Villagers’ Remembrance Concert ‘surprises and satisfies’
Steeple Aston always marks Remembrance Sunday with a parade from the church to the War Memorial. But this year there was an extra special treat. On Saturday, 9th November there was a Remembrance Concert in the church devised by Nicholas Cleobury and performed by local singers, musicians and speakers.
The audience in the packed church were thrilled, delighted and moved by their performance as Margaret Bulleyment reports:
‘Remembrance, Respect and Reconciliation’ was the theme on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, with the church packed, in anticipation of a performance in words and music from the Aston Singers and friends, devised by Nicholas Cleobury.
The audience was not disappointed as without a printed programme, the idea was to be surprised and satisfied by the thoughtful links that Nicholas had curated so beautifully, showing us the power of words and music across the centuries.
We began with Siegfried Sassoon’s poem, Everyone Suddenly Burst out Singing, commemorating the ending of the Great War, followed by the Aston Singers’ vibrant performance of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, from his Ninth Symphony. The latter was sung in German – as were all the evening’s pieces originally written in that language. It is an ode to peace and all mankind uniting in harmony, so in German, this was appropriate, as well as being in the spirit of reconciliation.
The mood then changed dramatically with Wilfred Owen’s poem, Dulce et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori, describing the agony of a soldier who has been gassed in the trenches, enhanced by Elizabethan composer, William Byrd’s sublime Agnus Dei which followed, in which the repeated Miserere (Have mercy on us) takes on a poignant significance. Wilfred Owen died just a week before the Armistice.
In At a Cavalry near the Ancre, another Owen poem, he likens a French roadside cross to the scene of the Crucifixion and this was followed by a hauntingly beautiful performance of the theme from John William’s, Schindler’s List, by violinist, Holly Viner. There was a moment of hesitation. Should we applaud here? It was so moving, we did.
Call to Remembrance by Tudor composer, Richard Farrant, O remember not the sins and offences of my youth, took us to two settings of three stanzas of Lawrence Binyon’s poem, For the Fallen – They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old – written in 1914, at the beginning of the Great War.
The first setting, by Sophie Cleobury, was sung fervently and confidently, by four students from Dr. Radcliffe’s School – Charlie Simpson, Nathaniel Prigent, Arlo Robins and Freddie. Thompson. The second, by Douglas Guest, Nicholas’s mentor at Worcester Cathedral, was composed for the Choir of Westminster Abbey and satisfyingly complemented the first.
In 1960, Philip Larkin wrote MCMXIV (1914) describing the years following the Great War. It ends with Never such innocence again, at which point, Charmian Bartlett, cellist – a very welcome newcomer to the village’s musical scene – played an eloquent Arioso, from Bach’s Cantata 156, I stand with one foot in the grave. This was another ‘we must applaud’ moment.
The choir continued with a Charles Stanford motet from 1905, Justorum animae (The souls of the just are in the hand of god) which was followed by Rupert Brooke’s, The Soldier (If I should die…)
During the Second World War, pianist Myra Hess gave lunchtime concerts in the National Gallery, to relieve the ‘cultural blackout.’ These concerts were very popular, and the audience’s favourite was Myra’s version of Bach’s, Jesus bliebt meine Freude (Jesu, joy of Man’s desiring.) Holly and Charmian played this joyous work, with the choir singing the chorale melody above.
The story of the 1914 Christmas Truce, when on Christmas Eve, German soldiers started singing Stille Nacht and the British joined in with Silent Night, from their trenches, followed. The moment was re-enacted, with the choir, singing in German and the audience, singing in English.
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem was referenced by Nicholas, who had sung at the opening of Coventry Cathedral, where, five days later, the first performance of the Britten was given. This and Michael Tippett’s, A Child of our Time, informed his thinking when preparing the programme.
The Tippett was written in response to the events of Kristallnacht 1938 – 86 years ago to our concert night – when the Nazis unleased violence against the Jewish community, after a diplomat had been assassinated by a Jewish refugee. Whereas a Bach cantata has chorales (hymn tunes) for reflective moments, the Tippett work has spirituals and the choir sang one of them, By and By, with a notable solo by Miranda Doggett.
The evening ended with a sing-a-long from both World Wars – Pack up your troubles; Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler? with Martin Corporal Jones Dale; The White Cliffs of Dover, sung beautifully by Rebecca Lewin and We’ll Meet Again, with Nigel Doggett and James Taylor.
Many thanks, to all the Aston Singers ‘small in number, but mighty in sound and quality,’ for their versatility across five centuries; Dr. Radcliffes’s young singers; Holly and Charmian; Tom Coker, Eileen Baglin-Jones, Heather Cleobury and Tina Ferguson for their eloquent readings and to Nicholas Cleobury, for putting together such an enjoyable, poignant and thought-provoking programme.
