Autumn 2008 - Wye Valley AONB

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Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty newsletter
In this Issue
Staff Changes
p2
The Nightjar
p4
A Load of Rubbish
p6
Farming Awards
p8
The Brewer
p12
Book reviews
p14
15:07
Page 1
Edition 20 Autumn 2008
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Welcome
to the Autumn edition of
Picturesque.
It has been a busy and interesting
spring and summer for the AONB
unit with several changes at our
Hadnock Road offices.
The successfull Heritage Lottery
Fund bid announcement for the
‘Overlooking the Wye’ project
was celebrated in March.
The £2.8 million will mean that
42 projects throughout the Wye
Valley will now benefit.
Congratulations to all the
partners and community groups
who helped put the bid together.
Particular thanks go to Sue
Middleton who steered the
project to its final successful
outcome. Sue’s contract has now
finished but she has left a legacy
of events and activities including
the Heritage Weekend at
Goodrich Castle on the 13th and
14th of September. This fun-filled
family weekend, at one of
Herefordshire’s top historic sites,
is completely free of charge so
please come along.
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Page 2
All Change
at the
AONB Unit
Staff at the Wye Valley
AONB Unit have
undergone some changes
since our last edition.
With the departure of
Catherine Fookes, the post of
Development Officer became
vacant. Andrew Nixon, the
Community Links Officer was
successful in obtaining that
position. Andrew will now be
concentrating on the
development of new projects
including undergrounding of
cables in the Wye Valley area
and sourcing funds for a
variety of projects.
He comes to the post with a
wealth of experience of the
AONB. Many will have
enjoyed his organised walks,
children’s events and courses
including hedgelaying, willow
Above: Sarah Sawyer
basket weaving and drystone
walling.
Into the Community Links
Officer post steps Sarah
Sawyer. An experienced
education officer, Sarah was
previously employed by the
RSPB. She lives at Brockweir
and is very much involved
with conservation initiatives
including the Parish
Grasslands Project.
Sarah will now be dealing
with Sustainable
Development Fund (SDF)
applications and will be
organising our events
programme Wye So Special.
Staff changes have occurred
with Andrew Nixon moving on to
the Development Officers post
and Sarah Sawyer joining the
unit as Community Links Officer.
We have also been joined by Rob
Bacon on a Lemur trainee
placement to undertake vital
survey work on bees and ancient
trees in the Wye Valley AONB
Log on to our website for up to
date news and events
www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
page 2
Cover Picture: Sun on beech trees
credit Linda Wright
Andrew Nixon, Development Officer at the presentation of a winning hamper from Denise
Hunt, Field Fayre, Ross on Wye to the winner of the Savour the Wye Draw, Janet Stevenson
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Page 3
Savour the Wye
Focus on St. Briavels
Food for Thought!
Karen Cockfield, the organiser of the successful Farmer’s Market at St
Briavels in the Wye Valley AONB explains how community action
turned things around for the village
The richly historic Forest of
Dean village of St.Briavels
nestles on a limestone
plateau, soaring almost
800ft above the wooded
hillsides of the Wye Valley.
With its ancient moated
castle, scenic walks and rich
historical interest, the village
attracts many visitors and is
home to a diverse
population of approx 1200
residents.
Clearly St.Briavels has a lot
to offer. So why had it been
more recently described as
‘ailing’ by its inhabitants?
Like many rural villages, St.
Briavels lost its post office,
followed by its grocery shop.
Although the pubs have
survived and an Art Gallery
has opened, there is
nowhere to buy food,
bizarre when you consider
how much is locally
produced.
On top of this growing lack
of facilities the village
Assembly Rooms had fallen
into an almost unusable
state, after many years as
the central hub of village life
and social occasions. Things
were getting a little bit
gloomy in this picturesque
haven.
Taking an holistic view of
the situation, the committee
for the Assembly Rooms,
decided to fight back on all
fronts. Priorities were raising
money for repairs, providing
groceries and social events
for villagers to meet up once
again…and so the idea for
the renowned ‘St Briavels
Local Produce & Supplies
Market’ came into being.
Ten days later~ after a flurry
of phone calls, sign painting
and poster making ~ the
first market was held in the
Assembly Rooms. And it
proved to be just what
people wanted, attracting in
excess of 600 customers to
the first market.
