The entrance to National Trust's Blakes Wood.
Photographs by Webmaster, John Bowen
The Danbury Society would like to draw your attention to the following items of interest : -
St John's Church have a programme of Monthly Lunchtime Concerts in the Church, Fridays, 12.15am to 1pm.
Come along a little earlier for a Sandwich/cake Lunch available from 11.45am, or you are welcome to bring your own.
Entry is FREE.
13th December 2024 - An Advent Reflection.
Between the middle of April & the middle of May each year, Blakes Wood provides a lovely carpet of Bluebells.
Referring to the photos, Dr Peter Cartwright described the sequence nicely as: -
The white flowers you refer to are the remains of the Wood Anemones.
The sequence is first the Candlemass Bells (aka Snowdrops), if you know where to look, then the Wood Anemones,
then the Bluebells, and after that the trees in full leaf.
No doubt about it, Spring is the best time to walk in the woods (though Autumn when the leaves are cascading
down is a close second).
Thank you Peter for that.
For some reason the Bluebells this year are shorter and not so "filled out" as many previous years.
It appears they "smell" better early in the morning when there is little wind.
Dr Cartwright & myself feel this could be due to the hot dry Summer which shrank the bulbs.
There are plenty however to see in this 100 acre plantation.
The Webmaster would like to draw your attention to the very nicely printed Danbury Footpaths Map originally produced by the Danbury Society by the late David Bolwell. It is available by the Parish Council from a side pocket on the old British Legion Hut at the head of the car park - FREE.
The Footpath Map is in two sections - one side contains a nice road map of Danbury with 6 Footpath Walks for YOU to enjoy. They are coded with numbers to follow.
The other side contains a nice selection of photographs by David Whiteing of parts of the village with a numbered
reference sytems of interest.
Parish Plan-2024.
Planning
The Parish Council, as the Qualifying Body, has formally submitted the Danbury Neighbourhood Plan to Chelmsford City Council under Regulation 15 of the Town and Country Planning, England Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations (2012).
Chelmsford City Council have organised a public referendum on Thursday 12th December to accept or reject this plan. All residents of Danbury should have received their poll card. Note that your polling station may be different from the one that you have been to for other elections.
We urge you to vote in favour of accepting the plan.
You can use the following link for relevant information:
https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy-and-local-plan/consultations-on-planning-policy/consultation-on-danbury-neighbourhood-plan/
Please see next item: -
4,000 Additional House near Danbury!
Please be aware that Central Government have required Chelmsford City Council to plan for an additanal 8,000 houses.
The Council Option E suggests 4,000 on Hammonds Farm, East of the A12 & the A414 towards Danbury.
There is scope for that to be increased to 12,000!
The Danbury Society strongly objects to the development of Hammonds farm as the preferred option (16a: East Chelmsford Garden Community (Hammonds Farm) and 16b: Land adjacent to A12 Junction 18 (Employment Site))
In March 2017, when Chelmsford City Council issued its outline Spatial Strategy for 2012-36, it described a concept that saw major development to the northeast of the city and in the city itself with small developments in selected villages of which Danbury was identified as an area for around 100 houses.
Please read the detailed Response by looking below: -
Click here to see the Danbury Society Response.
Please note this is a 6 page PDF File.
See also below link - it may take a second or 2 to load : -
Say No To Hammonds Farm are contained on this Web Link:-
https://notohammondsfarm.co.uk/
Closing date for comments is Wednesday 19 June 2024.
It is VERY important you look and comment to these proposed ideas which may turn the area into an over populated New Town without the appropriate infrastructure.
Details from Little Baddow are contained on this Web Link:-
https://littlebaddow.org.uk/hammonds-farm/
Also to see their local programme : -
Essex Branch of the Historic Association Programme.
Thank you.
The Christmas Tree at Eves Corner, 6th December 2024.
Danbury Society Chairman Mark Scofield reports; - It was very well attended and was not affected
by Storm Darragh in any way.
Mandy Hesssing from Danbury Parish Council, who organised
the event, lead the proceedings and a Salvation Army Band accompanied the singing of Carols
around the lighted tree.
