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A Letter from the Rector
I hope this newsletter finds you filled with joy and renewed hope as we continue to celebrate the glorious season of Easter. The resurrection of Jesus brings us great comfort and serves as a reminder of the power of God’s love and the promise of new beginnings.
In the weeks following Easter Sunday, it is important for us to reflect on the significance of this holy season and the impact it has on our lives. Easter is not just a one-day celebration, but a period of 50 days known as the Easter season or Eastertide. This time allows us to delve deeper into the meaning of Jesus’ resurrection and its implications for our life and faith.
During this post-Easter period, we are called to embrace the spirit of renewal and rejuvenation. It is a time for us to examine our lives, seek forgiveness, and make a conscious effort to live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, teachings we take for granted. Just as Jesus emerged from the tomb, we too have the opportunity to rise above our shortcomings and experience spiritual growth.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Easter is the sense of community and togetherness it brings. As a benefice, we have the privilege of coming together to worship, share fellowship, and support one another. Let us use this post-Easter season to strengthen our bonds and deepen our relationships with our friends, family, and neighbours. Let us reach out to those in need, offer a helping hand, and spread the love and compassion that Jesus exemplified.
As we navigate through the post-Easter period, let us remember that the joy and hope we experience during this season should not fade away but continue to guide us throughout the year. May the resurrection of Christ be a constant reminder of God’s love and grace in our lives, inspiring us to live with purpose and share His message of salvation with others.
So let us embrace this post-Easter season as a time of reflection, renewal, and community. May our hearts be filled with gratitude for the sacrifice of Jesu and the countless Christians that have gone before us. May the resurrection of Jesus continue to inspire us to live as people of faith and love.
Rev Barry
Diary: St. Peter and St. Paul, Saltwood
Our regular pattern of worship includes a service every Sunday at 10am. Usually this is Holy Communion (to which all are welcome, whether or not you choose to receive communion) with a Family Service on the fourth Sunday of each month. Other services of Holy Communion, including ‘Book of Common Prayer’ services at Saltwood and Pedlinge, are shown on the website calendar, along with all services and events for the month.
Bubble Church, for families with Toddlers, is held in the Lads’ Club at 10am on the first Sunday of the month; Sunday Club, for children aged 3 – 10 is held at 10am in the Lads’ Club, on the third Sundays in term time.
Some dates to note in your diary include:
Monday 1st – Bank Holiday, so no Monday Chats
Tuesday 2nd – Our Rector’s day off – and each following Tuesday
Wednesday 3rd – No Saltwood Toddlers this week or next (Easter holidays)
Wednesday 3rd – 14.00 – Afternoon Prayer Group at 34 Harpswood Lane
Friday 5th – 09.00 – Prayer in the church – and each following Friday
Monday 8th – 14.00 – Monday Chats in the Lads’ Club – and each following Monday
Monday 15th – 19.30 – APCM in the Lads’ Club
Wednesday 17th – 10-11.30 – Saltwood Toddlers in the Lads’ Club – and each following Wednesday
Saturday 20th – Coffee morning at Lympne Church
Saturday 20th – 15.45 – Messy Church in the Lads’ Club
Wednesday 24th – Cinema Club in the Lads’ Club
Just checking…
… that you really have made a note in your diary of our APCM – the Annual Church Meeting – which is on Monday 15th April at 7.30pm in the Lads’ Club.
Everyone is welcome: by coming along you are showing your support for the work of the Church here in Saltwood.
And there may even be a cup of tea or coffee!
Useful Contacts
Rector – Rev Barry Knott: Telephone: 01303 883243 email: rev.barry@icloud.com
Church website: www.saltwoodchurch.org
Community Support Hub: 01303 269602
Parish Pastoral Support: 0300 030 1330
Children & Families Ministry (including weddings and baptisms) – Christine Clover:
Telephone: 0300 030 1662 email: christineclover@lympneandsaltwoodchurches.uk
Lads’ Club Bookings: Jan Heard 01303 266945 email: jan.entendu@gm
Parish Magazine: Beth Lewsey 01303 264577 email: parishmagazine@saltwoodchurch.org
Items for the May magazine
If you have any items for the May edition of the magazine, please forward to Beth Lewsey, by: 24th April by email if possible to: parishmagazine@saltwoodurch.org or deliver to 20 Castle Avenue.