The market has proved an
unprecedented success. I
hoped it would be popular,
but I was amazed at the
number of people who
turned out to shop.
Award winning John Childs
of Cowshill Farm selling rare
breed pedigree pork and
beef said "It was much more
successful than we ever
anticipated. We haven’t
missed one since!”
Our market didn't go for the
'purist' Farmer's Market
criteria because this
excluded local suppliers of
other specialist imported
goodies and would miss the
point of this community
spirited ‘foodie’ event. The
overall idea was to bring a
big food market to the
doorstep of our remote
rural community, supporting
local producers and suppliers
whilst also raising money .
To date the market has
raised over £10,000 towards
the refurbishment of the
village and thanks to a
winning bid for £94,000
grant under DEFRA’s Rural
Enterprise Scheme, the work
has begun.
So it’s a ‘win win’ situation
and a real start to regenerate this community.
The market is held on the first Saturday of every month at
9.30 to 1pm, apart from Bank Holidays.
Find more information at www.st-briavels.com,
email info@st-briavels.com or telephone 01594 530 950.
page 3
Photograph above: View from St Briavels Castle copyright John Thorn 2008
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Page 4
the mysterious
Nightjar
Nightjar photograph courtesy of Lewis Thompson
RSPB Forest of Dean
Manager, Barry Embling
explains about the strange
and elusive Nightjar which
is having a revival in newly
constructed heathland
habitats in the Wye Valley.
remarkable butterfly wing
clapping display flight. It also
has an inquisitive nature and
sometimes likes a good look
at its human observers.
The scarce and enigmatic
nightjar is relatively difficult to
observe as it only really
becomes active during
twilight and has always
returned to its daytime roost
by the time the sunrises . It is
best known by its churring,
mechanical song, often given
from a lone tree in an open
woodland glade. Being near
invisible, because of the
superbly cryptic plumage,
nightjars allow close
approach, sitting tight confident in their nearinvisibility.
The wide gape, almost the
width of the skull itself is an
adaptation to scoop insects
from the air whilst foraging
on the wing usually hunting
for moths and beetles. Like
most insectivorous species, it
is a summer visitor arriving at
the end of May with most
leaving by the end of
September to wintering
grounds in southern Africa.
No British breeding birds
have yet been recovered
south of the Sahara,
although there have been
recoveries of British birds
from Morrocco and Spain,
whilst they are on migration.
Despite twilight wanderings
and daytime hiding, it does
reveal itself in often
spectacular fashion with its
buoyant falcon-like flight
with aerial displays of slow
gliding, hovering, and its
The strange and unique
song, a continuous jarring for
up to ten-minute periods at a
time, serves to both advertise
the males’ territory to passing
females and as a warning to
other males. The male arrives
page 4
at the breeding grounds
some 20 days earlier in time
to establish a breeding
territory. Wordsworth was a
keen observer of all birds it
seems, and it was without
doubt a far more common
bird in his day than it is now.
He described its song as
solitary on account of it being
the only singing bird at that
time of the day, which adds
to its distinctiveness on a still
summer evening.
Two eggs are laid on bare soil
in leaf litter or pine needles,
incubated mostly by the
female with the male only
relieving her for short
intervals at dusk and dawn.
Often a second brood is laid
in a new nest when the
young in the first nest are
around two weeks old. The
male takes over the feeding
and care of this first brood.
This overlapping allows more
chicks to be reared.
A curious account by Stanley,
a late 19th century naturalist,
tells how a hunter shot a
To check on the Nightjar and other birds please go onto the RSPB
website www.rspb.org.uk
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nightjar at dusk and was surprised to see a
moth emerge from the mouth. On cutting
open the crop he released more live moths
from their strange prison running about on
the table fluttering their wings.
The nightjar was thought to suckle milk
from goats and other animals and became
known as the goatsucker, a name used by
Aristotle 1000 years ago, and is still known
by this name throughout most of Europe. It
was known as the fern owl in Britain but
more recently, the name nightjar was
adopted. Its scientific name of Capri mulgus
refers to this goat-sucking reputation.
