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Gnosall Parish Logo (Image) 

Gnosall Parish Council           

 (Including the wards of Moreton and Knightley)                                   

 

Dementia Friends Logo (Image)

Courtesy of Jim McGregor.  (Image)

Front Cover

This beautiful photograph was kindly provided by Jim McGregor.

We are always looking for photographs (both for our website and future editions of the GMK) of scenes around the Parish.

Please send any photographs to cso@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

 

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Introduction to GMK

Sadly, the summer months are almost gone and autumn is beginning to make its entrance with a few trees already displaying beautiful autumnal shades of copper and days getting noticeably shorter.

In our last edition of GMK we were looking forward to an event packed GFest, the Fun Fair weekend, re-opening of the Boardwalk, opening of the Chippy Jumps new play area and judging of the Best Kept Village.  Updates on these events and other projects will be included in this edition of GMK.

You may remember that a leaflet was included in the last GMK inviting new members to attend Gnosall Patient Forum. I am pleased to report that membership has increased significantly and I would like to thank those who have decided to join the Forum as it is an excellent opportunity to help shape the future of health services and patients’ views are really important.

I will keep my introduction fairly short this time and let others bring you up to date on topics, news and events around the parish which I hope you will find informative and interesting.      

Cllr Pat Alker

Chair of Gnosall Parish Council

 

Gnosall Parish Council Planning Committee

Readers will be aware that the Parish Council is informed about any planning applications within the Parish and may comment upon them as a statutory consultee, but the final decision lies with the Local Planning Authority – in our case, Stafford Borough Council.

It is often the case that residents have information about applications which can be very helpful in allowing the committee to come to a view. Therefore, we have always had Public Open Forum at the start of our meetings, so that people can come and have their say. In this way, worries may be eased and information shared with councillors before they make a comment on applications before them.

From time to time, certain applications provoke strong feelings and on occasions like these, the committee tries very hard to ensure that all voices are heard. However, it can be the case that there is lots of discussion at the start of the meeting which councillors then have to recall some time later in the evening! We have therefore decided to slightly vary our procedure. Instead of having all members of the public say their piece at the start of the meeting, regardless of where the application they are concerned about appears on the agenda, we have decided to take Open Forum comments immediately prior to the relevant application. In this way, comments will be fresh in the mind when the particular application is discussed.

Of course, if we were to have several contentious applications on one agenda, our meeting could become very long indeed! We therefore ask that members of the public try to arrange between themselves who is going to say what, so that there is no unnecessary repetition. This is in no way to curtail comments but simply to ensure efficient running of the meetings.  We will review how the new system is working after a few months to see whether it has worked as we hope it will.

 

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The Grosvenor Centre Update

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Despite the lack of news on the plan to redevelop the Grosvenor Centre, work has been progressing steadily behind the scenes. The Grosvenor Centre has served the community well in the 25 years since the Parish Council took on this former school building. However, increasing demands on space and facilities have unfortunately outgrown what the centre can now provide.

Over the past three years the Parish Council has led on a series of local stakeholder meetings to identify the issues and opportunities available for facilities in the community. During this time, the situation has become even more acute as the village is faced with the paradox of a rapidly growing population at the same time as losing local services such as our library and youth club.

Whilst the prospects for a new sports centre or joint community hub have proved unsuccessful, the Parish Council has concluded that it has a number of options available to take the Grosvenor Centre into the future. Maintenance costs are proving increasingly costly and doing nothing is not a realistic option. Alternatives include revamping the existing buildings or redeveloping the entire site. In both cases, cost-effectiveness and available funding must be considered.

The Parish Council is keen that the Grosvenor Centre has the capacity to serve the growing needs of our community in the future. A new centre will need to have greater main-hall capacity (with associated facilities) than the limited space currently available and more options for rooms to hold meetings and events. Any new building will ensure that current tenants and user groups will continue to be accommodated, whilst also incorporating new facilities for GG’s Youth Club, a community library and the Parish Council office.

A full community consultation will be carried out to help determine the options available, but in the meantime a chartered survey of the full site has been undertaken and an architect will be commissioned to draw up options for parishioners to view. This venture could cost up to £3 million and if successful will be largely subject to funding from external sources. These are exciting times for the Grosvenor Centre and hopefully we will be rewarded with a new centre that will serve the community for many more years to come.

