Shapwick News

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SHAPWICK COMMUNITY GROUP SPRING ISSUE, APRIL 2022

Welcome to the all new Shapwick News In this issue:

GRAHAM CROUCHER, CHAIR OF SHAPWICK PC Welcome
Page 1
It’s really exciting to introduce Shapwick Community Group will be The Bunny Hop's Back!
News to everyone once again. I am sure Participation and support by many Page 1 & 3
those familiar with Shapwick News over from within the village PC Updates
the past 30 years will recognise many of Discovering and generating lots of Page 2
their old favourites! great ideas that can be delivered by A Bag Full of Hugs
A team of volunteers helped to produce the group Page 2
this first issue. Going forward, Shapwick Great communication From the Horse's Mouth
News will be published quarterly by a Page 2
revolving group of editors and We believe that Shapwick News will be our Dora's Poetry Corner
contributors. To maximise the success of great communication channel. Page 2
Shapwick News, we will need to welcome As the first step towards discovering and An Update from Dovecote
new editors and contributors from across generating ideas, we want to follow up on School
the whole of the Shapwick community so the successful 2020 survey by Front Foot Page 3
please do think how you may be able to Shapwick. 'Shapwick's First Hop!' -
help and support us. You are invited to return the suggestions History on our Doorstep
The revival of Shapwick News is one of slip on page 4, completing the statement Page 3
the first actions by the newly formed “I wish Shapwick ……......... ”, by either Shapwick Statistics:
Shapwick Community Group, a group posting it in the black post box next to the Rainfall
formed by the Shapwick Parish Council. main door of the Village Hall, via a Google Page 3
We were inspired by the concept of form by typing in the link Homes for Ukraine
“Community Led Plans” which many https://forms.gle/F4uKamxdVwTuP9hA9 Page 4
other villages across the UK have (we will shortly post this link on the Shapwick Walks
adopted. If you search the internet, you Shapwick Residents’ FB page) or by email Page 4
can find many examples and sources of to [email protected]. If you Village Jubilee Picnic
inspiration. prefer to remain anonymous, please use Page 5
Plans range from improving village slip or link. All responses will be Celebrating Local Wildlife,
facilities, to protecting red squirrels, to considered. an Exhibition
affordable housing projects. So many If you wish to help, support, volunteer or Page 5
things are possible! contribute in any way, please use any one Cricket Club & Fixtures
Vital to the success of the Shapwick of the above communication routes to let Page 5
us know! What's On (including the
Shapwick Jam!)
The Bunny Hop's Back! Page 6
Call for Volunteers &
TOM MILLS Submissions
Page 6
It was a sell-out return for one of
Shapwick’s great community events. The Well done to those who spotted
Shapwick Bunny Hop is organised and run 'Thankful Village' in the header,
by villagers, for villagers and local runners a nod to Shapwick being one of
across the county and further afield. just 53 small parishes throughout
England and Wales from which all
The long-awaited return of this gruelling across the Heath and back up into the soldiers returned from the Great
7.5mile trail race after two hard Covid woodland of Canada Farm. Some elite War. https://britishheritage.com/
cancelled years did not disappoint. The runners took advantage of the near perfect history/somersets-thankful-
sun mainly shone as 133 runners took on conditions to record staggering times while/ villages
the challenge to race the boundaries of Continued on page 3
Shapwick; through farm and field, 1
footpaths and lanes, gates and stiles,

