Winsham is well known for the wide variety of events that it stages. In Millennium year a special effort was made to make it all the more memorable.
What's on this page:
I hardly know where to begin - so I suppose the start of an idea at Christmas 1999 would be a good place.
It was mooted by Jim and Joan Aslett that a "Gardens Open" in the village in aid of St Margaret's Hospice would be of great interest. They suggested that we should hold a flower festival at the same time to raise money for our church. We therefore had a coffee morning and, with a donation of £50.00 from the Horticultural Society, we managed to get the enormous sum of £272 to buy flowers.
Wheels clicked into motion and the result took place on July 1st and 2nd 2000 after a vast amount of work. Sixteen organisations in the village took part and listed below are the Exhibitors.
Short Mat Bowls
A pale blue and airy arrangement of scabious, daises, pittasporum trees, cart and plough entitled "Land to the Plough".
Winsham Youth Club
A large yellow and black bee surrounded by small ones buzzing about with flowers in pink, yellow and white called "Honey to the Bee".
Winsham W.I
"Farmyard Favourites". Hens, ducks, eggs, flowers of every hue, trees, coops and ponds. An arrangement in pink and white to link two windows.
Farm Office 2000
An amazing display of all the paper bureaucracy that the farmers have to put up with nowadays; making one or two farmers who came round the church shudder.
Winsham Pre-School
"Porky Pigs" everywhere, paper pigs, a plaster pig and a flower pig with yellow buds called "Pork Chop".
Fund-raising Committee for Winsham Church
representing sheep farming. Model of a sheep and all sorts of implements that are used to deal with them. Spinning wheels, skeins of dyed wool, display of methods of dying wools, flowers of foxgloves, daisies and various grasses called "Sheep may safely graze".
Wessex Foundation at Magdalen Farm
"Tomorrow's World". Pink and white flowers, herbs, wheat and many things associated with the organic farming theme they used. Photos, rakes and early farming implements completed the scene.
Winsham Parish Council
"Seed-time and Harvest will never fail". An arrangement of crops taken straight from the fields; poppies, daisies, corn marigolds, fiddle, sickle, grain, scoop and large corn sheaf. Screen with wild roses, cow parsley, honeysuckle and foxgloves.
Winsham Bell Ringers - "Ringing the changes, Bygone Years". A haycart of cream flowers, horse and cart, bells, horse brasses, white and blue cornflowers.
Winsham Mothers Union
"Ringing the changes, Horse to Harvester". Hedges of flowers, land girls, horses, harvester, clouds with texts from the bible. Two arrangements representing the Sun and the Moon.
P.C.C. - Altar
"Raced through the House high Hay, and nothing I cared". The theme was Hayfields with poppies, daisies, cornflowers, hay bales, a wonderful old hay cutter, rakes, forks and scythes.
Winsham Art Club
"Changing Landscapes". A collage of paintings done by the Art Club. Flowers in orange and blue.
Y.S.L Seeds of Winsham
A collection of indigenous trees set up on a very high and difficult window.
Winsham School
Four huge arrangements in the porch of garden flowers. Loosestrife, foxgloves, lilies and many others. An enormous scarecrow complete with a rook on his shoulder, who gave one or two people a tremendous shock.
A picture of a horse logging was painted and donated by Les Toulmin. We had a raffle for it and raised £262 which was won by Irene (Terri from The Bell's mother).
It was an incredibly happy time, in spite of the hard work but we all laughed a lot (after the panic settled!) and pulled together so that we all arranged our flowers in a Carnival atmosphere.