Do you have any experience or expertise that might help with this project? The Grosvenor Centre Working Group is looking for additional local people who can contribute on matters such as building design, planning, project management and fundraising. Please contact the parish clerk, Jayne Cooper, on 01785 822685 or clerk@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk if you would like to help.

 

Commonwealth War Graves in Gnosall

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There is now a sign at the entrance to the burial ground informing people that there are Commonwealth War Graves sited there.  There are five; two First World War - John Fullwood and Arthur Edward Taylor and three Second World War -  Vernon Vickers Hatfield, Reginald George Lees and John Joseph Pilsbury.

 

New PCSO in the Parish

We are pleased to be able to report that our PCSO, Patrick Wright, has been joined by PCSO Megan Rogers, who will be working with Patrick.  Megan is new to the area and is keen to get to know parishioners. Therefore, if you see Megan out and about, please stop and have a chat and make her feel welcome.  In these austere financial times for public services, I am sure you will agree that additional police presence within the parish is very welcome.

 

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The Boardwalk and Chippy Jumps Play Park

Residents at the re-opening of The Boardwalk (Image)

At long last, the boardwalk was formally re-opened on the 28th of June. In true British fashion, over fifty hardy souls braved a thoroughly wet and miserable summer’s evening to witness pupils from St Lawrence Primary Academy cut the ribbon on the replaced section of boardwalk. Cllr Mike Deegan thanked all those involved in clearing the site, raising the funds needed and completing the work.

As the saying goes, you don’t always appreciate what you have until it’s gone and that was certainly how many parishioners felt during its temporary loss. Now the village has its boardwalk back - even bigger and better than before. Long may it stand as a much-needed facility and a testament to our community’s resilience.

On the same soggy June evening, those in attendance made the short walk up to the Chippy Jumps to see the new play facilities being opened and partake in a tasty chip supper. The revamped area includes a variety of fixed play equipment, with the new zip-wire given a stern test on the night by Cllr Tracey Simkin. The new facilities have proved really popular with local children and families.

The Parish Council again thanks Stafford Borough Council for their support in allowing Section 106 money (from recent housing developments in Gnosall) to be used towards the funding of both the boardwalk replacement and Chippy Jumps equipment.

 

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St Lawrence Primary Academy pupils involved in the reopening of The Boardwalk and Chippy Jumps Play Park

Update on The Boardwalk Arson Court Case

Aerial photograph of the Acres and Boardwalk  kindly provided by Chris Delamont (Image)

The two people accused of the arson attack on the Boardwalk attended Cannock Magistrates Court on 23rd August 2017.  After a short hearing, due to the extensive damage and repair costs being in excess of £35,000, the Magistrate informed those present that the case was outside Magistrate jurisdiction and could only be determined at Crown Court level.  Following a session at Stafford Crown Court on 25th September, we can confirm that the two defendants entered a plea of ‘guilty’.  In view of their ‘guilty’ submission there will be no need for the case to go to trial by jury; sentencing will take place at Stafford Crown Court on 23rd October.   The Parish Council is determined not to tolerate vandalism in any shape or form and we hope that the outcome of this particular case gives a strong and clear message that we will take all steps necessary to stamp out crime.       

 

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New Facilities on The Acres

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The Parish Council was delighted to learn that its detailed application to Staffordshire County Council for £50,000.00 funding towards new sports and recreational facilities has been successful.  The money will fund an all-weather tennis court and outdoor gym facilities on The Acres. This is planned to be installed by May 2018 and will be located adjacent to Brookhouse Road – immediately south of the MUGA and football pitch. There will also be extra associated seating provided for users or spectators.

This funding has arisen because of the County Council’s Memorandum of Understanding - following planning permission relating to demolition of the village swimming pool, as part of the school rebuilding project and subsequent loss of community facilities. The parish has relatively few public sports amenities so this project will provide much-needed community access to free sporting and recreational facilities. Previous public consultations, including the Neighbourhood Plan, highlighted a demand for a village tennis court and this is the ideal location – situated alongside other sports facilities at the heart of the village. Comparable facilities have proved popular in parks in Newport and at Wildwood in Stafford and the Parish Council hopes these additional facilities will be just as well appreciated in Gnosall.

