

01580 240708 ~ 07734 958129

katekatejoynercouk ~ lucykatejoynercouk ~ wwwkatejoynercouk

01580 242700wealdpropertynetResidential Sales bull Management and Lettings

2 Windmill Oast Windmill FarmRolvenden Kent TN17 4PF

Weald Property has been successfully handling exceptional localProperty whilst supporting the villages of Benenden andRolvenden since 1985 Offering a complete professional andpersonal service in Residential Sales Lettings and PropertyManagement Agency our successful and unique approach is notto be found on the High Street Located at our inviting offices atWindmill Farm Benenden Road Rolvenden we offer costeffective solutions for selling letting and managing your Property

LEADERS INLOCAL PROPERTYSINCE 1985

To benefit from our 30 years experience leading the way inWealden Property please call Alex Hill on 01580 242700 fora complimentary market appraisal

Recently SOLD BENENDEN pound775000

Recently LET ROLVENDEN LAYNE pound3250 PCM

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 33: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Molly DancersLast month in Benenden Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers performed their unique dancewhich turns out to have a surprising historyMolly Dancing is thought to reach back well

before the 19th century when agriculturalworkers from eastern England took part in awinter-time street performance This wasperformed on Plough Monday the first Mondayafter Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and so wasthe first day after the Christmas holiday It isthought by some that renegade farm workerswho were meant to return to work followingthe festive celebrations instead decorated aplough and pushed it around the village callingat houses of well-off villagers to collect moneyPossibly closer to the truth was that it startedwith 16th century farm workers dancing formoney in mid winter because there was nowork available on the land Disguised withblackened faces and womenrsquos clothing theyperformed versions of local dances in exchangefor reward - their disguises were said to ensurethat they were not recognised by thelandowners so as not to affect their futureemployment prospects If the householders

werenrsquot forthcoming with donations then theythreatened to plough up the garden or if therewasnrsquot a garden the doorstep They could bedestructive drunk and disreputable inappearance and their dances were viewed asdegenerate and subsequently ignored by early20th century dance collectors and so MollyDancing disappeared around the time of theSecond World WarThe Molly Dance has seen a revival over the

last 40 years and todayrsquos Molly Dancers havedisguises that are more likely to consist of astrip of black or white makeup across theirfaces - as was seen on the Seven ChampionsMolly Dancers when they entertained aroundthe village Unlike the Cotswold Morris dancers(such as the local Weald of Kent Morris) theydance with no sticks no hankies and no bellsSeven Champions claim that their performancesare ldquocharacterised by the rhythm of ourhobnailed boots our excellent custom ofdancing to unaccompanied female singers orsolo musicians and our habit of appropriatingtunes and songs from anywhere we pleaserdquo - somaintaining the free spirit of yesteryearTim Dwyer

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 34: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Champagne King of Winesand Wine of KingsI lived in Australia in 1980-81 and whilst thereI made great friends with Bill and JaneShrapnel Bill is descended from Major-General Henry Shrapnel (1761-1842) aBritish artillery officer whose experimentsinitially conducted in his own time and at hisown expense culminated in the design anddevelopment of a new type of artillery shellBill was a consultant for Unilever Jane was

a nurse and both were keen amateurs ofwine dreaming one day of owning their ownvineyard in Australia Their dream came truethree years ago when they bought a vineyardin Orange New South Wales and called itColmar EstateHaving spent a whole year cycling around

France in his youth Bill fell in love with Alsacewines and every so often would come overto Europe for a conference and tie it in witha vineyard area of France We have had lots offun so it was great to meet up with themboth in Reims in May this yearWe stayed within walking distance of the

magnificent Notre-Dame de Reims the HighGothic Roman Catholic Church seat of the

Archdiocese ofReims where theKings of Francewere crownedThe Cathedralreplaced an olderChurchdestroyed by firein 1211 that was

built on the site of the basilica where Cloviswas baptized by Saint Remi bishop of Reimsin AD 496The purpose of their visit To check out

the quality of modern Champagne and to tryand pick up tips to improve the production oftheir own bubbly I set up three appointmentsstarting with De Castellane the label with thered cross in Epernay Part of the LaurentPerrier group they produce 3000000 bottlesper year most under their own label someunder own brands such as Oudinot at MampSThe House was founded in 1895 and is

