April 2009

Welcome to April’s edition of Milton Matters! Firstly, thanks to Beth Holden from the High Street for this great photo of Mill Lane when the snow was still about. I am delighted to include as well some fabulous photos of Milton from bygone days. In April’s issue we have commenced a history of Milton which starts in 1117 and eventually brings us up to current times. Easter approaches and we have lots of activities lined up in the village to celebrate this important time in our calendar - make sure you take advantage! John Simmonds- Editor

ST. BLAISE IS COLD !!! An important message from Milton PCC: The Central Heating in your village Church has broken down, and a new system must be installed before the Autumn. We are working on this urgently, but in the meantime... offers of help towards meeting the cost will be very warmly received, and If you come to Church on a cool day bring an extra layer of clothing! MAFIA: Milton Anti Flooding In Action All those who were or have been affected by flood in one way or another are invited to Millbrook House, High Street, Milton For Elevenses on Sat 18th of April. Contact Simon Glazebrook on 01235 831237 or millbrook@millbrookhouse.org.uk OR Robert Fyfe on 01235 831270 or robertfyfe@btconnect.com THE HISTORY OF MILTON PART 1 Milton is a village of ancient origin, still holding its place midway between the villages of Steventon, Drayton and Sutton - a position which probably accounts for the original name “Middletune”, mentioned over a thousand years ago in the Cartullarium Saxonicum, a record completed during the reign of Eadgar, King of Wessex, 958 to 976 AD. In 956 AD his predecessor, Edwy the Fair, gave fifteen hides of land at Middletune to Alfwin by whom it was conveyed to the Abbey of Abingdon, a hide being a Saxon term of measurement and equivalent to about eighty acres of land. Later on, a Chapel was built at Milton and attached to Sutton, but in the reign of William Rufus the Chapel was separated from Sutton and reserved to the Abbey of Abingdon. The extravagances of the Red King soon emptied the Royal coffers and he filled them at the expense of the Church. However, during the reign of Henry I there was a marked religious revival and in the time of Abbot Vincent, 1117-31, it is recorded that Simon, Steward to the King, gave back to the abbey the Chapel and half a hide of land adjoining it, with one hide of land elsewhere in Middletune which he had formerly taken to himself. The  first  rector, John de Allecanyg- ges,  was appointed by Edward II in July 1325. Over 2 hundred years later a great change affected this part of the country in the Dissolution of the Abbey  of  Abingdon  by  Henry  VIII  in  1534.  An enormous sum of money was realised to the Crown by the sale of the land, plate and jewels taken from the Abbey and Monasteries. The corrupt state of these monastic houses was given in excuse of this action, but there is every reason to believe that this was greatly exaggerated and that a great wrong was done to the Church. The Rector, Manor and Advowson of Milton was granted by the King to his friend Thomas, Lord Wriothesley, on 10 June 1546 from whom it passed almost immediately to Thomas Calton  whose  relative,  Edmund  Calton,  was appointed Rector in 1548. A hundred years passed, and then came the Civil War between King and Parliament. It is known that fighting took place in this neighbourhood after the Battle of Newbury in October 1644 when Charles I retreated to Oxford and Parliament Forces held Abingdon. ...to be continued... St Blaise Church of England Primary School: Achieving excellence together St Blaise school children supported Red Nose Day on March 13th by coming to school in their pyjamas and dressing gowns. They looked unusually angelic in their night attire! Many teddy bears and cuddly animals also attended school on this day to take part in a competition. Poplar class thought hard about where they would like the money to go if they had a free choice. The majority thought they'd like it to make sure 'people could live in houses in a safe environment'. Others wanted it to provide 'care for sick people' while some wanted to give it to 'families to help them afford to send their children to school'. Continuing this theme of caring, Oak class had lots of fun preparing a special meal for their mothers as an early start to Mother's day. The children chose the menu themselves after considering what their mums would like best. They set to work to prepare the