Thursday 28th December 2023
Today, someone has anonymously posted the following comment on the Facebook page Spotted In Warminster Town:
Went for a stroll around Norton Bavant church recently, what a sad and uncared for church!! fences broken down, dirty and scruffy inside, no sign of Christmas decorations , how sad, and yet the bells have been rehung, nice gravel path, lots of money been spent, but, no care shown in the church itself!! How sad where are the parishioners??
From the Local Crime Update, 19th To 24th December 2022, Warminster Community Area:
Occurrence 54220134342
Reported time 23/12/2022 15:46
Occurrence between 23/12/2022 15:00 23/12/2022 15:00
NORTON BAVANT – Unknown couple are meeting in a lane in the village for regular afternoon sex in the male’s vehicle. The vehicle has tinted windows but it is obvious from outside what is going on as the vehicle rocks. Is embarrassing for local parents with children.
Minutes of the Norton Bavant Village Meeting on Wednesday 9th March 2022
Present: Mike W (Chair), Andy D (Clerk), Jane D, Andrew L, John A, Nick C, Liz D, Geoff & Pat F and Suzanne N.
Apologies – Jonathan J-P, David H, Katie & Miles P, Gina C, Graham & Hilary C, Sarah & Alan C, Didee A, Jane W and Ian N.
1. Chair Introductory Remarks: Nil
2. Minutes of Previous Meeting: The minutes previous meeting were sent out on 10 October 2019 following the meeting of 09 Oct 19. It was accepted by the meeting that given the time since the last meeting due to COVID restrictions that the previous minutes were purely a historical record – the previous minutes were approved by all and signed by the Chair.
3. Matters Arising: It was agreed that these would be covered under the agenda items below.
4. Amenity Fund
Amenity Fund account. A copy of the Amenity Fund account has been posted on the kitchen units of the Village Hall for all to see; the report covers this financial year (up to 5 April 2022). Over the last 2.5 years the windows refurbishment has been almost completed (costing c£3000). In the last year, the village has spent c£1800 on running routine costs (electricity (heating/lighting), test certificates (fire/electricity), website, insurance, Village Hall Assoc membership, grass cutting, etc) and some limited improvements £962. The income received in this financial year was c£2059: £1282 in donations; hire of the hall & field £485 and HMRC £292. The current fund balance is c£997.
Future Purchases. The Chair stated that future purchases/work would include re-pointing of brickwork and replacing the wooden benches – this will need fundraising based on the current balance and normal in year running costs. The option of possibly selling some of the older benches as part of fundraising was proposed and agreed in principle.
5. Village Events
Jubilee Weekend/Celebrations (Sat 4 June). This was the main topic of discussion at the meeting. Three trees have been planted by Jonathan in the field as part of the Jubilee Commemoration. The chair summarised some pre-meeting discussions on WhatsApp which made several suggestions on how the Jubilee might be celebrated by the village e.g. bake-off type event followed by an afternoon tea and BBQ, etc. Saturday appeared the preferred date for a village event and there was general support from the meeting to celebrate the event (albeit the meeting was only attended by 10 villagers). It was proposed that a sub-meeting was arranged to organise the event/celebration – John, Andrew, Nick & Mike volunteered to support the sub-group planning (ACTION: Mike to agree/arrange next steps for the sub-group). In addition to any celebration, Andrew suggested purchasing a bench(es) to commemorate the Jubilee (costing between £450-£900) – it was acknowledged this could only be achieved through fundraising and/or a sponsor/donor.
Note: National events over the Jubilee period suggest Saturday afternoon should work well as it is deconflicted from other key events. John felt it may be possible to combine with a church event (details to follow).
Other Future Events As highlighted above fundraising events are needed if the village is to meet its running costs and maintain/replace current items – the Chair proposed the possibility of a Curry Night in October (date TBC) as part of the Harvest Festival period; Nick volunteered to lead on organising this event. John also suggested a church Harvest Breakfast event in Sep.
6. Post Box: Andrew confirmed that the wall has been repaired and that the Royal Mail have been informed of the repair. It will now be up to the local Royal Mail operational manager to confirm when the village mailbox is reopened. Thank you to Jonathan for the speedy repairs to the wall.