PC Updates

LOCAL ELECTIONS: The result of the Election of Parish Councillors for Shapwick has been declared as UNCONTESTED.
This means Shapwick’s Parish Councillors will be Lesley Gaskell, Paul Rogers, Moray McGowan, Frank Barnard, Steve
Campion and Graham Croucher once the new term starts.
After 12 years' service as a Parish Councillor, Laura Anderson decided not to stand this time, we all want to thank Laura
for her dedicated service to the community over so many years. This means that we have one remaining vacancy on the
Parish Council. If you would like to put yourself forward, please visit the PC website shapwickparishcouncil.org.uk
Fans of Channel 4’s Time Team will recognise the late Professor Mick Aston of Bristol University
who led a project of exceptional archaeological & historical research into Shapwick in the ‘70s
& ‘80s. Remarkable discoveries were made including the Neolithic Sweet Track that made
Shapwick the most thoroughly studied parish in Somerset. Many of the findings are to be found
in ‘ Drawing Somerset’s Past’ by illustrator Victor Ambrus & Steve Minnitt, copies of which were
recently presented to Catcott, Ashcott & Dovecote schools by Shapwick Parish Council.

A Bag Full of Hugs bags were donated to women they were supporting. Covid
suspended our activities during lockdown. However, we
AMANDA ALLDRIDGE launched the initiative again this year, on February 14th.
Quite quickly after the launch we became aware of the
A Bag Full of Hugs is an initiative set up by Ukrainian refugee crisis and how our initiative could in a
Shapwick Starlets WI. The initiative supports very small way support it. We were amazed at the
women fleeing violence, exploitation and generosity of the local community and were able to donate
those in financial hardship. 60 bags to the appeal.
We collect donations of good condition secondhand We continue to run the initiative supporting local charities.
handbags and unused toiletries. We then pack each Anyone who wishes to support the initiative can find us on
handbag with the essentials, some nice to haves and a Facebook.
small gift (scarf etc).
A tag is added to each bag; “To an Amazing Woman, we
hope in some way this bag makes your day a little
easier. Know that this bag is sent with Love and the
belief that you can and will Succeed. Remember you are
Lovely, Awesome, Brave and Strong. YOU CAN DO THIS!
With Love, A Bag Full of Hugs".
In 2019, when we first ran this initiative, we packed
approx 150 handbags. These were donated to women’s
refuges, a hostel and a police led initiative where the

From the Horse's Mouth Dora's Poetry Corner

TRACEY LOCKYER 'APRIL GARDEN, SPRING OR WINTER'
BY DORA WATKINS
Shapwick, the name that means Sheep farm!!
So, what better way to start the farming April garden awash with colour
piece than with a bit about lambing? Freshly painted by nature's own pallet
It all starts around September when the tups Vibrant tulips red and yellow
(boys) are put in to the ewes for mating. The ewes have a 17 day Vie with other plants for pride of place
cycle and rams are normally kept in for 34 days. The rams will wear Pale primroses peep from bright green leaves
a harness and mark the ewes to show they have been served. Then Shrubs adorned like brides in pink and white
152 days later lambing begins. Yellow daffodils in many shades
This year I lambed 132 ewes. Within that there were 23 lots of Birds are popping everywhere
triplets, 1 set of quads and numerous doubles with only around 10 In the bright April sunshine
singles. Thankfully the weather was on my side and they were able Sun turns to rain, rain into sleet, sleet into snow
to be turned outside quickly. Hopefully you have all enjoyed at Sneaky winter's back to have another go
some point seeing the lambs gambol in the fields! But not for long, the April sun has heat
So as the weather gets hotter it will soon be shearing time and the Spring has sprung, it will not be beat.
dairy farmers will be getting ready to forage their crops ready for
the winter again!

SPRING ISSUE | APRIL 2022 2

The Bunny Hop's Back!