vegetables for leek and potato soup which they cooked with the help of one of the dads. The children served their mothers and grans with soup, followed by a plate of delicious child-made sandwiches and cup cakes for dessert. The tables were decorated with special mats the children had made for their mothers. There was a really good turn out for this lunch and so the children were really pleased that their treat had been appreciated. Their teacher, Mrs Downes deserves a special thank you for her hard work in organising it all. What's cooking By 'The Occasional Cook’ Well, Easter is nearly upon us, the weather is lulling us into a false sense of security…wait for next week! Isn't snow forecast? Well life is never boring is it! Remember last months recipe (basil and tomato soup for those of you not paying attention!) goes well these little beauties…cheese scones. Quick and simple to make yet very tasty. Cheese Scones Ingredients: 225g Self Raising flour; Pinch of salt; 1 tsp of baking powder; 40g of butter/soft margarine; 100g of cheddar cheese (grated); ½ tsp of mustard powder; 150 ml milk. Tools Large mixing bowl, 5 cm plain round cutter and baking tray. How to… Preheat the oven to 220 degrees or Gas Mark 7; Mix the flour salt and baking powder in the large bowl. Rub in the butter/margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in half the cheese and mustard powder. Stir in enough milk to make a fairly soft dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 2cm thickness. Cut out the scones placing them on the greased baking tray. Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Place in the middle of the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Serve with soup or as a savoury tea time treat. Why not try…. Why not try other cheeses such as Stilton for a very distinctive flavour or add some herbs to the mix such as chives or even rosemary. The world's your oyster! BIRDS AROUND MILTON It was about a year ago that I started to write this column, and it has been encouraging to note how many birds have been spotted around our villages. The star of the show must be the red kite – one sees them practically every day. Like last year, a pair seems to be considering occupying the old nest along Mill Lane; will they get a mortgage this time?! A maximum of five herons can be spotted in the morning on this side of the A34 (north of the closed footbridge); sometimes they spread their wings like cormorants. There seem to be fewer finches around this year, but quite a few dunnocks or hedge sparrows; these are much like house sparrows, but have lots of grey around the shoulders and a rapid but tuneful song. As they adopt their breeding plumage, birds are much easier to identify through their brighter colours. The few teal for example on the west of the High Street have much sharper markings on their heads now, and the tits too are much smarter in their Spring finery. An expert from the Oxford Ornithological Society has told me to look out for a peregrine falcon (presumably from the cooling towers at Didcot) which likes to perch on one of the pylons between Sutton and Appleford – no luck so far! Police Community Support Officer: Larry Gardner, 861359 or 07989 497916 larry.gardner@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk Your Milton Councillors Oxfordshire County Council Colin Lamont, 2 The Old School, School Lane, Harwell OX11 OES colin.lamont@oxfordshire.gov.uk Iain Brown, Janus, Westcot Lane, Sparsholt, Wantage OX12 9PZ iain.brown@oxfordshire.gov.uk Your Milton Parish Councillors Keith Sadler, Chairman, 48 Willow Lane 821793 keithsadlr@aol.com Simon Jennings, Vice Chair 37 The Bung, 831665 sscjennings@btinternet.vom Nick Adderley, 67 Midwinter Ave, 820172 nadderley@rm.com Robert Fyfe, Milton Mill, 831270 robertfyfe@btconnect.com Ron Liquorish, Rosevale, Wantage Rd 833007 ronliquorish@telinco.co.uk Imants Von Wenden, 12 Lambe Ave, 07867513645 ima@vonwenden.com Simon Glazebrook Millbrook House, High Street 831237 Millbrook@millbrookhouse.org.uk Vale of White Horse District Council Margaret Turner, 15 Tyrrells Close, Harwell, 821248 margaret.turner@whitehorsedc.gov.uk Reg Waite 7, Hengest Gate, Harwell, OX11 0HH Reg.waite@whitehorsedc.gov.uk Terry Fraser, 33 Naldertown, Wantage, OX12 9EA 766003 terry.fraser@whitehorsedc.gov.uk Mike Murray The Post House, 7 The Causeway Steventon. OX13 6SE Michael.murray@whitehorsedc.gov.uk

