small low building that was the old

Steep National School. It was very

near the church and positioned on

land that now forms the front gar-

den of the house known as the

Tithe Barn. This National School

was a single storey building with a

pitched roof, white walls and arched

windows in its gable end. It was the

forerunner of our present village

primary school. The National School

in Steep began in 1843 when the

Bishop of Winchester granted land

for it to be built next to the church.

In the 1840s, Church Road and

Ridge Common Lane, as we know

STEEP AND STROUD

NEWSLETTER

NO 549 MARCH 2017

The Steep History Group recently

looked at a picture of an 1846 wa-

tercolour of Steep church by Richard

Ubsdell. The church at that time was

very different from that of today. It

had a low tower. There were no

stained glass windows. Some of the

familiar old gravestones are still in

place, as is the yew tree by the

south door. There is no sign of a

lychgate or of the familiar stone

walls that surround the church to-

day.

Quite remarkably, what is also

shown to the right of the church is a

STEEP CHURCH IN 1846 AND THE OLD STEEP NATIONAL SCHOOL

CONTENT

25 YEARS AGO page 5

DIARY DATES page 7

STEEP/STROUD NEWS page 11

USEFUL CONTACTS page 15

CHURCH NEWS page 21

SERVICE TIMES page 24

2

ADVERTISING IN THIS NEWSLETTER AND VILLAGE WEBSITE If you would like to advertise please contact Ray Street on 892656 or

email steepweb@hotmail.co.uk

Village website: www.steepvillage.com

3

them, did not exist but were merely

tracks across areas of common

land, which stretched as far as

Stroud. Surrounding the common

land were farms, fields, woodland

and a few labourers’ cottages and

gardens. The gardens served as

allotments in which food was grown

by the cottagers. The church and

Restalls - then known as ‘By the

Church’, were in place, but very few

of today’s houses. The larger and

older areas of settlement at Steep

were at Ashford, Dunhill, Steep

Marsh and near the Harrow.

The Steep church registers of this

time show marriages taking place in

which ordinary people signed the

register with a mere cross as their

mark, indicating that they had per-

haps received little or no education.

The coming of the National School

must have been a great benefit. In

1867, one Bertha Pocock black-

smith’s daughter aged 27 years,

married Henry Hounsome, at Steep

Church. Bertha stated her occupa-

tion as ‘schoolmistress’. She may

have been a teacher at the Steep

National School.

The Steep National School was

probably founded by the National

Society for Promoting the Education

of the Poor in the Principles of the

Established Church in England and

Wales. The society collected dona-

tions and built small schools for the

education of poor children in nearly

every village, town and city. Educa-

tion was based on the teachings of

the Church of England. The schools,

like this one at Steep, were usually

next to the parish church, and

named after it. They often contained

one or two rooms and may have had

an earth floor. Later, the 1870 Edu-

cation Act laid down the principle of

education for all children between

the ages of five and twelve years. In

Steep, a larger piece of land, adja-

cent to ‘the recreation ground’, was

obtained. The old Steep National

School was demolished and in 1875

and our present school was built.

The 1846 picture of Steep church

and National School is copyright

Portsmouth Museums and can be

seen in the book: “Hampshire: Dis-

covering the C19 World of Ports-

mouth Artist R. H. C. Ubsdell Vol 2”

by Chris Brindle.

franboxsteep@yahoo.co.uk

Copyright. The content of the

newsletter (excluding the ads) is

the copyright of Steep PCC, un-

less otherwise indicated. If in

doubt, contact the editor.

4

07795 381633

077919 62327

5

The Editor

Steep and Stroud Newsletter

Dear Editor,

I spoke to you briefly on the tele-

phone after you published Peter

Emmerson’s views on Remem-

brance. Yesterday I attended the

funeral of a fellow member of the

Petersfield Branch of The Royal Brit-

ish Legion who fought with his regi-

ment during the Normandy landings

and throughout the campaign in

Europe thereafter. At the time he

was a young man of 20/21. Quite

recently France awarded him the

Legion d’ Honeur as a hero in the

liberation of France. I found myself

thinking of those who pontificate

scathingly about Remembrance and

the “rigmarole” of bands bugles

and marches.