Phyllida Howell, on behalf of the Fund Raising Committee
| Name | Street | Name | Street |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Forrester | Back Street | Robyn Forrester | Back Street |
| Zoe Douglass | Davies Close | Sara Douglas | Davies Close |
| Stuart Edington | Davies Close | Aimee Foote | Davies Close |
| Amy Barratt | Western Way | Ashley Barratt | Western Way |
| Adrian Shakespeare | Bakersfield | Louise Shakespeare | Bakersfield |
| Octavia Shakespeare | Bakersfield | Keiran Spurdle | Western Way |
| Chantelle Spurdle | Western Way | Keely Rodway | Fore Street |
| Scott Rodway | Fore Street | Ashley Rodway | Fore Street |
| Bradley Dowell | Western Way | James Govier | Broadenham |
| Josh Kellaway | Greencombe Farm | Toby Kellaway | Greencombe Farm |
| Ahsley Love | Western Way | Kirsty Love | Western Way |
| James Bailey | Davies Close | Sasha Bailey | Davies Close |
| Keiran Bailey | Davies Close | Emma Johnson | Church Street |
| Louise Johnson | Church Street | Billie-Ann Warren | Hey Farm |
| Sam Pryde | Church Street | Sam Harris | Western Way |
| Ben Harris | Western Way | Thomas Harris | Western Way |
| Amber Rowsell | Davies Close | Delilah Owen | High Street |
| Calypso Owen | High Street | Electra Owen | High Street |
| Jemima Long | Back Street | Adam Steemson | Paull's Ash |
| Rachel Steemson | Paull's Ash | Charlotte Bale | Western Way |
| Samantha Bale | Western Way | Bethany Fowler | Davies Close |
| Jordan Fowler | Davies Close | Jasmine Morris | Church Street |
| Bethan Morris | Church Street | Alex Beer | High Street |
| Alex Thompson | Western Way | Robert Hayes | High Street |
| Jasper Conroy | Davies Close | Crispin Rowsell | Davies Close |
| Gemma Rowsell | Davies Close | Luke Rowsell | Davies Close |
| Daisy Kearl | Davies Close |
| Name | Home | Name | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessica Bird | Purtington | Amie Lillington | Hill Barn |
| Gemma Lillington | Hill Barn | Michaela Dowell | Chard |
| Natalie Boyland | The Manse | Guy Boyland | The Manse |
| Henry Broom | Ammerham | Sean Westlake | Davies Close |
| Rosie Gough | Bridge | Joe McQueen | Paull's Ash |
| Grace Broom | Ammerham | Jessica Hammel | Church Street |
| Mary Elswood | Thorncombe | Amy Elswood | Thorncombe |
| Charlotte Pryde | Church Street | Jennifer Swankie | Chard |
| Trina Payne | Chard | Elizabeth March | Fore Street |
| Scott Curtis | Chard | Donna Dowell | Bakersfield |
| Victoria Taylor | Chard | Danielle Sweetland | Fore Street |
| Name | Home | Name | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eddy Turner | Thorncombe | Oakley Stodgell | Cricket St Thomas |
| Will Lister | Thorncombe | James Taylor | Chard |
| Zack Kesham | Bakersfield | Owen Fursman | Chard |
| Beatrice Smith | Chard | Georgia Fursman | Chard |
| J J Greenhalgh | Chard | Madeline Davies | Stony Knaps |
| Bryn Davies | Stony Knaps | Rhys Davies | Stony Knaps |
| Holly Webb | Hazelwood | Chloe Fursman | Chard |
| Baby Long | Back Street |
| Name | Home | Name | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Grimminger | Court Street | Charlotte Grimminger | Court Street |
| Jemima Sweetland | Fore Street | Ruby Sweetland | Fore Street |
| Kelvin Lillington | Hill Barn | Anne-Jo Charles | Leigh |
| Abigail Vaux | Western Way | Hayley Vaux | Western Way |
| Harriet Kesham | Bakersfield | Asher Preston | Fore Street |
| Connor Kesham | Bakersfield | Stevie Kesham | Bakersfield |
| Richard Scott | Leigh | Oliver Bilby | Ammerham |
| Edward Scott | Leigh | Daisy Scott | Leigh |
| Fergus Bradford | Ammerham | Tessa Bradford | Ammerham |
| Jake Eccleshare | Bridge | Felix Eccleshare | Bridge |
| Steven Pike | Purtington | Serrin Barathy | Purtington |
| Benjamin Griffiths | Puthill | Ella Rose Griffiths | Puthill |
| Thomas Versluys | Ken Hill | James Fuller | Church Street |
| Charlotte Marshall | Hey | Rose Marshall | Hey |
| Chloe Reynolds | Midnell | Jazzmine Penghelly | Western Way |
| Matthew Rodway | Bakersfield | Katy Hobbs | |
| Livia Robinson | Church Street |
All over the country yew trees have been planted in churchyards to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. No one knows the exact age of the mature yews in Winsham churchyard but a seedling had grown from them in the garden of Glebe Cottage across the road in Pooles Lane. We know that it had grown there for six years so the age of this one will never be in doubt.
