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FROM THE EDITOR
First of all, my apologies go to Brenda Nunn for not thanking her for those quacking
Worth ducks on last month's front cover (a terrible pun... sorry!) Coincidentally,
Chris Meadows had ordered an attractive shade of duck-
But, talking about unsung heroes (or even unsung villains, if that's possible) it's always interesting to hear about characters (good or bad) who lived in the locality or to learn about the history of local places or events. Rachel Helfer's 'Bit of Knitson History' last month certainly enlightened this incomer about the restoration of Knitson farmhouse and careful creation of the garden and I'm sure there are many more stories that could be told. If you have one, whether it is about a local character, place or even an historical event, please send it in and I will try and fit one or two in each month among the news items.
Angela Bell
PS This month's Langton Village Fair Maypole (strictly speaking, perhaps, a Junepole!) on the front cover was designed by Sarah Wootton.
LETTER FROM THE RECTORY
June 2009
Dear Friends
You may have heard that there is a new resident at the Rectory ....Rose, born 1.3.09; our Labrador puppy has been with us since 7 May. She has captured our hearts and turned our lives upside down.
For days, we have been grounded; unable to go out together, until she has had her jabs. We take turns on puppy duty. She wakes with the birds and cries until we come... just like caring for a new baby all over again.
...But there are some differences. For Rose was part of another family and misses her mum and her 11 brothers and sisters. Even in these modern times, we do not usually choose our children. But we chose her... and Jesus taught that God chose us, each human being, to be his children. That means that just as Rose has to put her puppy instincts on one side, and learn not to nip and bite us, and to, eventually, fit in with our way of living... so we, to be truly happy, need to learn how to live God's way.
Rose already loves us, especially at meal times, though not only then. She hasn't yet learned to obey us and do as we (for her good and for that of our furniture and garden) require... In fact, she has very quickly learned the opposite. Whenever she finds something to chew, whether it is one of my shoes or something very disgusting foraged from the bin, she sets off at full speed, ears flapping, her aim to get as far away as possible from us, to enjoy her spoils in peace.
Not unlike humans and God, some would say... when we keep as far away from the idea of any God who might encroach on human freedom, or interfere with any plans we might have. But freedom without love can be a lonely place; the extraordinary thing about God's love is that it is neither cupboard love, nor given as a reward for obedience..... but absolutely free.
Someone summed up their puppy in one word 'joy'.... Our Rose, has brought us, not only joy, but in her way, reminded us of deeper truths too.
Best wishes
Judith Malins
Priest in charge
Kingston, Langton Matravers, & Worth Matravers
GENERAL NEWS
Service Times in the Parishes
SUNDAY 7 JUNE -
8am Holy Communion Langton
9.30am Hosanna! Langton
10.30am Benefice Communion Langton
5pm Informal Service Worth
6.30pm Evensong Langton
SUNDAY 14 JUNE
8am Holy Communion Worth
9.45am Holy Communion Langton
11.15am Family Service Kingston
6.30pm Evensong &
Said Communion
Langton
SUNDAY 21 JUNE -
8am Holy Communion Langton
9.45am Family Service Langton
11am Holy Communion Worth
11.15am Morning Service Kingston
6.30pm
Evensong
Langton
SUNDAY 28 JUNE
8am Holy Communion Worth
9.45am Holy Communion Langton
11.15am Holy Communion Kingston
6pm Evening Service HXVH
EVERY WEDNESDAY
10.15am Holy Communion CW1(trad) Langton
DAILY PRAYERS
9-
9-
9-
EVENING PRAYERS
5-
Sat Langton
HISTORIC DAY FOR SWANAGE RAILWAY 
Our Village Hall has, in its half-
Accompanied at the piano by Rob Howes, the audience joined in such timeless favourites as 'Pack up your Troubles' and 'The Lambeth Walk'. The evening was conceived, rehearsed and presented by the musical director Eileen Franklin, with Roger Free as master of ceremonies.
If one item on the bill was deserving of especial praise, then for sheer exuberance
it would surely be the four young lads who brought us songs from Oliver. In traditional
style, an empty bowl presented with a plea for 'more' was harshly dismissed -
Long before the night, 'sold out' signs appeared on notice boards, and ticket sales,
donations and a raffle produced £500 in aid of the New Hall. The cast and everyone
involved would like to say to Eileen 'Thank you -
THE VILLAGE CLUB
The 268th anniversary of the loss of HMS Wager off the coast of Chile was commemorated by an absorbing illustrated talk recently by Shirley Critchley who had accompanied John Blashford Snell on an expedition to find the wreckage. We were shown slides outlining the historical background of the Wager, which was part of a task force sent to harass the Spanish, and fascinating photographs of hazardous glaciers and other aspects of the extremely barren and inhospitable terrain. An underwater video of all that remained of HMS Wager was very moving. Only a few sailors survived and those that died have no known graves. As is usual with John Blashford Snell's expeditions, the team took the opportunity to improve the lives of local people by arranging a flow of clean drinking water.