famous for its 66-metre tower built in 1905by architect August Toudoire which offers apanoramic view of Epernay and the Marnevalley It has six kilometres of undergroundchalk vaulted cellars where the champagne isslowly matured before being brought tosurface for final bottling and packagingTheir champagnes are always reliable not

breathtaking but offer good value for moneyand this was a good place to get the palate intune I can highly recommend their tourwwwdecastellanecomWe then took a short trip just around the

corner to the headquarters of Pol Roger 44Avenue de Champagne (wwwpolrogercom)Unbeknown to me this house does not havea tailor-made visitor centre so I had to call ina favour and I can assure you it was wellworth it Pol (Paul) Roger was founded in1849 by the eponymous Pol Roger at theyoung age of 18 His first champagnes were

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 35: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

released in1853 and thecompany holdsthe RoyalWarrant aspurveyor ofchampagne to

Queen Elizabeth IIPol Roger had been the favourite

champagne of Sir Winston Churchill sincejust after WW1 and inspired the famousquote ldquoMy tastes are simple I am easilysatisfied with the bestrdquo as well as the well-known maxim of Napoleon ldquoIn victory Ideserve it in defeat I need itrdquo SadlyChurchill never visited Pol Roger butnonetheless proclaimed it ldquothe mostdrinkable address in the worldrdquo Followinghis death in 1965 the company placed ablack border around the labels of the BrutNV shipped to the UKAfter an excellent tour of the cellars we

tasted a range of their champagnesculminating in the 2004 Cuveacutee Sir WinstonChurchill The exact blend is a closelyguarded secret but Pinot Noir dominateswhich gives it structure and weight whilesome Chardonnay provides elegance andfinesse Composed exclusively from grapessourced from Grand Cru vineyards whichwere already under vine during Churchillrsquoslifetime this Cuveacutee is made only in the verybest vintages and is always released laterthan the other vintage-dated champagnesfrom Pol Roger I can honestly say it is thefinest champagne that I have ever drunkI am not a fan of old vintage champagnes

as they become more like an aged wine witha hint of fizz However the 2004 is showinglittle sign of maturity has great body andfinesse and lingers on the palate Yes it is notcheap at about the pound130 mark per bottlebut it is sensationalMost champagne houses produce a

ldquohouserdquo cuveacutee a blend that should tastevirtually the same every year The odd oneout is Jacquesson our last port of call

(wwwchampagnejacquessoncom) owned bybrothers Jean-Herveacute and Laurent Chiquetwhere each year is different They do notseek any continuity from one year to thenext and the style seems to happen naturallylinked to the quality of the raw material thetypicity of the terroirs and their subjectivityCuveacutee 740 is from their 2012 harvest from

Ay Dizy Hautvilliers Avize and Oiry The 2012winter was long and cold spring and earlysummer were very wet and there weresevere attacks of mildew However a superbend to the growing season produced a smallcrop of remarkable quality The Cuveacutee 740 iscompleted withseveral reservewines from theprevious 700cuveacuteesThe ethos of

the Chiquetbrothers issummed up thusldquoItrsquos the ties thatbind The tiesthat bind thepresent to thepast The tiesthat bind the roots to the earth The ties thatbind the vines to the sky and the ties thatbind men to the land allowing them to followtheir dreams and their convictions It is also aconstant quest year on year to seek to revealthe full expression of their terroirs to makethe best wine that each vintage allowsrdquoSo with Jacquesson you will not get the

consistency of other houses and I find theirnumbering system confusing but when thevintage excels their champagnes rank amongthe best Did Bill and Jane pick up any tips along the

way Only time will tell We left Champagneand drove to Wehlen on the Mosel to startour Riesling journey more of which nextmonth Santeacute

Tracy Claridge TLClaridgeTLClaridgecouk

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 36: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

34

Bird Notes

In July we hired a villa in Gers South mid-France between Pauand Toulouse It was a family holiday rather than a bird watchingone nonetheless I always keep a bird list going The habitataround the villa was not unlike our own Weald with rollingwooded hills interspersed with farm land but more arable thanpasture compared to the Weald The two main crops weremaize and sunflowers - somewhat different from Kent Hugeacres of large sunflowers all following the sun is quite aspectacle It would be interesting to compare the two habitatsbird-wise also bearing in mind the more southerly location

