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3 It was difficult to have a conversation with anyone in June without exchanging views about the weather. It seems that summer heat is as divisive as Marmite. Those who love it will relish our celebration of the beauty of butterflies (p31) and the joy of flying a kite (p27) while those who hate it long for the relief of rain (p11). In East Africa the consequences of searing heat are genuinely a matter of life and death (p17) as food of any kind is in desperately short supply. Those of us who enjoy the luxury of being able to make food choices can ensure that our choices are ethical and informed by following the principles of LOAF (p35). This month we meet two people who have both led the Diocese of Hereford, albeit six centuries apart – Bishop Robert (Mascall) p19 and Bishop Richard. Our curate, Wayne, shares his experience (p9) of accompanying Bishop Richard on a 750-mile motorcycle ride to Germany to join the vast German Protestant assembly, Kirchentag. Lesley Harling (Editor) 01584 318309 This month’s cover: Photograph: Derek Skinner The Broad Gate Graphic design: NickyLuck [email protected] Printing: Signworx Hereford Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire CONTENTS Opinions expressed in contributed articles in this magazine are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the position or opinions of the PCC or Editorial Committee. Who are you voting for? 5 Introducing … Jean FergusonDavie 7 The Harley and the Honda 9 From the registers 11 The sweet smell of rain 11 God’s garden 11 Iconographics 13 Ludlow Dog Day 14 The knights and their dogs 15 East Africa Hunger Crisis 17 Summer chancel concerts 18 Grave matters - Robert Mascall 19 Sunday services in Ludlow 20 Ludlow local listing - small ads 21 What’s on in July 25 Let’s go fly a kite 27 News from the PCC 29 Sunshine, flowers and butterflies 31 Arts at St Laurence 33 Use your loaf 35 If you like our stained glass windows ... 37 Ludlow Repair Café 39 Children’s page 40 On why we don’t bother to lock the church 41 Parish directory & copy deadline 42
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5 Most of the excitement of church celebrations is over and we head into the ‘Sundays after Trinity’. Recently there have been local elections in many places (though not in my ward!) and in those areas the different parties present their manifestos – each laying out its party’s plans and then call us to choose between them, knowing that our choice will affect our lives and our community, probably for a long time! In some ways our Christian life is like that and the church year reflects it. From Christmas to Pentecost God presents us with His plans for the world and for our lives. We are presented with His coming to the world as Jesus and what that meant: we celebrate His official birthday (Christmas), His life and work (Epiphany, Lent, and Holy Week), His death and resurrection on our behalf (Good Friday and Easter) and finally His offer of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) so that we can know God personally and intimately and constantly enjoy His guidance, strength and love. We are then called on to choose – who will direct our lives? God? Or we ourselves? For Christians (those who say ‘Yes’ to God’s rule in their lives – as opposed to those who vote ‘No or ‘Don’t know’) the rest of the year, twenty-four Sundays from Trinity to Advent, are all about how that decision translates into everyday life. We are taught right ways of relating to each other and the world around us and how God’s power in us can be applied to daily life and chores! It’s all very downto-earth and practical. C S Lewis makes the point that Christian faith becomes real when it is lived out. He says, ‘Being a Christian entails learning how to be slow to judge others and to check the log in our own eye, to stop focusing merely on our fears and worries in order to learn how we can treat others as we would wish to be treated; how to rein in our anxieties about tomorrow and dampen our anger before it becomes sinful; how, when we are aggrieved we can forgive others …’. Unlike local elections there is no 50% turnout here – we all choose, whether we want to or not, and must all live out the consequences of that choice day-today for the rest of our lives. We shall need the help of the Holy Spirit to grow into a faith like that. John Burley Who are you voting for?
6 R I B A Trevor Hewett A R C H I T E C T ▪ Planning applications ▪ ▪ Listed building consent ▪ ▪ Building regulations ▪ ▪ Alterations and extensions ▪ ▪ Church inspections ▪ ▪ Green building ▪ The Architecture Studio 135 Corve Street Ludlow SY8 2PG Tel: 01584 877992 5 The Angel, Broad Street, Ludlow, Sy8 2PG
7 INTRODUCING ... Please tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Jean Ferguson-Davie. I was born in Manchester during the war into a Scots family of lawyers but was brought up in Cheshire in a house full of Chinese artefacts (my mother was born in China). I went to a Woodard boarding school in North Wales and have lived in London and Oxfordshire in the UK (as well as various places overseas) but I have long-standing links with Shropshire. My great grandfather lived in the Golden Valley and on a student walking tour my father sat on the wall outside Lydbury North church and announced that it was the perfect English village and one day he would live there. He did and so did I, on and off, from the seventies until 2022. I have had all sorts of jobs over the years – temp in London, au pair in Paris, travel courier, ‘home maker’, estate agent, freelance cook. Then my son, Jamie, died of a cerebral haemorrhage at just 18. All his organs went for transplant; it gives me great hope to know that his life gave life. But my marriage did not survive the trauma. I went to Harrow School as a matron for 12 years, returning to Lydbury North in the holidays until I retired. What brough you to Ludlow? Much as I loved Lydbury North and my thatched house I decided I should move somewhere with transport links, in case I became unable to drive. Ludlow fitted the bill and I do like the town although living in a very central flat with no outside space is quite a change – especially when the May Fair is in town. And to St Laurence's? The advice of friends though I have always known it as a good church, reminiscent of the ‘bells and smells’ of my Woodard school. I am a regular at the 8.15am service - I do love the language of the 1662 prayerbook. Which feature of St Laurence's is special for you? The ‘wow factor’, the atmosphere and the Palmers’ window in St John’s chapel. What is your role at St Laurence's? I like talking so I thoroughly enjoy stewarding, I am a ‘Holy duster’ and I have just joined the PCC. How do you like to spend your spare time? Filling it. As well as stewarding at St Laurence’s I steward for the National Trust at Berrington one day a week as well as working in the archives there. I do T’ai Chi and I love to cook and bake. Your most memorable holiday experience? A trip to Chile in 1987 on a cricket tour with my husband. Santiago is such a beautiful city, modelled on Paris. What might we be surprised to know about you? As a baby my mother sailed back to China on the same ship as ‘Little Willie’ (the eldest son of Kaiser Wilhelm II) who took a photo of her and sent it to her parents.