A wide range of refreshments was provided during the presentation, both solid and liquid and all in all it was a most enjoyable and stimulating evening. On 11 June at 7 for 7.30pm Amy Brenan, Auctioneer and Valuer at Duke's of Dorchester will talk about auctions and valuations. You may bring one item (not too large) for Amy to examine and value. A charge of £1 per item will go towards Amy's chosen charity, Wessex Heartbeat. Admission will be £2 per person to include light refreshments. Please contact Mary or Sylvia. Sylvia Coburn
HARMANS CROSS GARDENS OPEN
Gardens at Harmans Cross have not been opened to the public for five or six years but, this year, about 25 are being opened for the benefit of the New Village Hall Appeal, which is now closing in on its target.
The event over Saturday and Sunday 6 and 7 June ( 2-
Tickets can be bought on the day from the HX Village Hall, or any participating garden, or in advance from the Spar shop, Moonfleet Garage. The event is sponsored by Link Rider Coaches who will provide a minibus to help visitors get around the village. Alan Stephenson
MODEL RAILWAY GROUP
At our last meeting, Colin and Rita Caddy displayed their Talybryan layout and Nigel Cullimore exhibited his 3mm gauge St Levan layout. As usual we ran the 0 gauge railway, Cinderford, Victoria Bridge and my N gauge market town railway. There was one sales stand and new items for sale included an Austin taxi from the 1930s and some Austin A35 cars and vans. Robin Brasher
HARMANS CROSS RESIDENTS' CLUB
The Club's contribution to the new hall fund will soon reach £1,000, recently helped again by the Village Club who asked us to run a bar for the successful HMS Wager illustrated talk on 14 May. The Club now has 72 members. If you would like to join, please contact Nigel or Jo Edmonds.
Here are the dates for the next few Club Nights at the village hall on Fridays with
the licensed bar open from 7.30-
HARMANS CROSS ART GROUP
Once again our Annual Art Exhibition, held over the May Bank Holiday weekend, proved
to be a great success and my thanks go to everyone who helped and supported us. The
private view on Friday night was so busy that lots of people came back again on the
Saturday and Sunday to have another look. Photos of many of the exhibits can be viewed
on The Dubber Website -
NEWS FROM
LANGTON MATRAVERS
ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION
Just a quick note from the LMAA and all the new plot holders to bring you up to date
with what's happening and to thank everyone -
Things are really taking shape, the water butts are in, most plots are occupied and greening up nicely, the fence and gates have been erected and work has begun on the shed, so most of the ground work is complete.
The project is even attracting attention from further afield! We played host to a writer from Dorset magazine recently who was very impressed with what's been achieved in such a short time (and Collette's Dorset apple cake!) Look out for a piece about us in the next edition.
Looking forward, we are planning an official opening celebration in September, to
say a big thank-
In the meantime we'd love to welcome anyone who's interested to come down and see
what we're doing. The gates aren't locked so please feel free to walk through -
WINDMILL KNAP
The claim is now well lodged in the filing system of the Dorset Rights of Way Team.
But we have been warned that despite some new staff recently coming to the Team there
is a backlog of two or three years! I am pleased to report that three 'senior' Langton
residents have given me Statutory Declarations (SDs) on usage of this track. I have
another SD and User Evidence Form offered from two Swanage people. Two serious objections
have been made to our claim. The County have suggested that we might negotiate a
compromise but the Parish Council have resolved that we should stick to the claimed
route -
A HALCYON WEEK IN LANGTON
Within the space of about a year we will be invited to vote on five different occasions.. This year for the The Purbeck Hills seat of the County Council shared, amongst others, with Worth, Corfe Castle, Arne and Church Knowle and at the same time an election for the European Parliament. Next year, there is a Parish Council election and one for Purbeck District Council where we share with Worth Matravers. Also, next year there will be a General Election unless it is brought forward to this year.
Every year the Councils elect their own officers, (chairman, vice chairman, representatives etc.) There were some changes at our annual meeting on 14 May because of his business commitments; Martin Kirby has stepped down from the chairmanship.
Our council has only one year to go before an election and I will certainly be retiring then but in this last year nobody wants to take on the job of chairman. I have, once again, accepted the poisoned chalice. I doubt that many know who actually sits on our Parish Council. For the record, the nine are Peter White, (Vice Chairman), Jim Bradford, Paul Bradford, Martin Kirby, Pam Kwantes, Michael Lovell, Paul Loudoun, Val Murray, myself and the Clerk, John Bellucci.