Saltwood Church Pastoral Group
Caring for One Another
‘And let us look out for one another to provoke love and good works’ (Hebrews 10:24)
Our Pastoral Group meet monthly to seek ways of offering support to those who are going through difficult or challenging times. If you know someone you are concerned about, or if you have concerns yourself, please contact us. You will always find a friendly voice and a listening ear at the end of the line. Caring for others is at the heart of Christian life and you can help us by being our eyes and ears, letting us know of anyone who is in need.
Contacts: 01303 266454 01303 883243
From the Parish Records
We welcome into the family of the Church:
Oliver Slee and Clara Slee, who were baptised on 2nd March
Our love and sympathy go to the friends and family of:
Penelope Samuelson, whose funeral was on 21st March
A Prayer for April
based on John 20: 19-end
Almighty Father,
In these weeks after Easter, help us to receive afresh
the new life Jesus’ resurrection makes possible.
Lord, come to us. Walk through the locked doors of our fears.
Bring us your peace. Fill us with your Holy Spirit.
Send us onto our daily front lines to share your resurrection
peace and hope and love with those who are lost and lonely.
Thank you for meeting us in Jesus, our Lord and our God.
We are your Easter people. Hallelujah. Amen.
(By Daphne Kitching)
Intercessions for April
Today we pray especially for:
1 Those who live in Bartholomew Close and Lea Close
2 Those who protect us – the emergency services
3 All who worship at St Peter & St Paul and at Pedlinge
4 The work of the Folkestone Rainbow Centre
5 The lonely, thinking particularly of those known to you
6 Those who live in Bartholomew Lane and St John’s Road
7 Those who visit our church and those who make use of it
8 Holy Trinity Folkestone, St George Folkestone, and St. Paul Sandgate
9 Our organists and choir
10 Canterbury Cathedral, Diocesan House and their staffs
11 Those who live in Hillcrest Road and Quarry Lane
12 Those who care for the church and churchyard and make them beautiful
13 The national role of the Church of England
14 St John the Baptist Folkestone
15 Our neighbours
16 Those who live in Holly Close and Mulberry Court
17 Those unsure of their future, thinking particularly of those known to you
18 St Augustine’s Primary School – staff and pupils
19 The Pilgrims Hospice
20 Families going through difficult times, thinking particularly of those known to you
21 Those who live in North Road West, North Road and Barrack Hill
22 Those parts of the world where there is war or political strife and those who suffer as a result
23 Our own benefice with St Stephen Lympne
24 His Majesty’s Government and Members of Parliament
25 Compassion UK
26 Those who live in Pedlinge and Sandling
27 The terminally ill and their families, thinking particularly of those known to you
28 Our study groups
29 Other, non-Anglican, churches in the local area
30 Those who live in Sandling Road and Highfield Close
Prayer Ministry at Saltwood
The Prayer Ministry Team are there for YOU, in the sanctuary at Saltwood, after the 10 a.m. service every week.
Wondering just what happens if you come for prayer? If you wish, you can share your prayer need (for yourself or someone else) in just a few words. The two prayer team members will pray in response to your need, simply bringing that need to Jesus and asking for his blessings. If you prefer, you don’t have to say anything – we will pray for you, that the Lord would meet you at your point of need that day. You may also like to have the sign of the cross marked on your forehead and palms with oil that has been blessed for healing (anointing.)
Worried about confidentiality? Everything you say will be treated in complete confidence. Team members are bound by the strictest rule of respecting the trust you place in them and will not betray that trust.
Worried that you’ll feel self-conscious? Everyone else is busy getting coffee, no-one will be watching you.
Be encouraged to come for prayer!