Whist hunting, the nightjar can commute
up to 6km from its nest site to meadows
and marshes especially around grazing
animals. This behaviour may have led to
the development of this goat sucking myth.
As well as being an enchanting species,
surrounded by folklore, it also has some
interesting adaptations. There is a fringe of
strong bristles, actually feather shafts,
which guide insect prey in to the mouth.
Another strange adaptation is the middle
claw which is serrated like a comb. It was
originally thought that this was to enable it
to carry its own eggs or even to catch
moths. Nowadays it is presumed that this
serrated (pectinated) claw may be to assist
with the removal of parasites from the
feathers or to clean the bristles around the
mouth.
In Gloucestershire, the Forest of Dean has
always been the stronghold with Mellersh
stating in 1902 that they were to be found
in “great profusion”. The population has
been around 8-12 pairs from 1970’s to the
mid 1990’s. Since then there has been a
steady increase nationally due to
widespread felling of conifers thus creating
open areas. Additionally successful local
heathland restoration projects on Forestry
Commission land at Broadmeend and
Beacon Hill in Wales and at Tidenham
Chase on the English side should assure this
wonderful species a firm foothold in the
Wye Valley for many years to come.
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Page 5
Wildlife in the Wye
wildlife news and events in the area
Wye Valley Grasslands Success
Monmouthshire Meadows Group and the sister
organisation Parish Grasslands Project in
Gloucestershire had successful Open Days on the 1st
and 8th June.
Sites were open for the general public to come and
enjoy the flower rich grasslands of the Wye Valley and
learn about the conservation of these rare landscapes.
The Monmouthshire Meadows Group was filmed by
BBC Wales and was broadcast as part of the regional
weather forecast.
To find out more about these groups and their work
please contact
Monmouthshire Meadows Group
Maggie Biss on 01989 750740
Parish Grasslands Project
Sarah Sawyer 01291 689682
BBC Wales
interviews Maggie
Biss and
Dr Stephanie Tyler
at a
Monmouthshire
Meadows site
What’s that SNAKE?
The Herefordshire Amphibian and Reptile Team have
had their project approved for a grant of £5,550
from the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF).
The group wishes to raise local community
awareness of the Adder and Common Lizard in the
Herefordshire area. They intend to conserve and
restore habitat, carry out site surveys, train in species
identification and provide a community education
programme with specific educational visits, guided
walks and promotional material.
For further information please contact
Chairman: Richard King on 01432 840421
Email: richardking@woodlea1.freeserve.co.uk
page 5
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Page 6
Litter has always been a problem but in an Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty its presence causes high feelings and questions about
how to tackle the ever increasing blot on our beautiful landscape
The throwaway society we
now belong to has
repercussions not only to the
pressure on our landfill sites
but also to our landscapes.
Litter is everywhere, not only
in the Macdonald strewn
inner cities but also in some
of the most beautiful areas of
the British Isles. The Wye
Valley has not escaped this
scourge and one of the most
common complaints that
reach the AONB offices are
about the excess of rubbish
found in our beauty spots.
Affecting not only the visual
awareness of the area but
also with the potential of
causing a health hazard to
people and wildlife, visitors
and residents worry about
how to tackle this growing
menace.
page 6
Litter is now on the agenda.
Several campaigns have now
reached prominence.
Bill Bryson heads CPRE’s
campaign Stop the Drop
which is a 3 year funded
campaign against litter and
fly tipping. Encams Keep
Britain Tidy Group is
launching the first ever Big
Tidy Up this September and
Keep Wales Tidy runs
campaigns to involve local
groups in Wales. Litter
Action is a charity which
supports litter collecting
community groups and
individuals.
Contact details for these
groups can be found on the
opposite page.
An important government
document is the Code of
Practice on Litter and
Refuse. This is a guide for
bodies who have a legal duty
to keep certain types of land
clear of litter and refuse, and
sets out the standards to
which the land must be
cleansed. Duty bodies can be
held accountable by the
public should the statutory
standards fail to be met.
These duty bodies include
local authorities whose remit
is to make sure that land
under their control and to
which the public have access
(with or without payment) is
kept free from litter and
refuse, and certain highways
under their control are kept
clean, as far as is practicable.
