Upchurch Parish Council Report for July 2010

The Parish Council met on Thursday 2^nd June in Challenger block of Holywell Primary School where 9 Councillors were present and 9 members of the public, including Cllr John Wright.

Public Time – Parking outside the Doctors Surgery – It was suggested that a lay by could be made on the open space outside the Doctors Surgery to help alleviate the parking issues during surgery hours. Highways will be consulted to see if this is possible.

Holywell Primary School – The Head of School Governors reported that the school had been selected to take part in a Localism pilot project led by University of Greenwich. It was expected that this would take between 5 and 9 months, starting in October 2011.

Administration – Co-option of two members – Mrs Sara Tucker and Mr John Arnold were co-opted onto the Parish Council prior to the start of the meeting.

Planning - The following applications were considered:

 SW/11/0496 Jack Russell Place, Halstow Lane – Removal of condition (1) of permission SW/11/08/0917 to permit permanent occupancy of the site for Gypsy family – The Planning Review Team objected commenting “The permanent development of this site adds considerably to the visual clutter of this area, as viewed from Halstow Lane. The area was open farmland, running down to the sea wall, until recently. Further landscaping would be unlikely to significantly reduce the visual impact of this site. This is a small site which would make little impact on the overall need for caravan and mobile home pitches within Swale.

The Swale Landscape Character and Assessment and Guidelines of 2005 characterises the land as Upchurch and Lower Halstow Fruit Belt. The advice provided is that conserve and create should be the aim of developments in the area. Upchurch Parish Council does not believe the proposed permanent site meets these aims.

There is a manifest gap between the settlements of Upchurch and Lower Halstow along Forge Lane and its continuation, Halstow Lane. Allowing this development to become permanent would contravene Swale Local Plan 2008 Policy E7 “The Separation of Settlements” particularly E7, sub clauses b and c.

The Gypsy and Traveller Site Assessment Consultation conducted by the Council in 2009 notes that this site GT11 is “finely balanced”. It is the view of the Parish Council that the assessment took insufficient account of some access issues. Many local residents consider that vehicular access to the site is dangerous when narrowness of the road and the amount of traffic are fully considered. A more severe consideration is that pedestrian access to the site along Halstow Lane to go to either Upchurch or Lower Halstow is dangerous except in the dry and in good visibility.  This is especially so for children.”

SW/11/0529 Barn at Stoney Crop, Land R/o Drakes Close/Chaffes Lane – Erection of barn (amendment to SW/10/0112 to increase height of 4m). Planning Review Team will meet to discuss.

iii)            SW/11/0545 Sandyridge, 61 Horsham Lane – Extension to side of house to provide 1 reception room and bedroom. Planning Review Team will meet to discuss.

iv)            SW/11/0549 Oastfields, Stud & Livery, Track off Holywell Lane – Application to site a mobile home and 3 horse foaling boxes. Planning Review Team will meet to discuss. Cllr Lewin outlined the proposal, indicating that it would operate for 48 weeks per year, employ 2 people, include a commercial building for vet/employees, occupied for up to 4 nights a week. He felt very strongly about the quality of landscaping, commenting that it be well landscaped.                       

viii)            Rural Needs Housing -Swale BC Rural Housing Sub-Strategy – the first draft is open for consultation and can be viewed at: www.swale.gov.uk/rural-housing
Site in Forge Lane opposite Holywell Primary School – English Rural Housing Association are meeting the landowner shortly to discuss the proposed scheme in more detail.

Environment – Village Cleaner – Mr Griffith-Jones has notified the Council that he intends to retire and will be leaving at the end of June 2011. Members discussed the need for employing a village cleaner. It was decided to recruit another village cleaner but this will be reviewed at the Annual Parish Meeting to be held next year. Anyone interested in applying for this position, is encouraged to look out for notices or contact the Clerk/Chairman. The Parish Council will be looking for a motivated person who is willing to take a pride in Upchurch.

Village Clean-up morning – This was held on Saturday 28^th May where Mrs New met 5 residents and 1 Councillor Litter pick various areas in the village. Members would like to consult with residents at the next Annual Parish Council as to how and when these should be organised in order to encourage more participation.

Best Kept Garden Competition – Judging is due to take place over a weekend in July. Cllr Lewin is unable to organise the Scarecrow Competition this year and is therefore looking for a volunteer to continue this. If anyone is interested, they can contact Cllr Lewin on 366113 for further information.

Provision of dog waste bins – Installing additional bins will be considered when preparing the budget for 2012/13. However, members are considering relocating some of the bins to other areas of the village. Please let the Clerk know of any areas that would benefit from having a dog waste installed.

