Mountfield

MOUNTFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS: Barbara Valentine writes that she “had a really good time at the St Michael’s Hospice Easter Exhibition over the Easter weekend. I met, and painted, a lot of interesting people and dogs. The new venue for the Hospice’s Easter Exhibition at Sedlescombe Village Hall worked very well for the artists and visitors and I raised an amazing £640 for the Hospice by doing the quick portraits — and kind donations from my friends. Thank you!”

THROUGH TREES & TIME: Peter writes: At the time of going to press, the first two dates for this walk are virtually fully booked with just one or two spaces left. Sunday May 7th still has spaces and I have added a new date on Friday April 28th. Once again, the main purpose of the walk is to try to get under the skin of our High Weald landscape lookiing for clues as to why it looks as it does. The walk will cover details such as woodland archæology, medieval earthworks (wood banks, massive 13thC moated site), other industrial remains (mine pits, quarries, kilns), woodland crafts (coppicing, sawpits, charcoal platforms), ancient roads and trackways (some no more than ghosts through the woods, plus botany including a rare plant population and an even rarer tree, foraging (with recipes), and more. It is such an extraordinarily rich couple of miles that it will be a privilege to share it again, courtesy of Lucinda and Simon — all off any rights of way.

MOUNTFIELD CLUB: The Club’s Easter Quiz night, was a record turn out with 38 people making up eight teams on the night. The winning team, Rocket Rockets, won with 84 points and consisted of Colin Elmes, Andy Saunders, Mark Lee, Jackie and Liv Sillitoe, and Marion Caldwell.

The Club would like to say special thanks Steve Smith for organising and hosting the quiz, Sue and Glen for organising the Easter Egg Raffle, and to everyone who donated prizes, and bought tickets. The Club would also like to thank everyone who supplied food on the night for the buffet, in particular Alan and Carol. Last Saturday also doubled up as a birthday surprise party for club member Dennis Smith who was celebrating is 80th Birthday, so many happy returns to Dennis. The date for the next Quiz along with other events will be confirmed soon.

SOUTH EAST WATER: Jeremy Dufour, the project manager for the water main renewal through John’s Cross reports that to date they have laid 300 metres of new pipework within the carriageway of the A21 Vinehall Road by directional drilling methods and are currently preparing for our next drill section. There was no traffic management on the A21 over the Easter weekend. The scheme is currently on schedule. Further updates will be given in the Village Voice.

SW CONSTRUCTION WORKS: Solomon’s Lane is now closed again until July 28th. As we go to press, the question of the school bus is still in hand but it is hoped to have a solution in hand in time for the new school term.

PARISH ASSEMBLY: This was held on Tuesday April 11th. There were the usual reports from the various clubs and associations. There was quite a lot of free-ranging discussion. Most usefully, this may have come up with the solution to the school bus situation during the current road closure. (Watch this space.) The intention is to replace next year’s parish assembly with a bacchanal.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: An early warning for your diaries: the Coffee Morning and Plant Sale will be over the Whitsun weekend on Sunday 28th May 10.30-12.30 at 4, Eatenden Lane.

STROLL ON: I have now led five strolls to the site of Mountfield’s Tudor Furnace. The first two were in January but the last three, over the last three weekends were in much less challenging weather. As always, the company was a pleasure, the kingcups were in their full glory, and we were still able to find some plants of the relatively rare toothwort. This is a rather sinister-looking parasitic plant with a decided preference for feeding off the roots of elm trees so they probably tell us much about the pre-70s treescape along the River Line.

CONTACT: We can always be contacted on 880614 (if no reply, just leave us your details on the answerphone) or via [email protected]. We always welcome contributions and feedback.

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