 

GG’s Youth Club

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Wednesday night Youth Club for children in school years 4, 5 and 6 is remaining to be very popular with a steady intake of new members.  In September, a  Youth Club for children in school years 7,8 and 9 commenced on Thursday nights from 7pm-9pm and is becoming more popular each week.

GG’s has been very much welcomed in the community, not only by children and their parents but also other community groups who have raised money to help buy new equipment and fund trips; most recently donations were gratefully received from Gnosall Singers and Gnosall’s WI.  The County Council has also assisted with financial contributions. Staffordshire Youth Voluntary Services have used GG’s as a model for other communities wishing to set up a youth club and a very positive article about us was included in a recent SCYVS newsletter.

This autumn GG’s members are supporting BBC’s Children in Need appeal by taking part in a BBC 1 Countryfile Ramble on Sunday 15th October and have even invited the TV crew to come to Gnosall and film them!   At the time of writing the invitation has not been accepted but whatever the outcome, photographs will be sent to the BBC TV show.

A Baby & Children’s Nearly New Sale will be held on Saturday 18th November 2017 from 12.00noon to 3.00pm in The Grosvenor Centre, the purpose of this event is to raise money for both sellers and GG’s.   The proceeds of items sold will be split with 70% going to the seller and 30% going to GG’s Youth Club.  Sale items will include baby/children’s clothing & shoes, toys, books, games & jigsaws, equipment, bikes and outdoor toys.  Please note that adult items cannot be accepted. All items must be clean and in good condition, and games and jigsaws must be complete.  For information on how to prepare your items for the sale or if you wish to donate items with 100% of the sale to go to GG’s Youth Club please contact Jordan Archer on 07715 392345 or Jayne Cooper on 01785 822685 or email: clerk@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk.

At a time when young people often get a bad press due to anti-social activities, often fuelled by boredom and lack of opportunity, it is heartening to see just what may be achieved by a combination of hard-work and high expectations.  The young people in Gnosall are well-supported by this local enterprise which demonstrates the commitment this village has to its parishioners, young and old alike and we thank all the volunteers and community groups who continue to show their support.

 

PAGE 6

GFest 2017 Update

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GFest2017 – what a fantastic festival it was with over 30 events!

It was our best Festival ever and was made possible by our small but enthusiastic GFest team. I would like thank them all and also the organisers of the various events.

New events included: a Canal Barge Supper trip (which was so successful we ran it twice); a Line of Coins on the Old Railway Line which raised over £200; a highly-popular Antiques & Collectables Valuation, where the three professional valuers worked continuously for most of the event with a queue of people awaiting their turn; the GG Youth Club Treasure Hunt and Barbeque, which sold out very quickly; the Fire Station Open Day and Car Wash, which had a constant stream of visitors and the Loopy Laps Family Fun Run, which proved popular with all ages. The Heritage Group had a full and interesting display in the Grosvenor Centre, including a working Victorian Schoolroom and a talk on the old schools in Gnosall Parish. Extremely popular with the children was the Pond Dipping event held on the newly re-opened Boardwalk. The Quiz and Buffet at The Horns was another of the huge successes with all available tables booked.

Old favourites were not left out with: the Classical Concert, again a sell-out; the Gnosall Players Murder Mystery; the Family Bike Ride; Open Gardens with over 300 visitors; the Made in Gnosall Craft Fair and Exhibition (of course!) and the popular Beer Festival.

Events like the Church Tower Opening and the Church Tour remained popular and the GFest Church Service was attended by a Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire who spoke very favourably about Gnosall and its community. The Community and Countryside event attracted quite a few people and this is one area we will promote more actively at the next GFest.

Moreton also had its share of events with a Traditional Folk Music event and the Gnosall Singers Concert.

Other groups within the village had open sessions for people to visit – Phoenix Club and Gnosall Handbell Ringers.

The Festival included the Fun Fair on the Village Green which coincided with the end of the school academic year and is arranged annually.

Plans are already being made for GFest 2019 with some new events including a canal boat festival.   What more can be said except roll on GFest2019!