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9 Sitting across the table from Bishop Richard in January I spoke to him about how we might get to the Kirchentag. “We’re going to fly.” Call it a Holy Spirit inspiration, I responded, “Why don’t we go on your Harley?” His and my eyes lit up and he said, “Leave it with me. I need to look at my diary”. The plan was set in place. Originally I was to ride pillion on the Bishop's bike, but being a hefty lad, I thought it would be kinder to get my own bike (well that's how I explained it to my wife). I spent the night before we left at the Bishop’s home. I tossed and turned all night, constantly checking the time, then managed to sleep through my 6am alarm and was awoken by the Bishop shouting, “Wakey, wakey, Wayne!” We caught LeShuttle to Calais and the journey began. We stayed outside Aachen and visited the cathedral the next day to record the weekly video. It comes to something when both of us are in dog collars and the steward asks for ID to prove we’re clergy. The Bishop at least has Revd on his driving licence. 758 miles later we arrived in Nuremberg to meet our delegates and our German brothers and sisters. It was great to catch up with Pastor Jörg who spoke at St Laurence’s Remembrance Service last year. The opening ceremony was held in the main square with two overflow areas with big screens for the 5000 gathered. The atmosphere was electric. Sadly, my Duolingo 96 streak hadn’t helped with my understanding of what was being said. Pastor Jörg translated and I joined in where I could. Hearing the Lord's Prayer in German at the end of the ceremony was breath-taking. Whatever my language barrier, at that moment we all became one. The Kirchentag itself was a massive undertaking, city-wide, with advertising everywhere, plus a massive army of volunteers. I had a lovely time with my host Karin and her Mama, who was determined to feed me up. She couldn’t quite understand that even though being tall, I was full after the third helping. But who would have thought I’d go all that way to experience a sense of the Holy Spirit and find it in my host? We spent time in prayer together, crying, laughing and enjoying Mama’s company. We may not be part of Europe anymore but the sense of oneness in our link was evident. Many thanks to the organisers and our hosts; for me a friendship has been made with Karin that will continue. The Harley and the Honda made it but only the Honda returned. The Harley’s staying on an extra week. Bishop Richard (L) on his Harley and Wayne (R) on his Honda The Harley and the honda Kirchentag
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11 God’s Garden Plant three rows of peas: Peas of mind Peas of heart Peas of soul Plant three rows of squash: Squash gossip Squash grumbling Squash selfishness Plant three rows of lettuce: Lettuce be faithful Lettuce be obedient Lettuce love one another Plant three rows of turnips: Turnip for services Turnip for meetings Turnip to help one another Plant three rows of thyme: Thyme for God Thyme for Bible study Thyme for prayer. Finally – Water freely with patience, Cultivate with love, And remember – you will only reap what you sow. FROM THE REGISTERS FUNERALS 26 May John Holmes (Hereford crem) BAPTISM 9 June Jeremy Spencer (memorial) 28 May Hugo Henry Wyn Wallace The sweet smell of rain Have you ever noticed the sweet, fresh smell after a downpour of rain? That ‘smell of rain’ is called petrichor, and it fascinates scientists. It was back in 1965 that scientists first named it. Petrichor comes from the Greek for stone, ‘petra’, and the golden fluid flowing through the veins of the immortals, ‘ichor’. Petrichor is produced when raindrops form air pockets on the rocks and soil, and softly force the release of aromatic chemicals trapped there. The petrichorscented compounds drift upwards into the atmosphere as a gas, like a glass of champagne. The odour itself comes mainly from a chemical called geosmin, which is made by bacteria in soil. Geosmin is made by soil microbes, to fend off hungry worms. Geosmin is highly pungent, and even just five parts per trillion can be picked up by the human nose.
