Click below to visit other parts of the site
Home Location Mission Statement Services History Diary Our School Who's Who
Extracts from the May 2008
Parish Magazine
Greetings from our Priest in Charge - Revd. David Noblet
Dear friends,
First of all could I thank all of you who gave us good wishes for our family holiday in Scotland. We had a wonderful time visiting such places as Newton Stewart, Galloway Forest, Stranraer and Port Patrick. We were blessed with dry, sunny weather and even though it was a little chilly at times we made the best use of the week. The holiday was important to us as we had not had a proper break since last October with me being ill over the Christmas period. My special thanks to Revd Brian Stevenson who kindly took the services whilst I was away.
Last month I said I would report on the Stewardship Thanksgiving Service which was held on Sunday 30th March. The idea was to give thanks to God for his generosity towards us here at St. Leonard’s, and to acknowledge the way he works through individuals in the giving of his gifts. We had joyful hymns, special thanksgiving prayers and a sermon based on good stewardship. The response forms given out at our stewardship dinner were presented at the offertory. At the end of the service it was a real pleasure for me to be able to hand out a token of thanks to those who have taken a major part in organising our stewardship campaign.
I felt that the service went very well, though it was modestly attended. I am sure that all those who came along have heard God‘s call and have responded as best as they are able. Thank you so much to all who have been involved in any way so far. If you still want to take part please do ask for a brochure and response form, it’s not too late! Our campaign goes on now as we look for ways to make best use of the commitments our people have made.
May is another busy month in the life the Church as we celebrate The Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity Sunday. Please look at the diary so you don’t miss out on anything.
With love and best wishes,
David Noblet
Gardening Diary.
I am afraid I haven’t been practising what I preach. Due to bad weather and the school holidays, a whole month, when I should have been getting everything started, has gone by in a flash. However everything is prepared and ready to go so I WILL catch up.
School gardening club is organised, all the soil, bark, gravel and sand is bought. As usual the number of children wanting to join the after school club was far too many to supervise and keep occupied with jobs, so I have had to split it in two 5 week sessions, then we will all get together at the end of term in July and have a ‘garden party’.
As I mentioned last month, I have bought lots of bark to spread on the huge wild area we have in the school garden, so hopefully we won’t have quite so much weeding to do and will be able to concentrate on the more productive side of gardening.
The perennials in the flower garden are spreading and re-seeding themselves. These will be divided and some potted up so there will be large quantities on sale on the plant stall at the Summer Fair on the 6th July. As a matter of fact if anyone needs plants please make us your first port of call, we are very cheap and have an enormous variety now, including shrubs and ornamental grasses. The sale of plants helps us to keep the children gardening by replenishing our soil, bark and seeds. Just give me a ring. Jean 01254240769
There are lots of bargains to be had at the garden centres on bedding plants and winter pansies. Due to bad weather people had not been buying and they now have massive stocks. Apparently some of the big DIY stores like B&Q have cut back on their orders because they haven’t sold the stock they have, hence the reductions.
My potatoes are not chitting very well, they are on a bright window sill but not coming on at all, perhaps they get cold overnight near to the window, or
I may have bought a bad lot. I will see what happens over the next week or two.
I have a lot of alpines which are very well established in my front garden near to the wall. It is a very sheltered and sunny spot. They are lovely at the moment, but I feel I have missed out on them because it has been too cold to spend any time out there and appreciate them. Some of them are already past their best.
My grandchildren have some cactus plants. A few weeks ago they put them outside to re-pot and forgot about them. They were in a deep dish which filled up with water and froze solid. They were very upset when they found them because they thought they would die. I told them that in the desert where they live it can be very very cold at night and that they will probably be ok. A few weeks on and they are thriving in fact they look healthier than ever.
School gardening club is on Wednesdays 3.30 -4.30. Come and have a look at us.
Jean Lord
MILES OF SMILES
Last year (accompanied by Brian) I walked the 10 mile Canal Walk organized by The Rotary Club of Church and Oswaldtwistle and thanks to a lot of our Church members and particularly members of the Mother’s Union (MU) a considerable sum of money was raised via your sponsorship for the Mother’s Union “Holiday Caravan” Appeal. This Appeal was made to purchase a new Caravan to be used by families who have found life hard and are in desperate need of a holiday and the MU try to help as many families as possible to get away for a break.
The Rotary Club are again organizing a 10 mile Canal Walk on the 11th May and this year I propose to take part again (supported by Brian). I have chosen a new and yet not very well known charity – MILES OF SMILES. This charity is dedicated to providing children who find themselves being carers for a sick parent or sibling and who very rarely get a treat. MILES OF SMILES will provide a simple treat that puts a smile on the little face, a child who, for a day, or even part of a day, is made to feel very special.