There can be few who would dispute

that war is appalling and It is up to

individuals how they wish to remem-

ber. However there are those, many

of them youngsters, who would have

little cause to remember the sacrific-

es of so many men and women dur-

ing the war unless it is brought pub-

licly to mind by annual Remem-

brance services and parades. More-

over the wearing of a poppy brings

to mind the need to give in charity to

help and support those former mem-

bers of the armed forces who were

prepared to lay their lives on the line

for our country but through injury,

wounds, illness or bad luck need

help. I would venture it is a very wor-

thy charity indeed.

The pace of life and human nature

being what it is there needs to be

music or spectacle to drum up pub-

lic attention. Those who feel uncom-

fortable at Remembrance celebra-

tions albeit with good intentions

should feel slightly ashamed.

With my good wishes,

Guy Obbard

Mustercombe Farm, Stroud.

25 YEARS AGO STEEP PARISH COUNCIL ... with the help of local

residents, has been pressing the authorities to

extend the 30 m.p.h. limit (which ends at Bell

Hill Ridge) through to the foot of Stoner Hill.

This dangerous stretch of road which passes

through the Dunhurst/Dunannie bends, over the

crossroads at the Cricketers Inn, and up to the

Island has long been a source of concern to the

Council ...

6

7

STEEP FILM SOCIETY 3 March - Bridget Jones’ Baby

18 March - Wild

31 March - Florence Foster Jenkins

Sadly, due to lack of support, for the

time being there will be no more

films shown after this month. Re-

funds will be given. Meeting 29 April

Tickets from Sheila Fairley -

269339. ALL WELCOME

EDWARD THOMAS FELLOWSHIP The Edward Thomas Birthday Walk,

Sunday 5th March. Each year the

Edward Thomas Fellowship stage a

birthday walk in Steep. Non-

members most welcome to join in.

Walks (10.30am and 2.15pm,

starting at Bedales) around

Steep and the Shoulder of Mut-

ton Hill, with poetry readings

A Birthday Tribute and tea in

Steep Church

Free car parking available in Be-

dales School

See the website: www.edward-

thomas-fellowship.org.uk

BEDALES OLIVIER THEATRE

5 March - Youth Dance Platform -

the Hampshire Youth Dance Compa-

ny is able to join us again this year

for our annual Youth Dance Plat-

form. Alongside them, we will be

seeing a variety of works from local

schools, colleges and groups in

Hampshire.

9 March - Bedales Dance Performs -

by the Bedales dance students from

Block 4 to 6.2 and their independ-

ent work that they have choreo-

graphed.

21 March - Ventoux - the most fear-

some mountain encountered on the

Tour de France. It is also the story of

Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani

– whose drug-fuelled race there in

2000 was the greatest cycling had

ever seen. Ventoux charts the paral-

lel lives of these champions who

overcame great adversity in tandem,

and the mountain that cast them in

opposing directions.

THE QUAD

24 March - The Spring Concert

In the second major concert of the

school year, all of the senior

school’s vocal and instrumental

ensembles contribute to a varied

programme in the final week of the

Spring term.

Bookings: bedales.org.uk/bedales-

arts or 0333 666 3366

STEEP PARISH COUNCIL Next meeting will be at 7.30 p.m. on

Monday 6th March in the small

meeting room at Steep Village Hall.

DIARY DATES

8

9

STROUD PARISH COUNCIL The next full meeting of the Parish

Council, will be held on Tuesday 7

March at 7.30pm, in Langrish School

Hall. All are welcome to attend

WELCOME CLUB Thursday 9 March - "Bedales Musi-

cians Entertain". (NB Not a mistake

- Dunhurst has a clash now so has

a r r a n g e d f o r B e d a l e s t o

come). 3.30pm - Steep Village Hall.

Thursday 23 March - "Spring Read-

ings." Bring your favourite excerpt

or poem about the season of

Spring. 3.30pm - Steep Village Hall.

hjmaybury@aol.com &

Judy Thompson - 267362

STEEP HISTORY GROUP Tuesday 14 March at 10.00am at

Merries, Church Road

Enquiries to Fran Box - 266284

STROUD EVENING WI 14 March. Pauline Cherrett will

demonstrate how to make Pop-up

Books. Steep Village Hall at 7.30

Enquiries: Pauline Cook - 263406

STROUD AFTERNOON WI 16 March. History minus the boring

bits - a talk by Susan Howe. We

meet at 2.15pm at Herne Farm Lei-

sure Centre

Details Susan Kuruber 261351

STEEP FILM CHALLENGE

Submission deadline date, 19

March and screening/awards even-

ing 25 March Phyllida Baarnes

FROXFIELD CHOIR

Froxfield Choir is performing further

afield for this year's Spring concert.