It would be surprising if many did not think that they could do a better job than we are doing. Historically 160 votes have been enough to secure election to the Parish Council. I'm sorry to have to tell prospective councillors that the gravy train stops before it gets to the parishes. There are no expenses.
Langton has usually managed to get enough applicants to need a contest but some parishes do not. I'm not sure if it is apathy but I tend to think that it stems from a belief that the parishes have such little ability to do anything significant and, so, what's the point?
The shape of our village and its structure is decided at Wareham, Dorchester or Westminster and by the political parties at those places but not by those of us who live here. Of course, we are consulted but, from my long experience, I have found that our opinions carry very little weight on anything really constructive.
Affordable housing is something that many of us desperately desire but where to put it is more or less decided by the officers of the District Council. The Parish Council was unanimously and strongly opposed to an extension of the Raglan Estate at Steppes as were all the adjoining residents and it offered an alternative site which was available from a landowner under the conditions of exception sites but it was not put to the members. It came down to someone's vision of the shape and structure of our village. The vision of a planning department but not that of the Parish Council and that, repeated on very nearly every major issue, is one of the reasons for the distaste of becoming a parish councillor.
We enter into a year of people knocking on our doors and stuffing literature through our letterboxes imploring us to vote for them. What they really want is a vote for their political ideology.
You may think that this is an unnecessarily jaundiced view of local government but I suppose that goes with being an octogenarian. In less than 12 months time, you can bring new ideas and enthusiasm to our village affairs. Your village really needs you! Norman Priddle
LANGTON MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL
Among the discussion at April's meeting were anti-
Cllr P White said that he agreed that cars should try and keep off the pavement. He felt that a few people spoilt it for the rest. He added that regarding speeding in the High St, that the SID at the bottom of the village should be turned around sometimes and that it would be a good idea to have another SID at the top end of the village.
Cllr Paul Loudoun said that he had bought more permanent signs, asking people not to leave bags of dog litter behind and hoped to have them put up soon.
The Putlake Adventure Farm Planning Appeal to use the field "Mainhyde" for overflow parking had been turned down due to lack of evidence. Instead, it would be allowed to use it for that purpose for six weeks in summer and two weeks at Easter. Cllr M Lovell said that the Council should, again, see whether it could acquire a car park and suggested the land opposite Putlake Farm as a suitable site.
The Chairman reported that he had recently met Jason Hasaka, PDC Arboricultural Officer, who had said that no one would be prosecuted for cutting down the trees at the Malthouse, because PDC had messed up the notification procedure. The Chairman said that, in Jason Hasaka's opinion, the felled trees had been planted too close together and the replacements should be further apart and he would be happy to go along to the Malthouse with Parish Councillors to find the right places to plant them. He had also apologised for not keeping the Council informed. Cllr Lovell said that the stone for the new wall at the Council's cemetery had been delivered and he had personally shifted it to the site himself. Neil Read had started work. The Clerk was instructed to write to the NT to enquire whether there had been any further progress in the Council's request to acquire the small piece of land next to the cemetery.
Affordable housing
The Chairman said that at the recent public meeting with Raglan Housing Mr Cronk of Raglan had said that he was in consultation with the Council and PDC to find a suitable site for a play area for the older children. The Chairman said, however, that Mr Cronk had never spoken to the Parish Council about this matter. He added that he would email Mr Cronk to find out what was going on.
(This has been edited from the minutes on Langton Matravers PC website, address below
-
LMPC NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Parish Council is at 7pm on Thursday 11 June. Amongst other items on the agenda, the following subjects will be discussed: The possibility of having the street lights switched off at midnight or 1am; a car park for the village; the claim for the Windmill Lane path to be designated as a restricted byway; the allotments at Coles Ground; affordable housing update.
There is a 15 minute Public Discussion period at the beginning of every meeting and
you are welcome to come along and give your views. The full Agenda will be posted
in due course in the Council's notice cases and on its website at www.langtonmatravers-
If you are unable to attend, you can contact a councillor or the Parish Clerk and they will speak on your behalf. To contact the Clerk phone or email: langtonmatravers@dorsetparishes.gov.uk
John Bellucci, Clerk to the Council
NEWS FROM
WORTH MATRAVERS
WORTH AFTERNOON CLUB
At the May meeting, Jack Mc Kenzie greatly amused and entertained the members with his anecdotes of an actor's life. He reminisced about his experiences on stage, film and TV, including such classics as 'A bridge Too Far' and 'Ghandi'. On 10 June , we shall have the outing to Wolfreston House and then there will be the summer break until the next meeting on 9 September when Nick Viney will talk about Purbeck Products and we shall hold the annual bring and buy. Let's hope the long, hot summer materialises soon! Rachel Seaton
WORTH MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL
Representing the villages of Worth Matravers and Harmans Cross.