The quality of the talented musicians and performers we have within our small community never ceases to amaze me. £1,174 was raised from ticket sales and donations for the Royal British Legion and the Church Roof Appeal.
To see more photos of the concert and the parade to the War Memorial, please go to the Photogallery. Click on the photo to enlarge it and then navigate using the arrows. Thanks once again to Nigel Francis for a wonderful selection.
For your 2025 diary
Saturday, 10 May – We’ll Meet Again – VE 80 – 6.30 for 7.00pm – Village Hall
The White Cliffs of Dover to The Lambeth Walk, with a visit from Vera Lynn – a family evening of community singing, readings and celebration for the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. Paul Herrington – accompanist. Table seating (8 to a table.) Bar and nibbles. Contact Margaret Bulleyment – mtheb749@gmail.com for more information.
Former policeman Greg joins the Parish Council
When Greg Elphick moved to Steeple Aston in Spring 2023 with his wife Emily and Poppy the spaniel, he was keen to get involved in village life. He enthusiastically took over organising the deliveries for SAL magazine, and then volunteered to be the village Parish Path Warden.
But he had to live in the village for 12 months before he was allowed to become a parish councillor. His appointment was further delayed because by the time he qualified, he and Emily were away completing their 500-mile Camino charity walk.
Now at last he has been co-opted on to the council and is ready to get to work. An enthusiastic DIYer, Greg has already offered to mend a gate in the play area and will no doubt be doing more useful jobs around the village.
As a former police officer, Greg knows plenty about the usual village complaints around issues such as litter and dog poo, but his interests are more wide-ranging.
Since moving into his new build house at Townend, Greg has taken a personal interest in energy efficiency. The house already had an air heat pump, and he has also installed solar panels. He is keen to be involved in the Community Land Trust and to ensure that any houses built in the village are designed to save as much energy as possible.
Greg joined Thames Valley Police in 1984, after taking a degree in aeronautical engineering. He spent 30 years in the force with stints as an authorised firearms officer and public order commander, but he was predominantly a career detective and latterly a DI in Professional Standards and Anti-Corruption. Think Line of Duty!
After retiring from the police, Greg spent another seven years in security roles at the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office. Outside work, Greg has found plenty to occupy himself. As well as the DIY, he loves anything automotive and he used to like taking a risk. He tried scuba diving, mountain biking, pistol shooting, kick-boxing, skydives, bungee jumping, track days and road cycling. Now, at the age of 61, he has calmed down a bit, he says. “These days it’s mainly a bit of gym, long distance walking and travel in our VW camper van.”
But he still has a need to be a useful volunteer. Emily calls him Tigger because he just can’t sit still! In his new role he’s keen to meet villagers but warns that he does talk a lot. So, start a conversation at your own risk!
And if you fancy following Greg’s example and joining the Parish Council, there is still a vacancy. For more information, contact the Parish Clerk Cathy Fleet on 07989 398 838 or email: parishclerk.steepleaston@gmail.com
Survey shows local support for affordable homes
From Steeple Aston Parish Council
As all parishioners of both Steeple and Middle Aston know, a housing survey questionnaire was delivered to every home in the two parishes in July of this year.
At its meeting on Monday, 21st October, Steeple Aston Parish councillors and a representative from Middle Aston parish meeting received the report of the findings of the survey, produced by Community First Oxfordshire (who kindly funded and managed the survey). The main points from the report are as follows:
- 483 households received the questionnaire
- 150 completed surveys were returned – a response rate of 31%
- Of these, 129 lived in Steeple and 21 in Middle Aston.
- 78% of respondents supported the principle of providing housing for those in need who have local connections to the parishes.
- 71% expressed support for a site being developed to provide a small number of such homes.
- 67% supported the principle of the Community Land Trust delivering homes for local people.
- 21 households said they were in need of affordable housing, of whom 11 households were thought to meet the criteria for a local connection to one of the parishes.
- Of those 11, 5 are seeking to rent accommodation and the other 6 to purchase through shared ownership or discounted sale.
- Detail is provided by those respondents of the likely timescale and size of property that would be needed.
Following discussion, the councillors agreed that the survey has demonstrated a significant local demand for affordable homes. They decided to ask the newly-created Community Land Trust for the two parishes to investigate possible Rural Exception Sites where affordable housing could be built, and to report back in due course. These could then be evaluated alongside the sites identified for possible housing allocation through the Neighbourhood Plan earlier in the year.
The full Report can be seen here on the CLT website.
