Latest news with #DomesdayBook
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Historic south Essex landmark gets facelift thanks to passionate volunteers
WORK to upgrade a much-loved and historic Rayleigh landmark has been completed thanks to fresh funding and the efforts of passionate volunteers. Rayleigh Mount, the site of a medieval motte and bailey castle close to Rayleigh Windmill, is owned by the National Trust and in recent months has seen extensive upgrades to improve accessibility for visitors. On Saturday, stakeholders and funders will gather at the mount for a celebration of the community effort to rejuvenate the 11th century site. We're now on WhatsApp! Join our new channel at to get all the latest breaking news and exclusive stories delivered straight to your phone. Celebratory - Julie Gooding has been involved in the upgrade project (Image: Julie Gooding) 'I am honoured to have been invited to attend the event as a valued member of the National Trust Local Committee, joining fellow supporters, volunteers, and residents in recognising the collective effort that has brought renewed vitality to Rayleigh Mount,' said Julie Gooding, Non-Aligned councillor for Hawkwell West. 'This celebration is not just about a site—it's about a shared commitment to heritage, sustainability, and community. 'Whether you contributed your time at a task day, shared your vision for the future, or simply supported from afar, this is your achievement too.' Education - New displays provide historical information around the 11th century site (Image: Julie Gooding)Since February, residents have been gathering for volunteer task days at Rayleigh Mount, at which much of the now completed works were carried out. The action has been made possible by a UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant from Rochford District Council. 'The recent funding has already made a visible impact at Rayleigh Mount,' said Mrs Gooding. 'Footpath accessibility has been significantly improved, with new handrails installed on the steps leading up to the castle site, making the site safer and more accessible to visitors who may have some access disabilities. Improved - New accessible footpaths have been installed at the mount (Image: Julie Gooding) 'In addition, new signage and information boards now help guide and educate visitors about the site's rich history and ecological significance, enhancing the overall visitor experience.' The castle at Rayleigh Mount is one of 48 mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the only one in Essex. A spokesperson for the National Trust has described the project as 'an ambitious initiative focused on improving access, enhancing environmental sustainability, and fostering nature-based solutions within our local communities.'
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Secrets of Glasgow's very own 'Domesday Book' revealed
This tongue-in-cheek title is an ode to the oldest government record held in The National Archives. The original Domesday Book is a survey of English land in the eleventh century and is perhaps the most well-known archive item in the UK. Sadly, Glasgow's Domesday Book cannot boast such an illustrious history. (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Our volume consists of biographical notes and cross-referenced newspaper obituaries of Glasgow councillors. It was compiled by local authority officials to cover 1890 to 1975 but also includes retrospective information back to the 1850s. As such, it's an invaluable launchpad for any research into councillors for Glasgow Corporation and its predecessor, Glasgow Town Council. Me and my colleagues have used it many times over the years to help questing researchers. (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Understandably, many people are interested in the careers of former Lord Provosts. The origins of this civic role date from medieval times when Glasgow was a burgh. In modern times, Glasgow's Lord Provost has been the city's principal civic representative at home. I wrote recently about James Welsh, who served as Lord Provost during the Second World War until November 1945. James Welsh (Image: Glasgow City Archives) The Domesday Book provides an excellent, though brief, summary of his political career in the city. He began in 1913 and completed thirty-six years of public service, many of those spent representing the people in the wards of Dalmarnock and Maryhill. In addition, he was elected as the MP for Paisley in 1929. (Image: Glasgow City Archives) His entry also notes that he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow in October 1945. Last year, we took in his official and personal papers which chronicled his time in office. When I started out as a new archivist at Glasgow City Archives, part of what intrigued me about the Glasgow Domesday Book (apart from its name) was that it was the first internal finding aid within an archive collection itself that I had come across. Finding aids are key for any collections-based service like ours. To help researchers, we create catalogues (hard copy and online) and indexes (names, places, subjects, organisations and buildings among other terms) as well as making use of internal finding aids like the Domesday Book. It is an archive item itself but was compiled as a finding aid by clerks from the Town Council (later, Glasgow Corporation). The clerks would have gone through meeting minutes, obituaries and other sources to summarise the careers of former councillors for use