On arriving at the villa we were greeted with the lovely song ofthe Turtle Dove It was also the first bird we would hear onawakening in the morning which was fantastic It was quitecommon in the surrounding area France has seen quite adramatic drop in their population but nothing like the 95 thatwe have experienced It was not long before the more exoticand melodic call of a Golden Oriole was heard from thesurrounding trees This is always a difficult bird to see - despitethe male being a vivid yellow with black primary feathers itseems to blend into the trees To my great surprise the maleappeared on a bare branch in a fig tree in the garden feeding afledgling This is the best sighting I have ever had The chance ofseeing this summer visitor in Kent is very unlikely as the UK is at its northern end of its breedingrange with just a few occasionally breeding in Suffolk

Outside our bedroom was on old greengage tree with lots of peeling bark and a good microhabitat for small insects and spiders so I wasnrsquot surprised to see a Treecreeper climbing up thetrunk looking for a meal in its characteristic way Europe has two species of Treecreeper our ownspecies and a Short-toed Treecreeper There are few diagnostic differences between the two andvery good views or photographs are needed to ascertain them In this part of France the short-toed species was the more likely but I was not sure However their calls are very different andthis is the usual way to tell them apart The short-toed has crossed the Channel on a fewoccasions Dungeness being the best place to find one and it is the call that is used to confirmthe identification the call is a ldquotutrdquo like Coal Tit call One morning whilst still in bed I heard whatwas a possible call leaping out of bed I was delighted to see that sure enough there it wasclimbing up the greengage tree ID confirmed

Walking the lanes between the various farms the commonest farmland bird was the Cirl Buntinga bird not unlike our Yellowhammer (also a member of the bunting family) with a similar liking forfarmland habitats This is not altogether unsurprising as the Yellowhammer has a more northerlyrange whilst Cirl Buntings prefer Southern Europe Their ranges however considerably overlapand 50 years ago the Cirl would have been quite common in Kent It is now restricted to Devonand a recently introduced population in Cornwall With climate warming I would have expectedthe range of the Cirl to move northwards not the other way round but nature is not always thateasy to predict It was whilst walking the hedgerows and byways I came across a little bird with a

top Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus

above Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus

Illustrations Stephen Messagewwwmessage-wildlife-artcouk

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 37: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

35

zip zip sounding flight call Frustratingly it would continually disappear into the undergrowth Ithought it was probably a juvenile Meadow Pipit but I had seen no adults and there wassomething telling me that this bird was different After a very patient half-hour wait one bird atlast gave me good views It was like a very small warbler with a well streaked back and head andbright white lower body with distinct buff edges and its tail had a white tip It certainly was not aMeadow Pipit I was fairly certain what it was and it was most unexpected as I had only seen thisspecies many years ago in the Algarve It was a Zitting Cisticola which is a new name as it wasformerly called a Fan-tailed Warbler There were a pair and from the way they were behaving I amsure they were breeding I enjoyed getting to know an unfamiliar species away from the knownnature reserves

On the birds of prey front there were not surprisingly Kestrels in the area as the mixed farminghabitat is ideal for small mammals However the commonest bird of prey was the Black Kitewhich is a summer visitor from Africa It breeds in forests near lakes and rivers as well as humansettlements as it is a good scavenger like its cousin the Red Kite It is slightly smaller than theRed Kite with a much less forked tail Whilst walking through the village I was somewhatastounded to see a flock of eight birds circling together As they have only two to three eggs thiswas more than just a family It made me think of the large numbers of Red Kites I see on the M40so perhaps it is not unusual that they hunt together The Black Kite breeding range includes mostof France and stops short some 100km from the Channel Most years a few make it to Kent asvagrants but I have never seen one here yet

Charles Trollope 240821 cetetalbtinternetcom

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 38: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