Highways – Speed watch – To date 6 residents have volunteered to learn how to operate a radar camera which could be used to measure the speed of vehicles travelling around the village. Please do consider becoming a volunteer, the Parish Council would ideally like to have a team of around 10 people. If you would like more information, please contact either the Clerk or Chairman.

Sunday 327 Bus Service – KCC are proposing to withdraw this service from 31^st December 2011. Please do let the Clerk know if you have any comments regarding this proposal.

Next meetings – 7^th July, 1^st September. Please note that the meetings are held in the Challenger Block of Holywell School and start at 7.30pm.

Parish Clerk: Claire Attaway, 33 Church Farm Road, Upchurch. Tel: 01634 363906

Email: clerk@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk    www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Chairman: John Catford, 2b Crosier Court, Upchurch. Tel: 01634 231326

Email: chair@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Upchurch Parish Council

space

Upchurch Village Hall 50th Anniversary

The Village Hall is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary this year and the committee are arranging a celebration day on Saturday the 12th of November.

The Village Hall is 50 years old this year.

People will be invited to a finger buffet at lunchtime on the day and then the afternoon will be for the children. There will be a magician and also some time for the children themselves to perform, showing off their abilities singing, acting, playing musical instruments etc.


During the evening the adults will have their opportunity to entertain e.g. the Choir, telling stories etc. There will be light refreshments.


If you would like to participate in any way or if you have any ideas, please contact
Jan Lacy on: 01634 366729 or Mollie Catford on: 01634 231326


Please support this important village celebration.


Upchurch Matters
space

Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway June open day

See two newly restored locos.

Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway June open day starts with two new locomotives on Sunday 5th June.

It has been a very long time since we steamed two newly restored locos on the same day but this coming Sunday we will be doing just that.

'Zambezi' was built in Leeds in 1912. Exported to Mozambique it worked at the Sena Sugar Estates until about 1965. It came to Bredgar in 1998 and required extensive work, including re-gauging from 1ft. 7.5 ins. to 2ft. and a new boiler to be fitted. All done.

'Helge' was built in Berlin in 1936 and worked on large construction sites in Northern Germany until 1957. It was brought to Bredgar in 1999 - as a large kit of parts but without a complete boiler. Now completely overhauled and with a new boiler fitted it will return to service in June.

We also have a new updated and more extensive guide book with lots of new information. The new standard guide book price on the gate is £4 however print this email and get your copy for just £3.

We can't guarantee the weather , although it does look like it could be kind to us, but we can guarantee a really good time with new things to see. We are going to be joined by the G.Scale Society and there will be a model aircraft display from the Medway Model Flying Club. Come join us - kids of all ages welcome!!!.

After last years succcessful issue of season tickets we are offering annual membership at an even lower price of £30 per adult which will include one child. Extra children are £12. This will get you into all public and any member only events for 12 months.

Visit us at:  www.bwlr.co.uk  to find out more about BWLR and events.

Bill Best

space

Nursery Days Ltd Charity Teddy Bears Picnic and Walk

Bring along your Bears.

Nursery Days Ltd is holding a Charity Teddy Bears Picnic and Walk on Wednesday 22nd June between 9:30 – 11:15 am in Upchurch Paddock, to raise money for CLIC Sargent for children with cancer.

All funds raised will be sent to Medway Maritine Hospital who also provide care for children at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College Hospital.


For more information please contact them on:  01634 263896

Upchurch Matters

space

The Amazing Edmund Drake

Vicar of Upchurch 1560-1567

One of the first things you will be told about local history when you visit Upchurch is that Sir Francis Drake's father was vicar of the village church. Unfortunately, little more information is usually given. So who was this man whose son gained world fame as a sea faring adventurer and pirate?  He was certainly not a conventional priest as demonstrated by his escape from Devon after criminal activity, living on a shipwreck and then becoming a village vicar with a wife and twelve children.

Edmund Drake was born into a Devonshire farming family in 1514 and was brought up at Crowndale Farm near Tavistock comprising of 157 acres of land. The family was well off by contemporary standards and the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524 show that Edmund personally possessed £4 worth of goods when aged ten.

Memories of Upchurch.

