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Archive for category: Recreation

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The future of the Somerset Arms

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Following the meeting of the Parish Council on November 13th when the future of the Somerset Arms was discussed, an extraordinary meeting of the Council took place on December 4th.  There was one substantive item on the agenda: whether to trigger the 6-month moratorium on the sale of the Somerset Arms.  Nine villagers were present.

The Parish Council confirmed its objective, which it shares with the community, of having a viable village pub.  Following discussions about whether a commercial sale or a bid by a community interest group would offer the best chance of achieving the objective, it became clear that, although several of those present said they’d be prepared to support a community bid, there was no evidence that a community group had actually been formed and was in a position to begin the process of preparing a bid to purchase the Somerset Arms.

Amongst those present, there was a view that it might still be possible that such a group would emerge in the new year to prepare a bid.  The Parish Council confirmed that it would support but not lead such a group and that any initiative would have to come from the community rather than from the Council.

In the light of this it was concluded that there was nothing to be gained by triggering the full 6-month moratorium period on the sale.  This note on the discussion that took place – Somerset Arms Update – summarises the current situation.

Wessex Close Play Area Update

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On November 1st, the Parish Council took over responsibility for the play area from Wiltshire Council.  If you’d like to contact the Parish Council about the play area please either use the contact form or send an email to recreation@semingtonparish.gov.uk

The Parish Council website has more detail on the play area and an invitation to get involved.

Counting vehicles on the byway

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As you know, following the Autumn safety reviews carried out on the byway / cycleway [HILP21, HILP22 and SEMI9A], Wiltshire Council is going to impose an experimental traffic restriction order [ETRO] on the track preventing use by motorised traffic, other than for access.

This will last for 18 months during which time usage will be monitored.  The full safety report (dated October 2023) is here.

It’s important that we monitor the use of the track, and so the Parish Council is urging everyone to report any use of the track by motor vehicles.  Ideally, the data we need are:

  • Date / time
  • Location
  • Registration number
  • Speed – ok or too fast
  • Whether there was any danger to other users, or any altercation between users

All violations of the ETRO need to be sent to Wiltshire Police by phoning 101 or via their on-line reporting tool and copied to integrated.transport@wiltshire.gov.uk and to byway@semingtonparish.gov.uk

Dog Excrement

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There is considerable concern within the Parish about an increase in dog excrement being left on footpaths, tracks and rights of way.  Mostly this is excrement in its raw state; sometimes it’s in little black bags.  Both constitute anti-social litter and leaving it around is illegal as well as disgusting.  Ultimately, it’s not dogs which are responsible, but people, and it’s likely that most of these will be villagers.

If you’d like to brush up on what the law says our responsibilities are, here’s a helpful guide c/o the House of Commons.

Dew Ponds of the West

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There are a number of dew ponds round and about the village.  If you’ve ever wondered how these were made, here’s a link to a website about drove roads which refers to a Wiltshire Gazette article from 1922.  The process is similar to that used by Capability Brown to create his lakes, although the Wiltshire ponds tend to be on a much smaller scale.  Dew ponds and drove roads went together, of course.

The CPRE Newsletter for May

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Semington Parish Council is a member of CPRE – the countryside charity.  Here is a link to its latest newsletter.

A long way to Great Hinton

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The shortest way to Great Hinton from where I live is to walk to Little Marsh, cross the A350 (carefully), and then just walk up the hill.  Walking back via Brickfield farm brings you back to Little Marsh through the recently cleared tracks on either side of the A350 – thank you that Ramblers working party.  You can make this slightly longer by walking over Hag Hill where the crossing of the A350 is more dangerous because it’s on the brow of the hill with poor visibility.

But if you wanted an even longer walk to Great Hinton, you should first head east to Giles Wood, either along the canal or through the fields above Manor Farm.  Once at the wood, cross the swing bridge and keep going east towards Seend Cleeve before swinging round to cross Semington Brook – having first noticed the lovely boundary marker between Seend and Semington parishes.  Following the brook brings you to Littleton Mill where you head south along a green lane to cross the A361 before heading up another green track and through the fields into Great Hinton.

The open views as you head from the swing bridge towards Seend Cleeve are the highlight of this walk, but note that wellingtons will often be needed as this is the Semington Brook flood plain – where it’s to be hoped that a Melksham by-pass will never be seen.

Walking to Broughton Gifford – and back

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It was a new walk for us on a bitter February day with the ground still frozen.  From Pound Lane to the swing bridge, then across the fields to Whaddon Grove Farm and on to the Pack Horse Bridge across the Avon, then through the fields to the church at the southern tip of Broughton Gifford.  It’s a walk of crossings: the Kennet & Avon, Semington Brook, the sadly disused Holt to Devizes rail line, the Avon, the still active Trowbridge to Melksham rail line, the B3107 (a risky crossing) and finally an un-named brook that drains the land around the Wraxalls.  There was a well defined track through the arable fields beyond the Pack Horse Bridge suggesting this is a well-used route.
On this day, we walked back the way we’d come and the surprise of the return journey was how invisible the Avon was untill we were right on its bank by the Pack Horse Bridge which had collected tree debris over the winter.   In the Summer we’re going to be walking on from Broughton Gifford to Great Chalfield and then to Holt and Staverton before returning along the Avon to Waddon and then to Semington.  In normal times, this is a 4 pub walk, so fingers crossed that at least one of them will be open.
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