Come and hear The Armed Man: A

Mass For Peace by Karl Jenkins, on

Saturday 25th March at 7.30pm, in

the beautiful church of St Peter and

St Paul in West Wittering. We would

love to see as many as possible of

our loyal supporters for what prom-

ises to be a rousing performance.

Tickets are £10, available at the

door or call Nico Jackson on 01730

828090.

THE HANGERS GARDEN CLUB Regrettably, at the AGM last month,

the Hangers Garden Club decided to

discontinue their activities.

Contact - Jocelyn Hooton - 261339

COPY FOR THE APRIL NEWSLETTER

not later than Wednesday 15 March To David Dobson at Downgate Cottage, Steep Marsh, GU32 2BE

Or davidandjoanna@talktalk.net and storeycelia@gmail.com (new email)

FOR STROUD to Jeremy Mitchell at Fairlands, Finchmead Lane, Stroud

GU32 3PF or mitchjd@btinternet.com - tel 267214

10

Convert your aga range cooker

to Electric Power

Reduce running costs up to 80%

Hobs and ovens controlled

independently

Rapid heat up time from cold

Hampshire Cookers Conversions

www.hcconversions.co.uk

Call Paul on 07730 988361

House and / Dog Sitting Service Dog Walking Non Smoker and CRB Check

Call Jennie for Enquiries

01730 268250 or 07824391363

11

STEEP FILM CHALLENGE 2017

After the fun and success of the 2015

Steep Film Challenge, entries for the

2017 Steep Film Challenge are now

invited. We hope that many of you will

have noticed the flyers all over the

village and elsewhere and announce-

ments on the Steep Film Challenge

Facebook page and the Steep Village

website but, if not, and you are tempt-

ed to enter (and win some of the

£400 worth of prize money), here are

the conditions of entry :

Films can be any genre; horror,

comedy, dance, documentary etc..

The duration can be anything up

to a maximum of 3 minutes.

There must be a visual reference

to Steep in the film.

Delivered either on MP4, WMV, or

DVD format

As before there will be a special

prize for Best Original Soundtrack

By submitting entries you waive

copyright and agree for them to be

shown online

We have a superb panel of judges,

including Rupert Day, award winning

director and editor, Andrew Lotbi-

niere (of Pukka Films – who pro-

duced the 2014 award winning film

Kajaki) and Rachel Portman, who is

undoubtedly Britains most stellar

composer of film soundtracks. Her

STEEP AND STROUD NEWS scores include those for Chocolat,

The Cider House Rules and One Day

plus The Manchurian Candidate

(Jonathan Demme), Oliver Twist

(Roman Polanski), Hart's War

(Gregory Hoblit), The Legend of Bag-

ger Vance (Robert Redford), Beloved

(Jonathan Demme), Life Is Sweet

(Mike Leigh), Never Let Me Go (Mark

Romanek),), The Duchess (Saul

Dibb), One Day (Lone Scherfig) The

Lake House (Alejandro Agresti), Mo-

na Lisa Smile (Mike Newell), and The

Human Stain (Robert Benton).

This is truly a group of people any

passionate film makers and com-

posers need to present their talent

to! Submission deadline -

Sunday 19th March

There will be an Awards Evening and

Screening on Saturday 25th March

at Steep Village Hall starting at

around 5.30pm (see the Steep Film

Challenge Facebook page and the

Steep Village website at http://

www.steepvillage.com/ for more

details.

Register your interest or address any

queries to: Phyllida Barnes: 01730

269267 / 07876 615040

phyllbarnes@btconnect.com or mes-

sage the Steep Film Challenge Face-

book page.

