The Parish Magazine
October '25
BERWICK ST JAMES
PET SERVICE AT BERWICK ST JAMES
You know what they say about working with animals and children.... well, they're wrong, because it's a delightful experience! The 31st August dawned with mixed weather reports, not unlike the weather itself. To hold the service in the church or outside? As the sun appeared for a few minutes, we decided to set up outside - what's a few spots of rain between friends and animals? The dogs, horses and their families milled merrily outside. As I raised my eyes to the darkening sky, there was a loud trumpeting sound just feet from my ear and nose - I wonder what that horse had eaten for breakfast that morning!
Then came the rain, and clutching our soggy service sheets, we retreated into the church, leaving the horses and their patient riders outside. The rest of the service was without incident, and the congregation was very well behaved throughout. Those wonderful horses received their own blessing at the end. It was a day for smiles, for giving thanks and for some serious reflection on what our animals mean to us.
With many thanks to Bill and all who helped make it possible, to Martin for his patience at the organ, and to all the animals who give so much, but ask so little.... unless you're our dog Lottie... Yvonne Allen
CHURCH NEWS
October is currently looking to be a quieter month with our two regular services, a Holy Communion at 9.30am on Sunday 5th October and a Matins service at 11.00amon Sunday 19th October.
Here is advance notice that it is Berwick’s turn to hold the Remembrance Service (it rotates between the five villages at the southern end of the Till Valley) and it will be held at 10.50am on Sunday 9th November.
ART APPRECIATION IN BERWICK-ST-JAMES
The second of the Autumn series of presentations will take place on Thursday, 30th October in the Reading Room in Berwick-St-James, commencing 7.30 with entry available from 7.15pm; a donation of £5 for the Reading Room Fund at the door, to include a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink.
The title of the presentation will be Mythology into Art. For artists from the 15th century, all through the Renaissance and Baroque periods, right up until the 20th century, Ovid’s Metamorphosis and other Greek texts provided a rich source of narratives as inspiration for much of the art we enjoy in many museums. From The Birth of Venus and La Primavera by Botticelli to the masterpieces by the Venetian masters, Mantegna, Giovanni Bellini and Titian, by way of the Giovanni Bernini Baroque sculptures of Apollo and Diane and The Rape of Persephone, to as late as the second generation of Pre-Raphaelites and even Picasso, it would be no exaggeration to state, that with the exception of Scriptural texts, no single source has been so influential in the history of Western European Art.
Please join me on a brief journey as we together explore and enjoy the myths that inspired many of the most revered and loved works of art ever conceived.
For further information, see the Berwick-St-James Village website, or email Brian Armstrong at [email protected]
TEA and CAKE and CHAT
We have had a lovely time, chatting and eating cake (thank you very much Karen) and look forward to the next Tea and Chats. It was great to see and chat to friends from other villages – everyone very much welcome. As the autumn comes, we will make sure the Reading Room is lovely and warm. The October Tea and Chats will be on Tuesdays 7th and 21st, and the November ones on Tuesdays 4th and 18th. 2.30 to 4pm.
PLANT PRODUCE and FLOWER Table Supporting CRUK
Hello villagers and neighbouring villages.
Sorry I have not posted in recent months it has just been a bit disheartening for the table with the bridge closure in Berwick.
But we are over that now and people have been rallying making wonderful jams and sauces.
I would personally like to thank Pam and Malcolm from Grt Wishford for their amazing contributions of succulents over the years and just when I needed them most, you are stars.
I nearly gave up but because of your wonderful support I will carry on. Together We Can.
Yours Aye Christine X
Lots of lovely damsons, apples and other fruit and vegetables, an extra thanks for the lovely Damson and Apple Jam, Apple Sauce and Chilli Jam from Nicky.
LOCAL HISTORY - ETCHED NAMES IN THE CHURCH PORCH WINDOWS.
Unlocking the church one morning I saw the two etched names in the little window panes in the porch again, and wondered who they were.
They are “R Pepperell Sarum” and “Edwin Foyle” and are just below eye level in the second window from the church. The handwriting is old fashioned and firstly I thought it might be graffiti from Victorian visitors.
Researching the records has found that Robert Pepperell from Salisbury was a plumber (worker in lead) and glazier, with a business R Pepperell and sons of 90 Brown St Salisbury. He was born in Salisbury in 1837, and died in 1904 and was buried at St Thomas’ in Salisbury. His father, William, was a whipmaker and Robert was also a gas fitter. Plumbing, glazing and gas fitting all used lead.
In 1891 whilst Robert had his business plumbing and glazing one of his children (Albert) was a school teacher, and another (Frederick) was a student in training college.
Edwin Foyle was born in Wilton in 1839, his father Henry was a carpenter and they lived in South Street. Aged 22 he was boarding at Horningsham (Longleat) near Warminster as a plumber and glazier. He moved to Paddington in London by 1871, plumber and glazier, and was married with a young son. By 1881 he had died and his widow Mary was a nurse domestic servant back in her home town of Winchester.
So how did both their names get on our windows? It would seem that Edwin Foyle came to work for Robert Pepperell sometime in the 1860s and they both came to fit the windows in our porch.
More research needed! I need to take a trip to the Wiltshire Record Office to look at our church records (the glazing must have been paid for). I will update in due course.
Written and researched by Nicky Street.
Photographs of the names are on the village website under History.
WILDLIFE WATCH
Autumn has come, and with it the wonderful sight and sound of the Canada Geese flying over in formation.
Reports of house spiders, ladybirds (7 and 22 spot) and hedgehogs, Yellowtail moth and Vapourer Moth caterpillars, and Hummingbird Hawk moths in Berwick.
A villager did the Big Butterfly count between 18th July and 10th August – species recorded were Large White, Small White, Meadow Brown, ringlet, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Red Admiral, gatekeeper, Comma, Small Blue and most exciting, several Wall Browns, a butterfly not seen in the village before. Despite their boring name they are a beautiful little species. Overall numbers are quite low because they peaked earlier in the summer because of the weather, before the official count started.
At the end of August a report near Winterbourne Stoke of a rare Warted Amanita fungi, with a penicillium growth on top of it this year