Kenneth Ingram

Chairman GFest2017

 

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SUSTRANS Report

The Sustrans (Sustainable Transport National Charity) Ranger Group covers from the South of Stone to the top of Cannock Chase and from Stafford to the Staffordshire/Shropshire county border.  Our local volunteer ranger and volunteer co-ordinator for the mid Staffordshire area, Paul Boston, has done a sterling job in looking after the upkeep of the old railway (Cycle Route 55) but sadly, due to other commitments, he chose to step down at the beginning of September.  Since 2005 Paul has played an active role by providing maintenance along the route, enhancing the area with benches, planting flowers and litter picking and I am sure you will all want to wish him well for the future and take this opportunity to thank him for his enthusiasm, dedication and hard work over the last 12 years.  He deserves a well earned rest!  

 

PAGE 8

Gnosall Parish Council – A Quality Accredited Council

Since 2007, Gnosall Parish Council has been recognised as a Quality Accredited Council with a successful submission for reaccreditation in 2012.  In 2014, Parish Councils were informed of proposals for a revised scheme that was being considered by the Improvement and Development Board.  Instead of a single Quality award, the new scheme had three levels; Foundation being the first level, Quality the second, and Quality Gold the top level.   This gave councils the chance to show that they meet certain standards of excellence set by the sector and also gave opportunities for continued improvements working towards the higher levels.

The new Local Council Award Scheme was designed to celebrate the successes of the very best local councils and to provide a framework to support all local councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential.

Gnosall Parish Council, after reviewing the criteria for each of the levels and already being a Quality accredited council, decided to apply for Quality Gold, the highest level.   To be in a position to submit an application, the Parish Council had to ensure it met all the criteria for the two lower levels and then make improvements to ensure the more difficult criteria were met.  This involved writing several new policies including a Community Engagement Policy, tightening up on procedures, having an approved Action Plan relating to a budget, having a Business Plan and much more.

The Quality Gold Award demonstrates that a council is at the forefront of best practice and achieves excellence in governance, community leadership and council development.  Quality Gold councils provide leadership for their communities, bring people together, and have excellent business planning processes, ensuring value for money as well as constantly seeking new innovations and opportunities to improve.

Work steadily progressed over the last two years, led by a small group of parish councillors and the Clerk.  The Parish Council is now in a position to apply for Gold status and looks forward to receiving the outcome of more than two years of hard work and dedication.  During that time the Council has received several awards, details of which have been published in previous GMK’s, and hopefully the outcome of this submission will recognise all that the Parish Council has achieved, its day to day operations and its plans for the future.

 

Over 85’s Summer Tea Party

Photo taken from the  tea party (Image)

On the 12th August nearly fifty elderly residents of Gnosall and their guests attended the third ‘Over 85s Afternoon Tea’ in the Grosvenor Centre.  A team of volunteers laid tables, made cakes, cut sandwiches and piped cream on scones.   Once again the Gnosall Singers very kindly came and sang.  So many of our residents were born in the village and grew up together (which, of course, is one of the things that makes Gnosall so special) but as they get older, often they are not able to see each other as frequently as they would like and these teas provide a wonderful opportunity for them to catch up with each other – as could be seen from all the table hopping!

The next tea will be a Christmas Tea on the 16th December.   If you, or someone you know, has reached the age of 85 over the last twelve months, please let the Parish Council Office know as we may not have you on our list.

 

PAGE 9

Best Kept Village Competition 2017

Jenny Clarke, Dave Clarke, Joy MacMichael and Ian MacMichael, at the  BKV awards presentation evening (Image)

We were delighted to be awarded first place in the Stafford District and placed County Winners in the large village category.  There has been a great community effort since March to clear the village of its winter debris and then to commence with new projects for 2017 as well as continuing the good work from previous years in making Gnosall sparkle with flower beds, hanging baskets, bunting, no litter and no dog mess.

Villagers are proud, and often say so, to live in a cared for environment, they enjoy the lack of litter and dog mess and many are engaged actively in BKV work.  Other community groups have got more involved this year including the Scouts, Phoenix Group (over 50’s), Threads Sewing Group, Jam Busters (WI), the local primary school, the local youth club, the parish council and every business with a property in the village was invited to take part in the BKV campaign - and they did.  The Threads Sewing Group made colourful bunting complemented the High Street during the spring and summer months that made the village look and feel summery and cheerful for many months and complimented the GFest events during July superbly.