Sutton Courtenay WOMEN’S INSTITUTE Our annual meeting was well attended. Thanks  to  all  the  hard  work  of  the committee,the past year has been full of interesting events and speakers,and we have managed to raise money for the new Cancer Hospital in Oxford. Our thanks to Ruth Webb our WI advisor for her informative talk at our 'bring and share' supper. Our members paid tribute to all the hours of relentless  effort  and  wonderful  cake making of our retiring president Wendy Norman,and welcomed in her successor Valerie Cantrell. The next meeting on Tuesday 22nd April will commence at 7.30p.m. at our village hall,when  we  look  forward  to  Stephen Griffith's talk on the Mary Rose. We would like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like to come to this meeting,as  we  are  always  pleased  to welcome new faces. Maureen Drummond-Hay Calling all MICE ? Miltonians In Community Events AGM - Wednesday 22nd April at 8.30 MICE was formed about 12 months ago to involve Milton residents who like the idea of local activities & events of interest, and as a way  of  promoting  our  community  and meeting other residents. As we have no community hall/parish room in Milton Village (at present) the Parish Church, St Blaise, which is an amazing building, lends itself quite well to various social activities There was a strong consensus among the MICE that met together last year that our primary aim is to encourage activities, and that any profit we make should be divided 50% to St Blaise, and 50% retained as a float for future events. Last  year  MICE  were  involved  in  various activities and we need an AGM to look at the accounts,  and  to  plan  this  year's  events. Please  come  along  to  St  Blaise  on Wednesday 22nd April at 8.30pm Events past and future Duck Race    Milton Feast    Quiz Night    Harvest Supper    Book Club    Street Party    Cheese and Wine Tasting    Beetle Drive Talent Show   sing along Sound of Music Rounders... Anyone wishing to be kept informed of forthcoming events, please provide an email address to:- joy.browning@clara.co.uk STEVENTON RESERVOIR AN UPDATE Thames Water has put back its decision for a reservoir by 5 years until 2014, and also plans to scale back the size by a third. Ed Vaizey,our local MP, commented that “Thames Water should have to prove its case overwhelmingly before such a huge change could be made to the local area”. MILTON MANOR HOUSE CHAPEL The chapel at Milton Manor house was dedicated to the ‘Blessed Virgin’ by Bishop Richard Challenor on the 15th August 1773. Mass is celebrated in the chapel at 6pm on the first Sunday of each month from March to October inclusive. For further information ring Maureen Eyston on 01235 835642 Red Dragon Pre-School is a small and friendly independent setting for children aged 2½-4 years. Established for over 15 years, Red Dragon is an integral part of St Blaise Church of England Primary School Milton, and benefits from access to many of the school's facilities and outside play areas. The small class sizes and high staff to child ratios enable 'children to feel secure and settle quickly' (OFSTED 2006). A small setting ensures your child will have the opportunity to develop close friendships within their peer group and enables our team to ensure that learning is fun and meaningful and to provide the security and confidence of a familiar, trusted and supportive carer. Please feel free to come and see us in action – all visits are welcome. Monday – Friday 8.40-12am term-time only For more information call Caroline Bradbury on Tel: 01235 831368 Red Dragon PFSU – St Blaise Church of England Primary School, School Lane, Milton Heights, Abingdon OX14 4DR EAST HENDRED CATHOLIC PARISH St Mary’s East Hendred St Patrick’s East ilsley Fr. Terence Fitzpatrick OSB Douai Abbey Upper Wolverhampton Reading Berks Tel 01189715356 mobile 07973 295927 terence@douaiabbey.org.uk stmaryeasthendred@fsmail.net www.catholichendredandilsley.org.uk Sunday Masses: St Mary’s East Hendred 9.30am; St Patrick’s East Ilsley 11.15am. Weekday Masses: Wednesday 12.15pm St Mary’s East Hendred; Friday 8.30am St Amand’s Chapel, Hendred House. MILTON VILLAGE PHOTOS Many thanks to Mrs Eyston for providing the fascinating pictures of Milton. I am delighted to say that we have a number more to publish and I look forward to including them in future issues. Do you have old pictures of our parish? Do you want to share them with the rest of us? Do you believe that they should be preserved for future generations of Miltonians? Then, please send them to us, let us write and illustrate