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13 Do you know where your coffee comes from and how it is grown? The coffee served in Icon Coffee at St Laurence’s is supplied by Hundred House and they do know, and care very much about the whole process, from the ‘cherry’ (the berry containing the coffee bean), through to the roasting. Hundred House sources its coffee directly from the growers, which is hugely beneficial to the coffee farmers, far outweighing any benefits from dealing with the larger coffee producers. Assessed as Speciality Grade, the coffee used by Icon is a blend of beans called Nom Nom, so called because the beans are 50% decaffeinated, allowing you to ‘let your inner Cookie Monster loose’ and drink more. The blend won an award at the 2019 Great Taste Awards, proving you don’t need the buzz to get the flavour. As a Fairtrade church in a Fairtrade town, St Laurence’s supports fairlytraded goods wherever possible. It would be difficult to find a product with higher credentials than Hundred House’s coffee. The company is committed to finding new growers and supporting ethical, fully-traceable entities. The farmers they buy from are paid by quality rather than weight, thus reducing land use and yield, meaning that their product commands a much higher price. The farmers, in turn, are able to invest in better farming practices, creating a more sustainable industry with a lower environmental impact. To add to those impressive ethical and sustainable trading credentials, Hundred House is a very local outfit. Currently based at Baucott in the Corvedale, the company is moving lock, stock and barrel into Ludlow in September, complete with its roastery. Look (or sniff) out for those delicious roastingcoffee aromas around the old Victorian Maternity Wing of the hospital in the autumn. They will be open for retail sales and will welcome visitors, although the plan is to leave the barista work to, amongst others, Icon Coffee Shop’s fabulous staff! Iconographics Editor’s note: In a new feature we take a look at some of the ingredients of our very popular Icon Coffee Shop, starting with the most important element. Speciality-grade coffee is defined as a coffee scoring over 80 points on a 100- point scale as assessed by a certified coffee taster or a licensed Q grader. Green coffee beans are graded by visual inspection (it must have zero primary and fewer than five secondary defects in a 350g sample) and cupping (roasting the coffee and brewing it simply with hot water with a skilled taster then assigning scores for attributes such as acidity, body, flavour and aroma).
14 More to see in 2023 This year’s Ludlow Dog Day promises us new highlights alongside old favourites in a refreshed event. Held, as usual, in the beautiful grounds of Stokesay Court, six miles north of Ludlow just off the A49, the eighth Ludlow Dog Day is to take place on Sunday 23 July. Ludlow Rotary has distributed over £130,000 raised at previous Dog Days to a wide range of charities and community organisations. The club plans to use this year’s event to support ‘Ludlow Rotary Cares’, the club’s community grants scheme, as well as other deserving causes. The day is all about fun for the whole family with over 20 competitions for the dogs, from the scruffiest mutt and waggiest tail to the fastest sausage eater and have-a-go events including dog agility, flyball, hoopers, tricks and scent work, while gun dogs will be able to display their ability to retrieve … or not! Demonstrations will include Paws for Thought Display Team, Bliss Gate Dog Obedience Team, Little Nippers Lurcher and Terrier Racing and All Positive Dog Services with hoopers, loose lead and learn a trick. And there are plenty of stalls to enjoy whether selling dog and country related goods or pampering to human needs such as the food stalls, the drinks bar and the popular tea tent. For more information www.ludlowdogday.org.uk
15 Knights and their dogs From the 12th century animals were frequently placed at the feet of recumbent effigies on tombs. It was customary for a male figure to be accompanied by a lion, symbolising strength, valour and nobility. Female effigies are usually accompanied by dogs, said to act as guides in the afterlife and representing faith and fidelity. By the 16th century these dogs were sometimes modelled on much-loved family pets. In St Laurence’s we have two outstanding examples. The monument to Sir Robert Townsend and his wife, Alice, dates from 1581 and is in the chancel, to the left of the high altar. Here we have three very jolly-looking dogs. The monument to Sir John Bridgeman and his wife Frances is in the Palmers’ chapel. This cheeky chap must have been a family favourite. But these are not the earliest dogs to be found in St Laurence’s. Our fifteenth century windows provide three examples of small white short-haired dogs with collars, that appear to be just indoor pets. Two of these are in the great Palmers’ window in St John’s chapel. One is clearly a music lover, while the other sits at the foot of King Edward the Confessor, no doubt hoping for a treat. The other dog is a splendid creature, hidden in the collage of bits of rescued medieval glass in St Catherine’s chapel. The Victorians were much more serious about their religious art. Sheep appear, to illustrate statements like Feed my sheep, and lambs are used in pictures of John the Baptist, but no sign of dogs. The nearest image I’ve found is this fellow who is in the west window. He’s probably there as a personal badge, but is he a fox? Hugh Wood
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17 East AFRICA hunger crisis I saw a chilling photo recently, of an emaciated 84-year old with her greatgrandchild in her arms - a reminder of the continuing and worsening drought in Kenya and its impact in the scattered northern communities. How does this translate into everyday lives? A bishop in Nairobi, who coordinates the churches' relief effort in the area, describes the nearly half million people of pastoralist tribes as proud, resilient, friendly and independent. After herding cattle for four centuries they have now lost their livelihoods. Eighty per cent of their cattle had to be killed. Heavy rain in March meant pastoralists had to be evacuated from their homes. The rain failed to penetrate the baked hard soil and flooded their villages. So they have lost their homes as well as their livelihoods. The immediate objective has been to feed the starving, while the price of maize and rice has doubled with the Ukrainian war adding to the shortage. The cassava plant is highly resistant to drought, but the quality of the seeds has deteriorated and the crops have been decimated. Self Help Africa with funding from the EU, has been running programmes to improve cassava