Sheldon Jottings for October 2013

As this lovely Summer draws to a close and Autumn approaches, we are enjoying late season sunshine and are getting up to misty mornings with those wonderful views of fog in the Wye valley with the sun on the hills beyond. The butterflies, Peacocks. Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, and Whites have all been seen on the buddleia and sedum plants in the gardens. Twenty one partridges were seen crossing the road at the top of the village joining the hens in foraging for food.

The bushes and trees are laden with fruit after this wonderful summer, blackberries in the hedgerows and the Mountain Ash trees looking resplendent with their red berries. For those plants which flowered early and were caught by the late cold weather, however, the story is a different one, there is almost a complete lack of sloes and only a poor crop of damsons on some trees this year.

Peter and Sarah were married on Saturday September 7th in All Saints Church, Mackworth. It was a wonderfully happy occasion, the setting was stunning and so was the bride, little Harriet was so pretty and Peter looked the happiest man alive. The church, which stands amongst fields, was beautifully decorated with spectacular floral displays. The simple, but moving service was attended by a large congregation of family and friends, some of whom had come from as far away as Scotland.

Afterwards the well wishers and the newly married couple attended a champagne reception at Langley Meynell a beautiful country house with extensive views towards Derby. Many of the guests also came to the new house in Sheldon for an informal gathering on the Sunday.  The Belted Galloway in the field behind their new home was one of their wedding presents, and is due to calve before Christmas. We look forward to welcoming Peter, Sarah and Harriet when they move to Sheldon in the near future.

The History Group Meeting on the 18th October was a great success, with friends from Great Longstone History Group joining us to listen to Ken Smith from the Peak Park give a fascinating talk about the recent discoveries and work to preserve the ancient monuments in the Park. From the discovery of a long barrow bronze age burial mound exposed when the waters of the reservoirs in the Derwent Valley were at their lowest to the amazing discoveries at Fin Cop and liberally illustrated with slides, the talk was enjoyed by all, as were the tea and cakes which were served during the evening.

We hear that Pauline is to leave us. She has finally decided to take the plunge and retire to her new house in Ireland before Christmas. She will long be remembered not only for her work in the village, on Sheldon Days, for the ‘Light up’, for the cream she always gave to Cream Teas and the wonderful scones she arranged to be delivered, but also for all the small ways she was always on hand to help people in the village. ‘Pauline’s been!’ was an early morning call in many households, part of life’s daily routine, always said with added emphasis on all those cold, snowy and icy mornings when we were not venturing out but somehow the milk would arrive on our doorstep. She will be sorely missed. We wish her well.

We hear that Claire’s fortieth birthday party went well. Congratulations Claire from us all!

Dates for the Diary

HISTORY GROUP MEETING

WEDNESDAY 23RD October 7:30PM AT HARTINGTON MEMORIAL HALL

For the past year Brian Greasley has been researching the story of Sheldon School which was open from 1878 to 1935 and is now our village hall. This is the first of two illustrated talks during which Brian will speak about the building of the school, its opening, the mistresses and their successes and failures and the children and their highs and lows, misdemeanours, and punishments. Here is a chance to hear about a piece of the history of our small village not told before, much of it in the words of the people who were there.

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS

Sunday 8th October – 9:00am Holy Communion
Sunday 15th September – 9:00am Holy Communion