At the Annual Parish Council meeting in May, I was re-
The problem of cars parking on the double yellow lines by the Square & Compass was again raised. If a recent chimney fire had occurred 24 hours later, then the fire engines wouldn't have been able to gain access. We have contacted DCC, the Police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service, to try and find a solution to this problem before there is a fatality, if the emergency services are delayed in getting through the Village.
We have had a meeting with Scottish and Southern Energy, to try and progress the completion of the planned undergrounding of electric cables. It is ironic that now we are getting somewhere with the electric cables. BT has chosen to erect a massive pole on the triangle of grass by London Row. The Parish Council has objected most strongly and has requested BT to remove it immediately. Rest assured we will do all we can to ensure that the offending pole is removed. Three Councillors attended a second workshop organised by PDC on Planning Policy Development, held at Church Knowle.
The way in which Parish/Town Councils are involved in the planning process is under review and we have had the opportunity to input our ideas and concerns. Wilts and Dorset buses have a new timetable commencing on the 24 May.
The good news is that the WM/HX buses are to continue. The journey time has been reduced by six minutes. The buses leave Swanage and WM at the same times, but will leave HX six minutes earlier.
The bad news is that we have been unable to secure a service later in the day, but will continue to investigate all possibilities. There were no planning applications this month.
The Parish Council has applied for TPO work to be carried out in the Withey Bed,
WM. The next meeting is on 2 June at 7-
Joyce Meates, Chairman
HAVE YOUR SAY
DEAR DUBBER
At last, I've found a digital photo album you can afford. Although there have been devices for storing masses of digital photos, videos, and music such as the Archos range, they have been horribly expensive, a bit big for the pocket or handbag and just do more than you want. For a long time I have been looking for something like those picture frames that display digital images but smaller. Last week I found what I had been looking for in PC World. It is made by Advent, who make computers. It has a 2.8 inch screen, very good definition, holds 60 photos and is extremely compact. It costs about £25. It doesn't require any software to download photos from your computer and is very easy to use. CHRIS MEADOWS
MISSING PERSIAN CAT RETURNS
DEAR DUBBER
We are happy to let Worth village know that, to the delight of our children, our
family cat returned hungry and glad to be home after a four-
WILLAM & WENDY WILSON
FROM ONE DOG OWNER TO ANOTHER...
DEAR DUBBER
…a plea, to please pick up after your dog -
CASSIE FELTHAM
THE PURBECK PRODUCE RECIPE
KRISTA'S PURBECK MESS
500ml Purbeck Champagne & Strawberry/Strawberry ice cream (almost any of Purbeck's
delicious fruit-
2 large egg whites
50g caster sugar
50g icing sugar
225g fresh strawberries
225g fresh raspberries
500 ml of double cream or crême fresh
A tablespoon of fruit purée or fruit liqueur
Preheat the oven to 100°C/200°F. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks,
then beat in the caster sugar a little at a time. Continue whisking for a further
10 minutes until the mix is smooth and shiny, then sift in the icing sugar. Spoon
onto non-
Cut the strawberries into halves or quarters, depending on their size, then toss with the fruit purée/liqueur. Stir in the raspberries, reserving a few of the best for decoration.
Lightly whip the cream. Break the meringues into walnut-
Spoon into glass dishes starting with the Purbeck ice cream. Decorate with the reserved raspberries. (serves 6)
If you have a Purbeck Produce recipe that you'd like to share, please send it to ed@thedubber.co.uk
NEWS FROM
NOWHERE
Ted Dunckley who at 91 must qualify as Worth Matravers oldest inhabitant died this month. He had a wry sense of humour which I often saw him use with good effect to defuse a potentially awkward situation. Living in the centre of the village, he knew everyone and most of what was going on and was expert in pouring soothing balm on the ruffled feathers which are so much a feature of every village community.
I remember the support he gave me when I was trying to sort out some problem with the Village Fête, or get a few affordable houses built on the Begbie land. After a second glass of homemade wine in his house, no difficulty seemed insurmountable. Of course, every sympathy goes out to his wife Joan but what a lovely way to go... walking down to the pond and then, suddenly, dropping down with no gradual decline into illness and disability. I hope I go like that... not yet, of course.
I am no good at getting up in the morning; therefore, I was extremely proud of myself when I managed to get out of bed at 5.30am and drive to Langton on May morning to hear the choir sing in front of the church. I try to do this most years but usually the only result is an exhausting sense of guilt when I wake up at the usual time which keeps me in bed even later than usual.
As you may guess, it was well worth the effort; the music was complex and beautiful and the choir not only sounded good but they looked happy which of course made their audience happy as well. This was a total contrast to the faces of those kids the world over who have been dragooned into the school choir and try to mime their way through... deceiving no one.