Will you sponsor me? Remember how our children and grandchildren are treated almost all the time and yet these poor youngsters are growing up not knowing what a treat is, but with your generosity, my miles could put a smile on some of these children’s faces.
To sponsor me please see the sponsorship form at the back of Church or just give me a ring and I will arrange for you to fill in the form.
Thank you for reading this plea, but more importantly, thank you in advance for helping me help MILES OF SMILES.
With love
Anne Williams
01254 240402
From the Parish Registers
Holy Baptism
20th April 2008: Freddie Edward Snowden of Brockhall Village
Thomas Joseph Whiteside of Brockhall Village
We pray that both these children will grow into their Baptism, with God’s blessing and the help of their parents and the Church.
Funerals
27th March 2008 at the Co-Op Funeral Home, Blackburn:
Audrey Mather, 82 years, originally from Little Harwood.
Audrey was a big sports fan. She was dearly loved by her family and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let light perpetual shine upon her.
A May Saint
The Venerable Bede was born about the year 670 AD in Northumbria. He was brought up in the monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul at Wearmouth. He spent his adult life at Jarrow were he lived the life of a Monk. His monastery was a great centre of learning and he studied extensively. His most famous work is a complete history of Christian England up to the year 729 for which he used every resource available at that time. The book is still available today. Bede loved the monastic life and being a teacher and was admired by his students. He died in 735 and his tomb can be visited at Durham Cathedral.
Walk Dates Update
The first of the St Leonard’s walks from Old Langho Church down to the Ribble was extremely well attended with 37 people and a dog (Ben) completing the walk.
Fortunately the weather on Good Friday was very kind to us. The route took us down the side of the Black Bull to Aspinalls Farm. The fields were very muddy and I’m sure there was a competition going on with the children to see who could get the muddiest.
From the farm we walked past Dinckley Hall down to the suspension bridge over the River Ribble. The intrepid walkers then stopped for a well earned lunch, and even though I made a point of talking to all those with food nobody was forthcoming with a sandwich for me!!!!
After a break of 45 minutes we made our way back via the woods behind Brockhall Village and into church for a short service.
This service was only 15 minutes, and thanks to David Noblet for a really enjoyable end to what had proved to be a good start to the church walks.
I believe it was so successful that Kathy & I would like to propose we arrange a couple of Sunday afternoon walks of around 6 miles which could be started at 2pm (so not to affect the church attendance), and then people will be able to get home for tea by 5.30pm.
My first suggestion would be Downham and Sawley Abbey. Downham means the “habitation on the hill” and the settlement here predates the Domesday survey. The manorial family are the Asshetons, one of the oldest families in Lancashire, able to trace their ancestors to a man called Orme, whose Viking forbears landed in England around 900AD. The name Asshetons dates from the 12th century when Orme married the Baron of Manchester’s daughter, bringing as a dowry the manor of Assheton-under-Lyne.
Please let us know if you would be interested in doing something like this.
If anybody has a favourite walk they would like to share with us then again we would be pleased to hear about it, and are more than happy to let other people lead walks. As I reminder for the next walk we have republished below the details. Please do come along if at all possible and enjoy this interesting walk.
Saturday 10th May 2008. From Bolton Abbey car park at 10.30 prompt.
Simon’s Seat and the Valley of Desolation. Distance 11 miles with ascent of 1200 feet.This is an extremely attractive and popular walk which combines some of the most beautiful parts of the Wharfe valley between Bolton Abbey and Howgill with the grand moorland of Simon’s Seat.
The valley above the waterfall has been called the Valley of Desolation. It acquired this name after a severe storm in 1826 which caused considerable damage. Today, however, the name is scarcely appropriate for the tree-cloaked slopes, attractive stream and two waterfalls, one 50 feet high, make it instead a place of sylvan beauty.
There is a charge to park at the Bolton Abbey car park and I would suggest that wherever possible people car share. Also, restrictions prevent dogs being allowed on this walk
Please let either myself or Kathy know if you need and further information or you have any inputs for future walks.
Dave & Kathy Pennington.
History of Billington
Anglo Saxon
Names in Billington may be traced to Anglo-Saxon or Danish languages. Billinge = part of a hill range (the line of low hills from the river bank): tun = a Saxon word for habitation. Langho – lang hill is also thought to be a contraction of the Anglo-Saxon “Billingahoh”.
One historian thought the word Billing derived from “the noble progenitor” (ancestor) of a royal race in Saxony. He believed this from designations of the early communities or “Marks” by which England was colonised by the Saxons. There are other areas with names such as Billinge, Billingham and Billinghoe which confirmed his beliefs. Some local place names were Bradyll (from the Anglo-Saxon for Broc= badger and hole = badger’s hole, now spelled Brockhall. Snodworth was so named because a spur of moor land hill stood out prominently and was likened to a hood covered head: snood = hood + worth = an off =farm or estate.
