Newsletter, January 2004

A Chilworth Millstone

We hold meetings every two months at Chilworth Church of England Infant School and are delighted when members of the public join us, valuing their contributions during the adjournment for public discussion. A list of Forthcoming Parish Council Meetings can be found on our calendar of events page. Regularly attending our meetings are Borough Councillors for the Tillingbourne Ward, Keith Childs and David Wright, plus Surrey County Councillor David Davis, and Police Constable Mark Bridge, our Neighbourhood Specialist Officer. Mark has kindly provided us with information for an update of police related matters, which you can find under the heading, Police Spot.

Parish Elections 2003

On 1st May 2003 Parish Council elections were held for the Tillingbourne Ward. The following Councillors were nominated and returned unopposed: Patricia Allen, Peter Burt, Mike Lunnon and John Peake. Sue Stevens, who had been on the Council for many years, and was our planning 'expert', felt it was time to come off and therefore did not seek renomination. We are very grateful to her for the time and support she gave the Parish Council over her period in office. Since May, Alan Slater and Helen McIntyre have rejoined and we now have a volunteer for the one remaining vacancy. Those of us on the Council find the work diverse and interesting and believe that what we do can make a difference.

Chilworth Gunpowder Mills

The eighth public consultative meeting, which was open to all residents of Chilworth and anyone else interested, was held on 6th November. As usual, it was extremely well attended and included a report by Alison Davidson, Projects and Conservation Manager for Guildford Borough Council. The meeting was told that 'sensitive' conservation work is due to start on the Gunpowder Mills buildings, not to restore them as such but to ensure there is no further decay. Display boards at the site are to be restored and in some cases replaced. This was then followed by a very interesting illustrated talk by Gordon Hartman on 'Trees of the Tillingbourne at Chilworth'. Trees found in the area include the Norway Maple, Alder, Hazel, Elder, Sycamore, Yew, Elm, Wych Elm, Laurel, Birch, Horse Chestnut, and Poplar. Finally, there was a presentation on the recently completed, 'English Heritage Survey Report' given by Wayne Cocroft and a fascinating demonstration of 'Let's make Gunpowder' by Professor Alan Crocker. This left everyone in suspense right to the end as to whether the whole of Chilworth Village Hall would go up in a puff of smoke! The suspense was relieved when Professor Crocker revealed that some of the ingredients had been substituted to make the mixture harmless.

During the evening reference was made to 'Tin Town'. This was an area of the Gunpowder Mills so called because of the corrugated tin roofs from which the houses were constructed in case of explosions from the gunpowder factory. The works were closed down in 1922 but after that some wooden houses were built and other families occupied the disused factory buildings. The old blacksmith's shop, which one family moved into, had walls 2 feet thick and the windows were 10 feet up. There were no amenities for these houses, just a cold water standpipe. Some families had generators for their power; others had no electricity at all and no main drainage - WCs consisted of a bucket! The 10 houses were let out to families, as there was a desperate shortage of housing during the Second World War. The last tenants moved out in 1963 and the buildings were eventually destroyed to stop further families moving in. Today there is very little sign of the community that once lived in 'Tin Town', or the old factory estate.

Post-boxes

The Parish Council is hoping to have two post-boxes restored and possibly listed. There is a George VI box by Chilworth Station and a George V one in Sample Oak Lane. Both have brickwork that is in need of repair and we feel restoration work would be well worth doing as they are historic features of our Parish. The Parish has post-boxes from other reigns that are also worth preserving.

Chilworth Station Box		Sample Oak Lane Box

Blackheath News

Some of you may not realize that St Martha Parish covers an area from Postford Pond in the east, St Martha's Church and the most eastern point of White Lane in the north, up to the Dorking Road level crossing in the west and part of Blackheath village and Blackheath Common in the south. It was recently agreed that Patricia Allen should act as 'link' member on the PC for the Blackheath area as she lives in Sample Oak Lane.

On 16th December, Peter Burt and Patricia Allen attended a Blackheath Village Society consultation meeting aimed at finding out the village's view on possible traffic calming measures. A proposal to install a 20 m.p.h. speed limit and entry gates to the village, assisted by the Surrey Hills Partnership, was discussed and is being considered further. St Martha Parish Council is itself working with Surrey Hills on ways of influencing driver behaviour and reinforcing the rural character of Halfpenny Lane and Sample Oak Lane and it is hoped information will be shared to encourage an overall plan for the lanes and villages in this part of the Surrey Hills.

To contact PC Mark Bridge, our Neighbourhood Specialist Officer (NSO) phone 0845 125 2222 ext 157809. To report a crime or an incident just phone 0845 125 2222 unless it is an emergency and then use 999. The Surrey Police web site is www.surrey.police.uk. If you would like to receive the monthly Tillingbourne Newsletter via e-mail, please phone Mark Bridge or e-mail him at bridge829@surrey.pnn.police.uk. Following the introduction of Police Community Support Officers, PCSO Vinny Garrard has worked hard on local issues including dealing with young and vulnerable people. The crime rate in the Chilworth area continues to be very low, excellent relationships have been fostered between the police and local community and there has been an increased police presence, both on foot and mobile support. PC Bridge works closely with the schools in the area and the police carried out a speed survey in the village during 2003. This information was used when Parish Councillors and local officials walked along New Road and Dorking Road at 8.30 one morning to consider what can be done about such issues as speeding traffic, parked cars, condition and width of pavements, pedestrian safety, children crossing to school, and litter. We will report on any progress in our next Newsletter.

Guildford Borough Council to launch Purple Box Scheme

Recycle it - don't waste it! Guildford Borough Council is organizing a second recycling box for Guildford's kerbside recycling scheme. The original green box will continue to be used for food tins, drinks cans, glass bottles and jars. The new purple box is for all types of paper, including newspapers and magazines, card, junk mail, office paper, directories and catalogues. For further information phone 01483 209 817/826 or e-mail degerton@gemgroup.com.

Surrey Hills Llamas

Did you know that a llama will carry your picnic lunch whilst you explore our part of the Surrey Hills? Alternatively, you can go for a day's trekking with llamas, an evening BBQ, overnight camp and pub lunch, or a winter morning trek followed by a pub lunch. For more information, telephone 01483 560 831 or visit www.surrey-hills-llamas.co.uk.

Horse Passport

www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses provides information and advice for horse owners including how to obtain a horse passport, which is required by 30th June.

Feedback and Web Site for St Martha Parish Council

If you would like to respond to any of the issues raised in this year's Newsletter, please contact a member of the Parish Council. Your comments will be most welcome. Prior notice of meetings, which are held on Mondays and commence at 7.15pm, is put up in the bus shelters adjacent to Chilworth Station and opposite Lockner Farm, and on the Parish Council Notice Board by the entrance to Old Manor Lane.

At present there is no Parish Council web site and we would therefore welcome offers to create and maintain one for us. If you would like to volunteer for this very worthwhile project, please contact our Chairman, Peter Burt.