Remote - But Certainly Not Out of Touch

The changing village of Helmdon, No.84

by Austin T Walker

Helmdon may be rather remotely situated, but I assure you that, while we are very proud of past achievements, we are by no means submerged by them for there is in the village an incredible feeling of being with the present.

This opinion of life in Helmdon today was given to me by Mrs RJ Rowbury, wife of the rector of the parish church of St Mary Magdalene.

"With so many new people moving into the village great efforts have, and are being made, to widen the scope of interests here," continued Mrs Rowbury.

We are particularly proud of our Adult Education Centre, where at the moment we are running a course of study about old china and antiques. Old customs too are cherished here, and on May 1 we plan to hold May Day celebrations which will include country and folk dancing.

Great Yew

During my visit to the church a spell of early sunshine was reflected by the altar stained glass window which gave to this interesting building a warm and intimate glow.

Two outstanding items here are the great yew tree in the churchyard, which in age is probably pre-Christian with its butt 28 feet in circumference. The other, now in the Rectory porch, is an oak carved chimney piece the age of which has puzzled experts for a couple of centuries. No less an authority than Dr Wallis, the celebrated mathematician, contended the date was 1133. Others suggest 1233, 1533 and 1535.

Mr Harry Batchelor, l The Bungalows, Brackley Road, now nearly 85, and his wife (87) are indeed a remarkable couple.

"All my working life has been spent on the land for I started when I was 10 for 1s.6d. a week." Mr Batchelor told me. "Helmdon, the place where I was born, is a very different village today from what it was in my younger days, for then it was as pretty as a picture.

"I was a bell ringer for 60 years, and my wife and I hope to live to celebrate our diamond wedding next September."

The Baptist Church here is a centre of Nonconformity in this district. To talk to me about it was Mr H Gulliver of M(H)ill Farm, who for the past 40 years has served as church secretary.

"The chapel was built in 1841 and the school room added in 1953," said Mr Gulliver. "We are served by a panel of local preachers and our average congregation is around 25-30 people.

Mr Gulliver's other activities include the chairmanship for 20 years of the Parish Council, Old People's Welfare Committee (18 years), School Managers (16)( and the Helmdon Football Club.

Oldest inhabitant is 92 year old Mr Harry Campin, 2, The Bungalows, Wappenham Road.

"I was brought to Helmdon from Sussex when I was a nipper of eight, and I've lived here ever since," Mr Campin told me. "I've always worked on the land and although I enjoyed a game of cricket when I was young my main hobby was shooting. On a single afternoon I've shot as many as six dozen wood pigeons.

"Things here have certainly changed over the years. I remember when the main street in winter was nothing but mud with ruts two feet deep and you would never have got one of your modern motor cars either in or out of the village."

At the other end of the age scale a young housewife, Mrs SV Lid(g)ley, who has been here for the past two years, thought Helmdon a very friendly place but lacking in social life for the younger generation. It was quiet, and for her, just the right distance from Banbury and Northampton.

Thirsty Job

I am indebted to Mrs GWM Lees of nearby Falcut(t) House for the loan of an ancient book which contains many interesting entries form the parish records of Helmdon.

In 1699, I was able to discover the church was whitewashed, which must have been a thirsty job, for we read: "Paid for Ale had for the church for the workmen 3s.6d; 3qr. of Brandy spent upon the workmen ye same time, 9d."

The same records give a full account of a law of 1678 which made it obligatory for all persons to be buried in woollens. An entry for December 321, 1678, records that: "Anne Evans was let down into the ground, that is to say was then buried in the churchyard at Helmdon, being well wrapt at this cold weather in a shroud of woollens."

The Mercury and Herald - !6th February 1967