March is the optimum time for planting a yew tree but it was March 2001 before this one was in its place as agreements had to be obtained from the Archdeacon of Taunton and the church architect. The Revd. Ernie Chivers led the prayers, Stella Abbey, chairman of the Winsham 2000 committee, spoke to the school children of their responsibility to care for the tree and watch it grow.
We are indebted to Mary Loaring for the research that revived the Street fair in 1985. The Winsham Street fair has a long history, permission by Royal charter granted by Henry III in 1262, allows Winsham "a weekly Market and an Annual Street Fair on the eve, day and morrow of St Peter and St Paul" (28th, 29th and 30th June).
In 1885 the County Authorities encouraged everyone to join in a celebration of the 300th Commemoration of the landing of the Duke of Monmouth and his progress from Lyme Regis to Taunton. The Duke of Monmouth had entered the village of Winsham with a party on horseback and led by foot soldiers over the bridge at Axewater and followed the old roads of the village, Wynyards, Court St., Church St. and Colham Lane.
The Parish Council of Winsham encouraged by their Chairman, Mary Loaring, decided to take part, by reviving the Street Fair with the theme of the Monmouth Rebellion on the dates laid down in the Ancient Charter. The County Authorities had issued ideas and details of correct period costumes etc. and the Parish Council, organisers of the Street Fair that year, were able to use this information to good effect.
That Street fair was so successful that two years later in 1987, the anniversary year of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations and the gift of the Hall to the Village, the Jubilee Hall Committee organised the Street Fair with a Victorian theme. The monies raised were put to good use, the Jubilee Hall was extended and a kitchen fitted out. This arrangement continued with various themes until 1996 when a Street Fair Committee was formed to ensure continuation of the tradition. The Street fair Committee, a group of locals who spend two years generally enjoying themselves, raise money by organising events in the village. The money raised is used to sponsor and to support the organisation of each Street Fair.
The theme for the last three Street Fairs have been (1996) Wild West, (1998) Carnival and (2000) Back to the Future. Church Street and its surrounding areas are decorated to suit the Theme and each organisation in the village has a stall or stalls to raise money. Other attractions are brought in and sponsored using funds raised by the Street Fair Committee to help everything go with a swing. One of the important points about the Street fair in its modern guise is that it attracts people from outside the village and gives local organisation the opportunity to raise money. An added benefit is that it brings villagers, past and present, together and renews all those old acquaintances. We meet all those people that we haven't seen for two years.
See more information and pictures from the 2000 Street Fair here.
There was excitement and some apprehension as our group of French visitors arrived early on Saturday 1st July. Anyone in the village was welcome to join in with the activities planned for the weekend. All the help with translating and conversation was very much appreciated. The host families spent as much time as they could with their guests so as to enable them to pack as much into their short stay as possible. It proved to be a very interesting, busy and enjoyable weekend for all.
Our guests were, from left to right in the picture:- Michel Brizard - Deputy Mayor, Lydie - Headmistress, Jean Pierre Charroux - Farmer, Jean Yves Proust - Chef with a small holding, Renee Lamarre - Teacher, Marie Proust - Student, Gilbert Lavaissiere - Mayor.
The day started with a visit to Perry Mill Cider. Then coffee and introductions in the Bell, where everyone was made most welcome. Lunch at the Windwhistle was followed by an excellent game ofPetanque. Then down to Lyme Regis for a sunny few hours. An evening BBQ at the Bell completed the day and enabled villagers and visitors to relax into the spirit of the visit.
On Sunday morning there was a visit to our school, enabling our teachers to meet the group. It is hoped that in the future our pupils may benefit from exchange visits within the twinning arrangement.As the visit coincided with the Church Flower Festival and the open Gardens Day our visitors had plenty to do. They were able to meet more people and to see much more of the village than a visitor is normally able to . It also enabled them to meet the representatives from the Somerset Hospice and the Mayor of Chard, who came to officially declare the gardens open.
