C.R.U. Benefice

The Vicar writes...

As June gives over to July...

... World Cup fever gives over to 'Wimbledonitis'. We swap one set of sporting heroes for another and 'Henman and Murray' replace 'Rooney and Beckham' on the lips of the nation. The cricket quietly continues as England take on Pakistan and cycling's greatest race, the 'Tour de France' begins and ends.

The 'fetes and fayres' season is in full swing and St. Mary's church and Upavon primary school entertain us to seasonal activities and stalls. Not to be outdone, St. Matthew's offers an evening concert of summer music with the 'Jubilate' choir and St. Peter's holds its annual Barn Supper. The green fingered among us are also catered for with the Rushall and Charlton St. Peter flower and produce show.

And as July draws to a dizzy end, our two schools prepare for the end of yet another school year with proms and church services. Oh and don't forget, July also sees the introduction of the wheelie-bin as our rubbish is now to be collected every two weeks.

You might think we'd all be excused if we took a quick lie-down in a darkened room at this point to catch our breath. Yet there's more, for on the last Sunday of the month history is made when Dom Pierre Massein, Abbot of St. Wandrille's Abbey in France, visits our villages. It will be the first time one of the abbey's monks has been here for 600 years.

July looks like being a full and busy month in our villages, yet there will be much to do and the temptation is always to be so busy that we forget to enjoy what we are doing. So enjoy what's on during the month of July, but whatever you do, make sure you find time to enjoy yourself as well.

Harvey Gibbons

The Abbey of St Wandrille

In celebration of 900 years of our church history a visit has been arranged for the abbot of St Wandrille

How did this connection with St Wandrille originate?

After William the conqueror had won his famous victory at Hastings he rewarded his loyal helpers with gifts of land. He was particularly anxious to reward his chaplain who also seems to have been a physician, and knowing that his chaplain was a devout Benedictine monk from the Abbey of St Wandrille, William gave St Wandrille lordship over four English Parishes in recognition of his services. These parishes flourished under the administration of the Abbey and early in the 12th Century the Abbey was given another four parishes including Upavon and Rushall. The Abbey also owned several additional parishes.

The deed of lordship was confirmed by Pope Innocent III after he had excommunicated and deposed King John from the throne of England in 1203. However during the Hundred Years War (1337 - 1457) between England and France, which resulted in the loss of all English possessions in France, apart from Calais, all English connections with foreign abbeys and monasteries was forbidden. For the next 600 years there seems to have been little, if any, relationship between Upavon and the Mother Church and it was not until 1960 when the Vicar, Revd Paul McCartney, re-established contact with St Wandrille, and even proposed the establishment of a society called "The Friends of St Wandrille@, a project we might like to revive.

During the middle ages the abbot was a Prebend (Honorary Canon) of Salisbury Cathedral and the present Abbot, who has the title of Reverendissime (Most Reverend), is a canon of Portsmouth Cathedral.

St. Peter's church history

Surviving masonry indicates that there was a church at Charlton in the 12th century. Medieval references to the 'chapel' of Charlton suggest that it may originally have been dependent on the church of Upavon, a possession of the abbey of St. Wandrille de Fontenelle (Seine-Maritime). If so, Charlton apparently achieved the status of an independent benefice at an early date. The first recorded presentation of a vicar to Charlton occurs in 1306.

Source: Victoria County History of Wiltshire, Vol 10.

Charlton St. Peter

Charlton St Peter covers 1,734 acres and lies 4 miles south-west of Pewsey. Long and narrow in shape, it measures 5.5 miles from its norther boundary,  1/2 mile north of the Avon, to its southern limit on Salisbury Plain.

Source: Victoria County History of Wiltshire, Vol. 10

Stephen Duck - the thresher poet

Stephen Duck (1705–1756), Charlton St. Peter's most famous resident, taught himself to read and write verse while working on a farm. Patronized as a natural genius, he was given a pension by Queen Caroline. Later he became a clergyman, but he fell out of favor and eventually drowned himself.

A portrait of Stephen Duck (right, attributed to Christian Richter. Date: circa 1740) is on display in the National Portrait Gallery.

The Duck Feast:

During his lifetime, in 1734, Lord Palmerston, one of his patrons, provided the rent from a piece of land to provide an annual feast for the threshers of Charlton. By the mid 19th century this provided an annual dinner for all the adult males of the village. By the mid 20th century the feast was attend by thirteen Duck Men, who drank toasts from the Duck Goblet. The chairman, known as the Chief Duck, wears a tall hat trimmed with duck feathers.

Garden waste collection

Kennet council's successful garden waste collection service has been expanded due to public demand.

The service is a fortnightly collection of green garden waste from a 180 litre green wheeled bin for an annual charge of £26 per bin. However, if you cannot manage with a garden waste wheeled bin, the Council can offer green hessian reusable sacks which are also available to residents at a charge of £30 per annum for 3 sacks.

Anyone interested in taking part in this service should contact the Council on 01380 724911 or email kennet@kennet.gov.uk