The full Code of Practice on
Litter and Refuse can be
viewed at:
www.defra.gov.uk
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Page 7
how to tackle
litter
a load of
RUBBISH
If you are concerned about
litter, there are legal methods
available to require the
persons or bodies responsible
to clean up and to take
measures to prevent litter.
Report any instances of litter
or fly tipping to your local
authority, contact details can
be found opposite
chewed gum away, the odd
cigarette end or fail to pick
up after our dogs without a
thought .
Litter does not consist only of
burger wrappers and cans. It
can be as small as a sweet
wrapper. Many of us throw
Education initiatives, raising
pride in our communities
and working together could
make all the difference.
So is the solution is in our
own hands? Taking charge
of local litter problems
ourselves may be the only
way forward to ensure a
clean and pleasant land.
litter law
The offence of leaving litter (section 87 of the Environmental
Protection Act 1990) applies where a person throws down,
drops or otherwise deposits any litter in any place in the
open air in the area of a principal litter authority to which the
public has access with or without payment, and leaves it.
There are some exemptions to this offence, including littering
that is authorised by law or done by or with the consent of
the person having control of the land
£540m - The cost to local authorities to clean and
clear streets of litter and refuse every year.
.Join a community group or form
your own to regularly tackle litter
problems.
Write to your MP and local
councillors to bring local litter
problems to their attention.
organisations
Litter Action
www.litteraction.org.uk
email litteraction@gmail.com
Clean Up UK
PO Box 2045, Bristol BS35 1ZL
CPRE
Stop the Drop Campaign
www.cpre.org.uk
Encams
Big Tidy Up Campaign
www.thebigtidyup.org
Keep Wales Tidy
www.keepwalestidy .org
local authorities
Forest of Dean
www.fdean.gov.uk
For litter contact the Waste and
Cleansing Dept 01633 644125
For fly tipping 01594 810000
Herefordshire
www.herefordshire.gov.uk
For litter contact the Highways
and Transportation Section
01432 261800
For fly tipping contact
Environmental Health 01432
261761
Monmouthshire
www.monmouthshire.gov.uk
For litter contact the
Environmental Health 01633
644100
For Fly Tipping contact Waste and
Cleansing 01633 644126
page 7
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Page 8
Right: Henry Rudge winner of the Farming
Awards, Below the team of judges at Gadr Farm,
runner up in the competition
Wye Valley AONB
Farming
Awards
This new prestigious award for 2008 was hotly contested by farms
throughout the AONB. After vigorous judging Henry and Esther Rudge
from Ballingham Court Farm, Herefordshire won the first prize of £500
Farming has shaped the
landscape of the Wye Valley
and still has a profound
effect on the visual beauty of
the area. The agricultural
industry has gone through
demanding changes
throughout the centuries and
farmers have had to adapt to
ever increasing modern day
pressures.
In recognition of the value of
farming practices to the area,
page 8
the new Wye Valley AONB
Farming Awards were
instigated for 2008. The
awards sought to reward
sustainable farms whose land
management practices
conserve and enhance the
natural landscape in line with
AONB purposes.
Our panel of expert judges
visited the four shortlisted
farms in August and went
through a rigorous
examination of each farm
and its management.
After a long and very wet day
the judges awarded Henry
and Esther Rudge from
Ballingham Court Farm,
Herefordshire the first prize
of £500. Runner-up Alan
Morgan from Gadr Farm,
Monmouthshire was highly
commended on his superb
environmental and
woodland management
Farming Award Judges from left: Mike Williams Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, John Childs from Cowshill Farm
and winner of Savour the Wye Producers Award 2007, Andrew Blake Wye Valley AONB Officer and Stuart Thomas NFU
and Vice Chairman of the Wye Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee
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and Jim Herbert, runner-up,
from Lewstone Farm at
Ganarew, was praised for a
unique educational
programme.
Tim Buckland from Great
Crumbland Farm, Devauden
received the judge’s high
commendation for superb
tree planting and a stunning
perry orchard.
‘All the shortlisted farms
were very strong contenders.’
said Mike Williams, judge
and FWAG representative
‘However Ballingham Court
impressed us with the
management of their mixed
farm which is so typical of
the Wye Valley countryside.
