An interesting (but somewhat technical) report in Farmers Weekly about how David Ellin and colleagues are using a liquid urea polymer on wheat to reduce the amount of ammonium nitrate that leaches out of the Paythorne/Perching fields into the Brighton & Hove water supply.
Latest News of Local Interest
Notice of Vacancy
No such number, no such zone
Callers to the mobile numbers of residents of some of the Fulking properties that hug the base of the Downs currently end up being treated like Elvis. One such household, unable to bear it any longer, set about finding a solution. Thanks to their effort, we now have a reference page outlining possible solutions.
[Phone icon courtesy of Mashiro Momo from Pixabay.]
Edburton Tithe Map
This website frequently makes use of clips from the Edburton Tithe Map of 1842 to illustrate posts. Not a lot has changed hereabouts in the last 180 years so the map is still both useful and attractive. If you have ever wondered how such a map came to be, then the West Sussex County Record Office has an interesting recent post by Abigail Hartley, their Searchroom Archivist. She uses Edburton as an example of a tithe map that is still in superb condition. The map shows the ecclesiastical parish of Edburton, the area served by St. Andrew’s, and thus shows all of Fulking, together with Edburton proper.
The map is still available from the Record Office (details via the link above). Local walkers are probably best advised to order the JPEG version and copy it to a tablet or mobile phone for consultation in situ. Unlike a large scale OS map, the tithe map does not mark the status of routes as ‘bridleways’, ‘public footpaths’, etc. If you are relatively new to the area, and plan to use the map for walking, then you may want to use an image editor like Photoshop to copy those indications over from OS Explorer 122.
A tithe map, like the Domesday Book, is ultimately about taxation. To that end the Edburton map uses colour to distinguish between the buildings then used for human habitation (red) and all the others (grey), typically agricultural buildings for animal accommodation or feed storage. That distinction alone tells us quite a lot about mid-C19 activity in the central section of The Street (between the pub and the building now known as Yew Tree Cottage).
Another feature of the tithe map, not shared with any of the various iterations of OS maps, is that it records the names of (all!) the fields. These names are often full of information, thus ‘Fulking Mills’ is located just where two of the local spring streams merge, an ideal location for fulling mills; ‘Coneybeare’ and ‘Upper Coney Burrow’ were probably both once sources of rabbit meat, the latter conveniently placed for the Perching Manor dinner table; ‘The Rookery’ and ‘Hog Pasture’ need no translation; and nor does ‘Boggy Lagg’ if you make the mistake of traversing it in mid-February with the wrong shoes on.
Ordinary Parish Meeting – 7th January, 2021
You are cordially invited to an online Ordinary Meeting of Fulking Parish Council, on Thursday 7th January 2021 at 7.30pm via Microsoft Teams, the meeting will consider the items set out below.
Should you wish to join the meeting please let me know by email (parishclerk@fulking.net) and I will email you a link invite to Microsoft Teams.
Trevor Parsons – Parish Clerk
parishclerk@fulking.net
AGENDA
Public Participation: 15 minutes are set aside at the beginning of the meeting for the public to ask questions or make comments on items on the Agenda. Comments on items not appearing on the agenda can be made at the chairman’s discretion.
21/001/OM. – Apologies for Absence.
21/002/OM. – Declaration of Members’ Interests.
21/003/OM. – Approve the Minutes of Ordinary Council Meeting of 8th October 2020
The minutes, subject to any amendments, to be approved and signed as a true record of the meeting.
21/004/OM. – Reports from District and County Councillors.
21/005/OM. – 2020 – 2021 Precept
21/006/OM. – Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions To clarify and report on actions brought forward from the last meeting.
1) Ram Pump Noticeboard
2) Welcome Pack for New Villagers
3) Speed Indicator Device
4) Village Signs
21/007/PM. – Market Garden
21/008/OM. – Village Gateway
21/009/OM. – Village Hall
Asset of Community Value
Lease
21/010/OM. – Winter Plan
21/011/OM. – Yellow Lines
21/012/OM. – Reports from Outside Bodies.
1) WSALC planned breakaway Update
21/013/OM. – Information Items. To receive information and items for the agenda at future meetings.
21/014/OM. – Correspondence. To discuss correspondence and respond to correspondence received.
PROW – Don’t Lose Your Way – (Chris Smith)
21/015/OM. – Financial Matters. To receive the report on the Council’s income and to approve future expenditure.
21/016/OM. To set a date of Annual General Meeting of the Council and Annual Parish Meeting.
Date of the next Ordinary Meeting: Thursday 8th April 2021
Clappers Lane: pothole repairs
Residents will have noticed that Clappers Lane has resumed its role as a tributary of the Adur. The river maintenance sensors have detected potholes beneath the water and WSCC has thus arranged for Balfour Beatty’s crack snorkel team to come and fill them on Monday 11th January between 9:30am and 15:00pm. Mooring and river through-traffic prohibited but resident access to houseboats, etc., retained.
Bobservation No: 76 January 2021
New Year
I sincerely hope that 2021 proves to be a better year for all of you. Being in a village like Fulking, it is hard to imagine just how difficult 2020 has been for many millions of the other people living in our country. Unlike the leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who objects to UNECSO funding our poor, I feel ashamed that, due to impoverishment, mothers cannot feed their children, our streets are the home to Brits who, possibly through no fault of their own, have become destitute and the future for many children remains very, very bleak due to lack of opportunity. I am sure that if a villager is in genuine dire need, some way to help would be available. However, this in no way relieves the national problem which, due to cutbacks, coronavirus and, dare I say it, Brexit will surely get worse.
Tony Brooks
Trevor Brooks, Tony’s son, tells me that his father’s Alzheimer’s has continued to worsen and at the beginning of the year he had to be transferred to the St Clare’s Care Home in Ditchling. I understand he is happy there and has been nicknamed ‘King Tony’ by the staff. Many villagers who remember Tony for his helpfulness and total involvement in Fulking, will wish him a comfortable and stress-free life at St Clare’s. Doris is keeping well in Hassocks.
Coronavirus
Regrettably Fulking has not been left out of the grip of Covid19. I am told that a couple of elderly villagers have been tested positive and, of course, there may be more. I am sure you will all join me in wishing everyone who is tested positive a safe outcome. Please take every precaution to avoid the spread of this quite horrible virus. Hopefully, the arrival of vaccination should begin to offer some form of protection in 2021.
Bobservation Christmas Quiz
Having had results from 10 contestants and after an exciting finale I have great pleasure in announcing the 3 joint winners of the Bobservation Christmas Quiz 2020 as Kevin Thorns & his family, Chris & Julia Snell and Jen Green & Chris Gildersleeve with all 55 answers considered to be correct. I do hope it relieved the lockdown over the Christmas period a little.
Blue bins out tonight
Wind and rain
The Met Office has issued an Amber Weather Warning for wind on the 26th and 27th December. Very strong south westerly winds are expected for parts of south and southeast England and south Wales on Sunday morning. Inland gusts of 50-60 mph are likely with a few spots likely to see 60-70 mph for a time. Hills and particularly coasts exposed to the south-westerly winds will see a few gusts of 70-80 mph. In addition to the strong winds, a period of heavy, squally rain is expected and may prove an additional hazard. You can expect longer journey times and cancellations; road and bridge closures; tiles blown from roofs; flying debris; power cuts; and mobile phone signal failures.