Continued from page 1 / local teenager, Jay Anderson, year’s donations going toward the village defibrillator.
smashed into a 7th place finish with an incredible time of In the words of one runner, who travelled over 100 miles to
52 mins 25 secs, closely followed by fellow Shapwick make his Bunny Hop return, “It’s still the most beautiful
village boy, Ioan Manning. The next generation of runners village I know. It’s just a brilliantly organised local trail
has well and truly arrived! Huge congratulations to race that has kept all its original character”.
Jennifer Tweedy (just a few years older than the boys) for
achieving a massive course PB on the day and collecting For the full report and
the prize for 1st female local runner. gallery of photos, visit
This event could not happen though, were it not for the shapwickrunners.com
magnificent local volunteers who provide such brilliant
support both before and during the event; from race day
organisation, running the junior events, the race marshals,
the refreshments and wonderful cake donations at the
village hall, the timekeepers, and the support of local
landowners.
Thanks also to the generous donations that enable this
non-profit event to support great village causes, with this

An Update from Dovecote School History on our Doorstep:
Shapwick's First Hop
JASON GODDARD, CEO

Dovecote School is moving forward! The sports hall and JAN SWAIN'S LEAPS FRANK BARNARD
classrooms have all had a makeover.
Jan (or John) Swain was a native of Shapwick in
And you will have noticed Somerset. He was taken in his bed a few nights after
several animals have started the Battle of Sedgemoor by two of Kirke’s dragoons
to appear on the school field who, on the following morning, were marching him
(these, at the moment, are a to Bridgwater. His young wife and two children,
local resident’s sheep) but attended by several of the villagers, followed him
when we open in August there and when they arrived at that part of the parish
will be a smallholding with called Loxley Wood he fell on his knees and
different types of animals for our students to work with petitioned that the prayer of a father doomed to
therapeutically as well as educationally. Understanding death might be heard and that he might be allowed
where our food comes from is a crucial part of the school. to show how far he could leap, that his children,
This will then encompass our revamped café for the when grown up, might keep him in remembrance.
students to try and understand the process of food His prayer was granted, when he ran and took three
production and the sensory barriers that come with food for successive leaps and before the soldiers had
ASC students. recovered from their astonishment, he had entered
The new website is in place, please have a look: the adjoining coppice which is thickly wooded and
dovecoteschool.co.uk full of swamps as to render it impossible for the
We have been overwhelmed with the welcome from horses to follow. He remained in the ditches of the
Shapwick residents and we really appreciate all the kind neighbourhood until the time of slaughter was
words and support you are giving us. Many thanks! overpassed, when he returned to his happy family.
Extract from Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine, 1845, a
Shapwick Statistics collection of eclectic information akin to a
Victorian Google.
STUART DENNES
Rainfall measurements taken in Shapwick for the quarter
ended 31 March amount to 120mm (nearly 5 inches), with
the wettest day of 2022, 8th January, getting 13mm. During
the three months we had rain on 44 days out of 90.
This is considerably less than January - March 2021 when
the total was 178mm, and we had rain on 52 days.
The long-term average for annual rainfall in mid-Somerset is
800mm (31 inches), and we recorded 809mm for 2021.

SPRING ISSUE | APRIL 2022 3

Homes for Ukraine their homes with only the to Wellington, Yeovil to Wells and
possessions they can carry. everywhere in between.
MARIA ALLEN The Facebook group 'Homes for If you are interested in hosting, or
The devastation caused by the war in Ukraine - Taunton Hosts' is doing unable to host but keen to offer help,
Ukraine is well documented. everything it can to assist refugees to please visit their FB page for more
Desperate people are fleeing from find hosts in the region, from Brean, information.

Shapwick Walks – Buscott Loop

WITH THANKS TO KEN WADE FOR HIS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
MATERIAL, WHICH HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY UPDATED