12

Oil fired boiler specialists

Servicing, Repairs and Installations

Central Heating Upgrades

Fully Insured & Registered with Oftec

01730 823355

07920 558046

info@adeptplumbingservices.co.uk

13

COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S RE-

PORT FOR FEBRUARY 2017

The new educational funding formu-

la has recently been published. In

East Hampshire the larger schools

seem to have gained funding, whilst

the smaller ones have lost, though

the total for the District has been a

gain of some £266K. The figures

are:-

Froxfield Primary - £8K

Greatham Primary - £13K

Herne Junior + £115K

Langrish Primary - £4K

Liss Infants + £13K

Liss Junior 0

Petersfield Infants + £42K

Sheet Primary - £11K

Steep Primary - £10K

Petersfield School + £131K

Figures have recently been released

on the number and size of claims

made by motorists for damage

caused by potholes. The figures

given did not take account of the

large variation in the number of

roads between counties, nor the

fact that some counties, including

Hampshire insure themselves, ra-

ther than taking out insurance poli-

cies.

For all the counties in the south of

England, Hampshire has the lowest

pothole claims of 8.51 per 100km

of highway, with the highest being

Buckinghamshire and Berkshire

with over 20 claims, and our neigh-

bouring counties all being around

15. In cash terms the amount paid

out in the last financial year was

£92K, which for 5,300 miles of road

in Hampshire, represents about

£17.50 per mile.

The various activity centres within

Hampshire, including Calshott and

Runway’s End, have now almost

reached the stage where they are

self-funding. Because they were

designed originally for school use,

for many years they have only been

fully used for a relatively short peri-

od in the summer. The facilities are

now also used by an increasing

number of companies for staff train-

ing, and this has greatly helped the

funding situation.

Vaughan Clark 268 206

CHILDREN'S SOCIETY BOXES

If you have a Children's Society

collecting box would you please

return it either to Pam Morgan at

Myrtle Farm, 38 Winchester

Road, Stroud (263843) or Sylvia

Struthers at Rokewood, 59

Church Road, Steep (269533) for

the annual count

Many thanks.

14

FOOTPATH IMPROVEMENTS

IN STROUD

Two well used footpaths have been

resurfaced around stiles and areas

of high footfall, thanks to the co-

operation of landowners and a Dis-

trict Councillor grant organised by Nick

Drew (East Hants District Councillor).

Two stiles on Footpath 4 (where the

ground had been significantly erod-

ed, leaving the stiles awkwardly

high) have received tarmac planings

at their base, which has raised the

ground level and provided much

needed grip. Stroud Parish Council

is very grateful to Colonel and Mrs

Obbard for providing useful hand-

rails to help walkers access the path.

Planings have been laid on parts of

Footpath 703 to keep feet out of

the mud. A work party is planned in

the near future to spread more plan-

ings on wetter areas of this path.

The Parish Council approaches

landowners for permission to under-

take improvement works to foot-

paths on their land, and we are all

very grateful to landowners whose

co-operation and understanding in

these matters enables us to do this.

If you have any issues to raise

about Rights of Way around Stroud,

please contact Ony Rogers

(P266929, onyrog@yahoo.co.uk).

MARY SUGGS 1927-2017

Mary Snuggs, who died January

aged 89, was a teacher at Steep

School for many years. For most of

that time she, and Head teacher

Marian Fletcher, were the only

members of the teaching staff,

and Mary ruled the crowded and

busy infant classes.

Her own early childhood was spent

in China where he parents worked

as missionaries, but when the Jap-

anese invaded in1941 she was

sent to an internment camp where

she lived from the age of 14 to 18.

It was in this unlikely environment

that she had her first experience

of teaching as she was put in

charge of the youngest internees.

After being liberated by American

forces in 1945 she returned to the

UK and studied Education at The

Froebel Institute. For a generation

of Steep School pupils (and their

parents) Mary's gentle and com-

forting presence at the school gate

provided welcome assurance that

all was well with the world. In the

years since she retired the number

of her pupils who have sent their

own children to the school pro-

vides an eloquent testimony to the

affection and gratitude she is

owed by all who knew her.

Rollo Wicksteed

15

STEEP FLOWER SHOW

26th August

At the moment it's difficult to imag-

ine the glorious sunny day in August

of the Steep Flower Show, but in

fact now is the time to start planning

for the growing season. It will also

give time to look for photo shots and

perhaps for practicing baking!

There are some changes in the

schedule which will be useful to

know.

In the pot plants, pelargonium re-

places begonia and in the Novelty

section we are looking for 3 stems

of a green flower instead of white.

In Flower Arranging the subjects are

Heatwave (maximum diameter

45cm), An arrangement in a rame-

kin and Flowers in a basket. For

men only, An arrangement in a beer

mug, size not specified.