production. Water trucks have helped to replenish dried-up bore holes and mobile health clinics are a priority. This is one of the worst climate-induced emergencies for 40 years, with the situation set to get worse. This has led to civil strife as communities battle each other for scarce resources, even stealing animals to eat or sell. Pastoralist cattle used to provide 50% of the milk and 90% of the meat across Africa. The UN calculates that 26 million are struggling to find food and at least half a million children are acutely malnourished. Oxfam has calculated that hunger claims a life every 36 seconds. Droughts now occur every two years, each more severe than the last. Research has established that an increase in global warming of just 1% increases the likelihood of conflict by at least 17%. The emergency response aims to boost community resilience, strengthening water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in affected areas of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. In some areas the focus is on farming, providing seeds, farming and fishing tools. There are also school feeding programmes and emergency animal health support. Please pray for all the people affected by drought and for the Aid workers. Claire Wilcox
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19 GRAVE MATTERS - ROBERT MASCALL A local man, after whom the Mascall Centre in Lower Galdeford is named, Robert was born in or near Ludlow, and at an early age he entered the Carmelite priory of Saint Mary in Corve Street, became a friar and was ordained priest. He evidently showed great intellectual ability since he was sent by the order to the headquarters of its regional chapter in Oxford, where after diligent study he earned a doctorate in philosophy, and later in divinity. By 1393 he had returned to the Ludlow house as its prior, and is credited with having overseen the completion of the priory buildings. By 1400 his abilities had attracted the attention of Henry IV, who appointed him his confessor and made use of his diplomatic skills as an envoy on several missions overseas. Returning from one such, his ship was attacked by pirates. The crew who resisted were flung into the sea; Robert was imprisoned at Dunkirk, and demand made for an exorbitant ransom. The king's envoys to the court of Burgundy made repeated demands for his release, and King Henry himself wrote to the Duchess of Burgundy to secure the freedom of 'our most dearly beloved in God, Brother Robert Mascall, lately our confessor,' which obviously met with success, and Robert was consecrated Bishop of Hereford in 1404. Robert enjoyed the same degree of patronage from Henry V as from his father; in 1415 he was appointed one of the delegates to the Council of Constance, which met to resolve the issue of three rival Popes and to condemn the heresies of Wycliffe and Hus. He is also credited as being the author of a number of sermons against Sir John Oldcastle and the Lollards, who at the time were active in the diocese of Hereford. He died on 22 December 1416, and in his will, dated a month before, he expressed his wish to be buried at the priory in Ludlow: "...corpus meum sepeliendum in arcu ecclesie fratrum Carmelitarum Ludlowye." ["...my body to be entombed beneath the [chancel] arch in the church of the Carmelite brothers in Ludlow."]. Some historians have claimed that he was actually buried at the Whitefriars in London, but this, though possible, seems less likely. The site of the chancel of the former priory church, where Bishop Robert's tomb would have been before its destruction in 1538, is under the floor of the main body of the Victorian church of St. Leonard's, now the Saint Leonard's Press. Nick Ford The Friends of Saint Leonard's Churchyard need your support. If you would like to adopt a grave in Saint Leonard's Churchyard to look after, or to fund its upkeep, or to help in some other way, please contact Nick Ford at [email protected].
20 Anglican St Laurence, College Street 8.15am Holy Communion (BCP) 10am Parish Eucharist For livestream/recording - link at https://stlaurences.org.uk/live-stream 11.30am Choral Matins 3rd Sunday only 3.30pm The Living Room 2nd Sunday only 3.30pm Choral Evensong 1st Sunday only 6pm Celtic Prayer - evening liturgy 3rd Sunday only 5th Sun Joint benefice service with St John’s Contact [email protected] 01584 872073 St John, Gravel Hill 10am 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays Holy Communion 2nd & 4th Sundays Morning Prayer 5th Sun Joint benefice service with St Laurence’s Contact [email protected] 07786 625565 St Giles, Ludford 11.15am 1st Sunday Family Worship 2nd & 4th Sundays CW Holy Communion 3rd Sunday Lay-led Worship Contact [email protected] Ludlow Baptist Church 10.30am Sunday worship Contact [email protected] Ludlow Elim 10.30am Service at Elim 11.30am Online. Contact www.ludlowelim.com 07791 483284 [email protected] Ludlow Methodist Church 10.30am Sunday worship Contact [email protected] Ludlow Quakers 10.30am Meeting for worship Contact Cynthia Prior 01584 831855 St Peter's Roman Catholic Church Mass 11.00am Sunday 9.30pm Monday-Friday 6.00pm Saturday (Sunday Vigil ) Morning prayer 9.15am Monday-Friday 9.45am Saturday Contact [email protected] SUNDAY SERVICES in Ludlow
21 You can advertise in this listing for one year (12 issues) for just £30. With 600 copies circulating in Ludlow every month, free of charge, this is an ideal way of publicising your business, shop or service. We also accept advertising from clubs, societies and social groups - perfect for publicising your group’s activities and attracting new members. All entries must fit the standard 4-line box (approximately 40 words). To discuss details or to place an advertisement please contact the parish office on 01584 872073 or email [email protected]. LUDLOW LOCAL LISTING Ludlow Castle Gallery Quality affordable picture framing & original objects. Fast friendly service. Gifts & cards by local artisans. Find us just before the Castle Café or contact on 01584 878527 [email protected] www.ludlowcastlegallery.co.uk Artwork Books & Stationery Castle Bookshop 5 Castle Street Ludlow Booksellers and Stationers Free ordering service 01584 872562 [email protected] Myriad Organics 22 Corve Street 01584 879373 myriad-organics.co.uk Ludlow's widest range of organic produce: fruit & veg, wholefoods, groceries, meat & dairy, vegan & vegetarian, natural cleaning products, bodycare & cosmetics. Waste-free shopping options & refills for cleaning products. Local delivery and our popular organic box scheme. Firenze Catering Jackie Thomas - Catering for all occasions. 07526 212176 / 01584 877190 [email protected] Food If you use the services of any of our advertisers please mention that you found their details in the Ludlow Tower.