This year it was supplied and erected by Bakers of Danbury Ltd.
Afterwards everyone was invited to the Danbury Leisure Centre for some Festive Refreshments.
It was a very good evening.
The Plaque informs that Bakers of Danbury supplied and erection of the tree this year.
The Danbury Parish Council and the Danbury Society sponsored it as well.
Annual General Meeting & Talk.
Thursday, 21st November in the Dawson Suite at the Danbury Leisure Centre, CM3 4NQ.
Chairman, Mark opened the meeting and gave a warm welcome to the 40 persons who attended that evening.
"This year we have had talks by the Essex Wildlife Trust and Sarah Harvey from Chelmsford Museum who
gave a fascinating talk on J.A Baker and his book the Peregrine. Irene Guidotti led one of our regular Heritage
Walks on the theme of Retail Therapy.
We held two successful and very enjoyable Quiz nights to raise funds for the Society.
Planning, we submitted a comprehensive seven-page response to the latest Local Plan review consultation
when once again the prospect of thousands of houses at Hammonds Farm has raised its head. The Parish
Councils of Little Baddow, Danbury and Sandon together with support from Boreham have formed a working group
to how best to resist this previously discounted proposal.
The Neighbourhood Plan is now complete and will go to referendum on 12th December 2024. 7 years in the
making and all those involved should be heartily congratulated. Whilst the referendum is a simple
YES/NO vote a NO vote would not mean NO Houses. Indeed, it would most likely be a green light for
an avalanche of Planning Applications from speculative developers such as we saw in 2016 when the
Parish decided to embark upon our own Plan.
The NP is much more than just locating where the100 houses that Chelmsford have allocated to Danbury within the Local Plan
The NP referendum is for local people to vote on the whole plan and whether collectively the policies should be
used to decide planning applications.
We would encourage everyone to vote in the referendum on 12th December. Polling will take place in the
United Reform Church - do not forget to take separate I.D. when you Vote.
John Bowen has been our Webmaster for 25 years. The Website provides all of the details of Society events with other local news and also provides a valuable archive of history of the the Society. He has done an excellent job in maintaining this important resource over such a long time. John has now decided to hang up his mouse, so to speak, and we are delighted that Tony Groves has agreed to take over from John and that John has agreed to work with Tony to ensure a seamless transition. As a token of our appreciation, we would like to present John with this small gift to enjoy!
We were also very grateful to Bakers of Danbury Ltd. for their continued sponsorship of the Society.
Finally, I would like to thank all of the members of the Committee for their excellent support this year, Bob,
John and Glad Deamer, Chandra, Irene, Roger, John Bowen and Tony Groves. Of course, we should not
forget all of Chandra's small army of volunteers who deliver our newsletters to whom we are forever grateful".
TREASURES REPORT by Bob Booker
He said the Society's bank balance was still heathy and highlighted our ongoing donations/grants, since
the last AGM.
A donation from Bakers of Danbury Ltd. in the form of £250 sponsorship had been received.
Grants were awarded to the following: - Danbury Parish Council for the Christmas Tree at Eves
Corner; £250 to Essex Wildlife Trust towards the acquisition of Firtree Woods, Little Baddow; £200 for
a Floral Display at the Beauty of the Earth Flower Festival held in St. John's Church and to Danbury Open Gardens
for the cost of printing the programmes.
The Meeting was asked to accept this year's financial report: proposed by Mark Scofield and seconded by Roger Cole-Jones.
ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The Chairman handed over to John Deamer as acting Vice Chairman for the Election of Officers.
The current Chairman, Mark Scofield, having served one year of his three year tenure, is happy to continue. As
there were no nominations for Chairman the meeting approved the reappointment of Mark Scofield as Chairmen.
The Meeting was handed back to the Chairman.
The Meeting approved the appointment of John Deamer as Vice-Chairman of the Society.
Regarding the post of Hon. Secretary, the Chairman asked the meeting if there were any nominations - there were none - John
Deamer will continue as Acting Hon. Secretary. But a permanent replacement will need to be found.