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle gives the account of the Saxons “Momentous Battle of Bilingahoh”. In AD 798 Eardulf, the king of Northumbria, fought Wada and Alric who were the prime instigators in the murder of the previous king, Ethelred. Wada and Alric were reported to be no common warriors and had been implicated in former assaults on the throne and fought ” the matter out with them by that strange logic chopping of the spear, the battle axe and the sword”. The battle was on the extreme verge of the kingdom of Northumbria – South of the Ribble was part of the kingdom of Mercia. The battle is believed to have taken place on the right bank opposite Hacking Hall. There were two large tumular mounds near this bank that seemed artificial.
In 1815 it is recorded that some excavation was started but given up as the work was found to be too heavy. Dr. Whittaker reported he was present,
however, in 1836 when Thomas Hubbestey, the farmer at Brockhall was removing a large mound of earth about 500 yrds from the banks of the river and discovered Kist-vaen (this was a chest shaped burial chamber made with flat stones) containing some human bones and the rusty remains of some iron spear heads. Unfortunately all of this crumpled to dust on exposure to the air. There is no trace of where this was as the tumulus was completely cleared away.
Next a tour of the Normans to the Tudors
M U Notices May
Mon 12th May 7.30pm. MU Choir practice at 87 Rogersfield, Langho
Tues 13th May 3.00pm. Godzone Refreshments - Doreen Green & Marjorie Talbot
Tues 20th May 6.30pm. Mystery Evening Trip followed by supper Coach leaving Mytton Fold Car Park Anyone wishing to support our Evening Trip please see Audrey Fox or Betty Wood.
A reminder that we are starting to collect items for the Ribbon Tombola ready for the Rose Queen Festival on the 14th June 2008.
We would also be delighted to receive your donations of cakes, scones and tea breads for serving in the Tearoom. Anyone interested in helping in the kitchen please have a word with myself. Advance thanks to you all.
God Bless
Maureen Holden
Branch Leader
John Lambourn – Part IV
So I went back to Reading university after four years in the army. This time the army discipline had given me some self-discipline. I resolved to get a degree and NO CRICKET!
The Agriculture Course on which I embarked was under Professor H.G. Sanders (nickname GEM and he was). I absorbed it all with a good appetite ( a little indigestion from time to time). I lived in St.Patricks Hall about a mile away, journeying on an old bicycle – bought for ten shillings- there was no fear of it being pinched but it got me about.
There was only one Agriculture student in my block of 12 rooms – that was me. My room mates were mostly ex-servicemen- Army, Navy and Air force. One, a Welshman, “Taffy” Morgan had been in the Air-Sea Rescue service, who sang the song:
“We are the Air Sea rescue
No earthly use are we
We do sweet Fanny Adams
On land, in air, on sea
And when we sight a dinghy
We shout with all our might
“Per Ardua ad astra” blow you Jack I’m all right”
(to the tune Aurelia: “The Church’s One Foundation”)
He was a beautiful singer, like many Welshmen. Why have the Welsh got such good voices? I maintain it is their build – barrel chest/short neck- this there is an unimpeded flow of air from the lungs and over the voice box. Incidentally, do you remember the late Olive Bennett who was Welsh. She used to read the lessons in Church. Her voice had that Welsh musicality which made compulsory listening.
In our gang of twelve there was a coal miner who had double shifts in the mine to pay his way through university. He was studying Fine Art- and he studied hard- with never a palette and paintbrush out of his hand. There was also a blind chap who was studying Philosophy. He appeared to have , like a fish, a sense of “approach to solid objects”. Also an Argentinean who went by the name of “Pancho”
After our evening meal in hall we settled down to work in our rooms until 8.15pm when we joined up for coffee – a very interesting ¾ hour. At 9pm back to work until midnight.
I enjoyed these get-togethers and learned a lot which was not on the Agriculture Syllabus.
On Rag Day we managed to hire s Stage Coach. We borrowed a pair of horses from a coalman and toured Reading appropriately dressed (we thought) as a Wild West Stage Coach, dressed as Cowboys- with the odd Indian – raising money for charity.
Writers cramp is once again on the attack so I will stop. Perhaps another article – on post university life.
Incidentally I finished my three years at Reading with a reasonable degree.
John – Thanks you for your contributions they are fantastic!
Click the Diary link for full diary of the current month.
Please click below to visit other parts of the site
Home Location Mission Statement Services History Diary Our School Who's Who
© Parish Church of St Leonard Langho