Have you run out of time to send Christmas cards in the village? Do
you think all the money you spend on them could be better spent?
Help is at hand! This year, Horntonians can send their good wishes to others in
the village by simply signing up on the village notice board and make a donation
to charity instead.
25th December '08 - Wool you be Generous?
Hornton’s Isabelle Harris is still knitting hats and gloves
for the shoeboxes that are sent to deprived children throughout the world and she
would be really grateful for any donations of double knitting wool.
“The colour doesn’t matter, as I can mix and match,” says Isabelle.
You can pop the donations through the letterbox of Isabelle’s house in Bell
Street or call her on 01295 670541.
25th December '08 - Pound off the Pounds
If you’re fit to bursting by Boxing Day, there are two
perfect solutions at hand. Upton House has a new all-weather route round its
beautiful lake and gardens and it’s open from December 26 to January 4. Normal
admission charges apply. You can get more information from Upton on 01295 670266
or by email on uptonhouse (at) nationaltrust dot org dot uk
And two new paths provide a circular walk from Hornton with good views across the
Sor Valley.
You reach the first walk - one of ten created by the Country Council in beautiful
areas of Oxfordshire countryside - by going up Millers Lane and straight across
Quarry Road onto the footpath. Keep going past the farm and the barn next to it
and go down the hill. Just when you think you’ve got lost, the path starts up on
the other side of a style up to your left. When you reach Hornton Hill Farm,
don’t go up the hill to the farm buildings but skirt round the back on the lower
ground and the path will take you back to Quarry Road. The views are lovely!
If you then turn left onto Quarry Road, you’ll see the start of the other path on
your right. It runs south down into the valley for a few hundred yards, meeting
up with the existing footpath running up the valley from the village and past
Starveall Barn. Happy hiking!
25th December '08 - Church Services
On Christmas Eve, there will be a service to bless the crib at
5pm in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist and Christmas Communion will be
celebrated there at 10.30am the following Day. There will be no Christmas Day
Service in the Methodist Church.
This Sunday, December 28, the Rev. Janet Jackson will lead the service at the
Methodist Church at 11am. There will be no service at the parish church because
there is a 10.30am Benefice Service at Drayton.
18th December '08 - Write Move
Are you getting writer’s cramp from writing Christmas cards? Do you
think all that money you spend on them could be better spent?
Help is at hand! This year, Horntonians can send their good wishes to others in
the village by signing up on the village notice board and make a donation to
charity instead.
18th December '08 - Tom Tops the Bill
Hornton’s paper boy, Tom Wain, is so popular that one of his
satisfied customers has asked the he get a special Christmas “thank you” from the
village.
“Tom Wain is always smiling, arriving and finding that perfect place our papers -
out of the rain, near the door, each delivery with personal detail,” says Annie
Connor of Eastgate. “As he trudges from one end of the village to the other, I
think he deserves us all to put our hands together and give him a round of applause.”
18th December '08 - Tear Off a Strip
Maggie Higgins makes a plea to keep all your stamps off your
Christmas cards this year - both British and foreign.
“The Royal National Institute for the Blind is desperate for them,” she says.
“They can be sold to raise funds to support their vital work in the UK.
“As Christmas is fast approaching, I thought this would be a good time to remind
everyone in Hornton, though stamps can be collected throughout the year. During
the festive season, many cards are received and I would like to take this
opportunity to ask you all to take a moment of your time to tear off the used
stamp - leaving, if possible, a strip about one centimetre of envelope bordering
the stamp.
“These used stamps can then be dropped off at Holloway House next to the green at
the bottom of Bell Street and I will forward them on to the RNIB."
18th December '08 - Up for a Bargain
Stuck for Christmas shopping ideas? Avoid the battle of the
High Street with the festive gift market at Upton House. The ground floor is
sumptuously decorated for Christmas and the children will love to visit Father
Christmas in his grotto! And you can get more gift ideas in the National Trust
gift shop. Normal admission charges apply and it’s only £3 to see Father Christmas.
And next Monday to Wednesday Christmas lunches will be served in the stylish
Pavilion restaurant. You can take a stroll around the new all-weather route in
the gardens. Normal admission charges apply.
18th December '08 - Church Services
There will be no church services this Sunday morning, December
21, because the village Carol Service is taking place in the Methodist Church at
6pm, led by Rev. Dorothy Hewitson.
On Christmas Eve, there will be a service to bless the crib at 5pm in the Parish
Church of St John the Baptist and Christmas Communion will be celebrated there at
10.30am the following Day. There will be no Christmas Day Service in the
Methodist Church.
18th December '08 - High Note
Hornton’s carol singers will be hitting a high note this Monday,
December 22, when they raise money for Cancer Research. If you’d like to join
them, they’ll be starting from the pavilion at 6.30pm. If not, please have lots
of lovely lolly (and plenty of hot toddies and mince pies!) ready when they drop by.