The Village GnomeNATURErsquoS WAYThis may sound counter-intuitivebut stop Stop it at once Stop

tidying your gardens Yoursquore not leavinganything for the less visible inhabitants of yourgarden to hide in to eat to make nests in orto hibernate in over winter The obsessivehacking down and clearing up at this time ofyear leaving every corner of the garden bareof leaves grass stems rosehips or nettles isleaving them with nowhere to go or find foodwhen the weather turns cold and nastyCould you not leave a few logs or bits of

wood piled in a damp corner It wouldcertainly help the frogs and toads Togetherwith a few dead leaves andtussocks of grass this willprovide them with the perfectwinter accommodationencourage worms good forgardeners as well as deliciousto eat And if the odd snaildoes move in thatrsquoll be goodnews for the thrushes Youmay even attract the oddhedgehog though Irsquove onlyever seen one in my gardenbut they like a bit of roughIf you trim your

hedges back hard in theautumn they wonrsquot haveany blackberriesrosehips hawthorn hollyor viburnum berries asfood for local blackbirdsdormice or robins andlater on mistle thrushesand other migrants A

thinned hedge doesnrsquot provide much shelterfrom the wind and rain Leave it glorious andoverblown and much more interesting tolook at till February when all the berries willhave been eatenThe bees will be extremely grateful if

you leave that overgrown ivy covered as it is with strange bobbly flowers at a timewhen nothing else is in bloom You will beamazed at the hum of contented and busybees as you pass it in September andOctober - and its berries look wonderful ina Christmas wreathNettles are the principal food source

for the caterpillars of many of our native butterflies so if you root out every nettlenow donrsquot be surprised at the dearth of butterflies next summerIf yoursquore feeling keen you

can buy palatial residences forhover flies and solitary bees at great expense in your localgarden centre but much more easily you can create aparadise for them in your own

garden by doing nothingat all except let natureprovideI could go on but Irsquom

quite exhausted withnot tidying my gardenand may have to go andpeer under my log pileand count my frogsMG

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 39: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

BENENDEN PRE-SCHOOL wwwbenendenpreschoolcouk

Every Weekday in St Georgersquos Hall by Benenden Cross-roads

Small and friendly pre-school - Awarded lsquoOutstandingrsquo by Ofsted Large secure gardens with slide sandpit playhouse and more All weather suits provided for daily outdoor play in all seasons

Experienced qualified staff including Graduate Leader Weekly lsquoSporty Totsrsquo session with qualified instructor

Regular trips throughout the year - Close parental partnership Children may start from age 2 - Childcare vouchers accepted

Fullhalf dayslunch clubs to suit your childrsquos needs Tel 01580 241137 email supervisorbenendenpreschoolcouk

A non-profit making pre-school run by a committee of parents Established 1967 a Registered Charity No 1027577

Are you thinking of selling your property in or close to Benenden

Specialist Rural and Village Agent Full Professional Estate Agency service

For straightforward advice regarding the value of your house please contact us 01233 506260

wwwhobbsparkercouk

ANITA MEEKINSPRIVATE HIRE

FIRST CLASS SERVICE

Ordinary amp Executive Vehiclesamp 8 seater minibus with seat belts

All drivers amp vehicleslicensed amp tested

Long amp short journeysamp courier service available

Business accounts welcome

Tel 01580 240713Mobile 07774 672 043

anitameekinsphbtconnectcom

Greenacre LandscapesCreating Beautiful Gardens

since 1963Specialists in Private Garden

Design amp ConstructionPatios - Brickwork - DeckingStonework - PondsLakes

Water Features - Planting SchemesGroundworks

Detailed Plans - Portfolio Available Free Consultation

wwwgreenacrelandscapescouk01580 240085 01892 722412

Furnace Lane Nursery Furnace LaneBrenchley Kent TN12 7BX

$ampamp($amp()+-01-

(1203453)030(6789)()750lt=)0(lt75gt)83)

7amp07Aamp(9(0)7B)+0(40(lt7C)040lt=)0(ltDEamp7AampF04D5gt)(0(

G0+043)030(B$H(4I$J()H$+K032(L

A03(MNOPMQRSSMR590T(03U(V=3)03L3LampampampL(V=3)03W03L3L

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver

Page 40: Benenden Magazine October 2017 · 2017. 10. 3. · eesestest.est. st. 1 1970 Mobile: 07836 254047 e We are looking for a caring, hardworking and dedicated Assistant to join our lovely

Above Making the most of village spaces energetic and colourful Molly DancersVillage Activity and Fun Day providing a fabulous afternoon of entertainmentFront cover A Common Blue butterfly on Common Knapweed St Georgersquos churchyard Photograph Peter Driver