May/June 1991             Issue 38

We also have very reasonable rates for display advertising (and need more money to keep going), so if you, or anyone you know, have a business which you would like to advertise to 400 households in Sandford, to take out an advertisement is both good value and a way of supporting your local magazine. Information about advertising rates from Prue Sykes, Lower Farm, Sandford-on-Thames (748848).

CHURCH NEWS

Home from the Gulf

A few weeks later the sermon was about the awful plight of the Kurds and Shias and what the cross of Jesus says about God's involvement in all that mess, and how it helps us to see and be sorry for our own involvement in the terrible things humans do to one another, and how God shows us a better way and draws us into following it if we'll only allow that to happen. But that was all deep theology and not what Jean went to church for. She simply wanted to say thank you for her relief and blessing. That is fair enough. But the terrible evil inflicted on the Kurds and the Shias is an example of the apparently intractable problems of the human situation that theology is about, with its Christian claim that God is involved in the cross, and provides in religious commitment a way to a better world.


Meeting Point
Tea, coffee, 60p lunch in Village Hall, second Friday in the month, 12.30 - 2.0. Next meetings 10th May and 14th June. All welcome, especially pre-school children. Bring a friend or come on your own and meet your neighbours.


Welcome into the world
A daughter, Jade Sarah, to Diane and Mark Berry (Main Avenue) on 11th February - and sister for Katrina

I wish to thank Mrs Hutton and the Residents Association for the lovely flowers they so kindly gave to me on my sad loss. Also I would like to thank the residents of Kiln Park for their very generous donation of £87 which I will be taking to the Cancer Ward at the John Radcliffe. The total donated was £230.
Lillian Sleath

R.I.P.

For your diary The Annual Flower Festival will take place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September - later this year to allow a different selection of flowers. Please bring friends from far and near. The Village Church Fete will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday 7th September. Donations of raffle prizes and stall material - also offers of help will be welcomed. Please contact Mrs Harris (24 Church Road) or Mr Jones (Cabora Bassa, Church Road). New ideas also welcome.

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

PRIZE CROSSWORD WIN £5

Some thoughts on Heyford Hill Lane

From here the road continues parallel to the river for about 300 yds, and peters out in the fields beyond after passing under a railway arch on the old G.W.R. Oxford to High Wycombe branch line. The Oxford City sewage pumping station is on the left at the far end.

Along the whole length there were only two houses until 1927 when the first Littlemore Hospital houses were built. (Except, of course, the former 'Swan' public house on Rose Island.) First, Heyford Hill House, already mentioned and a fine house at the bottom, just before the railway arch on the right hand side, and Mr Goodey's, standing in market garden ground, partly surrounded by a high stone vail which divides the two houses from Iffley parish. Both houses, one imagines, date subsequent from 1819.

Mr Goodey's had a date stone over the doorway, but it was indecipherable when I last saw it. Both houses are of a similar style, the forementioned having fine decorated chimneys. Heyford Hill House was occupied for a great number of years by Mrs Firbank, but has since been drastically altered and is now a remand home. Little or nothing exists of the old building.

Without any very early references to the name, there may be some speculation as to the original spelling. In the vernacular of the district it was always Effordill. The earliest recent record of the name Heyford Hill dates back no farther than 1895 (House Name).

If we take this as an old name, Heyford means 'a ford used in the time of the harvest' but where do we have to look for this ford.? If it existed at all, not I think on the Thames; or was the small stream at the bottom of the hill such an obstacle as to give its name to the house and the lane? An earlier record, 1891, gives this same house the name Hyefield House and if this is not a printers error would seem to fit the situation ideally having noted before that this was a lane leading to the water meadows where the best hay was to be found.

Field names in the area were NYE NEAD, BARREN HILL, BALDWIN MEAD. The latter recorded in 1719. It was pointed out to me in 1948 as Baldon Field.