Sunday lunch at the Bell was followed by some more local sightseeing. In the evening our French visitors were able to see their team win the European Cup.On Monday morning, people gathered near the memorial to exchange addresses and say their thank-you's and farewells before our visitors departed.
WINSHAM GARDENS OPEN - 2 JULY 2000 In aid of St Margarets Somerset Hospice Organisers: Jim and Joan Aslett
In order to play our part in celebrating the Millennium year and to do something different, we decided to organise some Winsham gardens open. We knew of many beautiful gardens and hoped we could persuade the owners to open them. To encourage them we needed a "good cause" and guessed that a local one would meet with approval so we chose St Margaret's Somerset Hospice, which is a local charity caring for the people of Somerset.
The response from the kind people of Winsham was amazing and so sixteen gardens were thrown open to the public for one day. The sun shone and the village was full of happy people - more than two hundred tickets with maps were sold at £3 each. We hired the village hall where the Mayor of Chard and a representative of the Hospice opened the proceedings. Margaret and Alan Long and Edie Jones were kept very busy serving coffee and ploughman's lunches and teas all day. A handmade quilt was raffled new books on gardening and cookery were sold a bric-a-brac stall and a large plant stall near two of the gardens; all contributed to the final magnificent sum of £1/573.16.
1. GLEBE COTTAGE, POOLES LANE Anne & Richard Rose.
2. PACCOMBE COTTAGE, CHURCH ST. Jean & Jack Thompson.
3. HOMEFIELD, CHURCH ST. Wendy & Tony Fuller.
4. OLD STONE COTTAGE, CHURCH ST. Jeanette & Dennis Shaw.
5. THE POST OFFICE, CHURCH ST. Pearl & Graham Winter.
6. LULLINGSTONES, FORE ST. GuyCrowden.
7. JESSAMINE COTTAGE, WESTERN WAY Don & Malcolm Beeston.
8. 2 WESTERN WAY Margaret & Alan Long.
9. 3 WESTERN WAY Jilly & George Hobbs.
10. WINSWAY, BAKERSFIELD June & Earnie Partridge.
11. HAZLEWOOD FARM Janet & Roy Smart.
12. PADDOCK VIEW, BACK ST. Pam & John Hammett.
13. MANOR FARM COTTAGE. BACK ST. Joan &Jim Aslett.
14. LIME KILN FARM Angela & Jim Warry.
15. HEY FARM Penny & Andrew Bullivant.
16. MAGDALEN FARM Wessex Foundation.
WINSHAM GARDENS OPEN - 2 JULY 2000 In aid of St Margaret's Somerset Hospice Please be careful of slippery paths, especially if wet.
These are real cottage gardens. Their owners' love and enthusiasm is evident. We hope you enjoy them.
1. GLEBE COTTAGE, POOLES LANE by kind permission of Anne and Richard Rose.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Wide gate right of house. Suitable wheelchairs. mostly level. Seats. Roses, trees, shrubs, fruit & veg, pond, summerhouse built of recycled materials. Exit: As access.
2. PACCOMBE COTTAGE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Jean and Jack Thompson.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Through the front door, along the passage and through the conservatory. Three gardens in succession filled with everything a cottage garden should have - lawns, greenhouse, masses of flowers, trees, shrubs, a view and a patio. Exit: By the gate at the top of the garden - turn right.
3. HOMEFIELD, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Wendy and Tony Fuller.
Approx. size: 1/3 - 1/2 acre. Access: From the lane at the rear of the garden. Many flowers, trees and shrubs - a series
of small gardens within the main one. Fruit & veg. Seats. Exit: Same as access - turn right.
4. OLD STONE COTTAGE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Jeanette and Dennis Shaw.
Approx. size: 120' X 75'. Access: Follow signs from Homefield exit through part of the garden between, by kind permission of Jackie and Steve Weller. Take care! Landscaped, alpines in gravel. Paths, pond, greenhouse with Bougainvillea. Roses, clematis, patio, pebble fountain. Exit: Same as access - turn right.