22 Fitness and Sport Pearce Cycles Friendly, knowledgeable and experienced - your local bike shop for all your cycling needs. Fishmore Road, Ludlow, SY8 3DP. Tel. 01584 879288; [email protected]; www.pearcecycles.co.uk. Open Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5.30pm. Bike sales - repair - hire. Reynolds of Ludlow furniture Wanted by local collector and researcher; any condition considered; will collect. Good prices offered. Tel: 07967 134116. Reynolds Furniture Wanted Frames by Sebastian Bespoke picture framing 6a Pepper Lane Tel: 07815 111554 Picture Framing Matthew Lenthall IT Services Computers, phones and all things technical. Support and maintenance. 12a Corve Street, Ludlow 07828 081163 or 01584 877946 [email protected] IT Services Teme Valley Insurance Brokers For your Home, Car, Business or Farm quote Call Mark or Sue on 01584 290055 [email protected] Insurance Services William Griffin Memorials erected in marble, stone and granite. House name plates – Doorsteps & windowsills. 33A Corve Street, Ludlow SY8 1DL. Tel: (01584) 872893 (01584) 877422 evenings Mobile 07967 126451 Monumental Sculptor
23 Property services and maintenance James Mackenzie Carpentry & Joinery Reliable / High Quality Work. Building Services, Gosford Cottage, Little Hereford, Ludlow SY8 4AR Call 01584 711326 or 07870428948. Email [email protected] Carpentry Cleaning Hydroclean Services [email protected] Carpet & Upholstery cleaning : Leather cleaning : Hard floor cleaning and stone polishing : Gutter cleaning : Fully insured, fast response, reliable and local. Members of the National Carpet Cleaning Association. www.hydrocleanservices.co.uk 01568 630000 Ken Dodd & Son Chimney Sweep Rotary sweep and vacuum-assisted. Cowls/bird guards supplied and fitted. Woodburners serviced and bricks supplied and fitted. Fully insured and certificates issued. Available for weddings. 01584 873178 • 07702 102044 www.kendoddandsonchimneysweep.co.uk Chimneys & Stoves General Maintenance Steve Wilson Painting and Decorating Internal and external work carried out. Please telephone Steve on: 07818 400764 Email address: [email protected] R Aimson Property Services Carpentry, Home Improvement, Painting & Decorating Mobile: 07864 015086 email:[email protected] Property Services
24 ADVERTISING RATES 2021-22 (for 12 issues) Full page - £280 Half page - £170 Quarter page - £90 Eighth page - £55 Classified - £30 Rates for part-year available on request See above for contact details. ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, CLUB OR SOCIETY HERE Contact the Parish Office on 01584 872073 or [email protected] Dan Pritchard Garden Services Fully insured - reliable - experienced - competitive. Lawn mowing / hedge cutting / tree surgery / pruning / turfing / planting / landscaping. Call Dan on 07779182636. Covers Ludlow and surrounding areas. Gardening Ian Mackay Quick response, local and reliable. No-obligation fixed quotes. Domestic installation and repairs. Landlord & homeowner safety inspections. Condition reports for house sales. Contact Ian Mackay on 07736 303297 or email [email protected] Electrical Marie’s Alterations and Repairs Well-established Ludlow business. We can shorten or alter most items, new or old. Open: 9am- 5pmTuesday to Friday. Now in new premises so contact us for details 01584 318185 07967 447935 [email protected] www.mariesofludlow.co.uk Alterations Send those special greetings to your loved one HERE for just £7.50. To book email [email protected]
25 Until 9 July 10am-5pm Lady Chapel exhibition - Wedding dresses Saturday 11.00pm Organ recital Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Sunday 2 Mayor’s Civic Service 10.00am Choral Evensong 3.30pm Monday 3 3.00pm Open tea Wednesday 5 1.00pm Chancel concert Jane Warren (solo recorder) Sunday 9 The Living Room 3.30pm Tuesday 10–Sat’day 23 10am-5pm Lady Chapel Exhibition - Marginalisation Represented Wednesday 12 1.00pm Chancel concert Licensed to Trill (recorder consort) Saturday 15 1.00pm Concert Saorsa String Quartet Sunday 16 Choral Matins 11.30pm Celtic Prayer 6.00pm Wednesday 19 School Leavers’ Service 10.30am (St Laurence Primary) Chancel concert 1.00pm Northwick Consort Sunday 30 Benefice Eucharist 10.00am (St Laurence’s) Piano concert 4.00pm Mark Bebbington Monday 31 10am-5pm Lady Chapel Exhibition - Beatrix Potter (until 13 August) Midweek Daily prayer Mondays 9.30am Holy Communion Wednesdays 6.00pm Intercessory Prayers 10.30am Fourth Thursday in month Tower bells practice Mondays 7.30-9.00pm Handbells practice Tuesdays 6.00-7.15pm Choir practice Thursdays 6.00-8.30pm And at st JOHN’S Daily prayer Wednesdays 9.30am Fridays 9.30am Tea and toast Wednesdays 10.00am Holy Communion Wednesdays 11.30am WHAT’S ON At st LAURENCE’S in july For the latest news go to: https:// stlaurences.org.uk/google-calendar/
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27 Let’s go fly a kite! Up to the highest height? The summer holidays are fast approaching, a wonderful time to get out and about, maybe armed with a kite, in the wonderful wide-open spaces of our surrounding countryside. Kite-flying has been a popular activity for thousands of years, originating in China and claimed to date back as far as the 4th or 5th century BCE. It is said that the first emperor of the Han dynasty used a kite to measure the distance to a rival’s castle, thus determining the length of tunnel required to invade. Spreading throughout Asia, kites have been incorporated into various cultures, becoming a fiercely contested sport in many. Kite fighting is ably described in Khaled Hosseini’s book The Kite Runner. Kite-flying is a great family pursuit; the joy of getting your kite up and watching it dance and glide is mesmerising for both children and adults. It requires very little to get started – just a simple kite (named for the bird that is recognisable as it soars and glides on the thermals) and a decent wind. Interestingly, the geometric term kite is taken from the shape of the simple flying kite – as illustrated. The Shop at St Laurence stocks a small, colourful, pocket kite suitable for beginners but if you want to see something more sophisticated why not visit the Hereford and Leominster Kite Festival at Berrington Hall on 8 -9 July (see opposite page) or the Shropshire Kite Festival at Cleobury Mortimer on 15-16 July? There will be many enthusiasts at both festivals who can help you get your new sport off the ground. So what is the ‘highest height’ to which you can fly a kite? In the UK you need authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority if you intend to fly a kite higher than 60 m (or 30m close to an airfield). Open daily 10am-5pm The Shop at St Laurence Mobile: 07833 866485 www.theshopatstlaurence.co.uk