Kingcup

      [note]

[Kingcup - more info]

The New Key

St. Andrew's Annual Meeting

The vicar thanked the parish for maintaining the fabric and weekly worship over the past year and also for raising money for necessary expenses, donation to the Porch (East Oxford), Church overseas, Urban Fund, Earl Haig and Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and payment to central funds, diocesan and national, through our parish share. Some money from Sunday collections had been set aside for repairs to the building and maintenance of organ, and this had been added to money given through the Friends of Sandford Church by which some non-worshippers also contribute to maintaining the building as a village asset.

In addition to the Wardens for all their work the vicar thanked especially Mr Martin Pitson, organist, and deputies Mrs Boyd and Mrs McKissack, and the choir notably Mrs Beverley Cook - also in her role as treasurer; and the secretary (Miss Ford) and auditor (Mr McKissack); Messrs C. Pitson, R. Crickmay, J. Smith for care of the churchyard.; Mrs Harris and all those who provided and worked in the flower team; Miss Greenwood and all others who have helped with cleaning; Mrs Webber for care of linen and key; Mr C. Pitson for his work as sacristan and sexton. Mr Challenor proposed a warm vote of thanks to the vicar and his family for their ministry in this parish over the past year.

Treasurer's Report: Church collections, flower festival, fete and covenants had covered the national levy laid on each parish, running expenses (electricity, insurance etc), 10% tithe to local charities and church overseas etc (see above), £1,500 transfer to building fund.

Friends of St Andrew's: Donations and subscriptions go directly into building fund. Villagers who would like to be associated with the building in this way are asked to contact the vicar or either warden.

SANDFORD-ON-THAMES PARISH COUNCIL

At the meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 4th February 1991 eight members were present.

RECREATION FIELD SWINGS: were in dangerous condition and the Clerk would arrange for them to be repaired as soon as possible. The kissing gate had been repaired by Mr Rudman, and a letter would be sent to him thanking him for his help.

POG - OXFORD UNITED STADIUM: it was agreed that £50 should be donated to POG and the PC would consider further payments as and when necessary. Mr Norton would discuss funding with Val Mather (Garsington Parish Council).

BEST KEPT VILLAGE COMPETITION: Sandford to enter.

PLANNING: Science Park three storey building for B1 use together with association landscape works and access road. The PC objected to the design of the building, in particular the roof structure, as it was not in keeping with the innovation centre or Littlemore Hospital. The Council had been assured by Magdalen College that all buildings would be constructed of materials in sympathy with Littlemore Hospital and all roofs would be of pitched roof structure.

Income	£		Expenditure	£
Courages (sign)	100.00		R.H. Fencing	652.05
Youth Club	100.00		SODC Bus tokens	221.76
			Thames Water (VH)	63.08
			British Gas (VH)	94.51
			Nu-Swift (VH)	56.05
	200.00			1087.45

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
VILLAGE HALL: bingo profits of £1615.14 for 1990 handed over for village hall funds, this figure including £106.63 spent on crockery, cutlery and plumbing repair. £372.58 was paid into Village Hall account on 22.1.91. There was a vote of thanks proposed to Mrs Shepherd and Mrs Hutton. It was agreed that since bingo was now a major source of income for the village hall every Thursday evening this year could be booked for that purpose, with the exception of Thursdays already booked for other events.
SCIENCE PARK: the matter of the access from the new peripheral road to Ten Acre and Kiln Park would be discussed with Magdalen College at the proposed site meeting.

VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: REPORT ON ACCOUNTS: Mr Robinson had been dealing with the books, which will be audited before being handed over the new Committee. He suggested that a copy of the annual accounts should be submitted to the PC and the Treasurer should make a report at each meeting of the Village Hall Committee. The balance in hand as at 24.1.91 was £178.77 for one of the accounts, but figures in respect of bookings account not available.

PARISH COUNCIL FUNDING 1991/92: the PC had agreed to make available £3000 for the 1991/92 period, which could be used by requesting that the PC issue order for maintenance works or materials/goods and pay the accounts from these funds. There was a discussion on how best to organise accounts etc., and several ideas would be discussed by the new Committee.

JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN PC AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: closer liaison between the PC, Village Hall committee and ORCC would be achieved through joint meetings. Mrs Denise Beecham was thanked for her work in the village hall and Miss Meryl Smith (ORCC) for her help and guidance during the past year.

OXFORD SCIENCE PARK STREET NAMES: suggestions made by Magdalen were Peter Medawar Road, Roger Bacon Road, Robert Boyle Road and Christopher Wren Road. The PC had no objection but added Harold Edwin Hurst Road. Dr Hurst, an authority on Egyptology, lived in Sandford for many years.

SWINGS: the swings had not yet been removed. They would be removed and repaired as soon as possible.

TEMPLARS COURT CARAVANS: Mr Dow (SODC Enforcement Officer) had informed the Clerk that the caravans used for 'residential purposes' on Templar's Court were in breach of the planning permissions. Mr Lee (Magdalen) had written to

TELEPHONE BOX IN CHURCH ROAD: the Clerk had received a number of complaints from residents and road users about large vehicles parking outside the kiosk, blocking part of the road and causing a traffic hazard. She has written to Highways enclosing photographs substantiating these complaints, and they will decide what action to take.

POG OXFORD UNITED STADIUM COMPLEX: POG had asked the PC to write to the OCC Environmental Committee and SODC Northern Area Planning Committee opposing the development as
  a) the land is interim Green Belt in which SODC had previously fought a planning application.
  b) the surrounding villages would suffer traffic problems; in Sandford the main route would be via the new peripheral road between Sandford and Garsington road passing the Mobile Home Site, meaning more traffic using the A423 slip road.
  c) pollution aspects of parking, noise, hooliganism, litter, etc. will become real problems for these communities.
  d) the size and scale of the complex (up to 100 ft tall and covering 74 acres) will be obtrusive in a green field location and set a dangerous precedent for other areas.
  The Clerk was instructed to write accordingly.

PLANNING: Science Park decked car park building. Approved. Kiln House single dwelling and garage. Withdrawn.

Income	£		Expenditure	£
Ms Green (mooring)	48.00		Loan (Village hall)		1000.00
Mrs Hutton (goal			Sure Fire		242.30
posts)	100.00		Clerk's Salary		200.00
			POG		50.00
			British Telecom		35.45
	148.00				1527.75

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
SCIENCE PARK: Mrs Shepherd reported that:
1. the lights would be installed at the beginning of March
2. the road signs, etc. were on order.
3. footpath almost completed.
4. there is now access to Minchery Farm along the new road.
5. temporary repairs to the kerbs would be made.
6. handrail and footpath lights would be installed shortly.
She would investigate ownership of access road to Kiln Park.
DOG NOTICES: several of the new dog notices in the recreation field and on the wharf had been smashed.

CHEMISTS' ROTA SERVICE

May/June

Closest to Sandford area only

The following Chemist will be open for dispensing from 5.30 - 6.30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, and 12 noon 1.0 p.m. Sundays and Public Holidays, on the week commencing:

March 3rd	Emerald Pharmacy, 34 Cowley Road, Littlemore
March 10th	W.H. Green (Chemists) Ltd., 8 Rose Hill Parade
March 17th	N.J. Proctor, 252 Cowley Road, Oxford
March 24th	N.J. Proctor, 158 Oxford Road, Cowley
April 2nd	P.L. Jenner, 236/8 Cowley Road, Oxford
April 9th	Kingswood Chemists, 103/5 Pound Way, Cowley Centre
April 14th	Emerald Pharmacy, 34 Cowley Road, Littlemore
April 21st	W.H. Green (Chemists) Ltd., 8 Rose Hill Parade
April 28th	M.J. Proctor, 252 Cowley Road, Oxford
May 7th	N.J. Proctor, 158 Oxford Road, Cowley