Village News and Events

in Boxted and Langham

Welcome to the latest newsletter.

If you wish to have an item included in this newsletter, please email us at newsandevents@boxted.org.uk by Thursday 5pm at the latest. Thank you.

Stay safe and healthy..

For further details contact langhamhandmadefair@gmail.com

Artificial cricket wicket!

Boxted Cricket Club has now installed an artificial wicket at the edge of the cricket square.

Thanks go to those who responded to Charlie Harris’ appeal for funds and also to Boxted Parish Council for a significant contribution.

The wicket can now be used as part of the Saturday morning training sessions and for specific net practices that may be arranged through the club.

Boxted Bridge update

Photo of Boxted bridge from top floor of Boxted Mill 1960s

Lucinda de Jasay writes:

We came across this photo of the bridge taken in the late 1960s just before we came to live at Boxted Mill. It is remarkable that nothing has changed apart from the vegetable garden and the large willow in the foreground.

Photo is possibly by Charles Seeley, photographer

Conclusions and Recommendations quoted from Boxted Bridge Heritage Assessment document, Place Services, August 2020 :

“Assessment has found that the bridge is considered to be of significance and is a non- designated heritage asset. The bridge also contributes positively to the setting of both the Grade II listed Boxted Mill and Island Cottage (a non-designated heritage asset). The significance of the bridge is drawn from its architectural interest as a complete and unaltered example of c.1900 bridge. This is also in a wider location which has been subject to very little change; the setting and experience of this heritage asset, and those adjacent, is considered to contribute to their respective significance.

Considering the above, the removal of this bridge will cause harm to it as a non- designated heritage asset and the setting of both a designated and non-designated heritage asset. As such it is recommended that a sequential approach is adopted, taking the best case/most sensitive scenario as a starting point and working forwards from this base as necessary. The approaches are outlined below, with approach 1 as the preferred.

Approach 1:

The bridge is fully retained, and sympathetic repairs are undertaken which do not detract from the architectural interest of the structure. Should this approach not be viable then it will need to be robustly justified. All other alternative approaches will result in harm to heritage assets.

Approach 2:
Should the structure not be retained in-situ, all alterations should be fully justified. Should the bridge require altering then principal features should be retained and reused where possible. These features include the flank walls, brick/granite piers and brick abutments. Should these features not be retained, this should be fully justified and features which are of same aesthetic and construction installed.”

6.4 Depending on approach, a scheme of archaeological building recoding will likely be required commensurate with either a ‘Level 2 or 3’ as outlined in Historic England Guidance Understanding Historic Buildings.17

6.5 All statements and recommendations in this document are subject to consultation and agreement with the local planning authority.

A dedicated email address ( boxtedenquiries@essexhighways.org ) has been set up to support the public with any questions relating to the structure that are not already answered on the webpage.

The full website address for the Boxted Bridge project is:
https://www.essexhighways.org/transport-and-roads/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/boxted-bridge-wick-road-boxted-colchester.aspx

For more information and to sign the petition to save the original structure of Boxted Bridge, please head to https://www.change.org/p/essex-county-council-save-our-bridge

Severalls Lane Bridge Repairs

Essex County Councillor, Lewis Barber, has received the following information regarding the above:

Regrettably, due to complications, we have not yet received all of the technical reports from these investigations that will allow us to progress the assessment to establish if it is safe to remove the current restrictions. We expect this information to be provided over the coming weeks following which the assessment will take place and if this indicates that it is safe to remove the restrictions we expect this to take place in autumn this year.

In parallel to this work we are progressing with the development of the scheme that will repair the damaged elements of the bridge. We are currently assessing options for this and would expect to move to the preliminary design stage in autumn this year with detailed design planned for 2022 and provisional plan for construction in later 2022/23

Church services

Sunday 11 July:
9.30am Gathered Morning Prayer – St Peter’s Boxted

Sunday 18 July:
9.30am Gathered Eucharist – St Mary’s Langham

4pm Gathered D.E.E.P Service – St Peter’s Boxted
(specifically for families and children)

Sunday 25 July:
9.30am Gathered Eucharist – St Peter’s Boxted

A service is still being streamed on the first and third Sundays via zoom and please email lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com to request details of the zoom link.

Please email lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com with your name and contact details to book a place at any of the services and please remember a mask or face covering.

A recording of zoom services is available from Sunday afternoon at the following link:

https://lb-churches.co.uk/streamed-services/

Please email lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com if you require further details.

Caravan for sale

2010 Swift Conqueror 540

Excellent condition. four berth, fixed bed, full oven, fridge, microwave, tv, porch awning, water / waste bottles, usual extras.

£8500

Please telephone 01206 272710 for further details. (Note, photo above is an example of this caravan and not the actual item for sale).

Cage Lane, Boxted

Suspect unknown has caused damage to a wooden memorial bench.

In brief …

Your quick reference guide to newsletter regulars.

St Peter’s Markets plants – raising funds for our local churches. Go to https://stpetersmarketplace.org/

For all the latest information on opening times, services, special events and what’s for sale, visit https://www.langhamcommunityshop.org.uk/

Mobile library

To keep up to date with the timetable please visit the Mobile Library Service website

Digital help at home

This service is available online. Michael Smith at Colchester Borough Council is still offering digital support via a remote service. See the Council’s webpage or, for further information.