This year there was a new Project to work on improving the canal environment, clearing and improving a long stretch of the towpath to make it more accessible all of the time.   The BKV team also increased its areas of responsibility by maintaining every bench and notice board in the village (20+ benches and 6 notice boards). Another brand new project this year was to fund raise to build a new village welcome sign/flower planter – this project cost £2500 and funds were raised with generous donations from local businesses and a donation from Linden Homes who are developing a site in the village.  This sign will be a welcome sight for people as they enter the village and will give residents a daily reminder of the village’s successes in the BKV competition.   Keeping play areas and green areas safe and litter free is a year round aim of the BKV volunteers who carry out daily litter picks no matter what the weather brings.  The team created and maintained new flower beds too.  All primary school children are asked to think about caring for the environment and produce posters for display.

The judges’ comments, received in September, were very complimentary about the work of the BKV team in 2017 and said “it was a pleasure to visit Gnosall and the village buzzes with BKV and there seems to be real pride in the village”.  They went on to recognise that “this year the sustained hard work which was put in before and during the competition was rewarded by first place in the large village category in the Stafford area and best large village in the whole of Staffordshire”.

The success of the BKV team led to Channel 4 coming to Gnosall to film the village for a new Channel 4 programme called Village of the Year that will be broadcast in October   Filming featured the canal and a number of local groups.

 

The Best Kept Village Team of volunteers (Image)
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Gnosall Heritage Group - the Geology of Gnosall

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On 8th September we were privileged to have a presentation talk from Paul Green on the Geology of Gnosall, dealing with the solid and superficial geology of the area. Solid geology refers to the underlying rocks. At Gnosall these are sandstones and mudstones, up to 250 million years old. Superficial geology refers to the unconsolidated surface deposits left behind by ice, glaciers and rivers. At Gnosall they are sands, gravels and silts. They were formed in the last 2.6 million years and mostly in the last 18,000 years. The talk traced the formation of the region from the geological Carboniferous period through the Triassic to the Tertiary period before going on to the Ice Ages.

 The Solid Geology of Gnosall

In the Carboniferous period, the area now recognised as Britain lay close to the equator. Rocks formed in the earlier Cambrian period stretched across what is now mid-Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia. Gnosall was close to its northern shore. In the later Carboniferous period, swampy forests covered most of Britain including the Midlands. They were periodically inundated by sea water forming Coal Measures. So, deep beneath Gnosall there are Coal Measures sitting on top of lower Palaeozoic rocks.

In the succeeding Permian period, the area that was to become the Midlands was part of a large continental basin. Its latitude was between 15o and 20o north of the equator, similar to the Sahara Desert today. Few sediments were deposited in this environment and the Permian period is not represented in the sedimentary sequence of Gnosall. During the Permian period, crustal tensions formed a down-faulted rift valley system extending north from Worcestershire and opening out into sedimentary ‘troughs’ in Staffordshire and Cheshire.

By the beginning of the Triassic period, mountains which had formed to the south were in a climatic zone that attracted seasonal rainfall. Rivers started to flow north through the Worcestershire rift valley and periodic floods washed large quantities of pebbles, sands and silts into the Staffordshire basin. Subsidence in the basin allowed sediments to accumulate to great thicknesses, formerly known as the Bunter Pebble Beds, now the Kidderminster Formation. At Gnosall they are buried beneath later sediments, but outcrop to the east at Stafford and to the west at Newport.

A quieter episode followed of temporary or seasonal lakes and rivers, flowing north into the Staffordshire basin. Fine, well-sorted sandstones were deposited with some bands of mudstone, left behind by overbank floods. There were occasional dry periods when the rivers dried out and were overwhelmed by wind-blown sand. These sediments are the Wildmoor Formation and outcrop on the west side of Gnosall. They are poorly cemented and therefore easily eroded.

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The subsequent Bromsgrove sandstones, which were deposited on top of the Wildmoor Sandstones, were formed in a similar environment. Bromsgrove sandstone is well-cemented, making it resistant to erosion. Figure 1 shows the outcrop of the sandstones. 

The geological occurrence of a harder resistant rock, sitting on top of a softer weaker rock, can affect the landscape. Where the softer rock outcrops at the foot of a hill slope, with harder rock above it, erosion of the soft rock undercuts the slope, making it steeper. If the layers are of rock are dipping, then the result is a prominent scarp slope. This can be seen between Broadhill and Windmill Bank, the cross section of which is shown in Figure 2.