7. Clerk
Update. The Parish Steward continues to provide ½ a day of work/month for the Parish primarily clearing drains and filling potholes subject to other council priorities e.g. road gritting in winter. The Clerk will raise the issue of cleaning the bus stop with the Parish Steward on his next visit. Liz mentioned the need for the drain opposite her house needed some attention – the Clerk will bring this issue to the attention of the Parish Steward.
Handover of Clerk Role. Noting the current clerk has been in position for 4 years it was proposed that it was probably time to identify a successor. The meeting was asked to consider succession planning in finding volunteers for this role and other roles e.g. the Chair, event organisers and volunteer cleaners in order to share the responsibilities more equitably across the village community.
8. Church Matters: John updated the meeting on the church refurbishment: next steps include the installation of a compostable outside disabled toilet; a small kitchenette to be installed in the summer and then redecoration of the church throughout. John also mentioned that the Church has high quality wifi to facilitate “Zoom’ services and events. In addition. John clarified that the PCC meetings are open to all to attend
9. AOB
The meeting confirmed the handover of the village hall keys and booking to Jane D.
The Chair raised the issue of cleaning the telephone box, benches on the field and the bus stop which all require volunteers to maintain/clean. Andrew volunteered to do the work on the benches and Nick volunteered reference the telephone box. Following a question from Liz, the Chair also confirmed that the village hall cleaning rota would restart from April 2022. Please contact Mike or Andrew D. if you are able to volunteer for any of these tasks – we need volunteers to maintain the village and the village hall.
10. Date of Next Meeting
Wed 28 September 2022
Tuesday 25th January 2022
The Twitter page for Eton College Archives has tweeted:
We really do come across some little treasures when retrieving material for readers! This plan of lands (1770) covers the parishes of Norton Bavent [Norton Bavant], Bishopstrow and Warminster in the county of Wiltshire. [COLL JB EST MB 01 12 –https://catalogue.etoncollege.com/coll-jb-est-mb-01-12…]
catalogue.etoncollege.com/coll-jb-est-mb-01-12
Posted on youtube by Wessex Rivers Trust, 4th August 2021:
Here’s one from our partners at the Environment Agency. The Norton Bavant River Restoration project on Wiltshire’s River Wylye is an excellent example of what can be achieved through larger scale river restoration.
Thursday 20th June 2019
In the pouring rain ~
Hauled by a Black Five steam locomotive, 44871, ten carriages with a diesel loco at the rear, the Steam Dreams tour London-Bristol on its return journey (via Salisbury) through the Warminster area, Thursday 20th June 2019.
Filmed by Danny Howell as it approached Norton Wood Plantation Bridge, Norton Bavant, at 7.00 p.m.
Black Fives were known as “do-anything and go-anywhere” locomotives. 18 Black Fives survived into preservation with several examples still working on the mainline railway. Members of the class that have feature on previous tours with The Steam Dreams Rail Co. include 45212, 44871, 45407, 45305 & 44932. The first class 5 locomotive was built for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1934 to the design of Sir William Stanier. The new locomotives when built left the railway works in the standard mixed traffic black livery which soon earned them the nickname “Black Fives” for which they are still affectionately referred to today. The locomotives were capable of handling both express passenger and freight trains and were spread far and wide across the UK railway system. By the time the last Black Five was built in 1951, the class numbered 842 locomotives; one of the most numerous classes of British steam locomotives ever built.
For details of 44871 see:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_5_4-6-0_4871
Friday 10th August 2018
A view to the burial mound on
Scratchbury Hill, Norton Bavant,
from Morgan’s Drove Bridge,
Boreham, Warminster.
Photograph taken by Danny Howell
on Friday 10th August 2018.
Tuesday 31st July 2018
A view from Morgan’s Drove, Boreham,
over some of the fields of Bishopstrow Farm
to Scratchbury Hill, Norton Bavant.
Photograph taken by Danny Howell
on Tuesday 31st July 2018.
Wednesday 24th August 2016
North Farm Road, Norton Bavant,
will be closed for one day on
Tuesday 30th August 2016
to allow highway maintenance.
All enquiries, telephone 01225 777234.
Photographs taken by Danny Howell
on Wednesday 24th August 2016.
Tuesday 26th April 2016
The view east from Norton Bavant,
across Gully Triangle and Gully Field (Bishopstrow Farm)
and the Railway Field (South Farm, Norton Bavant)
to the Norton Wood Plantation and to Cotley Hill,
Heytesbury, in the distance.
Photograph taken by Danny Howell
on Tuesday 26th April 2016.