28 Come and SEE our Mediaeval stained glass Mediaeval misericords View from the Tower Bells and Carillon Icon Coffee shop Snetzler organ Gift shop
29 PCC MEETING 24 APRIL 2023 9 members of the PCC attended Resolutions: to agree the Parish Covenant (Offer) for 2024; to authorise the Friends of St Leonard’s Churchyard to seek a grant from Ludlow Town Council to make safe tomb graves; to approve the Annual Report and agendas for APM and APCM on 20 May; to endorse a nomination for Local Pastoral Visitor Finance: stable but under pressure from rising utility costs Policies: reviewed and approved an updated Health & Safety Decisions: to invite the public to watch the Coronation service on a Big Screen in church; to re-configure free-standing units in coffee shop Reports: received from the Pastoral, Fabric and Arts@StLaurences committees and the NLHF and Auction of Promises working groups Date of next meeting: Monday 17 July 2023 A copy of the latest confirmed PCC minutes is available on the noticeboard above the pigeonholes at the back of the church. All confirmed minutes can be viewed via the parish office. Annual meetings The full titles of the two special meetings which every Church of England church holds each year in April or May, often referred to as ‘the annual meetings’, are Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parochial Church Meeting, . The APM, also known as the vestry meeting, is a legacy from the Middle Ages. Before local councils existed local decisions were taken by meetings of the whole community, held in the church vestry. Its sole purpose now is to elect churchwardens and it is open to any resident of the parish who is on the civil electoral roll as well as those on the church electoral roll. The second meeting (the APCM) is the time when the outgoing Parochial Church Council (PCC) presents members of the electoral roll with reports on the church’s activities in the preceding year, including the financial accounts, and asks them to elect members of the new PCC. At St Laurence’s annual meetings on 20 May the following elections were made: Churchwardens: Dick Franks Lesley Harling PCC members: Ewart Carson Michael Davies Jean Ferguson-Davie Paul Kemp Hilary Walters Richard Wilkins Ex officio PCC members: Revd Preb Kelvin Price Revd Wayne Davies PCC member continuing in office: Stuart McLaren news from the pcc
LUDLOW CAR SHARE Join at: http://www.co-wheels.org.uk/ shropshire Local contacts: Cut your travel costs and help beat climate change Our club is a community run, not-forprofit enterprise We operate low emission, automatic Toyota hybrid cars Book a car for as long as you need from 30 mins to several days Smart card technology - book online or by phone You pay only an hourly charge plus mileage We pay fuel, insurance, road tax and breakdown cover As a member you can book Co-wheels Garden maintenance Michael Doyle Plantsman Over 30 years’ experience 07855 930641 [email protected] LOCAL MAN wishes to buy Antiques, Bric à brac, Collectables and Deceaseds’ Effects Please call 01584 892128 07508 809710 Proud to be the architect for the Stephen Treasure Memorial Project Creating a mission space for St Laurence’s
31 Sunshine, flowers and butterflies July is the month for sunshine, flowers and butterflies. Butterflies are seen as indicators of a healthy, well managed habitat – if you have several species of butterfly, you likely have a rich variety of native plants. The UK has 59 species of butterflies – 57 resident species and two regular migrants (the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow). Butterflies that over winter as dormant adults include Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma. They can often be seen in churches, chapels or outbuildings from which they emerge when the weather warms up. While most butterflies are not choosy about what plant they obtain their nectar from, they are particular about where they lay their eggs. For example, Skippers, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet all lay their eggs on grasses, while Peacock caterpillars like munching on nettles and Painted Lady on thistles. Brimstone butterflies choose buckthorn (purging or alder buckthorn), while Common Blue’s caterpillars need bird’sfoot trefoil, black medick, rest harrow or red clover. Churchyards, with their mix of sunny and shaded places, can hold both grassland and woodland butterflies and if you see a butterfly high in the canopy of an oak, it is probably a Purple Hairstreak. Speckled Wood is a common find in shady places, and its caterpillars favour the coarse, tussocky grasses you might have against a wall or hedge. Commas, by contrast, prefer shorter vegetation and will be emerging in July, so look out for the distinctive wing shape and tiny white ‘comma’ on the underside of the wing. Why not make a visit to St Leonard’s churchyard armed with a spotter’s guide like the one on the Caring for God’s Acre website caringforgodsacre.org.uk and see how many you can find. Common Blue Gatekeeper Comma Peacock
32 Alexandra House Diamond Life Healthcare Fully trained carers provide high-quality personalised care We provide Domiciliary Care 24-hour Live-in Care Domestic Care We are always looking for reliable caring staff Please ring and speak to our friendly team 01584 872233 Email - [email protected] Website - www.diamondlifehealthcare.co.uk
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34 We specialise in all aspects of building, from new construction to work on scheduled monuments to the restoration of Georgian and half-timbered houses. The company employs 40 time-served craftsmen and has worked recently at: Warwick Castle, Kenilworth Castle, St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury and many private houses in the West Midlands and border areas. The company is delighted to be working with Ludlow St Laurence and the family and friends of Stephen Treasure on the Stephen House Project transforming 2 College Street into a mission space to support those in need or distress in the community he loved.