While I listened to the Mayday singers, I looked at the trees round the church which had just sprouted a profusion of vivid green leaves and resolved never to miss such life enhancing moments in future. You will gather it was a perfect occasion and it would have been were it not for the sock. In front of the audience, on the pavement in full view of the world was a navy blue sock. It was dry and in relatively good condition and had obviously not been there very long.
At first we ignored it, but when the music was over and our minds came down from the heavens, it began to command our attention. A quick check revealed that everyone was wearing the regulation two and whilst it is possible to lose most items of clothing, gloves, coats, hats and the like, it is difficult not to notice if a sock has worked its way out of ones shoe and made a dash for freedom.
The general verdict was that it must have fallen out of Dave Cook's pocket. Quite probably, we thought a sock forms an essential part of every choir master's tools of the trade, enabling him in an emergency to fine tune the balance of the ensemble by stuffing it into the face of whichever chorister sings out of tune. Maybe, he had even thrown it down in front of them as a dire warning of what would happen to the originator of a duff note.
It was only after I got home that the dreadful truth dawned, for I realised that the sock was in fact mine. Getting out of bed at that incredibly early hour whilst still recovering from a mild attack of wine flu, I had managed to assemble most of my clothes and even put them on in roughly the right order... except for one sock... it was nowhere to be found; so, rather than miss a note, I had cut my losses and put on a fresh pair.
Clearly the missing sock had been hiding half way up my trouser leg and being a Max Clifford of a sock had chosen the moment of maximum publicity to slide out and make a solo appearance. Next time, I shall go to bed fully dressed so there is no possibility of losing anything when I get up... if I get up. Tony Viney
WHAT'S ON
JUNE 2009
2 7.30pm WMPC Meeting HXVH
3 9.45-
5 6-
5 7.30pm Model Railway Group HXVH
6 2pm Guided walk south of Langton with Reg Saville Durnford Drove turning circle
6 &
7 All day Fossil Show Square &
Compass
6, 7 2-
6 8pm Purbeck Strings:
Haydn Anniversary St Mary's Church
8 7.30pm Talk on Dorset's Geology Durleston Country Park
9 6.30-
11 7pm Talk on Antique
Valuation HXVH
11 7pm LM Parish Council meeting LMVH
12
13
14 1-
12 6-
12 7.30-
13 10-
13 10am Quarry Tour Lander's Quarry
13 11am till late Langton Matravers
Village Fair (prog. p13) St George's School Field
13 11am Guided Walk looking at Studlan's Geology Middle beach car park
16 2pm Walk to Knitson & tea in the garden Meet St George's Church
16 6.30pm Worth Book Club WMVH
19 7.30-
20 7.30pm Talk on Tyneham HXVH
26 7.30-
23 6.30-
27 9.30-
27 10-
27 10.30am Smugglers' Tales Walk Corfe Castle Ticket office
28 10.30am Three Quarries walk Acton Car Park
28 12.30pm Newcomers Lunch (see p4) HXVH
NEWS FROM
KINGSTON
KINGSTON NEWS
Imust begin with an apology. Ben Coles and Carly Brown have been living in Number three South Street since February and they have not been welcomed to the village. I think I have been having an excessive hibernation. Sorry. Carly has already been of great help in advertising Kingston events in Corfe, Wareham and Wimborne. When I looked up the Kingston Website, see last month's edition of the Dubber, I was somewhat surprised to see my Dubber articles on it. I need to explore it further.
Apart from two concerts, there does not seem to have been a lot happening in Kingston this month. Many people must be too busy getting their gardens ready for Sunday, 7 June. We hope the Open Gardens Day will be well supported. For those who are not classical music enthusiasts, I would recommend the concert on 11 July. Close harmony and some jazz. George Pitman
YOUNG STARS
Two inspiring concerts in St James by students from Clayesmore and Lytchett Minster
schools came as a welcome antidote to the depressing drip-
Those of more advanced years who had the pleasure of hearing them at the end of April
and the beginning of May were bowled over, not just by the obvious talent on display,
but by the maturity and self-
So, in the two upcoming summer Saturday concerts on 11 July and 29 August, the first shared between Purbeck Brass and Pieces of Eight, a section of the Dorset Police Male Voice Choir, and the second given by the Zonda Wind Quintet, the adults will have something to live up to. Robin Stringer
ST JAMES CHURCH FÊTE
The plans for the Fête on Saturday 15 August are progressing. We should be most grateful for items for the following Village Stalls. Please contact the stallholder as shown. If you would like items collected, contact Sue Ireland and she will collect if you give her some notice. Peter Buckle can arrange for storage of donated items. There will be a collection point for cakes at 16, West Street, Kingston (Rosemary Pitman) or you can take cakes to the Church on the morning of the fête.
We should also be most grateful for volunteers to help on the day. If you are willing
to help us, contact Peter Buckle. We need volunteers to help us set up the fête site
and dismantle at the end of the day. Also volunteers to work with us during the afternoon.