Bob Booker was reappointed as Hon. Treasure. The meeting approved the appointment of Tony Goves
as the Webmaster of the Society and a Member of the Committee.
Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee: Glad Deamer, Roger Cole-Jones, Irene Guidotti and Chandra
Pyne were also reappointed. Tony Groves as Webmaster and Member.
APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
The Treasure, Bob Booker said that Malcolm Hamling was willing to examine next year's Accounts. John Deamer
seconded and the Meeting agreed.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS. None
The AGM ended at approximately 8:30pm.
PRESENTATION
Maldon Historian Stephen Nunn, gave a well Illustrated talk on: Barges on the Blackwater.
This was about the historic link between Maldon and the Thames Sailing Barges, both past and present.
He said that from the early 1800s there were about 200 Barges but as society and technology changed there were only about 20 afloat now.
Originally, they were all sail and many of those who did not put engines in - did not survive.
The dominated trade was straw to London and manure back to be spread on the fields.
Now the trade is mainly charter hire for either trips out to Osea Island and back or as my wife Pauline
did some years ago, hire Gordon Swift and the Dawn for an extended weekend with an amateur painting group.
He showed a slide of some of the many wonderful books written on the subject and went through each one in turn.
There were a number of families who dominated the Blackwater & Barges and some of these were mentioned.
Thank you Stephen for such an interesting local presentation.
After which the Chairman invited Members of the Danbury Society for wine and nibbles from approximately 9:15pm.
The Meeting closed at 10.15pm.
Second Society Meeting & Talk.
This was held on Thursday 26th September in the Dawson Suite at the Danbury Leisure Centre, CM3 4NQ.
An Illustrated Talk by Sarah Harvey, the Curator from Chelmsford Museum, on J A Baker, the Author and Ornithologist (1926-1987).
The Restless Brilliance exhibition about Mr Baker and his famous book The Peregrine is
currently running at the Oaklands Museum until 23rd February 2025 and is well worth a visit.
He did much of his bird watching around Little Baddow and Danbury, during a 10 year period in the
early 1960s which he describes in his book which was published in 1967.
Although he was captivated by The Peregrine he writes in detail about all of Nature as he saw it at that time. Unfortuately it was quite the rage in those days to use powerful chemicals to kill weeds on the road verges and farmed fields of crops. This had a very bad effect on bees, wild animals, birds including The Peregrine and the humans applying it.
The Book has had a very wide readership and is liked by modern people who value Nature including Chris Packham.
It also has its own Web Site: -
https://jabaker.co.uk/the-peregrine/
Note, this link is NOT a "www" - it is a Server Based link
Thank you Sarah for bringing the subject of a famous Chelmsford author to our attention on this wet, cold and windy night.
The saving grace was that the meeting was held for the first time in the refurbished and extended Bar with
50 nice seats and the huge TV which doubled up as the screen for the excellent slides show by Sarah.
It is now called The Dawson Bar - however the bar will be closed while meetings are in progress.
After the Meeting closed, tea & coffee was served from the Bar.
Danbury Society Autumn Quiz .
Saturday, 5th October at the Dawson Suite, Danbury Leisure Centre, CM3 4NQ
Doors opened at 7.00pm for 7.30pm Start.
A General Knowledge Quiz - All were welcomed.
12 tables were fully occupied with 6 persons - all in aid of the Society's Charitable Funds.
Drinks were obtained from the Bar - people brought their own snacks.
The 50th Annual Art Exhibition in August, unfortunately will NOT now take place.
In its place the Danbury Society will organise two Quiz Evenings in the Dawson Suite of the Danbury Leisure Centre.
Guided Heritage Walk around Danbury.
Saturday, 29th June at 2pm.
This started from Danbury Leisure Centre, CM3 4NQ.
Ms Guidotti focused on Eves Corner and the Main Road (A414) to look at shops & businesses, past and present to understand how they developed through the Centuries to meet the needs of the local population, passing trade and tourists.
A number of attendees added their stories to the delight of all present.
A well attended event - thanks to Ms Guidotti for doing it.