35 When you shop for food do you follow the four principles of LOAF? Locally produced Organically grown, Animal friendly, Fairly traded Locally produced. Buying food produced close to where you live helps everyone – local food retailers, the beleaguered UK farming community, overseas growers and producers under pressure to meet the demands of the export market to the detriment of their own crops, the rainforests being cleared to grow food for export, the global climate being changed for ever as we transport food around the world. And you can experience the joy of eating seasonally. Do you remember when strawberries were a summer treat and you had to wait for the arrival of the first Brussels sprouts? Organically grown In Genesis we read that ‘the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it’. Modern farming methods based on the heavy use of pesticides and herbicides have instead resulted in depleted soils which no longer support the vast range of plants, insects and animals which used to be plentiful, polluted waterways, loss of key species including the bee which is essential to pollination and potential risks to human health. Organically grown food is produced in ways that take care of the Earth. Animal friendly Non-intensive animal husbandry not only avoids the abuse of our fellow creatures but also reduces the carbon and methane emissions which are exacerbating climate change. Eating less meat and checking that the meat, fish and eggs that we do buy is labelled ‘free range’ or ‘outdoor reared/bred or ‘RSPCA Assured’ helps to ensure that animals are not ill-treated. Fairly traded Many of those in less-developed countries who produce the food we enjoy in the west, often at artificially low prices, endure harsh working conditions and live in poverty as a result of unfair trading conditions. Social justice requires that they receive a fair price for their product and a fair wage. If trade is fair and sustainable it will protect such people from exploitation. USE YOUR LOAF when you buy your food
36 Wednesdays at St John’s There is always a warm welcome at St John’s Church on Gravel Hill on Wednesday mornings. Why not come along, meet the clergy and see for yourself? 9.30am Daily Prayer 10.00am Tea & Toast Open house for anyone in the community to drop in for a chat and a cuppa 11.30am Holy Communion Informal service We would love to see you for the whole morning or just a part. Celtic Prayer An Evening Liturgy St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow Third Sunday of the month 6pm A simple service in a style used by the Iona Community Call Pat Helm 01584 877683 Helen Blyth 01584 875041 Sunday 16 July All-age informal worship Hot dogs, pool table, air hockey football table, Mario Cart and more Conversation, play, food and a simple sharing of bread and wine 9 July 3.30pm Totally Psalmic The 2023 psalms competition Presenting the Bible’s Psalms to a modern audience Saturday 15th JULY 7pm ludlow methodist church For more information: 01584 875946 [email protected]
37 The Medieval Stained Glass of Herefordshire and Shropshire Logaston Press £25 This is a fascinating, illustrated catalogue of all the known surviving stained glass of medieval origin in the central Marches. Buildings in this region feature some of the finest windows in the country from the rare late 13th - century medallions at Madley, the beautiful 14th - century chancel windows at Eaton Bishop to the magnificent 14th and 15th-century glass at Ludlow and Shrewsbury. Written by Robert Walker, a now retired conservation officer who has had a lifelong interest in stained glass, this book is the result of many years of painstaking research. The resulting record is presented as two A– Z gazetteers; while mostly of churches there are some notable houses represented too. The first and largest part looks at the windows in buildings in the diocese of Hereford – which covers Herefordshire and South Shropshire – with the second covering the rest of Shropshire, working north from Shrewsbury. Robert has obviously spent many hours trawling through church records as well as studying and photographing the windows in detail. Churchwardens’ records and parish accounts illuminate many of the descriptions and show, for example, that the problem of breaking windows has not changed over the centuries. Ludlow’s St Laurence’s records reveal that in 1547 large sums were spent on “mendygne the windows about the church”. As you might expect there is a comprehensive section dedicated to St Laurence’s very special windows. Interestingly, unlike many English churches, the fact that it sits within what was a Cavalier stronghold meant that much of Ludlow’s glass survived the Puritans’ destruction of superstitious images in the 17th century. However, significant restorations of these (and many other church windows of medieval origin) were also carried out in the 19th century. Robert Walker meticulously lists windows that were moved and then replaced, the workshops that carried out the ‘restoration/modernisations’, and shows you with clear photography where to look to find any original fragments. Lavishly illustrated with superb colour photographs and clear diagrams it is essential reading for anyone interested in church art and architecture. The perfect addition to a library of local history books … Jemima Lord If you like our stained glass windows…
38 Open tea at st laurence First Monday in the month at 3pm. All welcome. Monday 3 JULY Victoria Allen Funeral Services An Independent Family Business Pre- Paid Funeral Plans Home Visits Always Available 24 Hour Service 01584 879035 Skip Hire, Waste Management & Recycling Tenbury Wells, Ludlow, Leominster, Craven Arms and 141A Vintage & Retro Collectables Centre Open Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat 10am - 5pm Closed Tues & Sun 141A Corve Street, Ludlow SY82PG 01584 877 572 /141A @godsellmark Ludlow Curtain Company The Stables, Station Drive, Ludlow SY8 2PQ Tel 01584 875533 [email protected] Here for all your soft furnishing needs, from curtains and all types of blinds to cushions, upholstery and curtain poles. Fabrics now available on the roll.