Their attitude to
conservation, their forward
thinking ideas in maintaining
and improving the land and
their obvious enthusiasm for
inviting groups onto the farm
lifted our spirits. We feel we
have a very worthy winner’
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Page 9
Farming in the Wye
Valley AONB
The Wye Valley AONB is
predominantly rural and well
over half the land is farmed.
Farming still follows a
traditional pattern of mixed
arable and dairying plus fruit
orchards in the fertile north,
and is an essential part of the
landscape's value. However the
number of farmers and people
employed in agiculture has
declined steeply. Characterised
by seasonal employment and
low pay the industry’s decline
may impact on the natural
beauty and social well-being of
the area Agricultural
intensification has significantly
changed the AONB in some
areas; field boundaries, trees ,
hedges and orchards have been
removed and floodplain
grassland has been ploughed
for agricultural use.
Animal diseases foot and
mouth, BSE, bird flu, Bovine TB
and blue tongue, consumer
demand for cheap food
production, the emergence of
biofuels all add pressure to the
farming industry and the way
the land is farmed. A move
away from traditional dairy and
mixed farming to cereal and
horticulture is evident over the
last ten years.
Farming Statistics
58% of AONB is farmland
Employment within agriculture
has declined by 10% in 10
years
Livestock holdings have reduced
from 398 to 236 since 1990.
Farmland under crop
production has fallen from
6183.7 ( total ha) in 1990 to
5506 in 2002
Above The Wye bounding Ballingham Court Farm :Top right: Judge Mike Williams views the landscape at
Great Crumbland Farm, Middle right clockwise: Hereford x cattle at Ballingham Court, Egg production at
Lewstone, Pond management at Gadr Farm, Judging lineup at Lewstone, Gatekeeper butterfly at Gadr
Farm . Esther Rudge of Ballingham Court Farm
page 9
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Page 10
surveying
and
bees
ancient
trees
Right: Rob examines a bee specimen
Rob Bacon has joined
the AONB team as a
trainee ecological
surveyor under Project
LEMUR (Learning
Environments in
Marine, Urban and
Rural Areas).
The Project Lemur trainee
post has been funded by the
Heritage Lottery Fund to
provide promising ecologists
with the opportunity to
enhance their skills and gain
employment within the
environmental sector.
Rob will be undertaking vital
surveying work on ancient
trees and establishing the
presence of two rare bees.
monitored for signs of their
presence in the Wye Valley.
The former’s favoured
primary habitat is dry, flower
rich grassland and Rob hopes
to identify the species in the
Trellech, Brockweir and
Coldharbour areas.
Although bumblebees are still
commonly seen throughout
the UK the majority of
sightings can be attributed to
just 6 of the 21 species. The
majority of bumblebees are
limited in their distribution
due to a reduction of
flowering plants within the
countryside One species of
bumblebee is extinct and
others are in serious decline
in the UK. By recording the
The now rare Brown Banded
Carder bumblebee Bombus
humilis, subject of a UK
Biodiversity Action Plan and
now confined to the South
and West, and Bombus
monticola are being
page 10
Bombus lucorum a common species found
across the UK
floral composition and
current management of the
areas it is hoped that suitable
management guidelines can
be derived to allow interested
landowners help to avert the
disappearance of the species.
Rob has a background and
expertise in surveying having
previously worked for Bristol
Zoo Gardens where he
worked as Native Species
Officer. He has accumulated
a variety of field experience
from surveying bats to
dipping for aquatic pond
invertebrates. He will be
adding to his experiences
over the next eight months
carrying out both surveys.
If you are a bee expert and
have already identified a
bee presence or know an
area that could be
surveyed then please get
in touch with Rob on
07961 607408 or email:
robbacon@wye
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Overlooking the Wye
In March 2008 we were able
to announce the success of
our Heritage Lottery Fund
Bid. The 2.8 million will allow
us to proceed with the 42
projects throughout the Wye
Valley AONB.
These projects encompass
our industrial heritage ,
picturesque viewpoints and
community schemes .Thanks
to all our partners and the
tremendous amount of
suport we have received.
"Overlooking the Wye' takes
a co-ordinated and holistic
approach to the historic
environment of the Wye
Valley, incorporating the Iron
Age, Roman, Medieval,
Picturesque and Romantic
periods as well as the area's
agricultural, industrial and
transportation heritage
original Stage 2 bid
documents are available as a
pdf download from our
website
www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
A scheme manager, project
officer, interpretation
/outreach officer and
administration/finance officer
should be in post by October.