SALT Bible Studies
The afternoon group will meet on Friday 12th April and Friday 26th April at 2.30 at 34 Harpswood Lane. You will be very welcome to attend
Our next SALT central meeting will be at The Lads’ Club on Wednesday 17th April at 7pm. Refreshments will be served before the start of the meeting. Jeremy will be leading an overview of the second part of the OT.
All Welcome!
General Synod: Presidential Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Food for thought …
In his Presidential Address at the February sessions of the General Synod, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, spoke of the suffering across the world. The following are some short extracts from his address:
“In September 2023, Antonio Guterres, Secretary General the United Nations declared the world is coming off its hinges. How should we the followers of Jesus Christ respond?
“Church of England Bishops at consecration commit to all sorts of things, some probable, some improbable, but they don’t commit to suffer. By contrast, the Chaldean Church tells its Bishops that they will be the first to suffer…
“And to add to what the Secretary General of the United Nations said, as Lord Cameron said recently, when he looks around at the world today as Foreign Secretary, all the lights are flashing red. We live in a world of suffering. And unlike in the past, it is a world where we are aware of the suffering.
“In Europe, the Ukrainian Russian war is frozen. And the suffering of the people in Ukraine has increased, not least because it has been replaced as the principal concern by the havoc and horror of the Levant and all that is going on in that area.
“But there is much more. Sudan… Myanmar… northeast India… the South Pacific… the Philippines… Korea… Pakistan… Nigeria… Mozambique …
“Pope Francis a few months ago described what is already happening as a third world war. Right or wrong, he is describing a state of global uncertainty and great change.
“Like all such periods, minorities are blamed for uncertainties, conspiracies are assumed where there is uncontrollability and leaders are criticised where the future is hard to see.
“In 1939, George Bell wrote an article on the behaviour of the Church in a time of war. ‘What should the Church do in a time of war?’ it was entitled.
“His simple conclusion was that the right strategy… is to be even more the Church. We must be even more the Church with all our challenges and difficulties and as we work through them …
“Suffering and enemies are faced best in communities that trust across divides, rather than in self protecting, and reinforcing huddles, because the very act of trusting across the divides builds our resilience and our ability to see the best in others…
“At the end of April, we will have a meeting of primates of the Anglican Communion in Rome. There we will look at what the Communion could do to remain in a variable geometry of unity, but also an unvarying commitment of love in Christ. Those two expressions vary in geometry of unity and unvarying commitment of love in Christ offer us all a way forward in holy obedience to God.
“God is our refuge. God is our refuge, not our politics and our organisations. They are realities of any structured life, of any institution, they’re not evils, but God is our refuge, they never will be.
“God is greater than our fears, than our enemies and in our failures. God is unbreakably faithful to covenant and promise. When that is our comfort and peace, then in this world, at this time, off its hinges, we can in all our troubles, be truly the Church we should be, truly God’s Church in God’s world.”
Saltwood School
Ride and Stride
Back in September many of us participated in the annual Ride and Stride event, with several members of the congregation walking round canterbury on a very hot day, to visit as many churches as possible, and many other folk generously sponsoring them – all to raise money for ‘Friends of Kent Churches’, who kindly give back half of whatever we raise for our own church funds. Derek Russill has now received news of the final amount raised along with a letter saying
Thank you for supporting Ride and Stride on 09 September 2023 and for all you do as Local Organiser / Treasurer. Thank you too for your excellent report and map.
I apologise that it has taken me so long to write to you. I now attach a letter* of thanks for you and your church which I hope you will be able to share with all who contributed to the event in any way. The details of the 50% reimbursement are in the attached letter.
We had a successful year and as soon as I know the final amount raised overall I will email all the local organisers.
We look forward to your church’s participation in this year’s event which will be held on Saturday, 14 September 2024. The local organiser packs will be distributed in early July.
Best wishes
Susan Hooper
Treasurer – Kent Ride and Stride
*The letter mentioned showed we raised an amazing £984, of which £492 has been returned to us. WELL DONE to all who took part in any way.