the history of Milton Parish together! BIRDS AROUND MILTON I have enjoyed two special moments recently. For the first time in my life, I was able to watch the courting display of two great crested grebes, in one of the pools at Sutton Courtenay. The other moment illustrates the frustrating nature of bird-watching for non-experts like me: at the end of February I spotted at a considerable distance a very pale, quite large, bird of prey – high up in a conifer along Mill Lane. It flew off before I could get close enough to identify it confidently. After consulting all my books and expert friends, I have to conclude that it was probably an osprey or a goshawk, and as ospreys do not usually arrive here until mid to late March it was probably a (very rare) goshawk. But I shall never know! Last year Ginnie Seary (who has recently had another visit from a reed bunting) saw our first swallow on April 5th. If anyone sees a hirundine (swallow or house martin) before April 5th., please let me know; there may be a reward! Martin Woodgett Contributions to Milton Matters are most welcome. Please be sure to include your name address and phone number. Contributions can be sent to the editor by email or post, and must be received before the 20th of the month. Submissions are welcomed by post to:- Christmas Tree Cottage, 19 School Lane, Milton OX14 4EH or by email to Johnflosim@hotmail.com Milton Weekly Activities Day/time Activity Where Sunday 10.30am Service Methodist Church 11.00am Service St. Blaise Monday 10.00am (2nd and 4th week of month) Mums and Toddlers St Blaise 9.00am FACT Baby Group St Blaise School Tuesday 9.00- 10.30 Toddler Time Milton School 1.30pm Fishmonger High Street 7.00pm DAMASCUS Youth Group Com. Ctr 7.30pm Bell Ringing St. Blaise 7.30pm Bingo Night Milton United Wednesday 9.30am Greengrocer Admiral Benbow 6.00pm Crusaders Comm’ty Centre Thursday 9.00-10.30 Toddler Time St Blaise School 7.30pm Fish and chip van High Street 8.00pm Old Speckled Hen Clog Dancing Comm’ty Centre Friday 1.50pm Art Club Methodist Church 7.00pm All ages Games Club Methodist Church

Milton Methodist Church Services in April 5 April Palm Sunday 11.00 a.m. Combined service with St Blaise at Milton Methodist Church led by Rev Peter Bennett and Rev Colin Patching, donkey on kind loan from Milton Manor, procession 10.30 onwards 12 April Easter Sunday, 10.30 a.m. Rev S Hinds (followed by egg hunt!) 19 April visiting preacher from Witney, Mr Graham Kirby 25 April Rev R Bittleston. Other activities in the Methodist Church: 7 April Lunch club (always first Tuesday of the month) Fish pie followed by card making activity with Chris East. Any local people are very welcome to join us – there are usually around 40 people eating lunch – set meal of 2 courses and tea or coffee for £3, followed by a speaker for around 20-30 minutes. Last month we enjoyed Mrs Clifford's hilarious reminiscences of early camping holidays Bookings to Geoff Caudle (Ab 531409) a few days in advance of the lunch please. Every Friday 2.00 Art group. Weekly get together A message from Colin: 'On the road to Emmaus, after Jesus crucifixion, two friends kept 'going over the same ground'. The one they felt sure was God's chosen king and liberator had been violently executed. Jesus was dead, along with their hopes. An unrecognised 'fellow-traveller' joined them and listened and asked questions that helped them spill out their grief and despair. Then, gently he began to explain that their hope was not mistaken, only the way they had thought to see it fulfilled. The one who would set all people free had to die in order to bring about God's purposes. Later, at supper, the travellers discovered that Jesus was alive. Isn't that how resurrection and a new beginning works? A Happy Easter to you all.'

www.stblaise.org.uk Church open daily from 9-00a.m. to 4-00p.m. Rector: The Reverend Colin Patching The Vicarage 73 Field Gardens Steventon (01235 831243) Churchwarden: Martin Woodgett 41 High Street (01235 834053) Requests for Baptism Please see the Rector at Mums and Toddlers (second and fourth Monday of the month) Requests for Weddings Thursdays at Steventon Vicarage 7-30 to 8-30 p.m. The main Sunday service is at 11-00a.m. Services for April 2009: April 5th. Palm Sunday 8-00 a.m. Holy Communion 10-30 a.m. Meet at St. Blaise to process to ...... 11-00 a.m. Methodist Church for service April 12th 11-00 a.m. Easter Day Eucharist April 19th 11-00 a.m. Parish Eucharist April 26th. 11-00 a.m. Family Service