Based at Wyastone Business
Park, the unit will be
responsible for overseeing
the projects throughout the
next three years.
Page 11
update
Heritage
Weekend at
Goodrich Castle
Sat 13th and
Sun 14th September
Come along to a family fun
weekend at Goodrich. In
partnership with English
Heritage Open Heritage Days
this free weekend will have
events and activities about
the Overlooking the Wye
projects plus hog roast.
The 42 projects on individual
sites within the scheme. The
Goodrich Castle courtesy of English Heritage
page 11
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Page 12
working in the Wye
The secrets of
sparging,mashing
and the qualities of a
good wort are close
to Brian Austwick’s
heart. Brewing
traditional ales and
beers in Whitebrook
he has recreated
some of the finest old
recipes for today’s
modern market.
brewer
the craft
Left: Brian Austwick at the original Kinson Brewery
Above: The new Hop Pickers calendar
Old Farm Brewhouse nestling
up above Whitebrook will
soon be home to some reallly
ingenious beers, all created
by Brian from a wealth of
recipes he has researched.
Specialist craft brewing is
what he excells in, creating or
resurrecting recipes for
demanding consumers like
the Sealed Knot and
historical re-enactment
societies who want the
authentic tastes with the
convenience of modern day
methods.
Brian has already created a
Tudor beer with oats, wheat
and smoked malt, called
1503, during his time
developing the successful
Kingstone Brewery, now
page 12
under new ownership , at
Meadow Farm in Tintern.
He has developed recipes for
several historical beers
including Cromwellian,
Napoleonic and Victorian
brews but his ambition is to
create a traditional Welsh Ale
which originated in the
mediaeval period. An original
recipe has been sourced and
translated from Old English.
This will be one of the most
challenging brews he has
attempted as it was a cross
between mead and beer.
These require different
fermentation processes but
he is convinced he will crack
it and produce a fine,
authentic ale which will be a
true Welsh National drink
from the Wye Valley.
Brian uses British Hops and
grains in his recipes and has
set up the small, pilot
brewery with recycled
stainess steel cellar tanks.
Skill is paramount in a craft
brewers work. Knowledge
and experience gained
brewing over many years
come together to produce
fine beers and ales. Brian is
specific about skill required
to ensure what comes out of
the bottle reaches the
consumers high expectations
of how beer should look,
pour and taste.
‘It is a very clinical job in the
extreme.’ he explained
‘Everything has to be sterile.
Skill and experience is
needed in knowing the
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specific gravity, fermentation
processes of each beer, when
to bottle and how the yeast
and hops work in every stage
of the brewing process.’
Brewing itself is fairly quick as
the initial stage can take just
one day. After the grain is
mixed with thehotwater in
the Mash Tun (mashing), a
complex process begins to
extract fermentable sugars
from the grain. The resultant
liquid (wort) is then run off
into the copper. The grain
bed is then ‘sparged’ by
sprinkiling hot water, until all
the sugars have been rinsed
out and the wort pumped
into the copper.
When the wort is boiled,
bittering hops are added and
the whole brew boiled hard
for about one and a half
hours. Towards the end of
the boil, the aroma hops are
added. The skill is to get the
balance right between the
first bittering hops and the
later aroma hops. The liquid
is then pumped through a
chiller which reduces the heat
from boiling point to the
fermentation temperature of
20 °C. Yeast is then added
within 24 hours and usually
the fermentation takes
between 4-6 days.
17/9/08
designed a Hop Pickers
Calendar for 2009 which is
proving very popular with
breweries.
Old Farm Brewhouse is also
expanding into teatime
accessories. A range of
cakestands and designer
teacosies have been
produced which can be seen
at localbmarkets and
agricultural shows which
Brian will be attending,
including the Usk Show in
September.
He also hopes to have a
website up and running
within the year so everyone
will be able to obtain his truly
remarkable beer.
And what is Brian’s personal
favourite out of all his brews?
When pushed he admits his
favourite so far is Kinsons
Gold but I have a feeling the
new Welsh ale may surpass it
in the future.