In Domestic, Classes 77 to 80

change to a chocolate cake, a Bake-

well tart, white bread rolls uniform

shape x 4, and for Men Only a round

seeded loaf.

The subject for the Scarecrow is a

politician - vent your political feel-

ings!

The photography subjects are: A

Garden, Movement and Wood. For

children 16 and under, Home.

Children's categories 108 to 113

have changed to; 6 cheese straws,

an exhibit of any fruit flower or vege-

table grown by the child, any article

of craft. For children aged 4 and

under, a model or picture, and there

are 2 extra categories for 12 to 16

year olds, a poem and a sultana

cake.

Please save the date!

Jan Cobb. Secretary

jcobb@bedales.org.uk - 300100

Judy Thompson. Chairman

judy.thompson@me.com - 267362

USEFUL CONTACTS Newsletter: David Dobson 261344 davidandjoanna@talktalk.net

Police Support Officer: John Payne john.payne@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

Steep Village website: www.steepvillage.com

Steep Parish Clerk: Jenny Hollington 267784, clerk@steep-pc.gov.uk

Stroud Parish Clerk (part time): clerk.stroud@parish.hants.gov.uk or

Elisabeth Foulston 48 Winchester Road, Stroud, GU32 3PG

Stroud Village website: www.stroudvillage.co.uk

Village Hall: Jenny Hollington 267784

16

Steep to Petersfield Bus Service 71

Steep enquiries call 01962 846786

Wednesdays and Fridays at : Return

Steep, Bedales School 09:35 Petersfield Tesco 12:27

Petersfield Hospital 09:42 Petersfield Square 12:30

Petersfield Railway Station 09:45 Petersfield Railway Station 12:33

Petersfield Square 09:48 Petersfield Hospital 12:35

Petersfield Tesco 09.51 Steep, Bedales School 12:42

Stroud contact Xelabus - See Stroud buses on www.xelabus.info or phone

023 8064 4715. They only run a restricted Wednesday service.

Other village services to Winchester and into Petersfield are run by

Stagecoach.

https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/Timetables/South/

Winchester/Winchester%20Route%2067_04-09-16_WEBFILE.pdf

17

PETERSFIELD YOUTH THEATRE

Step Into the Spotlight…………

Are you up for a challenge? Do you

love musical theatre and would you

like to become part of a fully staged

musical in just four days? This year,

Petersfield Youth Theatre’s 19th

Easter Holiday Activity will be full of

fun and inspirational experiences

for young people aged five to fifteen

years.

Each year, 150 young people

come together to spend a week

having fun and making new friends.

This is a fantastic way for local

young people to spend a week of

their Easter holiday working with

professional performers and direc-

tors. Step Into the Spotlight will

feature song and dance numbers

from popular musical theatre. The

four days will end with a perfor-

mance for friends and family.

Petersfield Youth Theatre is re-

nowned for its exciting approach to

theatre for young people. To find

out more about Step Into the Spot-

l i g h t v i s i t t h e w e b s i t e

www.pyt.org.uk where you can

download an application form by

clicking the ‘what’s on’ button…

this form will be available after half-

term.

Venue: Bedales School, Steep

Date: Tuesday 18 – Friday

21 April 2017

PRUNUS INSITITIA - BUL-

LACE, WILD DAMSON AND

PRUNUS SPINOSA - SLOE:

One of the country names for black

thorn (sloe tree) is Snow in Spring,

being one of the first trees to flower

in the spring, and covering patches

of hedgerow in small white blossoms

- it heralds the promise of brighter

warmer days. At last, life begins to

stir in the hedges. And yet this plant

also carries a rather dark reputation

in country lore, which may have de-

veloped because a puncture from

this thorn feels so evil. Accompanied

by great pain, the wound often be-

comes septic and can spread to cre-

ate reactive arthritis in remote parts

of the body. Perhaps the venomous

nature of the wound was the reason

why dark witches used the thorns to

pierce wax poppets in their spells of

evil intention.

The medical uses are the same, both

for the sloe and the wild damson

(Bullace) but their culinary delights

are wildly different. I have a wild

damson tree in the hedgerow bor-

dering my garden, and what a de-

lightful tree it is. In the late summer,

I stand under the tree, a bit like a

monkey, popping plump fruit after

fruit into my mouth. Despite my

greed, I have never got the expected

diarrhoea from eating too much

fresh fruit, and that would be be-

18

TO SEE LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS http://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications

For local planning authority put in your postcode.