by future researchers. The Glasgow Domesday Book is a manuscript volume and was clearly a living document, being added to throughout the years by various clerks. In the entry for James Welsh, you can see that there are examples of several different clerks' handwriting. As a finding aid, the Domesday Book helps researchers to navigate their way through our other sources searching for these same councillors. For example, the Book gives dates which helps users to narrow down their search of our Glasgow Corporation minutes. It also helps them to find their councillor in our annually printed lists of magistrates and town councillors of Glasgow, a source which confirms which committees each councillor served on and when. READ NEXT: The unusual link between Glasgow and 'dark history' of the pineapple 9 pictures which tell story of famous Glasgow store with link to Rennie Mackintosh 'Gran's report card' discovery reveals story of 'lost' Glasgow school If a councillor became Lord Provost, then researchers can use the archives of the Lord Provost's Office. These are a rich resource which include correspondence, press-cutting books, committee minutes, files on public events as well as photos of civic occasions. Some films presented to the Lord Provost are held on deposit at the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive. As many Lord Provosts were merchants or business owners, some of their personal papers have survived to form part of our collections. For example, we hold the family trust volumes of Sir James Bain (born in 1818) and the papers of Sir James King (born in 1830) during his time in office. Interestingly, the Domesday Book doesn't record other notable information. For example, Dame Jean Roberts, a former teacher, was the first female Lord Provost and served from 1960 to 1963. One of her predecessors in the role, Sir Patrick Dollan, was the first person from an Irish-Catholic background to hold the office when he became Lord Provost in 1938. Neither entry records these facts. Nevertheless, the Glasgow Domesday Book is outstanding in its own way, forming one of the many access points into the collections of Glasgow City Archives.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
We live in a chocolate box village that dates back to the Saxons... Angela Rayner's house-building blitz will leave us drowning in sewage
Angela Rayner 's house-building blitz will leave them 'drowning in sewage' after a 40-home development was approved. Locals in Goodworth Clatford say their chocolate box village, which dates back to the Saxon times, faces being 'destroyed' by waste 'discharge horror' after developers were given the green light despite warnings it will overwhelm the sewage system. The village in the Hampshire countryside is already plagued with drainage and flooding issues and has had to take steps to prevent locals from having to wade through smelly sewage. But villagers say their problems will be 'exacerbated' now that developers Bargate Homes Ltd have had their plans approved, with fears Southern Water won't be able to add sufficient infrastructure. The developers submitted controversial plans to build 40 homes, some of which will be affordable housing, next to the local park. The application was met with fierce criticism by the village - where house prices average £750,000 - and more than 130 objections were lodged. Many fear their homes at the bottom of the hill in Goodworth Clatford will end up blighted by 'sewage discharge horrors'. Planning chiefs from Conservative-led Test Valley Borough Council approved the proposal at a meeting last week. Residents believe they should have stood up against the Labour government's plan to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. Goodworth Clatford, near Andover, dates back to the Saxon times and in 1086 was recorded in the Domesday Book. At the heart of the sought-after area, which has its own vineyard, is a chalk stream which is an offshoot of the River Test, famous across the globe for its salmon fishing. Under Bargate's plans, 40 homes will be built on a seven-acre field that is next to the recreational park. Bargate claims it will have a 'sustainable drainage system'. Due to the landscape, excess groundwater, and poor infrastructure, flooding is an issue in the village and tankers have to make constant trips to pump out water. 'The village has endured tankers at four or five locations, on a 24 hour basis for the last six months', one villager claimed. A wastewater treatment works site neighbours the village, but neighbours say it is not equipped enough to deal with their current issues let alone problems exacerbated by a new development. Cllr Philip Lashbrook, of Test Valley Borough Council, told the planning meeting: 'There is a huge reliance on Southern Water... I don't have confidence that the infrastructure will be improved enough to support 40 new homes.' Villager David Stagg attended the planning meeting with scores of other villagers. Michael Goddard (pictured) said: 'If the proposed development on Barrow Hill goes ahead with their sewage going into the existing sewage network I dread to think what sewage discharge horrors await us folks at the bottom of the hill!' He said the decision is a 'tragedy and a travesty' and there was 'a lot of people leaving in a state of shock'. Mr Stagg, a retired management consultant, said: 'Goodworth Clatford was thrown under a bus by Test Valley planners and a majority of Councillors. 