Stalls: BOOKS-
NEWS FROM
HARMANS CROSS
SURFS UP AT HARMANS CROSS
Arecent report has shown that for the first time more people who access the internet are using social networking sites, such as Face Book or My Space rather than email to communicate with friends and colleagues.
This trend is not limited to teenagers either, the fastest growth has been with 35-
The next club sessions are: 6:30-
TYNEHAM TALK
Lynda Price will give an illustrated talk on Tyneham on 20 June. Lynda's talk will cover her involvement with Tyneham over the past fifteen years, its early history from an isolated farming community to the evacuation and the fight for public access.
The latter part of the illustrated talk will focus on the Tyneham Farm Project, the acquisition of pre 40s farm implements, uncovering the old cobbled ford, creation of a 'stone hedge' and the satisfaction of planting lots of trees!
The evening is planned to start at 7:30pm and admission is £6. which includes nibbles and a first drink as there will be an open bar. Tickets from Alan Stephenson or Spar shop, Harmans Cross. Alan Stephenson
FIFTY THOUSAND POUNDS TO SPEND
In April's edition, we confirmed our £50,000 award for play equipment at the new
Village Hall. Estimates and attractive colour plans have been drawn up by a number
of play equipment companies and we now wish to show these to young people and others
in the community for their views. We are, therefore, running another consultation
event at the Village Hall Coffee Morning on Saturday 18 July from 9.30-
HARMANS CROSS MUSIC HALL.
The Early Spider orchid, Ophrys sphegodes, is a nationally scarce flower which has
distinct pale green and brown colouration, the lower lip of the flower said to resemble
a fat hairy spider! It flowers from early April until around mid-
Back in 1986, a Dorset wide count was made by D. Burt, of the flowering orchid spikes
in order to gain information on their range, habitat preferences and population size
in Dorset. A repeat of this count was made in 1996. Both counts found a total number
of around 10,000 flowering spikes. Counting the number of flowering spikes in any
year cannot give an exact value of the population as not all plants flower every
year, and as the plants are short-
At the end of April, an army of around 17 volunteers set out to count the flowers in selected areas... areas where orchids were known to be found and areas where it was hopeful they may have spread to.
This spring's survey counted just under 50,000 flowering spikes in Dorset. The actual number counted was 49,178, but due to possible over or undercounting, as with many things, it is not an exact figure. This is a positive result, particularly as orchids were found in new areas outside the original range, which suggest that the population is gradually spreading back into fields that are specifically being managed for wildlife. This good news is a reflection that the Trust as well as other neighbouring land stewards is managing the grassland well for wildlife.
A huge thanks goes out from the National Trust to all those volunteers who gave up their time to help with the count, and our tenant farmers and graziers who are helping us to manage the site so well for wildlife.
Angela Peters, Purbeck Estate Ecologist
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL TRUST
So the summer is upon us and if all predictions are correct we are in for a glorious couple of months. However as it is another grey and dismal day as I write this I suppose we will have to wait and see. But, as we approach the summer season I thought it timely to let you know some of the events we have going on at both Corfe and Studland.
On 12 June we are looking forward to hosting seven local schools in the castle to
mark the opening of CorFest 2009. The event runs from 6-
To celebrate Wessex Walking Weekend we are running two walks for families to enjoy. The 'Smugglers Tales' walk meets at Corfe Castle Ticket Office on Saturday 27 June, whilst the 'Three Quarries' walk will meet on Sunday 28 June at the car park at Acton (GR SY988787). Both walks will start at 10.30am and will last for 2 hours. Suitable walking shoes will be needed.
At Corfe Castle this year, we have performances of Emma, The Three Musketeers, Babe and Wind in the Willows and tickets for these can be booked. Details of these and all other events can be found in our events leaflet so make sure you've picked one up or call for more information.
As usual there is a whole host of events happening at Studland Beach. Saturday 6
June is World War Two Day at Studland where there is a chance to relive the era when
the beach was used as a practice area for the D-
BURNGATE UPDATE
For those of you who have still not made it up to Burngate to see what we're doing here, I'd like to remind you that everyone has an open invitation to drop by and look around, I'm always happy to show visitors what we're up to here and to chat about our activities or indeed anything you like! So, do come in and see us if you can.
Burngate stone working courses continue apace. During June we've got some really
great courses that are generating a lot of interest; a two day (weekend) carving
intro, a fourday Architectural carving session, a five day fee carving session, and
a one day (Saturday) carving intro. Spaces still available on all these courses so
book now! There's plenty more to come in July as well, noteably a two day weekend
course in sculpture (human figure), and the house name lettercutting sessions on
thursday evenings that I've underpriced horribly at a measley £80 (go and find out
how much a hand-
We've introduced concessions on all our courses AND our banker / workspace hire.