Medical Herbalist

Jo Dunbar

(MSc. Dip Herbal Medicine)

Available for consultations in

London, Surrey and Stroud

Further information and

herbal workshops see

www.botanicamedica.co.uk

07932 764417

19

cause both sloes and bullace fruit

have a binding action, and can be

used for the treatment of diarrhoea.

The flowers, on the other hand, of

both plants act as a mild laxative.

To achieve this, you would make an

infusion and sweeten with honey.

So we see that these two plants

both loosen the bowels and restrict

diarrhoea, depending on which part

of the plant you use.

Jo Dunbar (MSc, Medical Herbalist)

07932 764417

UPDATE FROM STROUD PARISH

COUNCIL

Stroud Parish Council would like to

thank District Councillor Nick Drew

and Hampshire County Council’s

Small Grants Scheme for grants

towards the installation of a new

kissing gate at the entrance to

Stroud Common. We are also grate-

ful for the co-operation of the land-

owner for permission to make this

improvement and hope that the

new gate will now make the foot-

path more accessible to all.

The Parish Council have also recently

been notified of the theft of a wheelie

bin from a property in Ramsdean

Road and also a theft from a vehicle

in the same road and would like to

remind local residents that if they

notice anything suspicious in the fu-

ture to please contact the police on

101.

The Annual Parish Meeting this

year, to be held on Tuesday 4th

April, will be an update on the po-

tential housing development on

Ramsdean Road. Further details will

be published nearer the time.

GREAT BRITISH SPRING CLEAN

East Hampshire is encouraging and

supporting groups and individuals to

do their bit to help clear up the litter

that blights our streets and parks in

the Great British Spring Clean cam-

paign. Litter picking equipment will

be supplied by EHDC’s street

cleansing contractor.

In order to do their bit to help, Steep

Parish Council are organising a vil-

lage litter pick for Sunday,

19th March and anyone interested

in volunteering should contact the

Clerk, Jenny, on clerk@steep-

pc.gov.uk. We will concentrate on

Ridge Common Lane, Church Road

and Mill Lane initially (depending on

numbers of volunteers) - however, if

anyone from Steep Marsh would

like to volunteer to lead a group,

we’d love to hear from you.

Volunteers should meet at Steep

Village Hall car park at 9.30 a.m.

Please let Jenny know if you are

able to make it so that we can en-

sure we have enough equipment for

everyone -267784

20

All aspects of tree work carried

out.

Fast, reliable and efficient service.

Free quotation and expert advice

Tel: 07587 955 770

www.scetreesurgery.co.uk

Ridge Gate Breadmaking Course

Quick quick....slow.........

Learn how to make a variety of breads

Relaxed, friendly, home atmosphere.

Small groups max 6 per class.

Courses: first Saturday of each month

10:00am-14:00pm Includes light lunch

For more details and prices see

www.ridgegatebydiana.com

Contact Diana Portelly 07747 698118

21

CHURCH NEWS

ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH

MEETING

The annual parochial church meet-

ing (APCM) takes place once a year.

This is an important occasion at

which the Churchwardens and PCC

are elected, detailed church ac-

counts are produced and the

Churchwardens set out their review

of the year in the Churchwardens’

report.

The meeting will be held in the

Church at approximately 12 noon

on Sunday, 6th April immediately

after the Sunday service and the

coffee which follows..

The meeting consists of two parts.

The first comprises the Parishion-

ers’ meeting, the main purpose of

which is to elect the two Church-

wardens for the forthcoming year.

Everyone in the parish, whether or

not on the Church Electoral Roll, is

entitled to attend and to vote at this

meeting.

The second part of the meeting, the

APCM proper, approves the ac-

counts, elects the PCC and sides-

men and receives reports from the

Vicar and Churchwardens among

other matters. Only those on the

Church Electoral Roll are entitled to

vote at this second meeting.

We hope that as many people as

possible will be able to attend wheth

-er or not you are able to attend the

Parish Communion immediately be-

forehand.

FONT HANDLE CARVING

You may have noticed that the font

handle carving has become acci-

dentally. damaged. This will be

quickly repaired but would be easier

with the missing section - if anyone

has put it aside for safekeeping it

would be very useful!