The two hills both have steeper west-facing slopes than east-facing and are separated by a small valley. The two west-facing slopes are the steep scarp faces of the Bromsgrove Sandstone, and the east-facing slopes are dip slopes (i.e. they slope down in the direction of the dip of the sandstone bed).

Erosion of the soft Wildmoor Sandstone at the foot of the slopes has undercut the hard sandstone and steepened them. In the small valley between the scarps is a deposit of glacial till, showing that it was filled by ice during the last glacial episode. It is likely that at an earlier stage in the Ice Age the valley served as an outlet for meltwater and this would have been responsible for some of the erosion of the soft Wildmoor Sandstone.

The hardness of the Bromsgrove Sandstone makes it suitable as a building stone. In the past it was quarried at Broadhill, Cowley and at the Hollies, just off the Knightley Road. It was used to build the church. Older sandstone walls in the village make use of masonry from ancient buildings that have been demolished. Stafford Castle is built of the same stone, quarried at Tixall.

The Mercia Mudstone - By the time of the Mercia Mudstone in the later Triassic, the relief had been reduced to a fairly flat plain. It was a low-energy sedimentary environment of a desert basin which periodically filled with water to form temporary lakes. One such basin was located in mid-Staffordshire. Within this environment sediment was deposited in three ways by the settling out of mud and silt in the temporary lakes; by the rapid deposition of sheets of silt and fine sand in flash floods; and by the accumulation of wind-blown dust on the wet mudflat surface.

The rocks themselves are red-brown mudstones, with some of the mudstone layers containing deposits of salt. The water which collected in the desert depressions was often highly saline, and sometimes had its origin in sea water. In the hot arid conditions, the water evaporated to leave salt interbedded with the mud. It is likely that the salt deposits beneath Staffordshire were formed in this way.

Geological Structure – The tertiary period was a time of further folding and faulting, linked to the ‘Alpine’ earth movements. This had two effects on the rocks in the Gnosall area, which of course now included the Triassic sandstones and mudstones.

The first was to squeeze them into a very gentle anticlinal fold (an arch-shaped fold). The axis of the fold runs NE – SW through Aqualate Mere with an angle of dip of just ~5o. The second effect was to cause faulting. A fault is a shear plane fracture along which two bodies of rock have slid past each other. The sliding is not smooth and continuous but takes place in jumps, causing earthquakes. The Aqualate anticline has been considerably fractured by faulting.

In summary, the solid geology of the Gnosall area began with a basement of Carboniferous Coal Measures on which sediments of Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous ages were deposited. Erosion then removed the Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks, exposing the Triassic rocks once again at the surface. Simultaneous with this erosion, earth movements folded and faulted the Triassic rocks, resulting in an outcrop pattern that became the bedrock floor on which the next great geological event occurred.

With acknowledgements to Paul Green

 

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Hen and Chicken Lane

Overgrown pathway (Image)

Stepping into Gnosall’s history, we have a new project about to start; though only small in comparison to other recent schemes, we hope this too will take your interest. The project is the restoration of “Hen and Chicken Lane”.

For many Parishioners this will be an unfamiliar area of Gnosall until I mention its location. The “lane” is situated within the burial ground between the hedging and the rear of the houses built in Lowfield Lane. Fascinatingly, our archives suggest it could have been an old boundary between medieval and Saxon estates.

Here is an interesting extract from our Parish Heritage Group:

Hen and Chickens on the 1837 Tithe Map

By the turn of the 20th century, the council was discussing the need for a new burial ground.  A field at Audmore was considered, “but many people disapproved of this piece of ground” and the field called Well Leasow (on the west side of Lowfield Lane) was chosen by the councillors. However the current site opposite Selman Street, gifted to the church by a farmer, was actually selected as the extension to the churchyard. On the 1837 map it was one of the fields named “Hen and Chickens”.  It was consecrated by the Bishop of Lichfield on the 16th March 1905 and the first burial was 5th May 1905.  It was enlarged in 2013.

A sunken pathway or holloway runs along the western edge of the burial ground. On the 1837 map, this is shown as a path continuing the original line of Selman Street southwards to a barn, rickyard and garden belonging to Richard Fowell, but it is likely to have medieval or even Saxon origins and perhaps originally ran from the church to Apeton or Church Eaton. It now stops at the new housing estate. These sunken pathways are sometimes the result of foot traffic, but according to W G Hoskins can represent old boundaries between medieval, Saxon estates or even Celtic estates.

