Latest News of Local Interest

Fulking book benefits Church

Anthony Brooks 2008 The Changing Times of Fulking & EdburtonTony Brooks writes:

I would like to update all those who sponsored or purchased my book [Anthony R. Brooks (2008) The Changing Times of Fulking & Edburton. Chichester: RPM Print & Design] how the proceeds of £3,800 have been spent by the Church.

Originally it was earmarked for a new door to be added to the church entrance. After much thought the PCC decided that as the Church is used during the winter months twice a month for a maximum of two hours, money spent on a new door would not be cost effective. So a compromise was agreed:

  1. A warm air unit would be fitted over the church door inside.
  2. The entrance path to the church has been reshaped to include a patio to give more standing area.

I am pleased to say both projects are now complete.

[from Pigeon Post, August 2013]

Woodmancote Place — still available

Woodmancote Place
Country Life does the history:

Set in 149 acres of lakeside gardens and grounds, pasture, deer park and woodland, the house, first mentioned in records of 1339 and 1434, has evolved over time around the core of a late-medieval stone building, of which only one storey survives, with an early-17th-century, timber-framed first floor above it.

According to its listing, the south parlour was rebuilt in the early 1700s as part of a new five-bay range running eastwards, and the entire house was refaced in about 1920, and extended to the east, west and north, in the revived Sussex Vernacular style, par timber-framed and part tile-hung. The park, restocked with deer by the current owners, who bought Woodmancote Place in 2002, was established in the late 19th century; the gardens around the house were laid out by Cheals of Crawley in 1923. As the chief manor house of the village, Woodmancote Place has had its share of famous-and infamous-owners.

In 1530, Woodmancote passed to Catherine, wife of Sir Edward Seymour, later Earl of Hertford and 1st Duke of Somerset, who was executed for treason in 1552. In 1531, Seymour sold the manor to Richard Bellingham, whose widow married George Goring, described as lord of the manor in 1560. For 200 years from 1693, the estate was owned by the industrious Dennett family, who extended the house and increased the farmland to 402 acres by 1840.

Indian tabla workshop

Steve Morley tabla workshop in Fulking

Steve Morley

Steve Morley invites all those interested in learning classical tabla drumming or being part of a regular percussion and music-making group for Fulking and Poynings, to come along for an informal get-together in Fulking Village Hall at 2:30pm on Sunday 15th September. You’ll be able to try some basic tabla, World percussion instruments and effects. No experience whatsoever is required.

Steve first studied tabla with Pt. Chotelal Misra in Varanasi, India in the 1980s, and was also under the tutelage of the late Pt. Sharda Sahai of the Benares tradition. He has been teaching classical tabla and working in education for 20 years.

“One law for them”

Capron House, Midhurst

Capron House — SDNPA HQ

The Midhurst and Petworth Observer reports:

[A] condition imposed with planning permission requiring existing tiles to be reused was lifted. New tiles have instead been used to reroof the historic building .. Town councillor Colin Hughes hit out as members of the planning committee debated an application from the national park to ‘discharge’ another planning condition governing external insulation and lime render for the 1930s wing of the building. “I am concerned that the new tiles make Capron House look like a new housing development and I wonder what has happened to the original tiles. I don’t believe the South Downs National Park should be judge and jury over its own planning application – the plans they set themselves to achieve originally. I find it difficult that the national park can 
discharge obligations that it set itself in its original plans – obligations which presumably they felt desirable for this type of building in the first place. They lose credibility in terms of applications which come before them from developers in the future. It seems there is one law for them and one for everyone else.” .. The application to discharge condition seven governing the insulation and render was the fourth similar application to go before town councillors.

Network of cycle routes

Network of cycle routes
The Department of Transport is giving the SDNPA more than £5 million to create a network of cycle routes into and around the South Downs National Park, including improvements to routes in Hampshire, extensions to routes in West Sussex, and the creation of new routes out of Brighton and around East Sussex. Routes that incorporate railway stations will get particular attention. Implementation is intended to take two years. Further details are due soon.

Community Bus Service – The End?

We have just received this note from Peter Gibbons, Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association.

“I very much regret to have to tell you that we have had to cease all operations of our bus forthwith due to us being unable to obtain vehicle insurance on our bus. Our insurer has declined to offer to renewal terms and other specialist insurers have also declined to offer us insurance.

As a consequence of this we have had to cease all our operations.

Unfortunately the decision of our insurance company was outside our control but at this stage we can do nothing about it. If in the future a community bus service can be restored to the village, I will endeavour to let you know.

Please accept my sincere apologies for this on behalf of the Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association.

Regards

Peter Gibbons
Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association”

West Sussex Gazette report here.

“Old red telephone box .. converted into tourist information kiosk”

Fulking telephone box and bus stop

[A slightly misleading illustration]

The Argus reports:

This former BT telephone kiosk was installed decades ago in .. a hamlet nestling in the South Downs .. For years it remained unused, .. It has now undergone months of restoration work and now displays a large-scale map of the area with details of local places of interest and local amenities. It would also dispense leaflets and brochures provided by the South Downs National Park Authority, various institutions and by businesses in the vicinity.