Saltwood Cinema Club
Will be showing
‘The PROPOSAL’
on Wednesday 24th April
at 2pm at the Lads’ Club
For three years, Andrew Paxton has slaved as the assistant to Margaret Tate, hard-driving editor at a New York publisher. When Margaret, a Canadian, faces deportation for an expired visa, she hatches a scheme to marry Andrew, and he agrees if she will promise him a promotion. This comedy drama stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.
Cost £5 per person to include tea and cake
All proceeds to the Lads’ Club Funds
During March we enjoyed LENT LUNCHES …
Although Val is still working out the final total for the Lent Lunches, we know that these were well attended and as always, a huge ‘Thank you’ to all those who helped to make them such a success, including those of you who came to enjoy the lunches; the organisers and their teams; the early morning helpers putting up and setting the tables; the valiant cubs; the soup makers extraordinaire; Ruth on the cake stall; and of course Val Makin who has agreed to be the overall organiser. We will let you know how much you have all raised for our church missions in next month’s magazine.
… and an Open-Air service for PALM SUNDAY
‘Palms’, or in this case, bamboo and pampas grass, were distributed to the congregation before we all processed from the church, along Rectory Lane, following the (puppet) donkey, for a service on the Green, where a simple service of hymns, readings and prayer enabled the story of Palm Sunday and the good news of Easter to be shared with any passers-by.
Warden’s Corner
From Carol Eastell:
A reminder that April 1st is a Bank Holiday so there will be no Monday Chats
The Afternoon Prayer Group meets at 2 pm on Wednesday 3 April at the home of Penny Forsyth.
From John Campbell:
Holy Spirit Teaching Series: Last month I told you we were in the process of publishing an 11-video teaching series on the Holy Spirit and the necessity for us to interact with Him individually and as a church.
These can be watched on the benefice website at https://lympneandsaltwoodchurches.org.uk/teaching-videos
They can also be watched on YouTube at https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeaV4ZY4eE1UctPvyzrklVCcm7dnLC-e1
Or go here: https://m.youtube.com/@LympneandSaltwoodChurches and click on Play Lists where you will find the Holy Spirit Series listed.
Repeated Post – Reverend Barry’s Day Off: Barry’s nominated weekly day off is Tuesday. This is the day that suits him best, so I would ask you all not to contact him at all that day by any means – by phone, email, or text. If an emergency occurs, by which I mean something that really, really can’t wait until Wednesday, then please contact one of the wardens.
We take our days off for granted and most of us during our working lives had both Saturday and Sunday off. Barry has only one day off and I am asking each one of us to honour it and protect it.
More Thoughts: I have written before about how the Lord expects and demands we behave towards one another. Unfortunately, it seems there is still a tendency to criticise others within our church family. It’s not rife by any means, but it is concerning, and we must address it by appealing to the scriptures. We cannot expect to move in the fullness the Lord has for us if we are in any way divided. I wrote about this in January with reference to Psalm 133.
The thing about criticism is that it is always finds a way to justify itself, no matter how unjustified it might be. Criticism should always be constructive, and very carefully expressed. For example, as I write this, I am having to weigh every word. Complaining about other members of our church family or church life cannot be counted constructive. On the other hand, we are commanded to love one another.
1 John 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
How can the apostle John write such a thing? He writes it because firstly, the Holy Spirit has caused Him to write it, and secondly, because he is declaring a profound and eternal truth.
If you have been born again, the term used by Jesus at John 3:3 (though I sometimes feel the Church of England would prefer that He hadn’t used it), then you are a new creation. Jesus makes it clear in His reply to Nicodemus that one must be born again to enter heaven. Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Further, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
If we are born again, if we are in Christ, we are each a new creation. The old carnal nature with its inherent selfishness and easy judgment of others has passed away and been replaced by the life of Christ and His nature. That is both the positional and spiritual truth – and the truth is unchanging. Unfortunately, the carnal nature (though no longer a part of our eternal construct) remains in the flesh and the process of sanctification demands we discipline the flesh and put to death its works. This is a matter of the will, but Christ Who now dwells in us gives us the deep desire to conquer the flesh, and the strength to do so.