18th December '08 - Festive Fiction
The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will be on
the village green next Wednesday, Christmas Eve, from 10.40 to 11.20am.
11th December '08 - WI Not?
Hornton and District ever-growing WI are holding their Christmas Party in the Dun Cow this evening, Thursday. New members welcome, so what better time to join than over a drink?
And the Dun Cow is holding the second of its Pie and Pint nights. Come down and have pie, chips and a pint - or a glass of wine - for just £6.95!
11th December '08 - Fairs Fair
Local musical duo Fairplay sing everything from Amy Winehouse, through Eva Cassidy to Neil Diamond.
So there should be something for everyone when they come to Hornton Pavilion this Saturday, December 13. Tickets are now on sale at £6 each and to, complete a great night out, there will also be a bar, nibbles and of course a traditional Hornton raffle! All profits go to the pavilion fund and you can either get tickets from Sarah Walther on 01295 670627 and Julie Stanley on 01295 670507 or come along on the door.
11th December '08 - On the Cards
Are you getting writer’s cramp from writing Christmas cards? Do you think the money could be better spent?
Help is at hand! This year, Horntonians can send their good wishes to the village by signing up on the village notice board and making a donation to the charity of their choice instead.
11th December '08 - Team Talk
PC Lana Smith and her colleagues from the Thames Valley Police Rural Neighbourhood Team Police will be holding a surgery in Hornton next Wednesday, December 17. For a couple of hours from 5pm you can pop along and discuss any issues, as well as getting crime prevention advice.
11th December '08 - Crunch at Kineton
The Dun Cow have gone down to their first defeat of the season - and it was a four-pointer, because they lost away to second place Kineton Sports and Social Club. The Hornton cribbers are still on top of the Harbury and District Crib League but by just four points.
11th December '08 - Chapel of Rest
Hornton’s Yoga Class has a new venue - the chapel - so if you’d like to get in shape for the feasting ahead, pop along any Tuesday from 6.30pm.
Teacher Jo Bell practices Sun Power Yoga, which she says is a great way to lengthen your body, control your breath and still your mind. All you need is loose clothing, the £5 for the session and a blanket. Men and women are both welcome and you can get more details from Jo on 07767 731791 - or just turn up!
11th December '08 - Stamp of Approval
Maggie Higgins makes a plea to keep all your stamps off your Christmas cards this year - both British and foreign.
“The Royal National Institute for the Blind is desperate for them,” she says. “They can be sold to raise funds to support their vital work in the UK.
“As Christmas is fast approaching, I thought this would be a good time to remind people in Hornton, though stamps can be collected throughout the year. All you need to do is to take a moment of your time to tear off the used stamp - leaving, if possible, one centimetre or so of envelope bordering the stamp.
“These used stamps can then be dropped off at Holloway House next to the green at the bottom of Bell Street and I will forward them on to the RNIB."
11th December '08 - Up for a Bargain
Stuck for Christmas shopping ideas? Avoid the battle of the High Street with a festive gift market at Upton House this weekend.
The ground floor will be sumptuously decorated for Christmas and the children will love to visit Father Christmas in his grotto! Normal admission charges apply and it will cost just £3 to see Father Christmas.
And from Monday to Wednesday during December, you can treat friends and family to a festive day out at Upton. Enjoy lunch at the stylish Pavilion restaurant and take a stroll around the new all-weather route in the gardens.
11th December '08 - Church Services
There’s no morning service this Sunday, December 14, because the Traditional Christingle Service is taking place in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist at 6pm.
The church’s Ladies Working Party are delighted to announce that their Christmas Bazaar last Saturday raised £1,116, which was more than last year. The organisers want to thank all those who came and gave to the various stalls. The money will be split between the church and local charities.
4th December '08 - Be Nice to the Neighbours
Hornton Neighbourhood Watch are holding their Winter
Warmer this Sunday, December 7, from 5pm to 7pm.
There will be mulled wine, mince pies, sausage rolls and Christmas cheer, plus a
festive Hornton raffle!
This is just one of two exciting Christmas events taking place over this weekend.
On Saturday, the traditional Christmas Fayre will take place in the Parish Church
of St John the Baptist. It’s all happening a bit earlier than usual this year -
at 6.30pm - so come along and pick up those Yuletide bargains!
The fayre, run by the church’s Ladies’ Working Party, will be chock full of
produce, gifts and stalls piled high with Christmassy goodies. There will also be
a tombola and what Hornton event would be complete without a raffle? Add to that
the mulled wine to warm the cockles of everyone’s hearts and you’re sure to have
a great time. the proceeds will be divided between local charities and church funds.
4th December '08 - Ding-Dong Merrily on WI
Keep next Thursday, December 11, free, because Hornton’s
new branch of the WI are holding a Christmas party in the Dun Cow.
