Winchelsea

31 Highfords, Icklesham

Don’t forget that the fundraising concert, Look to This Day is this evening (Friday) at 6pm in St Thomas’ Church. This is a ladies choir called Cantatrice Voices and tickets for the concert are £10 from the Post Office or at the Door.

Tomorrow the monthly Church Market is held in St Thomas’ from 10.30 am to 12 noon. This is always a popular venue for coffee/tea and a chat, plus home-made produce, plants and books for sale.

The Public Meeting on how Winchelsea should commemorate the Great War will be held in the New Hall tomorrow 6th July at 11am till noon. Next year is the centenary for this national act of remembrance and Winchelsea has a part to play having lost ten men in the conflict and two others are buried in the churchyard. The meeting will be convened by councillors Ben Chishick and Richard Comotto and if you are unable to attend please discuss your thoughts with them.

An Under Winchelsea Cellar Tour has been arranged by Winchelsea Archaeological Society to study the town’s vaulted cellars built around 1300. You will need to book tickets on 01797 224446 and meet in Castle Street for 2 pm on Saturday 6th July, finishing at 3.45 pm. The cost is £5 per person, guide books will be provided and the funds are in aid of archaeology in Winchelsea.

The annual Patronal Festival, in the presence of the Mayor and Corporation is this Sunday July 7 at 10.30am in St Thomas’ Church. Revd Canon Paddy Buxton will be leading the service. After the formal celebration there will be light refreshments provided by members of the Church for the Mayor Stephen Turner and jurats.

Icklesham Parish Council is holding its next Ward meeting in the New Hall on Monday 8th July. This will begin at 7.15 pm and local residents may attend. A new councillor for Winchelsea is yet to be decided and proposals for this may be heard during the meeting.

Winchelsea’s Second Wednesday Society is meeting on Wednesday July 10. This month’s talk is by Roger Mckenna and focuses on Leonard Cheshire, RAF World War II hero. The talk begins at 2.30pm in the New Hall and includes refreshments.

Ferry Road Health Centre, Patients Participation Group, is running an event at the Health Centre on Wednesday10th July. The event will be from 10am to 12 noon and Neville Bettley, the clinical team leader, NHS paramedic, will be advising on First Aid in the Home including what to do when waiting for the Ambulance to arrive. All are invited to attend the discussion and find out more about these important issues.

The Gascon Wine Trade of Winchelsea and Rye is the subject of a talk by Dr Susan Rose for next Saturday July 13. Winchelsea Archaeological Society has organised this interesting event on the colourful history of the town and it will be held in the New Hall at 3pm.

On Saturday July 113 the Rye & District National Trust are holding a Traditional Afternoon Tea and Competition at Powdermills Hotel, Battle. The tea comprises sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, jam, cakes, tea or coffee with waitress service in The Orangery. There will also be a prize for the best hat! The hotel has attractive grounds and will be an ideal opportunity for a leisurely stroll after tea. Total cost is £13.50 per person and for details the contact number is 01797 253763 for Ros Adkins.

Every July friends and neighbours of Winchelsea Methodist Chapel meet to celebrate the time-honoured Wesleyan Chapel. This year on Sunday 14th July it is the 228th anniversary. As is customary the afternoon begins with Hymn Singing Under the ‘Wesley Tree’ (by the churchyard) and then all will continue to the Chapel for the 3 pm service. Rev. Rose Westwood will be conducting this celebration service which will be followed by light refreshments, tea and coffee. Although more cosy than spacious, ample seating is available below the pulpit or in the gallery of this century’s old chapel and you are warmly invited to be there.

A visit to King John’s Lodge in Sheepstreet Lane, Etchingham TN19 7AZ is the Garden Society’s next day trip on Wednesday 17th July. King John’s Lodge is a fine Grade II listed Jacobean manor house with eight acres of tranquil gardens that have been the inspiration of quite a few garden writers from around the world. The drive is about forty minutes from Winchelsea and those wishing to come along should meet in the car park at 3 pm. Entry cost is £4 p.p. and either Jilly Cunningham or her son Harry (who has the adjoining nursery) will give the tour and talk. The afternoon will conclude with the option of having tea on the lawn, weather permitting or in the café at the nursery. If nearer the day you have spare seats in your car or need one please contact Howard (01797 226524) and also let him know if you are coming so that he has an idea of numbers.

Winchelsea Beach

The third walk in the series: An Introduction to Rye Harbour Nature Reserve will take place tomorrow (Saturday). In this three mile walk there will be an investigation of the most westerly part of the nature reserve starting and ending at Winchelsea Beach. The place to meet is the public toilets on Dogs Hill Road at 10 am till 12 noon and all donations would be greatly appreciated.

A Morning Prayer Service in place of the Evening Service begins at 9.15 am at St Richard’s. This will be on Sunday July 7 and St Richard’s welcomes visitors from the local holiday camps.

On the Wing is an event that has been organised by Rye Harbour Nature Reserve for Sunday 7th July. It consists of a 2.5 mile circular walk to observe more closely the dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. Donations will be gratefully received for the walk and the meeting place is Brede Lock at 2pm till 4pm.