We all fail from time to time, but failure must not become a lifestyle. When we fail, we must quickly acknowledge the failure, confess and repent, and so once again be right with our Lord and with one another. We are new creations, filled with the love of God, both for Him and for each other.
If we don’t feel this love for each other but are criticising and finding fault without any inner conviction of the unworthiness of such behaviour, then it’s time for some serious soul-searching. The unpalatable truth is that going to church does not make one a Christian. Going to church does not guarantee a place in heaven. This must be unequivocally understood.
The only thing that guarantees our individual destiny is being born again in the Spirit. Our trust for eternal salvation must be in the finished work of Christ alone (John 19:30). And with this trust comes a noticeably changed nature – supernaturally changed. You are not as you once were.
If this might be you, the way back is always by willing repentance, which means an admission of being wrong and a choice instead to go in the way of Christ. The forgiveness is ready and waiting and abundant. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). And that’s the gospel truth!
I am not suggesting it’s wrong to have concerns, or to feel strongly about something, but I am saying the way those concerns and feelings are framed and expressed is very, very important. Remember, Jesus gave us a yardstick – “by their fruit you shall know them.” The question to ourselves must always be, “in whose soil am I planted to bear this type of fruit?” The fruit is either of the Spirit, or it’s of the flesh, the carnal nature. The latter is only fit for the compost heap.
Please don’t be discouraged. By standing shoulder to shoulder in our faith we can help each other through difficult times. The Christian life is one of willing obedience, but the Lord in each of us makes it possible. And knowing that discontent originates with the lies of Satan helps us to stand firmly against him.
Of course, at any time you can come and speak about your concerns and worries to Carol or myself, or to Rachel at Lympne, and we are there to help; but please ask yourselves why you feel as you do, and ask God too. You might be surprised by His answer. He is always faithful to meet you right where you are.
God bless you all.
From Rachel Cornish, Warden at Lympne:
Many hands make light work. And is also very rewarding.
One of the harder aspects of being churchwarden at Lympne has been finding out who does what! There are a large number of people who help in all sorts of different ways. Some tasks are obvious such as reading, welcoming, or making refreshments. Others are hidden, such as cleaning, tidying, checking and ordering supplies and ensuring things are working. Some tasks are on a Sunday, others are mid-week. Some tasks are with a group of people, other tasks can be done on your own. So, lots of opportunities for everyone to get involved in different ways.
From the end of March there is a lot more opportunity to help with new activities such as the Eco church churchyard project (Tuesday and Saturday mornings), prayer meetings, school visits to church, fundraising events or the planned wildlife festival. I’m sure we’ll get lots of volunteers.
We have so many different ways of communicating – newsletter, email, Whatsapp, phone, letter and it can be difficult to ensure everyone is included, especially with several members of the Lympne congregation without access to email. For the last year we have been printing off a few copies of Barry’s weekly email so those without email are not left out.
We are now experimenting with notices on the big screen before the service starts. A continuous loop of slides to highlight events and news, which can be wheeled out of the way before the service starts. This was partly from feedback that notices were hard to hear, and partly as they were sometimes taking a long time.
Please let the wardens know any other ideas of how to improve communication.
The PCC have agreed to proceed with improving the seating, replacing some of the pews/benches and plastic chairs with quality wooden chairs in keeping with the building, and making the space more flexible for worship and other events. See the article elsewhere on how to contribute to this.
From the Parish Magazine – April 2004
Extracts from our 2004 magazine
There was plenty going on in Saltwood in April twenty years ago:
Good Friday – between 12noon and 3pm, a three-hour devotion in the church
Easter Sunday saw the Rector taking 8am Holy Communion, 9am Holy Communion at Pedlinge, 10.00 parish Eucharist and Evensong with Address at 6pm
Later in the month Saltwood Choral Society performed a selection of Gilbert and Sulivan songs and choruses in their Spring Concert in the Village Hall
The WI held a Spring Sale, also in the Village Hall
Youngsters and leaders from the SOS youth group had taken part in World Vision’s 24 Hour famine, and had raised almost £500 for the charity.