After bottling, the beer will
generally mature in 3 weeks
although some specialist
beers take from 6 months to
1 year to reach perfection.
Brian is also producing a
range of fruit liqueurs in a
miniature range and has
15:09
Brian Austwick with his Tudor Beer 1503
Page 13
brewing
Hops were not always used in
the brewing process.Ale was
unhopped and made from
barley and was different to the
hopped beer..
Although the Romans had
introduced hops to the British
Isles, it was not until the
Flemish brewers brought
hopped beer into the country,
around 1500, that idea of
adding hops was considered.
Preservation had been a major
problem.Ale when opened
would quickly go off . All kinds
of things were added to try and
preserve it including mercury
and lead. Sailors, particularly,
searched for a variety of means
to preserve their staple drink on
long voyages.
Hops were originally added as
a preservative, not for flavour.
It was a while before it was
realised that they imparted a
likeable flavour to the brew.
In centuries past everyone
drank beer or ale because the
water could not be trusted and
it was the usual perogative of
the farmer’s wife to brew it.
Servants, women and children
drank small beer, a low alcohol
beer brewed from mash that
had been used several times
and was only about 1% proof.
Even so the daily average of a
gallon drunk per person per
day would have been enough
to make anyone groggy.
The beer from the first mashing
would have been up to 15%
alcohol content and consumed
by the rich.This beer was very
potent against today’s
strongest beers which average
6%-7%.
page 13
Picturesque Spring 08:Picturesque Spring 08
17/9/08
book reviews
15:09
Page 14
A regular feature of book
reviews concerning the Wye
Valley area, conservation and
the environment
Landscapes of the Wye Tour
Author: Susan Peterken
Publisher: Logaston Press ISBN-9781904396895
Price: Softback £14.95
Landscapes of the Wye Tour, written by Susan
Peterken offers its readers much more than the
geographical tour of the Wye Valley that its title
suggests. This journey does explore the features of
the Wye from Ross to Chepstow. However, much
more than that, it embraces the history, culture and
poetry of the region enhanced by a stunning
collection of ‘picturesque’ landscapes, including
lithographs, engravings, sketches and watercolours
(including the author’s own work), which were
created over more than two centuries by lovers
of the Wye’s dramatic scenery.
For a copy email info@logastonpress.co.uk or
tel: 01398 323093.
Also available in all good local bookshops
Paths and Pubs of the Wye Valley
The Food Maze
Author: Heather and Jon Hurley
Author: Robert Elliot
Publisher: Fineleaf Editions
Publisher: The Real Life Book Company
Price: £9.99 ISBN: 0955842504
Author Robert Elliott, chef and co-owner of
Aspen House, an award-winning Bed and
Breakfast writes with authority and passion
about a subject that must concern us all in
these days of rising food prices, health
warnings and fears for the environment. This
book contains depth and detail that will light
a fire under the food with which even the
most ardent ‘foodies’ fill their bellies.
However this book could have contained
some illustrations or photographs to break up
the solid text and make it a slightly easier
read.
To obtain a copy go online
www.reallifepublishing.co.uk or
telephone 01291 650543
Susan Peterken Towards the Severn, Pastel 2002
Price: £7.95 ISBN: 978-0-9557577-0-9
A new edition for 2008 of Heather and Jon
Hurley's classic collection of twelve circular routes,
each leading off the waymarked Wye Valley Walk
- and each featuring a pub around the half way
point!. Fully illustrated with maps and drawings.
An Excursion from the Source of the Wye
Author: Mark Willett
Publisher: Fineleaf Editions
Price:£9.95 ISBN: 978-0-9534437-0-3
First published in 1810 this fascinating,
descriptive and easy to read journey down the
River Wye is a little gem. Trellech born Mark
Willet a printer, bookseller, apothecary and
surgeon describes his travels with historical
anecdotes. What is amazing is that the reader
will recognise today’s Wye from the narrative
For both books above published by Fineleaf
Editions go online www.fineleaf.co.uk
email: fineleafbooks@mac.com
tel: 07951 939688
page 14
If you have a book for review in our next issue please contact
Nikki Moore, AONB Information Officer Tel: 01600 710846
Picturesque Spring 08:Picturesque Spring 08
17/9/08
15:09
Page 15
NEWS from the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Fighting to keep our telephone boxes
Campaigns are hotting up throughout the
three counties in the Wye Valley AONB to save
rural telephone boxes.