So, if you're 16 or under, a full-
Lastly the 'Friends of Burngate' are up and running so if you'd like to join our happy gang then send an email to friends@burngatestonecentre.co.uk and you too can become a Friend! Membership gets you invites to various social events and special events etc. So it is well worth the £6 per year membership fee (£10 for a couple). We have quite a few members already so if you live locally you're sure to know someone already in our group.
David Callaghan
Many people will know the subject of this photograph, but if you don't there will be opportunities to see it for yourselves this summer and very rewarding it will be too. Also if you read last month's Dubber you should know where it is.
I said last month that the photo clue wasn't the Blue Pool, however it is very like
it but on a smaller scale. So far as I know it doesn't have a name but it is really
worth finding. Take the Ferry Road past the entrance to Knoll Beach, go on for about
three quarters of a mile and park on the left immediately before the footpath to
the Agglestone Rock and the track down to Greenlands Farm. Follow the track down
past the farm for about a mile and on the left you will see the lake with fir trees
behind. Just a bit further on there is a gate. Years ago the bushes were dense along
the path and the way in was easy to miss, so it was like going into a secret world
of dragon flies and sparkling water surrounded by a mysterious landscape -
EARLY SPIDER-
It was another historic day for Swanage Railway and Harmans Cross station when on
2 May the huge Battle of Britain class steam locomotive 'Tangmere' hauled an 11-
Numerous enthusiasts were on Harmans Cross station and the adjacent road-
Record producer and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman was at Swanage station to welcome
the train and helped to raise funds by holding a book-
On this occasion the 400 plus passengers from London were able to appreciate the admirably maintained Harmans Cross Station. Tangmere stayed on the Swanage line while the diesel engine which came down at the rear of the train took it back to London later in the day. All these events show what is possible on the Swanage Railway. One of the charity's main aims is to provide a regular service to Wareham to connect to the main line, possibly around 2013/14. However, much needs to be done to improve the line between Norden and Wareham for which considerable funding is required (see the Swanage Railway website).
Help is also needed to help maintain and improve Harmans Cross station. If you have some time available, come down from 10am any Wednesday and have a chat with the team. Nigel Edmonds, Harmans Cross Station Volunteer
(Photo: top left, courtesy Nigel Edmonds)
ST GEORGE'S CHURCH FÊTE
The Church Fête is 12-
ST ALDHELM -
The 1300th anniversary of the death of St Aldhelm, who was first Bishop of the newly-
His life was celebrated by the Bishop of Salisbury, Dr David Stancliffe, and the Bishop of Ramsbury, Stephen Conway, when they joined the congregation of Sherborne Abbey in a special thanksgiving service. Aldhelm was born in 639 in Malmesbury, only five years after the conversion of Wessex to Christianity. After studies, he travelled to Canterbury and Rome and on his return joined the monks at Malmesbury Abbey. After 33 years as Abbot, in 705 he was appointed Bishop of the newly created diocese of Sherborne.
He rebuilt the church at Sherborne in cathedral style, and churches at Langton Matravers, Corfe, Dorset, and on the windswept promontory of St. Aldhelm's Head. He died at Doulting in Somerset, and was buried at Malmesbury.
Aldhelm is considered to be one of the finest scholars of his time, and many of his writings survive, including riddles about subjects such as elephants!
Bishop David said: "Though he died so long ago, Aldhelm has a strong message for us today. He managed to turn the Church to look outwards and encouraged many to take the Good News of Christian faith to places it had not reached before. In his love of different cultures and languages he shows us how difference enriches life and should be celebrated. And above all, he reminds us that being living a Christian life should be fun!" The Revd Jonathan Ball
ST GEORGE'S SCHOOL FÊTE
St George's First School PTA is holding its annual Summer Fête 6-
We have a wide range of stalls, many local traders and our own cake, toy, book and
plant stalls. We also have a lively mix of games, including new 'pig racing', a bouncy
castle, splat the rat, hook a duck and more! Paul Loudoun is doing the BBQ and there
will be a licensed bar for the duration. Some wonderful raffle prizes have been donated,
these include: Fisherman's Catch, Swanage -
CHRISTIAN AID COFFEE MORNING.
Many thanks to those who helped and those who attended the Coffee Morning on 9 May.
We raised about £470 from sales of cakes, plants, raffle, teas and bric-
BEACH CLEAN
Thanks again to those who helped with the Chapman Pool beach clean. It would be nice to think that the reduced amount of rubbish collected this year reflects a real change but, sadly, no; it is just that a lot had already been picked up by others over the past few months. It is depressing to read the press reports describing an area of plastic rubbish floating in the middle of the North Pacific about the size of France. So it is in the Atlantic doldrums. What would Coleridge's Ancient Mariner say if he were to revisit it now? As for the killing of the albatross, that he thought brought on his woes; we are now casually slaughtering them by the thousand.