ELECTORAL ROLL

At this time of year the Electoral Roll

is updated. All on this roll are enti-

tled to vote at the Annual Parochial

Church Meeting, which will be held

on Sunday 23rd April 2017

There will be forms available for

those who would like their names to

be added, on the font at All Saints’

Steep and on the notice board out-

side Stroud mission Church. Com-

pleted forms need to be placed in

the box at the base of the font by

Sunday 12th March 2017.

If you have any queries please con-

tact me on Tel 287362 or ju-

dy.thompson@me.com

Judy Thompson, Electoral Roll

Officer

22

Located under the Ashford

Hangers

Sleeps 6 with 3

bedrooms, 2

bathrooms and

spacious living area.

Available for short breaks or holidays.

For more details, please check

www.ashfordfarmturkeys.co.uk

or call 01730 268131

23

EXCITING BENEFICE SERVICES

AHEAD!

Benefice Services on the 5th Sunday

of the month are now the sole Sun-

day service in order that we can

make them special occasions for the

two parishes of Steep and Froxfield

and that we can enjoy worshipping

together. We are delighted to an-

nounce visiting preachers at joint

services including Canon Peter Leon-

ard (11 June, Privett, 1030 am);

Bishop Ian Brackley (30 April, 1030

am, Steep); the Bishop of Ports-

mouth 23 July, 1030am Steep). We

look forward to seeing you there.

EAMES ALMES HOUSES RE-

SEARCH

Ruth Whiting would love to hear from

anyone whose relatives, or anyone

they knew, lived in the Almshouses

between their foundation in 1882

and the 1970s. She is also trying to

locate any craftsmen (or relatives

thereof) who worked on repairs and

reconstruction of the buildings.

rwhiting@bedales.org.uk / 01730

262715

DIARY DATES

EDWARD THOMAS TEAS

Sunday, 5th March is a day to cele-

brate the birthday of the late Edward

Thomas (3rd March) and is marked

by walks on the Hangers and the

AGM of the Edward Thomas Fellow-

ship in the Church. Teas will also be

served in the Church from 4.00 pm.

THE RUSSIAN LYRA SINGERS

The Russian Lyra Ensemble from

St. Petersburg have agreed to en-

tertain us again on this year on

Wednesday 26th April 2017.

h t t p s : / / w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m /

Lyra.UK. Entry is free.

FROM THE REGISTER

FUNERALS

Mrs Joy Clarke – 21st February

2017 aged 87

24

Parish Communion Services are in modern language

Early Sunday Services are from the Book of Common Prayer

STEEP - Every Thursday: Silent Prayer 6.30pm; Holy Communion 7pm

Choir Practice: Saturdays before Parish Communion 9:30 am

Sunday School: During Parish Communion except during school holidays

Vicar: John Owen 264282 revjohnowen@gmail.com

Assistant Priest: Chris Prior-Jones 894040

Lay Pastoral Assistant: Lindsay Clegg, 827505 lindsay.clegg1@btinternet.com

Reader: Caroline Hilton 263460

Churchwarden: Suzi Openshaw 827743 and 07718 255957

Church website: http://steepfroxfield.com

Wednesday 1st March - Ash Wednesday (Purple)

7pm Holy Communion with Ashing, Steep

Sunday 5th March - The 1st Sunday of Lent (Purple)

8am Holy Communion, Steep

9. 30am Parish Communion, High Cross

10.30am All Age Eucharist, Steep

Sunday 12th March - The 2nd Sunday of Lent (Purple)

8.30am Holy Communion, Stroud

10.30am Parish Communion, Steep

Sunday 19th March - The 3rd Sunday of Lent (Purple)

8am Holy Communion, Steep

9. 30am Parish Communion, High Cross

11am Ignite, Froxfield Village Hall

Sunday 26th March - The 4th Sunday of Lent (Purple) - Mothering Sunday

10am Mothering Sunday Communion with Distribution of Flowers,

at High Cross

10.30am Mothering Sunday Communion with Distribution of Flowers,

at Steep

6pm Iona Worship and Taizé Prayer, Steep

Sunday 2nd April - The 5th Sunday of Lent (Purple) - Passiontide begins

8am Holy Communion, Steep

9.30am Parish Communion (shortened), High Cross followed by APCM

10.30am All Age Eucharist, Steep

CHURCH SERVICES IN STEEP, STROUD & FROXFIELD