'Fact, common sense, courage, honesty and reason ceased to exist, and... greed, politics and skullduggery allowed outline planning permission for 40 houses to be built in countryside outside the village settlement boundary.' Mr Stagg said at the meeting objections were not acknowledged and planning bosses did not appreciate 'how misguided the scheme would be in real life'. 'A recurring comment from the planners was that as there was no land matching the Government criteria of grey, brown or green belt sites in the area, 'we have to meet our target by building here'. 'Well, has anyone been courageously assertive enough to tell them that such arbitrary targets are meaningless and have far reaching consequences in such cases? He said the drainage issues were 'glossed over', adding: 'Certainly, these issues of detail will not disappear and there are far too many loose ends of game-changing proportions that need clarifying before any rational decisions can be considered. 'Now who will be held accountable for destroying our village?' In his objection letter, Mr Stagg wrote: 'This application ignores the full impact and future implications of the recent serious flooding issues in the village main street. 'Additional water run off from this field's position above the village will only exacerbate the problem and cause serious harm to residents there.' Villager Katie Cairns, who also attended the meeting, said of the decision: 'It's a shame, it's a real shame for the village. 'The sewage is a real worry.' In her objection letter, Ms Cairns said: 'The current provision [for sewage] is already inadequate. 'The existing pumping stations are noisy and smelly. We've also had tankers working in the village day and night for months this year, taking sewage to plants in Southampton and Newbury as the site [by Goodworth Clatford] is operating at full capacity. 'The roads are not set up for vehicles of this size and weight and a lot of damage has been done.' Ms Cairns also believes 'the sheer size and nature of this development is totally out of character with the village'. Villager Michael Goddard outlined in his objection letter some of the sewage issues. He said: 'My property, along with those of my immediate neighbours, suffered badly earlier this year (and previous years) from the discharging of sewage water from drains and manholes in our gardens. 'This was due to high groundwater levels infiltrating an ageing, leaky, sewerage network. 'The nearby sewage pumping station was unable to cope so tankers were deployed almost full time to try and minimise flooding.' Mr Goddard added: 'If the proposed development on Barrow Hill goes ahead with their sewage going into the existing sewage network I dread to think what sewage discharge horrors await us folks at the bottom of the hill!' Lorraine Quaid said in her objection letter: 'Over several months the village has been forced to endure up to four waste tankers at anyone time to relieve the drainage/sewer system 24/7. 'Any addition due to development will be detrimental in the extreme! 'Pollution to our chalk stream river should be avoided at all cost. The risk is already high!' Katie Shorter wrote: 'A number of properties along Village Street have had gardens underwater for months due to excessively high groundwater, made worse by run-off and the sewage systems inability to cope with the infiltration of groundwater from the surrounding area. 'Any additional burden placed on the foul water infrastructure in Goodworth Clatford threatens to completely overwhelm the system and lead to local flooding. 'The village has endured tankers at 4 or 5 locations, on a 24 hour basis for the last 6 months, pumping out water to try and prevent the local sewage works throughout the Village being overwhelmed. 'An additional 40 houses, will compound, and potentially overwhelm the sewerage system of the Village. 'Due to the topography of the site, the only way to get the sewage off site would be to pump it to the mains sewer. 'The proposed pumping station is adjacent to existing residential properties, which is unacceptable given the noise, and maintenance such infrastructure generates. 'Were the pumping station to fail, the flooding risk to properties in the vicinity would also be unacceptable.' Local resident Chris Coates said he is concerned about 'prevailing winds carrying any unpleasant odours right across the centre of the village'. Dr Christopher Parkinson-Brown, a dentist, said the additional sewage will be 'far beyond the capacity of the drains and sewers in the village'. Goodworth Clatford Parish Council also opposes the plans. In its objection letter, the parish council pointed out that Southern Water said in its report there is 'potential for existing villagers to suffer an adverse impact to their health given the potential for foul water flooding'. Test Valley Borough Council said permission was approved with conditions including 'providing an acceptable nitrate mitigation scheme, a Habitat Regulations assessment, and a legal agreement to secure affordable housing provision, open space improvements and health facility and education improvements'. Mark White, managing Director of Bargate Homes, said: 'We are delighted to receive outline planning approval for this site in Goodworth Clatford, a location steeped in character and surrounded by beautiful Hampshire countryside. 'This development will not only help to address the pressing need for affordable housing but also create a sustainable community with access to local amenities, open green spaces, and strong transport links.
Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
This genteel riverside town is the A-list's best-kept secret
Tree-lined roads festooned with bunting, a coxless four gliding along the Thames, a lively cricket match in the sunshine: the opening scenes of The Marlow Murder Club's second season, aired in March 2025, paint the picture of a sociable, laid back town emanating countryside charm and community spirit. And, for once, fact is not so far from fiction. With its hanging baskets, neat streets, lush riverbanks and Georgian architecture, Marlow was last year officially deemed 'Best Kept Village' in Buckinghamshire – a hotly contested title vied for annually since 1957. Add Michelin stars, upmarket shopping and excellent pubs to the mix, and you have the perfect spot for an exceptionally genteel weekend break. Here, we help craft the perfect sojourn in this quaint, picturesque corner of Buckinghamshire, set between Henley and Maidenhead on the River Thames – complete with Michelin stars, meandering strolls and even a dash of retail therapy. A rich pedigree Tucked away on the border of South Bucks, Marlow is a town with a history that dates back to the Domesday Book. By 1227, it had received a market charter from King Henry III, adding Chipping to its name to signify market town status (though – unlike Chippings Campden and Norton of the Cotswolds – it has since dropped this qualifier). If Marlow's suspension bridge seems familiar, that's because it served as a prototype for designer William Tierney Clark's later, grander project, the striking Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest. Look out, too, for a blue plaque identifying the house where Mary Shelley finished Frankenstein, and for a bronze statue in Higginson Park; the UK's most decorated rower, Sir Steve Redgrave, was born in this riverside town where rowing heritage runs deep. Unexpected culinary credentials Marlow's charms have lured various high-profile names – including residents Ricky Gervais and Chris Evans – but there's a case to be made that it's celebrity chef and restaurateur, Tom Kerridge, who has most shaped its current identity. His four Marlow restaurants – all opened within the last decade – are widely credited with helping the town achieve its current status as a honeypot for destination-diners, while his brainchild Pub in the Park, the UK's largest touring food and music festival, has provided plenty of street cred. The two Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers – a cosy, unassuming pub opened by Kerridge 20 years ago – is still the star of the show, though The Coach (another, more affordable Michelin-starred pub), private dining room The Shed, and The Butcher's Tap (a traditional butcher's with, no surprise, another pub) have helped to cement Kerridge's influence. Others have followed suit. Atul Kochhar, another established local chef, serves up excellent Northern Indian food at Vaasu, and Southern dishes at Sindhu. For Mediterranean fare, there's Lavvin on West Street (its garden is particularly lovely), while Brvtvs on Spittal Street is all pizzas, cocktails and DJs playing vinyl, and – just down the road – you'll find Vietnamese at Suum Kitchen alongside the popular Oarsman gastropub. Locals will also tell you to stop by Strawberry Grove for its excellent cakes; The Vanilla Pod, run by chef-proprietor Michael Macdonald, for its tasting menus; M Café; The Duke pub; and Rebellion Beer Co, a local brewery with popular Members's Nights and a great shop. Get outdoors If you prefer a buzz, plan your visit to coincide with one of Marlow's many popular annual events: Pub in the Park, for example, which takes place in May; the Henley regatta and festival in June; the Marlow Carnival in September; or even the Santa Fun Run fundraiser and Christmas lights. This is, however, a delightful place to be when all is calm and quiet, particularly on a warm summer's day, when locals are going about their business or messing about on the river. It is a town made for riverside strolls, and there's even a lovely circular 10km route which takes in Higginson Park, Temple Mill Island, Hurley (stop at The Olde Bell, one of England's oldest inns, for a drink) and Bisham Woods. In spring, much of the way is blanketed with resplendent bluebells, and is said to have been the inspiration for the wildwood in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Take to the boutiques There is no shortage of opportunities for shopping here, between the neatly curated roster of high-end high-street brands (Missoma, The White Company, Mint Velvet, Jigsaw, Space NK) and impressive line-up of independent spots (most of which exist largely to court the well-heeled weekender). Cases in point include Un Dimanche a Paris, which also has boutiques in Henley and Barbados, Susie Watson Designs's quintessentially English interiors – which can also be found in the likes of Salcombe and Tunbridge Wells – and cult Aussie brand R.M. Williams, worn by Margot Robbie, Cillian Murphy and Alexa Chung. It's all very quiet luxury – even if you haven't hit double digits yet (I defy any parent to leave Angel & Rocket or Scamp and Dude empty handed). Leave time for a stop at Home Barn, a rustic furniture and homeware haven, with an equally enticing farm shop next door. Spend the night If you want to be able to meander home on foot after an evening feast, The Hand & Flowers has 15 rooms across four cottages in town (from £325 per night, including a full cooked breakfast at the restaurant). If proximity is a less pressing concern, opt for the impossibly grand Danesfield House Hotel & Spa – where George and Amal Clooney threw their post-wedding bash – three miles up the road (from £249 per night).