Another mess is the culture (of recent development) whereby a minor cliff fall brings closure of the cliff path between Chapman's Pool and Kimmeridge. For goodness sake! The soft shale cliffs of that stretch of coast have been eroding at the rate of about six inches per year ever since the last Ice Age and it aint gonna stop! Wallacker
PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK!
Poole Harbour is a beautiful place. The second largest natural harbour in the world, even if it is only an average of 18 inches deep but the waters of Poole Harbour have become eutrophic. Possibly, because of the historical inadequacy of Poole's sewage works to remove the nutrients from the waste, so that in the past, when it rained, the water company unable to cope with the volume were licensed to allow the excess to flows straight into Poole Harbour. This was not entirely their fault, many surface water drains had been illegally piped into the sewage system.
This nutrient rich (eutrophic) soup full of nitrates and phosphates promotes the growth of bacteria and algae that can strip oxygen from the water. Lack of oxygen can cause the death of many other life forms, such as fish, shrimps and molluscs that live in the water, not a great state of affairs. The government response was not only to target the water company, but also to create Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) along the banks and water catchment areas of the streams and rivers running into Poole Harbour, such as the Piddle and Frome. It does not matter if you farm alongside a river such as the Sherford which is so clean as to be almost potable, you still get swept up into an NVZ. So that puts almost half of farms in the island of Purbeck into an NVZ.
The aims of the zones are thoroughly laudable. Farmers should not be spreading slurry (animal poo) anywhere near streams and watercourses. They should not be spreading fertiliser over the tops of river banks. They should not be polluting. It challenges farmers to make the best use of fertilisers. DEFRA has very kindly provided farmers with a document, some 170 pages long, giving the details the records, maps and paperwork that farmers are now required to produce, and keep for five years, in order to prove or is it disprove a negative. For instance, we have to add up the amount of slurry produced by each animal on the farm and prove where it is stored and spread, thankfully, we do not had to do this for all the wild animals, deer, squirrels, swans or rabbits, may be that will come in the next DEFRA document. Next month, I promise to tell you about the memories that Jeff Lander's whelks have invoked in me, and not moan about the way we have to prove how we protect the environment.
And now for some great news, the Purbeck Products new web site has gone live, on it, you can see what local food is on offer in the Purbecks, where you can find the markets at which you can buy this local food. So why not click on to www.purbeckproducts.co.uk and have a virtual tour through some of the farms in Purbeck. You can even see some pictures of the farmers themselves before they got buried in paperwork. Christopher Lees
WALK TO KNITSON AND A CREAM TEA
We are planning a walk to Mark and Rachel Helfer's home at Knitson on Tuesday 16 June, leaving St George's Church at 2pm. It will probably take an hour and a half to get there, so tea in the Helfer's lovely garden should be about 3.30pm. For those who are not up to the walk, we will arrange cars. If you would like to come, please let Don Pratt know.. The cost will be £5; all proceeds will go to St George's Church. Chris Meadows
WOOL WORKSHOP
How does Indigo dyeing work? Now that would be telling, but we would like to invite
you to come and find out for yourself. If the weather is fine we will be trying this
stunning form of dying on the 3 June from 9.45-
Fees for non-
PURBECK AWARE FESTIVAL
Join a guided walk with Reg Saville on 6 June around the area to the south of Langton Matravers. Meet at the turning circle in Durnford Drove, Langton Matravers at 2pm. Adults £2, children free. The walk will be cancelled in bad weather. For details contact Reg Saville
Quarry Tour
Tour a working quarry and view fossil finds and dinosaur footprints 10am on 13 June. Meet at the Quarry Office, Lander's Quarries, Kingston Road, Langton Matravers. Adults £3.50, children (over 8s only) £1.20. All children to be accompanied. Wellington boots or stout footwear essential. No dogs please. Please book .
Learn about Purbeck's geology
The Dorset Important Geological Sites Group (DIGS) is giving opportunities to learn more about the wonderful geology of Purbeck as part of Purbeck Aware, which runs from 16 May to 14 June.
For a 'hands on' experience of rocks, fossils and minerals, visit Durlston Country Park on Monday 8 June at 7.30pm when Alan will be giving a talk on the geology of Dorset.
There will also be an opportunity to explore the area's geological history. Join a guided walk across the heath and along the beach and coast path to Old Harry Rocks on Saturday 13 June at 11am, meeting at the National Trust Middle Beach Car Park, Studland.
Louise Robinson of the Purbeck Keystone Project said: "These are wonderful opportunities to learn more about the geology of Purbeck and the history that has given us such a stunning landscape." Contact . Louise Robinson
WHERE AM I IN PURBECK?