Many communities are worried that if BT goes
ahead and scraps these kiosks there will be no
emergency lifeline as mobile signals in a lot of
places are limited. People are also worried
about keeping their old red K6 boxes which
are an attractive feature in their villages.
There is a consultation exercise with your local
council and this allows anybody to comment
on individual boxes between 27th August and
26th September. If you are worried about the
loss of your phone boxes then make written
representation to the following councils
Herefordshire - contact Anthony Bush at
abush@herefordshire.gov.uk or write to
Anthony Bush, Herefordshire Council, Plough
Lane, PO Box 4, Hereford HR4 0XH
Monmouthshire - contact David Swanson at
davidswanson@monmouthshire.gov.uk or
write to David Swanson, Development Control
MCC, County Hall, Cwmbran NP44 2XH
Whitebrook telephone box could be under threat
Forest of Dean advise contacting local MP
Mark Harper on 01594 823482 or ring the
FOD Council Offices on 01594 810000
Ugly Bug
Safari
National Association of Areas
of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Conference
An enjoyable day
was held at Tintern
Old Station on the
Ugly Bug Safari. in
August.
‘Adding Value in Valuable Landscapes:
Partnership working for real’ was the
theme at this year’s NAAONB Conference.
Several officers attended all or part of the
conference held at Harper Adams
University College near Telford, Shropshire.
Ashley Thomas (NAAONB Chairman) and
Councillor Phil Cutter also attended.
Councillor Cutter commented on the
dedication and enthusiasm shown by
AONB officers.
Look out for other
children’s activities on
our website
www.wyevalleyao
nb.org.uk or in our
leaflet Wye So
Special or email
community@wyevall
eyaonb.org.uk
The 2009 conference will be held at the
University of Northen Ireland.
page 15
Picturesque Spring 08:Picturesque Spring 08
17/9/08
15:09
Page 16
Who’s who
your feedback.
Please let us know your views on this new format issue.
All replies will be entered in a Prize Draw to be drawn February 28th 09
Andrew Blake
Congratulations to A Sheasby of the Bryn Abergavenny, winner of last issue’s draw.
A copy of Landscapes of the Wye Tour by Susan Peterken is on its way to you
AONB Officer
Name: ....................................................................................................
Address: ................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................
tel: 01600 713977
Email: office@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
...............................................................................................................
Barbara Atkins
.............................................. Postcode: ..............................................
Co-ordination
Assistant
Email: ....................................................................................................
Which feature interested you the most? please tick
Overlooking the Wye
Load of Rubbish
The Nightjar
The Brewer
Farming Awards
St Briavels Market
Wye Wildlife
Book Reviews
News
tel: 01600 713977
Email: office@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
Andrew Nixon
Development
Officer
Where did you obtain your Picturesque copy?
........................................................................................................
Would you like to receive Picturesque regulary?
Yes please put me on the mailing list
No
tel: 01600 710841
Email: development@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
Picturesque is available as a pdf which can be emailed directly to
you. Please tick your choice
Nikki Moore
Information Officer
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If your details are on our mailing list and they need amending please tick
the box and make sure the correct details are entered in the address box
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tel: 01600 710846
Email: information@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
Sarah Sawyer
Please return to: Information Officer, Wye Valley AONB, FREEPOST
SWC4106, Monmouth NP25 3ZZ
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Data Protection Act: If you have asked to be added to our mailing list for
Picturesque, your contact details will be put on the database and used only for the
purposes of the Wye Valley AONB
Picturesque is printed on recycled paper
Large print version of Picturesque is available on request
tel: 01600 710844
Email: community@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
www.wyevalleyaonb.org.uk
Picturesque is produced at the Wye Valley AONB Office, Hadnock Road, Monmouth NP25 3NG Tel: 01600 713977 Fax: 01600 772051
The Wye Valley AONB is supported by Countryside Council for Wales, Natural
England, Forest of Dean District Council, Herefordshire Council,
Gloucestershire County Council and Monmouthshire County Council