BBC News
20-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Guilden Sutton: The tiny village about to elect a fourth MP in four years
The tiny village of Guilden Sutton isn't used to finding itself at the forefront of the nation's political in the Cheshire countryside near the banks of the River Gowy, it is old enough to have been included in a Saxon-era Hundred and features in the Domesday Book - and is every bit the textbook rural village, with a listed church, a picturesque pub and bustling community due to a recent series of events beyond its borders, it now finds itself in what the parish council described as a "unique" political position, poised to elect its fourth MP in less than four one resident put it: "It's all very strange."The intriguing scenario has been thrown up partly due to two by-elections prompted by resigning MPs, but there is another key factor last year's boundary review, which saw the political map of the UK redrawn with the aim of making almost all constituencies a similar Sutton had previously been in the City of Chester but the rethink placed the village in the new constituency of Runcorn and Helsby. However, it's not a move that has gone uncriticised, with some locals left perplexed by their new place on the political villager said: "As the crow flies, we're only four miles from the Chester Cross, so I think it's stupid."Another added: "I wasn't very pleased about it, voting for Runcorn when Runcorn's miles away."Meanwhile, parish council chairwoman Sue Ringstead said other parish councils in the area "haven't had quite this level of inconsistency"."This has been frustrating in terms of achieving the goals that we need our MPs support with, even though we have had some strong representation from them as individuals," she said."Ultimately our residents are frustrated because things are taking longer to deal with than may have been the case with continuous representation." University of Liverpool politics Professor Stuart Wilks-Heeg agreed the situation was "really unusual", particularly in light of the said boundary changes were "quite infrequent" and that no scenario quite like it had been seen before."I am confident that this is the only case this century and I'm pretty confident if I went further back there wouldn't be that many others," he said there had been areas where there had been several MPs in a short space of time but they were all whole constituencies rather than villages."The reasons for this case are definitely unique," he aside from the general intrigue, could there be significant concerns? With the parish council concerned about the lack of consistency, could this have an impact on local democracy? 'Unique opportunity' "In principle it can, because obviously we have a particular system of representation rooted in the notion of MPs representing a geographical area," Prof Wilks-Heeg said."Obviously the people representing a constituency will change, and that's going to happen in a democracy."But for things to change that frequently and to be shifted around between constituencies as well as MPs, I think that is quite disruptive."It's certainly not ideal but on the other hand the residents of Guilden Sutton have had this unique opportunity to engage in what are more or less annual elections, so you could argue that's very democratic for them."But if any of them are like Brenda from Bristol, then they've probably had enough of it."Whichever way the future lies for this village steeped in more than 1,000 years of history, the story of Guilden Sutton will continue when its residents go to the polls again in just a couple of weeks' Runcorn and Helsby by-election takes place on 1 May. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC and follow BBC North West on X. For more local politics coverage, BBC Politics North West is on BBC One on Sunday at 10:00am and on BBC iPlayer.