Just as now, April was also the month for Annual Vestry meeting and Annual parish meeting. “There will be information about the likely timing for the next phase (of the building project) namely the erection of the new building” (our current kitchen and upper room).
St Stephen’s Church, Lympne
SERVICES AND EVENTS IN APRIL
7th – Holy Communion – 11.00
14th – Family Service – 11.00
20th – Coffee Morning – 10.30
21st – Holy Communion followed by APCM – 11.00
28th – Holy Communion – 11.00
Church APCM
The APCM is on Sunday 21st April after the morning service followed by a bring & share lunch.
Regular Groups
The prayer group meets on some Fridays at lunchtime – contact Rachel or Monica for exact dates. There are two house groups – Monday evening (contact Rachel & Peter) and Friday morning (contact Monica & Peter) that meet every two weeks.
Having gained the silver award we are working towards the gold. Some of this involves promoting an eco-focus in the community and we have been providing articles on this for the local community newsletter (thanks, Rosemary), and also looking at how we source our supplies (thanks Colin). Plans are also underway for another community wildlife festival (thanks, Fiona and Yvonne). Work has started improving the churchyard (see below)
More of the grass has not been mown to increase the numbers of wildflowers. The primroses in the area left wild over the last few years are looking stunning.
St Stephen’s Eco Volunteers
When the rain stopped, St Stephen’s Eco Volunteers started work on some of the planned projects in the churchyard. One of the first was moving an old compost heap against the castle wall. We were surprised how much plastic rubbish was in this – especially ‘plastic flowers’. The compostable material was moved to the compost bin at the other end of the churchyard and the plastic and other rubbish removed.
Seeds are being grown to encourage birds and bees. And the flower beds by the wall weeded and pruned cut back as necessary. Tuesday and Saturdays mornings, when dry, are the planned times for this – other volunteers are welcome to join.
Yvonne Bowers.
Making more use of our Building
Lympne church is warm, thanks to the ground source heat pump, and it makes sense for the building to be used a lot more during the week
It is already used some Tuesday evenings for the Lympne Aircraft History Society meetings and there are plans for a local rock group to have a band session one evening.
Weekly rock band sessions
Phil Carter will be organizing this – and invites anyone interested to come along and play together – singers as well. He can offer some extra instruments (e.g. guitars, drums etc).
LYMPNE FELLOWSHIP GROUP
In March we met on a rare sunny afternoon to welcome Veronica King, who regaled us with talks of her career as a Private Investigator. Among her many adventures she talked about crawling through undergrowth to photograph wayward husbands, escorting foreign princesses who were paying cash in Harrods for Cartier watches (don’t we all???) and being accosted by hefty, armed bodyguards. Her animated storytelling had us on the edge of our seats and she certainly had the effect of making some of our lives seem very tame indeed! Perhaps we prefer it that way!
Lympne Fellowship normally meets at 1.15pm in the Harry Margary Hall on the 2nd Thursday of the month, with a programme of interesting and informative talks and activities. For further information about our group, please contact Jill Page on 07846 819693
ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH, LYMPNE
SPRING COFFEE MORNING
SATURDAY 20 APRIL 2024
10.30am – 12.30pm
- Join us for coffee, cake & savoury bakes
- Play a game or sing along to Richard on the piano
- Take a break from that walk
(Well-behaved dogs welcome)
- Catch up with old friends and new
Proceeds towards fundraising to replace the pews with chairs to allow more flexibility in the use of the church space.
Embracing Change: Replacing Pews with Quality Chairs
Lympne Church strives to create an inclusive and welcoming space for all. All buildings, including churches, must adapt to the changing needs and preferences of all who use them, and this includes the seating.
The pews in St Stephen’s Church are now in a poor state of repair. Much consideration has been given to repairing them or replacing them. After a great deal of research and consultation the decision has been made to replace the pews with a chair suitable for the age, status, and current use of the church building.
The chairs chosen are made from high quality oak veneers and oak frames and will look good with the choir stalls and the pews in the side chapel both of which will remain in the church.