5. THE POST OFFICE, CHURCH STREET by kind permission of Pearl and Graham Winter.
Approx. size: 1/4 acre. Access: By the gate to the right of the shop. Wheelchair friendly. Redesigned with pond, flower borders, rose & clematis arbour, well and pump, courtyard, trellis. Exit: same as access.
6. LULLINGSTONES, FORE STREET by kind permission of Guy Crowden.
Approx. size: 1/3 acre. Access: Gate left of cottage. Wheelchair friendly. Lawn with borders, yucca, veg. soft fruits
and fruit trees. Topiary. Croquet on lawn. Barbecue area. Book stall. Exit: Same as access.
7. JESSAMINE COTTAGE, WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Don and Malcolm Beeston.
Size: Approx. 60' X 40'. Access: By the door next to the house. Wheelchair friendly. Secluded garden transformed over four years with "before" pictures to prove it! Covered walk way. Path and turning circle for wheelchairs. Flower arches. Roses. Exit: By the gate next to the garage.
8. 2 WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Margaret and Alan Long. Size: Approx. 20' X 50' - front garden only. Access: Front gate. Two ponds, Flower borders surround a lawn. Hanging baskets. You won't find busy Margaret here because she is running the refreshments in the Jubilee Hall! Exit: As access.
9. 3 WESTERN WAY by kind permission of Jilly and George Hobbs.
Size: Approx 20' X 50' Access: Front gate. Another interesting little garden offered by a very busy couple. A fun and safe environment for grandchildren. Pixie den, sand pit etc. Exit: As access.
10. WINSWAY, BAKERSFIELD by kind permission of June and Ernie Partridge.
Size: Approx. 1/6 acre. Access: Through front gate, turn right. Hanging baskets - over thirty! Homegrown plants from seed and from cuttings. Innovative use of old Irish Victor Hoe and plough. Exit: As access.
11. HAZELWOOD FARM by kind permission of Janet and Roy Smart.
Size: Approx. 1 acre. Large but level garden. Access: By the garden gate. A well established garden. Areas recently redesigned. Lawns and mixed borders, mature trees. Wildlife conservation. Fruit and veg area with raised beds. New book stall at half price, subjects gardening and cookery. Exit: Same as access.
12. PADDOCK VIEW, BACK STREET by kind permission of Pam and John Hammett.
Access; Through the wide front gate. Wheelchair friendly. Front courtyard only. Flower filled ancient stone sinks and hanging baskets. Flower borders and climbing plants. Bric-a-brac stall. Exit: As access.
13. MANOR FARM COTTAGE, BACK STREET by kind permission of Joan and Jim Aslett.
Size: 30' X 60'. Access: Through side gate beside the plant stall. Redesigned fifteen months ago. Steps with rail, seven recycled sinks with herbs. Lavender bed. Borders, trees, paving and gravel with alpines and thymes, patio, water feature, arch with clematis and wisteria. Exit: By rear gate into Colham Lane.
14. LIME KILN FARM by kind permission of Angela and Jim Warry. Size: 1 acre. Access: Through the farm gate and turn sharp left on foot, or park where indicated. A garden not to be missed! Created from a field ten years ago. Rockery, sweeping lawns, mixed borders of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants. Herbs, fruit & veg., patio, panoramic view. Millennium Dome! Exit: Same as access.
15. HEY FARM by kind permission of Penny and Andrew Bullivant.
Size: Approximately 1 acre. Access: Through the front gate. A real plantsman's garden for a lovely old house, built in the 15th century as part of the Forde Abbey estate. Redesigned about thirty years ago. Lawn, mixed borders, roses, trees, shrubs and perennials. Path leads to front door, here turn right. Pear cloister, obelisk, pond. View. Exit same as access. Turn right for veg. garden and new tree garden with large pond.
16. MAGDALEN FARM by kind permission of Wessex Foundation.
Access: Take the Bridport road from Winsham. The farm is signposted on the left on the other side of the river Axe. In the farmhouse garden at Magdalen Farm are organic sculptures created by artist Ann Ford. Barbecue available at lunchtime.
