BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIREFrench Horn, Soprano, Pianist at Sandon Hall on Tuesday 1st July at 7-30pmTickets are £15-00 which includes canapés.A bar will be availableAll inquiries to Rose on: 07876 - 540491or www.sandonallsaints.com
It is said that the Danes rowed up the Trent as far as Stone where they burnt down the local priory. If so, they must have passed near the micro settlement of Burston.Being a romantic, I like to think that they stopped here en route. With a bit of imagination one can detect a very small bench near the said site of Burston’s footbridge. From there they could have wandered ‘inland’ and perhaps noticed chimney smoke in the distance. Tempted, they would have walked up the valley side to where there might have been settlements. I like to think there were at least two of these. The first was the home of Bura, hence Buraston or Farm. This site was across the steam, just below the Greyhound Inn. It is now a ruin but clearly a one-time home. In the stream quite recently, a purse was found containing five coins thrown away in a panic perhaps, dated from the fourth century. They are in my possession.Having pillaged this site, the Danes may have moved to the then main road, to a longhouse, the foundations of which were outlined in our lawn at Yew Tree House. One day I dug into a flowerbed and came across a large sandstone foundation block. It was surrounded by an amount of burnt ashes. Now who is to say that this wasn’t a further example to add weight to my musings.
As part of the Heritage Lottery sponsored project at All Saints Church, we are looking at the biodiversity in the churchyard and have mapped and recorded the graves information. Working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and the generous support of Chris Seabridge Associates we are developing a plan to maintain and improve the biodiversity. We have already put up some bird boxes provided by the Oak Tree Farm project and set up some wildlife shelters. We have started planting hedging to protect and define the areas in the churchyard. Further plans include planting wildflower areas to encourage bees and other insects. We will expand the hedging around the church and provide bee and bug hotels. More will be done over time and as the weather improves. There is more to do and we will be looking for help as we develop our plans. Nigel Wilson