Edmund became a shearman in the cloth industry for a while but there was only part time work in Tavistock and he disliked it. After what was believed to be a brief period in farming he decided to enter the clergy. He was born a Catholic but after the religious changes made during the reign of Henry VIII he converted to Protestantism at an early age. Little information is available about his ordination as a vicar, the date or precise details of his work but it is known that he became a lay preacher in Devon for a while and was vehemently anti Catholic, a trait that his son Francis inherited. In 1539 he got married and had twelve children. His son Francis was the eldest. During these years Edmund struggled. He had a family to maintain but was unable to live well on his income. This was probably because he was initially unable to enter or advance in the clergy because he was married. Although celibacy in the clergy was formally abolished in the Church of England in 1549, Mary Tudor revived it in the early 1550s during her attempt to reintroduce Catholicism to England. Elizabeth 1 later relaxed the requirement during the 1560s.

According to the English Patent Rolls of 1548, Edmund, with the help of two accomplices, attacked a man named Roger Langiford just outside Tavistock on April 16th 1548. After beating him with staves and swords they stole his purse containing twenty one shillings and seven pence. Nine days later Edmund was involved in another incident when he and an accomplice attacked a man named John Harte at Peter Tavy near Tavistock. They stole his horse worth £3. However, in December 1548 Edmund was pardoned of both crimes. The reason is not clear but it was probably due to influence and money. Edmund's father knew the Abbot of Tavistock and Lord Russell who later became godfather to Edmund's son Francis.

Because of the Catholic rebellion in Devon against the imposition of the New English Prayer Book in 1549 Edmund, who may have suffered religious persecution, fled to Plymouth then took refuge in Kent. He found a home in the hulk of an old ship on the banks of the river Medway and became a prayer reader to seamen and shipwrights in Chatham. Edmund later applied to the Church authorities in Canterbury to become vicar of Upchurch. He succeeded and took up the position on June 25^th 1560. It is not clear how he managed to do this, particularly with regard to his past misconduct but influence and his contacts in Devon probably played a part.

During the 1560s the parish of Upchurch consisted of 40 dwellings and had a population of about 250 people. The small port of Otterham Quay was situated nearby where six boats were based. Fourteen men from the village worked there and by getting to know them Edmund is thought to have secured an apprenticeship for his eldest son Francis. Until this time Francis had continued to live in Devon with the family of his cousin John Hawkins who also became a famous seaman. Francis did not attend school as Edmund is believed to have taught him to read and write himself. After this Francis obtained work on a small vessel that sailed up and down the river Medway to local and nearby continental ports. This is where he most likely learnt to sail. He later inherited the boat after the death of the owner.

Edmund continued as the vicar of Upchurch until his death in 1567. In such a small rural village as Upchurch he probably got to know his parishioners very well. He never returned to Devon. According to his will of December 26^th, 1566 located in Canterbury Cathedral archives, he requested to be buried in Upchurch churchyard. This information is backed up by Lady Eliot Drake in her book Family and Heirs of Sir Francis Drake published in 1911.

Since Edmund’s death in 1567 the exact location of his grave in the churchyard is unknown as gravestones prior to the 18^th century almost no longer exist there. He has been remembered as the father of Sir Francis Drake and his name has been given to a housing estate in the village known as Drakes Close.


David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch, is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David Wood's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood

space

Upchurch Twinning Group News

Upchurch is twinned with commune of Ferques-Elinghen in Pas de Calais, France.

Diary dates for you: 

Thursday 14^th July 2011 – Bastille Day Street Fair in Ferques – the Twinning Groups from both Upchurch and Ferques will be there on their stall offering all sorts of goodies!  Come and have a day out or make it part of a longer break.

Saturday 27^th August 2011 – Sporty Day in Upchurch.  To be held in the Recreation Ground.  A chance to meet up with some of the residents of Ferques, including youngsters, and enjoy a day of games of all descriptions, or just to observe and cheer on!  A Police Dog Handling Team and, hopefully, the Fire Service will be there and we hope to have a BBQ in the middle somewhere.

Upchurch is twinned with Ferques

Saturday 15^th October – Anniversary Dinner and Dance in Ferques, again in Elinghen Village Hall.  This is an evening event, to include a meal and there will be some Celtic dancing this time.  No other details yet, but do consider going over to France that weekend for a jolly good time!

FRIENDS OF THE TWINNING GROUP – we are considering creating a “Friends of the Upchurch Twinning Group”.  These would be people willing to give practical support e.g. on stalls, or at events, giving hospitality etc etc.  Nothing too formal, but they would be people with a more firm connection to the committee, although of course the whole village of Upchurch is twinned with the whole village of Ferques.

BRIC-A-BRAC – we need your white elephants, unwanted presents, stuff you want to get rid of!  To sell on our stall at the Bastille Day fair (14^th July).  Just contact us and we’ll collect or receive your donations.  Many thanks in advance.

Jim Harman (Chairman) 01634 235420                        Sue Rossiter (Secretary) 01634 234780


Upchurch Twinning Group

space