What better time of year to explore the footpaths
and lanes around Shapwick, whether walking or
running. Let’s start with the Buscott classic ‘Bunny
Hop’ walking route, a 4 mile rural loop with great
views of the Mendips and Glastonbury Tor.
This makes a lovely 40 minute run or
90 minute walk.
Start from St Mary’s Church and head
south up the main road past The Old
Bakery and turn left at the Public Footpath
sign into Vicarage Lane. At the end of the
lane go through the gate between two
stone pillars and follow the footpath
through 4 fields to Chestnut Lane. With
Glastonbury Tor on the horizon ahead,
continue straight on along the lane for
some 450 hundred metres until you reach
a small copse on the left. Here take the green track which bears left alongside the copse. This can be overgrown, muddy
and rutted. To the North you have wonderful views of the Mendip Hills including pointed Crook Peak to the North-West,
Cheddar Gorge and Wells TV mast. Beerway Farm is nearby on your left.
Continue along this track until you reach an open gateway into a field, and head straight on with the hedge on your right.
Keep going through the fields, through 2 small metal gates, then at the third gate cross a small footbridge over a ditch
and continue East through 2 more fields, now with the hedge on your left, until you reach a large gate and a stone track.
Go through the gate and continue straight up the track for some 50m. Where the track bends sharply round to the right at
Fullpits lane (house on your right), carry straight on over the old wooden stile. Here turn sharp left in front of a big pile of
earth and head straight down the hill, keeping close to the hedge. When you reach the bottom of this field, cross the
small footbridge and metal gate then carry straight on through the next field to another small gate and footbridge. After
this turn sharp right and follow the path round two sides of the large field until you reach the far diagonal corner in
between Fifteen Acre and Buscott Copse. You may be lucky enough to see some of the deer which roam the levels, and
there is a lovely view of Wedmore Ridge in the distance and the line of houses at Meare ahead.
At the corner of the field continue straight on through an open gateway and along the side of the next two fields and
carry straight on until you reach the country lane (tarmacked road). Bear left along the lane and continue for about three
quarters of a mile to Coppice Gate Farm (farmhouse and farm buildings on the corner), where you then turn sharp left
and head up the hill past Northbrook Farm then Beerway Farm and straight back to the centre of Shapwick. Note that,
apparently, in the field on the Shapwick side of Beerway Farm, is the site of the original Parish Church (St Andrews)
before it was moved to the centre of the current village in 1331.
Please remember - always stick to public footpaths and bridlepaths (as marked on the OS map). Please do not roam
elsewhere in farmers’ fields. Also, please keep dogs on a lead where there is livestock and pick up your dog mess -
not only is it unpleasant, it is also very dangerous for cattle.

I wish Shapwick ……

SPRING ISSUE | APRIL 2022 4

Village Jubilee Picnic

The Parish Council invite you to join a village picnic on Friday 3 June to celebrate the
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The picnic will be held on the village green, starting at
3.00pm.
The PC are not able to provide catering but hope that in the spirit of a street party,
villagers will bring food and refreshments for themselves and to share.
The PC have ordered a commemorative coin for each child, of primary school age or less,
residing in Shapwick, and these will be handed out at the picnic. If you have not notified
the PC of your child’s details, can you please contact the parish clerk Sue Williams on [email protected]
so that your child’s name can be added to the list.
There will be a treasure hunt in the days before the picnic (details to follow). The winners of the treasure hunt will
be announced at the picnic.
We do hope that you will be able to join us to mark this very special occasion.

Celebrating Local Wildlife

RICH TWEEDY one in June 2018, showcasing some
of the best local wildlife
EMAIL: [email protected] photography. Exhibitors include
Shapwick is such a lovely place to live Carl Bovis, Chris Hooper and
– especially if you love wildlife, with Andrew Kirby, as well as Shapwick’s
amazing nature reserves within a ten- own Kim Hemmings, Janet Miles,
minute drive of our front doors. and yours truly! There’ll also be a
That’s why we’re running a café running throughout, being
photography exhibition, called organised by Helen Wade. Do come
“Somerset’s Glorious Wildlife” in the and enjoy some amazing local
Church, from Wednesday May 18th to wildlife photography!
Sunday May 22nd. It’s being For updates and more details, see https://poldenwheel.co.uk/events/wildlife-
organised along similar lines to the photography-exhibition/