Staffordshire Advertiser, 27 June 1903

Field-name expert John Field thinks this may be after a plant called this growing in the fields, perhaps birds’ foot trefoil.

Jim McGregor.

W G Hoskins, The Making of the English Landscape, ch. 1.

 

 

Over many years, as access and use was no longer required, the area has become overgrown. Unfortunately, it has also become a place of discarded litter and refuse from the burial ground. So initially phase 1 of the project is to clear the overgrowth and rubbish; in addition, the hedging and some of the trees will be cut back encouraging re-growth in a controlled manner. Once the restoration project is complete, the site will be open as a place of historical interest for generations to enjoy.

As a contribution to a community project we have approached the Community Payback Service (formally known as Community Service) to support phase 1 of the project in clearing the site. Community Payback has been designed as a method to punish and rehabilitate offenders, who  repay their debt to society by taking an active, unpaid, part in the improvement of their community. It provides you, as a local resident, with the chance to see offenders face punishment for crimes that may have affected you or someone you know.

A representative of the organisation visited the site, which was recognised as a suitable scheme and our application has been accepted. However, it is important that safety comes first. Residents can be assured that all offenders will need to meet certain criteria before they are assigned to specific tasks. An offender’s criminal and personal history is taken into account and all will work under close supervision.

 

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We have a meeting this week to confirm a start date for Phase 1, and hopefully this will be soon. Clearing the site will take between 7 – 10 days depending on the number of persons on site as well as on the weather conditions. Nearby residents will be contacted and a notice detailing the start date will be posted on site. A pair of wooden gates have been recently installed at the entrance to the lane (adjacent to the burial ground entrance) in anticipation of the start of the project and as a permanent deterrent against the cleared area being used by unauthorised vehicle access.

There should be minimal disruption to adjacent residents and to visitors to the burial ground. If you have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact the group, or by email to Cllr Sue Green suegreen@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk or Parish Clerk, Jayne Cooper clerk@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk

If you or your family have any further information in regard to the history of the site we would be delighted to hear from you. 

Thank you to the Heritage Group for the valued information and to Jim McGregor for the photograph

 

 

Gnosall Community Library

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Since the Winter GMK edition, the Library Group has been beavering away, pushing the project as fast as we can. We have had a steep learning curve to get to grips with Planning Permissions, Building Regulations, etc and this is still going on. Meanwhile we had a very lively and encouraging volunteer coffee morning this summer, which was very well attended and showed there is a great deal of interest in the project.

We are also working toward CIO Charity Status; under our new name, ‘GLEAN Hub’ and you can find us at our website www.gleanhub.org or from the Parish Council website LIBRARY link.

We are still working closely with the Staffordshire County Council and they are supporting us throughout our endeavour. Many thanks still to Gnosall Parish Council with their unswerving dedication for this project to succeed. We still do not have a clear end date in sight yet but we are getting there!

 

The Annual Christmas Lights Switch-on in Gnosall Parish

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The ever-popular Christmas Lights will be switched on at 5.15pm on the 25th November at the Grosvenor Centre in the presence of the Town Crier and the winners of the Christmas Card competition. In addition to the lights and Christmas Tree at the Grosvenor Centre, there will be illuminated Christmas trees at the Royal Oak, the Village Green, Moreton Church and Knightly Church.

 Father Christmas has promised to make an appearance with some of his elves to give out goody bags to the children after they have been to the special entertainment provided for them. Mums and dads are not forgotten, with spiced mulled wine being available for them. The now-traditional hot dogs will also be available to all!

Good weather has been ordered, but, unfortunately, cannot be guaranteed. This pleasant early evening is sure to give a good start to the Christmas period and we are all looking forward to it – oh yes we are!!!

