UPDATED: Online Donations Welcomed Towards The Restoration of St Mary's Church Bell Tower

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Essential repairs to the iconic Church Bell Tower

St Mary's Church is a listed building dating back over 1000 years. It is at the very centre of Upchurch and has been an important part of village life for centuries.

The candle snuffer spire is a local landmark and, together with the lower square roof, houses the church bells and clock mechanism. The iconic shingle spire is of an eight-sided cone placed over a pyramid and it is in urgent need of major maintenance.

The internal structure and floors are now dangerous, and the belfry is generally inaccessible, meaning that the six brass bells are not in use and the village has lost an important asset.

The maintenance requirement was identified by the church architect John Bailey of Thomas Ford & Partners, London, during his latest visit in 2021. He noted that the external boarding on the lower levels of the spire had started to fail, something that had been of concern for a number of quinquennials. Additionally, he reported that the internal floors are rotten due to water penetration, and these are to be replaced after new feltwork is laid to waterproof the roof itself. He drew up a detailed schedule of works required which also includes repairs to the louvres, the stonework around the louvres, and general bird proofing in the belfry.

The PCC will also use the opportunity of the contractor on site to repair the decayed internal plaster on the chancel walls where damp has penetrated. The cause has already been identified and is currently being addressed so that the walls will have adequate time to dry out prior to the contractor beginning works.

St Mary's Church, Upchurch

Upchurch church is a Grade 1 listed building dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. It was built by the Normans in 1300 and the six giant bells were added from 1550.

The bell tower has an unusual upper octagonal 'candle snuffer' roof. The lower roof and the inside of the upper roof now need major renovation.

Please visit the link to donate >> www.justgiving.com/campaign/upchurchbelltower

Thank you

Charity Registration No: 606311

Coffee Morning

I am having a very informal coffee morning with Tori Akehurst to discuss fundraising for the church bell tower on Wednesday the 10th of August, and I wondered if there’s anyone that might be free to come along and be willing to help in the future.

You’d be very welcome to join us at my house at 10:00am. Please let me know though so I can get cakes etc to go with the coffee!

My address is 4 Bedfont House, Holywell Lane, Upchurch, and there’s plenty of parking if you don’t fancy a walk!

Elspeth Baecke

(Olivia’s Grandma) 

Website: www.thesix.org.uk

Emergency Road Closure - Horsham Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close Horsham Lane, Upchurch from Friday 5th August 2022 for up to 7 days.

The road will be closed outside 122 Horsham Lane.

The alternative route is via Otterham Quay Lane, Moor Street, A2 London Road, High Street, Keycol Hill, Sheppey Way, Ferry Road, Old Ferry Road, Raspberry Hill Lane, The Street and Forge Lane.

 

This is to enable water pipe repairs to be carried out by Southern Water.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Cyril Boakes 1927 - 2022

Cyril and Margaret Boakes on their wedding day,

Saturday the 3rd of April 1948.

Following a short period of ill health, my father, Cyril Boakes of 103 Chaffes Lane, passed away peacefully on Friday the 29th of July 2022, aged 95.

Born on the 27th of April 1927, Cyril was a resident of Upchurch his entire life, living as a child first in Chaffes Lane, then later in Wallbridge Lane, before returning to Chaffes Lane in the early 1960's.

He also worked in the village, spending his entire working life tending the family market garden on two sites off Chaffes Lane.

Now reunited with my mother, Margaret.

God bless them both.

Colin Boakes

New U13’s Players Wanted for Upchurch Colts FC

NEW PLAYERS WANTED ⚽️ 🏃🏻

Upchurch Colts FC - U13’s is looking for new players.

Currently training: Thursday at 7:30pm / Saturday at 9:00am.

Please contact Andy: 07921 267296

Lisa Dighton - Upchurch Colts FC

Fence Damaged - Hartlip

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/149245/22

On Tuesday the 2nd of August, somebody drove a green vehicle around a field and damaged a fence in Spade Lane, Hartlip.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

August News from Upchurch Horticultural Society - From the Potting Shed

Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd

Well, Summer has definitely arrived with a vengeance and temperatures soared into the 30s in July. All going well you are on top of the garden doing gentle maintenance, albeit a lot of watering and enjoying outdoor living. Sun loungers should be getting good use with evening meals and BBQs on the patio. There have been mutterings of 2022 matching the Summer of 1976, but it needs to keep going for another couple of months yet.

Hopefully, the lawn managed to get a second weed and feed in early July. If not, hold off until we get some rain unless, of course, you are regularly watering the lawn. I have chosen to stop watering mine and let it go. It has taken on a curious marbled appearance as the old meadow grass from the original lawn has turned brown, and the Canada Green is holding its colour. To get a fully drought resistant lawn would require a complete re-seed. Lawns will green up again when the rain returns but will need a lot of scarifying… if you can be bothered. Dead thatch at the roots can allow disease to get established, so it is a good idea to get it all out.

The early Potato crop has been excellent this year with very little scab on the skins which indicates dry weather. Scab isn’t a problem as it easily peels off, but for those who like to exhibit their produce it is a nuisance. That is why exhibition growers cultivate their exhibits in bags rather than in the soil. I am old fashioned and like to grow in the ground. My main motivation is for the kitchen, but on show day, I have to stand back and make way for the winners.

The Broad Beans are harvested and the ground can be re-utilised, and normally I would plant a crop of Turnips to be ready by the end of October. The Beans were spaced out more this year and not so badly affected by Chocolate Spot which is a fungal infection. The Climbing Beans are flowering, and the first pick is very close. A number of Marrows have self-seeded, and the small fruits are starting to swell. It will be interesting to see what variety they are because the crop has failed for the last two years, and I do not know where the seeds have come from. The last Marrows to be grown successfully were Tiger Cross which is a very large Marrow, and I would love to take some seed to the new house. It’s also a good time to think about sowing winter vegetables with a number of new varieties available as well as old favourites like Durham Earlies. This will provide Spring Greens and then provide Cabbage in April/May.

Tiger Cross Marrows.

The Braeburn Apples have been thinned out further to take the load off the branches, and the remainder will be allowed to swell and should be ready for picking by late October. The amount of effort that goes into hybridising new varieties of Apples is amazing. The Braeburn is a cross between Granny Smith and Lady Hamilton and combines the tart crunch of a Granny Smith with the red colour of Hamilton as green apples are not highly popular. It was a great commercial success, but things moved on to Gala, a cross between Kidds Orange Red and Golden Delicious and then Jazz, a cross between Braeburn and Royal Gala. Cripps Pink, also called Pink Lady, is probably the next big thing in the UK now that restrictions are lifting. It is also being grown in Upchurch!

If you are looking for an active hobby, horticulture is a good option, and there is just so much to it. Commercially it was always regarded as a low value business, but that has changed in more recent years, and it never ceases to amaze me what people are prepared to pay for plants that can be grown from seeds and cuttings. But as I have always said, gardening is to be enjoyed otherwise you are doing it wrong.

All this talk of Apples has put me in the mood for a chilled Cider. Cider can be made from any of the varieties mentioned, but probably the best Cider Apple is Dabinett which is not a culinary Apple and is grown mainly in Somerset… to answer your question… Thatcher’s!

UHS is always looking for new members and tries to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables, and flowers or even enter any of the shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.

If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk

Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society