Shapwick & Polden Cricket Club 2022

The first league matches will start on May 7th. The full “Dynamoes” programme
fixture programme can be found at sandpcc.play-cricket.com ecb.clubspark.uk/Dynamos/Course/ec7891a2-a98f-40c2-
Ex Somerset and Kent professional Calum Haggett has a36b-c3d21f0a50af. For more information about the juniors,
returned to the club as Director of Cricket and will captain please contact the co-ordinator Pete Ross,
the 1st XI in the West of England Premier League while [email protected].
Jacques Luckins and Jarrad Cave will skipper the 2nd and We took the first steps into Women’s Cricket last summer
3rd XIs. with more than fifteen members aged 14. Training is on
Anyone interested in joining the senior section should either Tuesday nights. The Women’s section have entered a soft
contact Calum [email protected] or come along to one of ball league in 2022, playing their matches on Sunday
the Wednesday evening training sessions at 6 p.m. afternoons. Anyone interested in joining should contact
The thriving junior section boasted more than 100 boys and Emma Silcox, [email protected].
girls aged between 5 and 16 in 2021. Registration is open for The Pavilion is always open on match days and all are
ages between 5 and 8 for the “All Stars” programme welcome to come along and watch, enjoying a drink and
ecb.clubspark.uk/AllStars/Course/abf16ec1-f727-4405-b711- some refreshments, either in the pavilion or on our extended
5ffa30db34d0 and for girls between 9 and 13 to enrol on the patio area.

Please complete the reverse side of this slip and return by either posting it in the black
post box next to the main door of the Village Hall, via a Google form by typing in the link

https://forms.gle/F4uKamxdVwTuP9hA9 or by email to [email protected].
If you prefer to remain anonymous, please use slip or link. Thank you!

SPRING ISSUE | APRIL 2022 5

What's On

Wed 18th to Sun 22nd May:
“Somerset’s Glorious Wildlife”, in
the Church. 11-4.30pm (Sun 2-5pm)
Friday 3rd June: Village Jubilee
Picnic Village Hall Green at 3pm.
Bring your own picnic, Jubilee
souvenir for children of primary
school age or less.
Saturday 11th June: Shapwick Jam!
Free entry 1pm-6pm / Ticket only
7pm-Midnight. Line up to be
announced soon. Tickets £10. Buy in
advance via Sid 07834 671322, John
210687 or Steve 07969 854918. For
more info
Village Hall Events:
Yoga exercise classes on Monday
evenings from 7.30-8.45pm. Contact:
[email protected]
Hire out sessions on the table tennis
table! £4 for 1/2hr or £7 for 1hr -
contact Nerina on 210329.
Cricket Pavilion Events:
Bingo: 13th May and then every other
week.
Music / open mic: 20th May, 17th
June, 15th July.
Quiz night: 6th May, 3rd of June, 1st
of July.
These events all start at 8pm. The bar
and kitchen are open from 5.30pm.
Everyone welcome. If you would like
to book a table for bingo please email
[email protected].
Every Sunday: Shapwick Runners'
Sunday Run! Meet at the cricket field,
set off at 9am. All abilities welcome!

Call for Volunteers & Submissions

We need volunteers! If you're interested in editing future issues of the Shapwick News, please let us know by
emailing [email protected]. The more the merrier! Also, if you have any old photos of the village, we'd
love to include them in future issues.

Shapwick News is a quarterly publication. For the summer issue, due to publish in July 2022, please submit contributions
by no later than 30th June, via email to [email protected] or by posting in the black post box next to the main
door of the Village Hall.

There is no guarantee that all material submitted will be used - publication is at the Editor's discretion and articles may be
amended or condensed. We do not print anonymous contributions but are prepared to include items under a pen name, if so
desired, on condition that we are given the name and address of the author(s). Opinions expressed are those of the author
and are not necessarily those of the Editor nor Parish Council.

Spring Edition: Published by Shapwick Parish Council, edited by Kate Anderson.

SPRING ISSUE | APRIL 2022 6