 

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How far can you see? Scenes from Gnosall and beyond from along our public Rights of Way routes

St Lawrence Church and Gnosall with Abdon Burf in the distance  (Image)

In and around Gnosall Parish there is a network of public rights of way routes (PROW), which are free to use and open throughout the year. PROW routes offer a chance to see some beautiful scenic countryside views, both local and distant, combined with the fauna and flora also in abundance in our parish. One such PROW route can be found on the north side of the Audmore Loop; this route is numbered Gnosall 27 and the route across the Audmore Loop is Gnosall 24. There is a stile at the top of the Gnosall 27 route and the location is sometimes called the “Audmore ridge” and (for the more observant) the chicken farm is the other side of the stile at the top (north side) of the Audmore ridge. The Gnosall 27 route continues towards Ranton and is subsequently numbered Haughton 48 then a route junction with Haughton 43 and continuing as Ranton 16 and Ranton 15 (near to the location of the old Hand and Cleaver pub, Ranton). The top of the Gnosall 27 route along the Audmore ridge is an excellent vantage point for the surrounding views both over Gnosall and of distant locations.

It is worthwhile briefly explaining the origins of the PROW routes nationally. Our access to the countryside has not always been and was campaigned for many years ago, particularly in the 1930’s. On the 24th April 1932 a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the Peak District, Derbyshire was arranged by the Communist-inspired British Workers Sports Federation. The mass trespass on Kinder Scout, sometimes known as the “Kinder Trespass”, was organised to raise awareness of the fact that ramblers at that time were prevented access to the countryside in many areas.

Some of the members of the Kinder trespass were arrested, although trespassing was not a crime in Britain at that time. There were violent skirmishes with gamekeepers and some of the ramblers involved received jail sentences between two and six months for the violence against them. The Kinder trespass was used in the media campaign by the Ramblers Association which was formed on the 1st January 1935. Today they are the leaders of the campaign for continued access to the countryside.

The group’s campaigning succeeded when the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (sometimes termed the CROW Act) became law but the work and campaigning continues. If you are interested in the PROW routes in and around Gnosall, you may be interested to know that Gnosall Parish Council are undertaking a survey of the PROW system in our parish. Have you got time to help, or experience and knowledge regarding the local routes? If so please contact Gnosall Parish Council for more information.

These photographs were taken recently, showing distant locations which can be seen from the top of the Audmore Ridge (around 459 feet above sea level) by the chicken farm along the public right of way route Gnosall 27.

Looking out in a south westerly direction from the Audmore ridge, Abdon Burf can be seen on the Brown Clee Hill and is located west of Cleobury North in Shropshire. Abdon Burf (apparently the highest point in England south of the Pennines) is around 1,771 feet above sea level and over 26 miles from Gnosall in a straight direction based on the fact that the highest village in Britain is Flash, with Staffordshire at around   

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519 feet above sea level, then Abdon Burf is a grand vantage point for the surrounding area which looks down on Gnosall. Our St Lawrence Church can be seen clearly on a good day from the Abdon Burf summit. There is a PROW next to the Abdon Burf summit on the Brown Clee Hill. One of the most recognisable hills is the Wrekin which is clearly visible from many parts of the Gnosall parish and is 1,335 feet above the Shropshire Plain.

Did you know that from Gnosall you can see another country?

There are some who refer to the United Kingdom or Great Britain as “Country” which is incorrect and should be termed correctly as “Nation”. Our parish is obviously in England and from the Audmore ridge you can see the country of Wales. The hill called Llanymynech, located near Pant on the England/ Wales border, is around 738 feet above sea level and is just over 35 miles in a straight line and in a westerly direction. The hill called Berwyn, also in the same westerly direction, is 774 feet above sea level and found near Aithnen, Wales which is just over 38 miles in a straight direction. These two hills across the border in Wales are located near to where part of the historic 8th century Offa’s Dyke can be found. For your interest there is a long distance walking route of 177 miles, called the “Offa’s Dyke Path”, which follows Offa’s Dyke along the Welsh/ English border.

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So, to answer the question posed in the title of this article - how far can you see? It’s up to you to go out and enjoy and use our PROW system and see for yourselves. Happy walking.......

Useful web links

Public footpaths and bridleways

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/environment/eLand/RightsofWay/home.aspx

Public rights of way interactive map

https://apps2.staffordshire.gov.uk/WEB/OnTheMap/RuralAccess

 

Definitive map

https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/environment/eLand/RightsofWay/Legal/definitivemap/definitivemap.aspx

Gnosall Parish Council public rights of way survey

http://www.gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk/index.php?page=HOME&content=3151&show=y