This will offer enhanced comfort, accessibility, flexibility, and safety for the congregation, as well as a more flexible space for community events.
Lympne Church has now launched a fundraising campaign for this project. If you would like to donate or sponsor a chair for a loved one, please visit the website https://lympneandsaltwoodchurches.org.uk or use the QR code below.
We intend to hold fundraising events in the coming months too.
We hope that by engaging the community in the process we not only help raise the necessary funds but also strengthen the very special bond that exists in Lympne between the church and our community.
Rev Barry Knott
SHAL: Studying History and Archaeology in Lympne
Andy Linklater’s return presentation focused on the two Roman invasions in 44-43BC and 43AD. The first, led by Julius Caesar revealed a huge difference in cultures between the Romans and the native Iron Age inhabitants led by their tribal kings. They occupied coastal points at Richborough, Dover, and at the tribal settlement at Canterbury. Caesar stated that the Cantiaci in Kent were the most civilised of all the tribes, mentioned 4 Tribal kings in Kent, whom he allowed to continue for so long and then took over. The tribes had functioned well, with their own coinage such as gold staters, manufacturing bronze items such as intricate brooches and combs for personal use and with weights for weaving. A few burials were found including a group on the Isle of Thanet, and an individual at Deal with a decorated sword and shield. The second invasion in 43 AD, under Claudius, is now thought to have landed on the Ebbsfleet Peninsula, east of the Wantsum Channel. The Romans were well organised, excelled in their communications, even to and from Rome, and in their administration. They struck on the east coast at Richborough, Reculver, and Portus Lemanis (Lympne) and changed our culture with their painted walls in houses, floors with beautiful mosaics, underfloor heating, aqueducts for fresh water, pottery from Africa and the Black Forest, and higher grade Samian ware for domestic use. A new religious culture was introduced with cremation burials and pots, and some lead-lined coffins with lead from the Continent. Roman coins came into service. In addition, the Romans brought in concrete, running water for sanitation, wine, rabbits, and a wide range of fruit, vegetables, and herbs. Unarguably the Romans changed our society like no other culture either before or possibly after in our history.
Our next meeting on 16 April features Richard Taylor, our professional archaeologist, providing a full report on the 2023 excavation, and on the 2024 further development. The meeting starts at 7.30 in the Harry Margary Hall at Lympne Village Hall, starting with a short AGM. Non-members are welcome to attend for £3 inclusive of refreshments.
Castle Green WI
President Julie Andrews welcomed forty-nine members and two guests to the March meeting on International Women’s Day. Kay Hygate was thanked for the beautiful display of daffodils.
The minutes of the last meeting were approved and signed. The NFWI Learning Hub is now active, and Julie had prepared a crib sheet for members wishing to access the many online courses on offer. The treasurer presented the budget for the coming year and thanked members for paying their subs so promptly. We now have sixty-one members, but we are still open for new members.
Gill Chapman will be taking the completed knee blankets to local care homes in the coming week.
Future events. April 22nd there will be a visit to Biddy’s bluebell woods. This is limited to twenty-five members. After the meeting on May 10th there will be a Ploughman’s Lunch.
On July 10th there will be a visit to Goodnestone Gardens. More details at the April meeting.
All the sub-groups held meetings in March. The next Lunch Club meeting will be on April 9th at The Granville near Canterbury. For details of all our activities, events, and programme for the coming year, please visit https://castlegreenwi.org.uk.
After coffee, cake and chat we welcomed Suzanne Leper from the Ashford Pilgrim’s Hospice who gave an interesting talk about the hospice movement, and particularly the work of the hospice in Ashford. She answered the many questions raised by members. Maggie Richards gave the vote of thanks.
The next meeting will be on April 9th when we will welcome back Melanie Gibson-Barton with a talk entitled Suffragettes and Suffragists.
Margaret Alcock
Finishing with a Smile …
… An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him, “How do you expect to get into Heaven?”
The boy thought it over and said, “Well, I’ll just run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until St Peter says ‘For Heaven’s sake, Dylan, either come in or stay out!’”
