The Parish Magazine
July '26
BERWICK ST JAMES
Welcome to Vicky and Ben Sharpe, we do hope you enjoy living in Berwick.
Congratulations to Ned Humphreys and Sophie Bunting on their wedding on 23rd May at Pen Selwood near Wincanton. Best wishes to you both from everyone in Berwick.
The Boot Inn. We are all so sorry that Amy and Ross Anderson are leaving the Boot. We have very much enjoyed having them at The Boot and wish them all the best for the future.
CHURCH NEWS
July is a ‘regular’ month with a Holy Communion at 9.30am on Sunday 5th July and a matins service at 11am on Sunday 19th July. Everyone is most welcome to attend.
TEA and CAKE and CHAT
We had a lovely time in May – coffee and walnut, chocolate swiss roll and lemon drizzle cakes all eaten (as well as biscuits) – and a great chat. The dates in July are Tuesdays 7th and 21st, and in August the 4th and 18th. Everyone is most welcome 2.30 – 4pm at the Reading Room, cakes to share too.
BERWICK ST. JAMES COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN (CERP)
As briefed at the village AGM, a volunteer Berwick St. James team has established a Community Emergency Response committee for dealing with local and small-scale issues. The resultant plan, highlighting its purpose, key contacts and action, as well as providing some advice on domestic safety matters, is now on the village website. A link to the plan will also be sent out on the village WhatsApp group.
PLANT, PRODUCE and FLOWER TABLE Supporting CRUK
Hello villagers and neighbouring villages,
My ambitions this growing season is tomato, basil and if I am very lucky cucumber all ready to harvest at the same time, wish me luck lol. I am now starting to put indoor plants on the table like jade, tradescantia, spider plants and some others, the tradescantia are mature, trailing beautifully. Pots of outdoor succulents are very popular, each one its own unique design. Happy growing and thank you for your continued support, together we can. Yours Aye Christine.
READING ROOM AGM
The Reading Room AGM was held on May 13th. We welcomed James Carpenter to the committee and said a sad goodbye to Claire Whatley. Christine McConnell has taken over the bookings, and Nigel Rodgers was thanked for his years of taking bookings, and we are sad too, that he has left the committee. All the committee were thanked for their hard work. The roadside wall will be repointed shortly, and the lobby and cloakroom painted. A new hire agreement has been made. The internet is installed and working.
Full minutes and the treasurers report are on the village website.
NEW CHAIR FOR BERWICK ST JAMES AND VILLAGE MEETING AGM
It was a great pleasure to be voted in as Chair at the Berwick St James Village Meeting held on 28 May 2026. Lizzie and I have lived mostly in the Southwest for many years, including time at Chafyn Grove in Salisbury. We moved into our present house 9 years ago and hugely enjoy the many opportunities to participate in village life.
Our busy Village Meeting agenda initially covered necessary financial matters, but we also discussed a Community Emergency Response Plan for our village, the worrying levels of toxicity in the River Till, which can cause sickness, and securing the future of The Boot Inn with the sad news that Amy and Ross Anderson are leaving. We are grateful for their contribution to Berwick.
The most exciting part of the meeting revolved around plans for the Village Barn Dance; this is open to all in the valley and is on the 8th August. The QR code below gives full details.
James Barnes.
BERWICK ST JAMES BARN DANCE!
Poster & QR Code below!
Saturday 8th August
BLACK and WHITE PAIR EXHIBITION. 23 May 26 - Review
First we would both like to say thank you to the community of Berwick St James and beyond for a successful and enjoyable exhibition night. After months of preparation, the Reading Room was transformed into a space where conversations about contemporary artwork, painting and ceramics, and the odd Prosecco or two flowed throughout the evening. The overall buzz was delightful and the feedback we received really positive; important to any artist who shares their work and takes the plunge with an exhibition. With thanks to all who purchased a piece of work, we are so very grateful for your patronage. Art is always subjective and it is always a very special experience when people connect with something that you have made. It also frees up space for the next creative endeavor! Footfall on the night was estimated at 33 curious souls with the admission funds for the Reading Room coming in at £172. We been so very blessed to be part of this community and really enjoyed hosting a gathering such as this. The Reading Room is a terrific venue for an exhibition and we are already planning another exhibition in the future. Watch this space. Caroline and Dave.
LOCAL HISTORY. 4TH JULY 1776
Whilst something was happening on this date, half way round the world, what was happening in Berwick in 1776?
On 4th July 1776 Stephen Draper and Ann Dowty married at Berwick Church. They went on to have 5 children but unfortunately their son Stephen died aged 1 in May 1787, and then Stephen in October 1787. Ann remarried to William Haskins in May 1790. There were 9 babies christened, 13 people buried, and 2 weddings in 1776. There were more people here than now, 137 in 2021 census, and 226 in 1801 (only 25 years after 1776).
The church had been here for at least 650 years, and a 1773 map shows houses on both sides of the road, from the mill at the south to the crossroads at the north and down Asserton Lane. Some of these houses are still here, although much changed over the years. These include The Dairy House, Magna House, The Clock House, Goodwins, The Boot Inn (it wasn’t a pub then), and others, and Berwick House which was rebuilt around 1800 so would have been very different. Many of the others were changed, mended and adapted but were there in 1776, and are still, kind of, here. Others were newly built on sites of old houses or barns. The main landowners were James Harris Lord Malmesbury, and John Howe Lord Chedworth. Neither lived in the village. The farmer (tenant) was Richard Coombs (who lived in the Dairy House), and there were several people who tenanted small farms. There had been a mill since at least 1257, and in 1776 Thomas Miles took the lease of the mill at a rent of £1-5s-6d per year. The Powell family ran a shop, and the Dyer family were the blacksmiths, the forge being at what is now Shepherds Cottage. There were boot and shoe makers too. Most people worked in farming.
And did the people in Berwick know what was happening in North America? I think they probably did, the Salisbury Journal was founded in 1729, along with other newspapers, many Berwickers were literate, and people weren’t much different 250 years ago.
Researched and written by Nicky Street.
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