The Community Land Trust has now launched its membership. See details here.
Local couple home after 500-mile Camino charity walk
Greg and Emily Elphick are back home in Steeple Aston after walking 800kms on the Camino de Santiago raising money for a charity supporting street children in India.
The couple, who moved to Townend in April 2023, practiced walking with their 10kg weighted rucksacks on local walks with Poppy their sprocker spaniel. But Poppy was left behind with a friend when they set off on their pilgrimage from the pretty French town of St Jean Pied de Port, about halfway up a Pyrenean mountainside near Biarritz on Wednesday, August 28th.
They finally arrived at their destination, Santiago de Compostela in North West Spain, in the pouring rain on Wednesday, 25th September. Their 500-mile hike certainly had its highs and lows which are recounted in Greg’s detailed account of their adventure.
The lows including sharing sleeping accommodation with lots of noisy snorers, food poisoning for Emily, days of torrential rain (very wet socks) and on three nights arriving in a village which was completely shut so they had to go to bed without any dinner!
The upsides though were inspiring. They walked 25 to 30kms a day, traveling through beautiful countryside and small rural towns and villages, meeting lots of people from all over the world on the way. After the first difficult few days Greg writes: “Carrying the rucksacks became second nature and our legs got stronger every day. We passed through the beautiful city of Burgos, left the urban landscape behind us and headed out onto the near silent, open expanse of the Meseta.”
There was also a real sense of achievement. For example, when they were later faced with the wild and rocky Cantabrian mountains, unlike some others, they were up for the challenge. According to Greg, “Though the Pyrenees provided a tough start to the Camino the undulations and high passes of the next five days before we entered Galicia were quite brutal. The climbs to the mountain hamlets of Foncebadon and O’Cebreiro were particularly steep. Those without the stamina needed could take a horse ride up to these peaks if they wished. Shame be upon them…”
The final 150kms were different with many more pilgrims walking often in larger groups. Greg writes: “ The last 100km or so didn’t quite offer the sense of adventure, occasional solitude and pure wilderness that had gone before but we were on the home stretch. We were lifted in spirits every single day by family and friends wishing us well.” Their supporters followed their travels on WhatsApp.
And they would certainly recommend the experience to others. Says Greg: “We would genuinely encourage anyone with the time to walk all or part of the Camino (ideally the first, second or third weeks for the exercise and views). It’s hard work but people of all ages, from all over the world are always out on the trail. You’ll definitely meet some lovely people and have your faith in human nature restored.”
Greg and Emily have raised more than £1,500 in sponsorship for The Hope Foundation UK, which works towards providing lasting positive change in the lives of street-connected children and slum communities in Kolkata, India.
Emily explains why they support this cause: “We found out about this charity via a travel program presented by the actress Sue Perkins. She is also a long-term supporter along with Olivia Colman. We have been supporting a young child through education for many years now and we have seen the difference their work makes.”
You can donate to The Hope Foundation on Emily and Greg’s JustGiving page .
It’s worth reading Greg’s colourful and detailed account of their journey – The mad Peregrinos, Greg and Emily.
A peregrino is a pilgrim!
‘Spectacular’ show day attracts exhibitors of all ages
Steeple Aston and Middle Aston Horticultural Society held its Annual Show and Fun Dog Show on Robinsons Close and in the Village Hall as always on Bank Holiday Monday. There were some gorgeous flower arrangements (see above) along with a very impressive collection of vegetables, cookery, handicrafts and photos in the marquee. And there were lots of stalls and many beautiful dogs to be seen on the field. It was quite a show!
The Show Secretary (and winner of the Coronation Bowl for Cookery) Vicky Clifton reports:
Our 132nd Annual Show turned out to be a spectacular day. Over 800 exhibits from 112 exhibitors! A true triumph for the villages. Following a Friday with gales, and a Saturday of heavy rain, the weather gods co-operated with us for a warm but not hot, beautiful sunny day on the Bank Holiday Monday.
Exhibitors aged from one-year olds to those in their 80’s, so no excuse to not have a go next year, especially as I bet a few of you walked around muttering “… well my potatoes are better than those….” If you are a first timer and unsure how the whole process works please ask a committee member or myself and we will gladly walk you through it.
Better still come along to our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 25th September at 7.45pm in Steeple Aston Village Hall Committee room and get involved with a super friendly team. I should add that it gives me great delight, that each year new people enter, and win prizes. Its not just those that have been doing it for years…
The show days are only made special by the people who put in the hard work to organise (thanks to my colleagues) and most importantly to you for coming, supporting a true village institution, creating a really lovely buzz across the field, thank you.
