The Parish Magazine
March '26
BERWICK ST JAMES
Congratulations to Stan Palmer on his 100th birthday on 5th March, we all wish him a very Happy Birthday.
Welcome to Rob and Sally Page, we hope you enjoy living in Berwick.
CHURCH NEWS
As Easter fast approaches, the church looks forward to a busier month in March.
We have our two usual regular services, being a Holy communion at 9.30am on Sunday 1st March and our Mothering Day service at 11.00am on Sunday 15th March. Posies will be available for children to give to their mothers during the service and for older members of the congregation, daffodils will be available to put in a vase to remember mothers who may no longer be with us. It would be lovely to see a multi-generational congregation in church for this special service on Mothering Sunday.
In addition to the services, we are holding a Lent lunch in the Reading Room on Monday 16th March between 12.30 and 2.00pm. Do just drop in and chat to fellow residents. Delicious homemade soups, bread, cheese and fruit will be provided free of charge. This is an annual event and the aim is to raise money for a local charity, so attendees are asked, if possible, to made a donation. This year the selected charity is Salisbury Hospice, whose work has touched so many in our local communities.
TEA and CAKE and CHAT
The Tea and Cake and Chats in March will be on Tuesday 3rd, and Tuesday 17th, and in April on Tuesday 7th and 21st. We are open from 2.30pm to 4pm in the Reading Room, and you are welcome to come at any time, and there is no charge. Whilst the weather is chilly we try to have toasted teacakes or crumpets, and cakes are always welcome. It will be great to see new villagers and old friends. Children welcome.
ART APPRECIATION IN BERWICK-ST-JAMES
On Thursday 12th March at 7.30pm, the presentation will be on the theme of mid 19th century French Art, title yet to be decided. Further information on this presentation will soon be available on the Berwick-St-James website.
Art History Appreciation meetings take place in the Reading Room, immediately opposite the Boot Inn with entry available from 7.15pm. Admission at the door, £5 as a donation to the Reading Room Fund to include a glass of wine, beer or soft drink. In addition to the village website, enquiries welcome at brianarm100@icloud.com or telephone Brian Armstrong on 07999 325804
PLANT PRODUCE and FLOWER table supporting CRUK
Hello villagers and neighbouring villages. It’s good to be back, by the time you read this it will be glorious spring what a welcome joy. I am very happy to tell you that an amazing 870 pounds was raised in 2025, it wasn’t the easiest of years with the Berwick bridge being closed for so long and of course the growing conditions. But having said that people rallied in so many ways that touched my heart. I would like to extend a big thank you to a very special wee girl, Ivie from the farm shop for her amazing funds raised, you are a star x
Greenhouses and propagators are at the ready so lets get growing for our table supporting this worthwhile cause. I wish you love and happiness in your little bit of heaven.
Yours Aye Christine x
Berwick Village Meeting – A303 Update
The Village Meeting held on 22 January included two key leaders within our local road network who came to share information with us and to address our concerns. David Bullock, Interim Director of Highways & Transport (Head of Major Projects) for Wiltshire Council. David was also the Project Director for National Highways on the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down road scheme. Joining him was Chris Hilldrup who is National Highways Route Manager for Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Topics for discussion overed the Governments’s cancellation of the A303 project and their proposal to withdraw the Development Consent Order. They also outlined 5-6 small safety improvement projects along the A303, which are currently under consideration by Wiltshire council and National Highways for implementation in 2031. Full information can be found on our village website under “Parish Meetings/Village Meetings 2026
Reality check: With the A303 scheme cancelled and with no central government funds available for the foreseeable future – not even for a much needed Winterbourne Stoke bypass – we are faced with the harsh reality that the traffic issues afflicting our local roads will remain “unresolved”. Nonetheless Berwick, in conjunction with other local communities, will continue to have open discussions with key stakeholders and local government officials to push for more robust action in their dialogue with central government.
Carolyn MacDougall
A Barn Dance Themed Event on Saturday 8 August 2026 – save the date!
It was agreed at our Village Meeting in January that the village would be organizing a fun family barn dance themed fundraising event to take place on Saturday 8 August in the grounds of the Cricket Club. This is open to all Berwick residents (children and adults) plus their family and friends. We are very fortunate to have bn given a large stretch tent for the occasion, with a capacity for 200+ people, so our invitation will extend to our neighbouring parish residents. It will be a “ticket-only” entrance event offering live country-style music, bar and BBQ. On Friday 6 February we organized a kick-off planning meeting at The Boot Inn to discuss ideas. We are delighted that a good number of volunteers have expressed a willingness to be involved. More details will follow with regard to ticketing, pricing, timing, food, drink and music. In the meantime, please save the date.
Carolyn MacDougall
Berwick Village Meeting held on 22nd January.
Full minutes of the Meeting held in the Reading Room are on the village website under Parish Meetings – Village Meeting 2026. And also on the village noticeboards.
LOCAL HISTORY - WHITE LODGE
I have been doing some research on White Lodge, the thatched house beyond Asserton towards Winterbourne Stoke.
White Lodge was built in the 1840’s. It was part of Asserton Farm, then owned by Harry Biggs. It was two cottages for farm workers built in the “Picturesque style”, both to look attractive and also as improved accommodation for the workers.
In the 1840’s and early 1850’s Thomas Smith aged 47, and his son George 25, both farm labourers, lived in one of the cottages, and John and Ann Blake and their children Henry 18, Jonah 14, George 9 (all farm labourers – including George) Liddia 6 and Stephen 4.
The people living there worked on Asserton Farm, as carters or shepherds (in 1871 John Howells and his sons Charles and Thomas were all shepherds), farm workers, cowman, dairyman, stockman and in 1939 Gilbert Sanger was a tractor driver.
No women were recorded as having paid employment, and no women were head of household – only the men working on the farm, up until the house was sold after the 2nd World War.
Each house had five rooms being 3 bedrooms, Kitchen and Parlour. The number of people in each house varied from two - James and Lucy Pearce, to ten with John and Lydia Howells and their 8 children in the 1870’s, and Amos and Fanny Warren in the 1880’s and their 8 children.
In 1939 Gilbert Sanger and his wife Margaret looked after Ruth Brooks aged 7 and Doris Brooks aged 5. The two little girls were evacuees from Portsmouth, brought by Hillside School and went to Berwick School. Mrs Sanger also cared for the evacuee Margaret Lewis slightly later on.
Most people moved regularly, unusually James Pearce and his wife Lucy stayed for at least 20 years, and possibly nearer 30. Between 1850 and 1921 I have found 14 different families that made the two cottages home, (there may be more of course).
The cottages were bought by Sir James and Lady Margary Reid-Young and they converted them in 1953 into one house called Huka Lodge, their family had bought Asserton House in 1952.
In 1988, the now White Lodge was bought by Mary and Tony Gatling, who lived there for the rest of their lives until 2024.
Written and researched by Nicky Street
It is also very interesting to see where the people who lived in Asserton cottages had lived before, and where they went, there is too much to be included here. So perhaps there will be another article.
WILDLIFE WATCH
It is great to see all the signs of spring – many snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses, although the rain has beaten down the delicate crocuses. Also frogspawn in Berwick and Winterbourne Stoke ponds. As I write I see goldfinches, sparrows, Blue tits, chaffinches, a pigeon, a robin and jackdaws around the bird table (even though it is raining). And within the last few days Great tits, collared doves and a greenfinch. Nicky Street