St John's Church, Beauty of the Earth, Flower Festival.
This was from Friday, 21st to Monday, 24th June 2024.
This was very well attended with a series of beautiful Flower Displays including one from the Danbury Society.
First Society Meeting & Talk.
Thursday, 25th April at 8.00pm in the Dawson Suite of the Danbury Leisure Centre, CM2 4NQ.
An Illustrated Talk by Rebecca Hughes , on the work of the Essexe Wildlife Trust, and the
Fir Tree Woods, Little Baddow Appeal.
The Danbury Society will make a donation.
Danbury Society Spring Quiz .
Saturday, 20th April at the Dawson Suite, Danbury Leisure Centre, CM3 4NQ
(Formerly known as the Danbury Sports and Social Centre, near Eves Corner).
A General Knowledge Quiz - All were Welcome!
The Quiz was excellent!
We had a full house, 72 Quizzers of 12 tables of 6 with 13 happy winners of Raffle Prizes.
All in aid of the Society's Charitable Funds.
Drinks were from the Bar - people brought their own snacks.
All tables were sold for this event which shows its continued popularity. Partly this is due to the
question master Mike Simmons.
This was the third time he has provided the questions to challenge those who attended.
Over £200 was raised for the Society's charitable funds.
A very good evening - thanks to everyone involved.
The Evening Visit.
Was on Wednesday, 7th June at 7.30pm at Beeliegh Abbey, Maldon.
The visit was to the Beeleigh Mill Preservation Trust - following on from our presentation in 2022.
Click here to go back to the Top
Aims of The Danbury Society
To involve the residents of Danbury in interests and
pursuits to enrich village life.
To ensure that changes in the Village are undertaken with sensitivity
to the character of Danbury.
To protect the natural beauty of the local landscape and to promote
its maintenance and care.
To Work for the preservation and protection of buildings and features
of interest in Danbury.
To promote the general charitable benefit of the inhabitants of
the Danbury area by provision of such financial and/or material
benefit as the Trustees for the time being shall determine.
The Danbury Society supports the Village
As part of its Charitable Objects, the Danbury Society makes grants to village activities and organisations of all kinds. Since its formation in 1967, the Society has donated many thousands of pounds ranging from improvements at Eves Corner, refurbishing the Village Hall, restoration of the Grade 1 listed Parish Church to helping out with youth organisations.
The Danbury Society publish a Newsletter every 4 months. This is available to paid-up Members
The Danbury Society Web Site Address is:-
http://www.danburysociety.org.uk
The following links "Open in a New Page" - use the top right (X) to close the New Page to return to this Web Site.
This Web Site is hosted by
Easyspace
St John's Parish Church.
Visit the Church Web Site for more details:-
http://www.stjohnbaptistdanbury.org.uk/
The Danbury Society supports The Parish Council.
Visit the Parish Council's new Web Site for more
details:-
http://www.danbury-essex.gov.uk/
Danbury Palace Babies Contact Information
Click here to link to Danbury Park Babies Web Site
The Danbury Society Blog
Please note The Danbury Society, Blog on Danbury village matters has been discontinued.
It covered events and incidents that were relevant to the objects of Danbury Society.
Have a look for yourself at: -
http://danburysociety.blogspot.com/
There will not be any more updates.
Note, this is a Server based site and therefore not a "www" (World Wide Web site).
Joining The Danbury Society
If you live in Danbury, please support The
Danbury Society by joining. It is only £2.00 per
household per year or £4.00 if we cannot deliver
your Newsletter on foot. See clickable link below: -
To contact the Membership Secretary: -
Chandra Pyne.
Telephone -- 01245 223766
To see the Danbury Society Statistics starting 2015 enter /stats/ after the Web Address viz
http://www.danburysociety.org.uk/stats/ You can Click on this Link if you wish.
Cursor down to see many interesting items about the Web Site.
The Web Site was started by John Bowen in 2000 and recorded over 12,000 hits by 2009 when the counter went wrong.
Another 9,000 Hits were recorded until 2015 when the Counter played up again.
Copyright (c) John Bowen 2023