39 Saturday 29 July Elim Church Smithfield car park 9.30am - 12.00 noon One portable item only. No TVs. Deliver and collect on the day. Pick-up between 11.30 and 12.15 No charge bur donations welcome For details call 07786 6230 624 or email [email protected] Don’t bin it - we’ll fix it, if we can!
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41 The Revd Dr Gary Bowness continues his tongue-in-cheek letters from ‘Uncle Eustace’. The Rectory St James the Least My dear Nephew Darren Since I happened to be in your area last week, I tried to call in at your church, and was sorry to find it was locked and bolted, with surveillance cameras watching me. We tend to be a little more relaxed about matters of security. The key to the mediaeval lock was lost some time during Queen Victoria’s reign and never replaced. How someone managed to misplace a foot-long piece of cast iron, weighing about ten pounds is a mystery. If it had fallen out of someone’s pocket, it would certainly have broken their foot. Ever since, no one has bothered with locking the door – which makes me wish our burglars last year had thought of trying it, before wasting so much energy smashing a stained-glass window when they visited in the early hours one morning. On the other hand, were the key still in use, I should probably be arrested these days for carrying an offensive weapon. As with most rural churches, keys which open just about everything in the village are hidden in various parts of the church: the vestry key is under my seat cushion; the organ key under a vase on the altar; the church hall key on top of the hymn book cupboard; and Miss Simpson‘s spare front door key inside the font. I have never been certain whether the latter is there for safety, or as a general invitation. I am sure someone could usefully produce a book suggesting the many places that keys are likely to be found secreted in churches for the use of vergers, flower arrangers, cleaners – and thieves wanting to save themselves time and effort. I suspect that the burdened look that many urban clergy wear is not because they are weighed down with parish troubles, but because they are obliged to carry with them a superfluity of keys needed to negotiate every door in church, hall, school, and vicarage. And why is there always one for which no one has any idea what it opens? The only occasion I have ever thought it would be useful to be able to lock a church is when you have a party of visitors inside. So often, on hearing the words ‘Let us pray’ or the start of an appeal for funds, they bolt for the door. Your loving uncle, Eustace Note to any would-be burglars: We do lock St Laurence’s and we do not have any ‘hidden’ keys. On why we don’t bother to lock the church
42 Ludlow St Laurence Parish Office 01584 872073 Office Administrator Nicky Luck Finance Manager Peter Nield Gift Aid Secretary Michael Hunt Director of Music Michael Oakley Custodian Matthew Lenthall Conservation Trust Chair Ian Marshall PCC Churchwardens Dick Franks 892019 Lesley Harling 318309 Assistant Churchwarden Michael Davies 07970 434822 Electoral Roll Officer Dick Franks 892019 Safeguarding Officer Dick Franks 892019 PCC Minutes Secretary Jacs Higgs 872073 Bible Reading Penelope Bridstrup 876992 Fellowship Flowers Sue Thornley 872292 Monthly Prayer Group Sandi Burley 873155 Tower Captain Richard Bracher 811514 Ludlow Tower editor Lesley Harling 318309 Find this and previous issues of the Ludlow Tower on line at www.stlaurences.org.uk Ludlow St John Parish Office Nicky Luck 872073 Churchwarden Mike Beazley 873570 Treasurer Mike Beazley 873570 PCC Secretary Mike Beazley 873570 Electoral Roll Sue Thomas 0792990671 Ashfords Benefice Rector Revd Lynn Money Parish Office Sarah Davies 01584 319381 Bromfield Benefice Rector Revd Justin Parker Parish Office Martin Scott 07493 247184 COPY DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE TUESDAY 4 JULY There is no guarantee that material submitted will be included. Please send articles by email to [email protected] We are happy to receive contributions and suggestions for inclusion in the magazine. Please limit items to no more than 400 words, except by prior agreement with the editor. Parish of Ludlow Saint Laurence Registered Charity No 1132703 PARISH DIRECTORY Ludlow St Laurence Parish Office, 2 College Street, Ludlow, Shropshire. SY8 1AN (currently closed for refurbishment) e-mail: [email protected] website: www.stlaurences.org.uk For appointments (Monday or Thursday 9.30am-12.30pm at Hands Together Ludlow (Lower Galdeford) call 01584 872073 Rector: Revd Preb Kelvin Price 07799 243867 Pioneer Curate & Intergenerational Missioner: Revd Wayne Davies 07545 438892
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