The joy felt by many was summed up by Max Austin’s mum, Amy, she said “he was beyond thrilled with his rosette”. Pictured here on a tractor, he won the under 5’s class and was presented with his rosette by our Chairman, Graham Clifton.
Thanks to Catherine Crook for some wonderful photos.
Click on the first photo to enlarge it, then use the arrows to navigate.
Two new editors to take on The Life
When Robert Scott announced his retirement as editor of Steeple Aston Life after 41 issues, there were very real fears that the magazine would have to close after more than 50 years.
However, no less than three fairy godmothers have come to the rescue. First, former editor Cathy Lawday offered to help out by editing the September issue. Then Carol Neville and Kate Symondson volunteered to take on the editor’s role between them. Cathy also kindly volunteered to show them the ropes as pictured above. Carol is on the left and Kate on the right.
Carol and Kate, who will edit in alternate months, come to the role with plenty of experience of writing and editing and lots of enthusiasm for the task ahead.
Kate will go first, editing the October issue. She has lived in Home Farm Lane, Middle Aston with her partner Will Spray for the last three years. Will comes from Lower Heyford and his sister Abigail Boisot lives in Steeple Aston. So Kate has been able to meet lots of villagers in the short time she’s been here.
She started her working life as an academic, with a PhD in English Literature, publishing several academic papers. She has since done numerous freelance editing and writing jobs including writing reviews for TLS and articles for Apollo, the international art magazine. Most recently she edited a children’s story.
She currently works part time as a professional funder for charities across the UK, running a philanthropic foundation. As part of this role, she publishes in philanthropy and charity related publications and speaks regularly in public on best practice in supporting charities. She says one of her recent successes was the funding of a parish magazine!
Carol Neville will be taking on the November issue of SAL. She already knows it well as she has been one of the regular proof readers for several months.
Carol has lived in Lawrence Fields, Steeple Aston with her husband Chris for 26 years.She says she particularly enjoys exploring the village footpaths whilst taking in the local flora and fauna. She also likes to play badminton as often as she can.
In 2020 Carol took early retirement after working for 15 years at the University of Oxford in Admin, Finance and HR. She has been a freelance writer for around 20 years with about 100 published articles. She’s also a certified freelance proofreader and copy editor.
She says, “A few years back, I returned to study as a mature student with the Open University completing a BA and subsequently an MA which fuelled my interest in local history. This inspired me to join Steeple Aston Village Archive (SAVA) with the opportunity to get involved in historical research, writing articles and contributing to annual exhibitions.”
Carol has just recently increased her involvement in SAVA by taking on the job of Secretary. She also works part time as Clerk to the Governors at Dr Radcliffe’s school.
Both Carol and Kate are looking forward to editing SAL, and they’re very open to new ideas to take the magazine forward. Carol says: “Such a vibrant community as ours always has much to offer so I’m sure there will be plenty of contributions, as ever. It would be interesting to receive any suggestions or ideas that readers may have for their magazine as, along with the website, it is very much the voice of the village.”
Annual fete raises £4,000 for church funds
Steeple Aston Church Fete, which took place on Saturday, 13th July at Robinsons Close raised £4,000 for church funds. There was certainly plenty to amuse and interest visitors young and old as you can see from the map above.
With a new team in charge this year, fingers were firmly crossed that it would go smoothly. And it seems it did, as Charlie Boobyer reports:
The fete was, once again, a resounding success. The day was kicked off in style by parish councillor and owner of the Carwow Youtube channel Mat Watson, who arrived in the sleek new MG Cyberster. It joined a host of other classic vehicles ranging from tractors to old Fords.
The opening of the fete was swiftly followed by some electric performances from the Joanne Mills dance school in Bodicote, who wowed the crowd in the centre of the arena, showcasing local talent and adding to the lively atmosphere.
The Red Lion pub hosted a delicious BBQ, serving up mouthwatering burgers and refreshing drinks, much to the delight of attendees, whose food was complimented by the joyous sound of the Jubilee Brass (Oxford) Band.
The fete, which narrowly avoided the typical grey clouds expected of a British summertime, buzzed with community spirit and an abundance of children’s activities. From face painting to traditional games, there was no shortage of fun for the younger visitors, ensuring smiles all around.
A memorable highlight was the tug of war, where the village team triumphed over the fire brigade, igniting cheers among the spectators and children involved.
In total, the event raised approximately £4,000 for the church, a testament to the generosity and dedication of the community. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all who attended, participated, and volunteered, making the Steeple Aston Church fete a wonderful day of fun.
Thanks to Catherine Crook for her photos which you can see in the Photo Gallery. Click on the first one and then navigate using the arrows.