4th December '08 - Fairs Fair
Local musical duo Fairplay sing everything from Amy Winehouse,
through Eva Cassidy to Neil Diamond.
So there should be something for everyone when they come to Hornton Pavilion on
Saturday week, December 13. Tickets are now on sale at £6 each and to complete a
great night out there will also be a bar, nibbles and of course a traditional
Hornton raffle!
All profits go to the pavilion fund and you can get tickets from Sarah Walther on
01295 670627 or Julie Stanley on 01295 670507.
4th December '08 - Tight Squeeze
The 3Hs Gardening Club’s annual Christmas dinner is taking place
next Tuesday, December 9. If you ring Eileen Lewis on 01295 670449 she might
just be able to squeeze you in!
4th December '08 - Top Marks
A whopping £400 was raised by the parents and children of Hornton
School at their Christmas bazaar.
Audrey Turner and Maggie Higgins collected a fantastic £277.40 in
the recent Poppy Appeal.
“Our grateful thanks go to the residents of Hornton for their generosity,” said
Maggie.
And don’t forget that Maggie is also collecting used stamps for the Royal
National Institute for the Blind. With Christmas coming up, she’d like to
encourage people to recycle the stamps for a very worthwhile cause. Ideally, one
centimtre or so of envelope should be left bordering each stamp.
“These used stamps can then be dropped off at Holloway House next to the green at
the bottom of Bell Street and I will forward them on to the RNIB,” she said.
4th December '08 - I'm Ok
Calling all lumberjacks - and anyone else who’s feeling in a Christmassy
mood on Saturday morning. Eileen Lewis has very kindly donated a whopper of a
tree for Hornton and it’s time to cut down from her front garden and erect it on
the village green. Many hands make light work, so if you can help, please pop
down to the green at 10am - or walk up to Eileen’s, who lives half way up
Miller’s Lane on the left.
4th December '08 - In Memory of Mike
Flowers will be laid on the grave of much-loved villager Mike
Webber every Christmas and on the anniversary of his death, following a decision
by the Parish Council at their latest meeting last week.
The idea came from a villager, who wanted Mike’s generosity to the village to be
permanently recognised and the council whole-heartedly agreed with the idea. Mike
was selfless in the free time he gave to Hornton, especially in the musical life
of the village, and he left money to the school, the children’s playground and
for the new church organ.
Coun Glenis Griffiths will arrange for something suitable this Christmas and
consideration will be given to the planting of a small rose bush as a more
permanent feature.
Other good news included the fact that Cherwell has classified Hornton as a
village which is least suitable for expansion! Instead, most housing expansion in
the area will take place in Banbury, Bicester and the larger villages. But plans
for affordable housing are continuing in Hornton, which expressed more interest
in the idea than other villages.
And the council were told that parish clerk Alan Cater had requested a second
Green Bottle Bank because the first one was so well used. It has now been
installed.
And a letter of appreciation will be sent from the Parish Council to Julie
Stanley recognising her work on behalf of the village post office, following her
decision to retire.
Good news for Hornton’s young children is that fact that the playground committee
are considering installing a playhouse. And pavilion committee weren’t left out
of the good news stakes - Sarah Wright from Horley will clean the Pavilion each
week, so they won’t have to. The pavilion lottery is providing extra money for this.
Coun David Jarrett advised that the road surface in Bell Street between Home Farm
and the adjoining barn drops away quite dangerously. Drivers of vehicles,
especially buses and lorries, could easily have a problem losing control when
driving down into the village, he said, and the clerk will advise Oxon Highways.
Finally, there have been complaints about the frequent noise, car parking
problems and mud on the road from the motor cycle track going out of the village
towards Wroxton. It was agreed that this should be monitored and, if necessary,
should be advised to Wroxton Parish Council as it is within their boundary.
4th December '08 - Chapel of Rest
Hornton’s Yoga Class has a new venue - the chapel - so if you’d
like to get in shape for the feasting ahead, pop along any Tuesday from 6.30pm.
Teacher Jo Bell practices Sun Power Yoga, which she says is a great way to
lengthen your body, control your breath and still your mind. All you need is
loose clothing, the £5 for the session and a blanket. Men and women are both
welcome and you can get more details from Jo on 07767 731791 - or just turn up!
4th December '08 - Greavous Win
The Dun Cow crib team have continued their fantastic start to the
season with another win - a 5-2 home victory against the Greaves Club from
Biships Itchington. With 16 points from eight matches, they are riding high in
the Harbury and District Crib League and, if they win their next match, they’ll
have gone half way through the season without losing a match - so no pressure
there, then.
4th December '08 - Where's the Beef?
Gwyneth will be serving roast beef with all the trimmings at
the Dun Cow on Sunday week, December 14. Please book by next Wednesday. And the
pub will be serving its traditional Christmas Meals with all the trimmings on the
evening of Saturday, December 20, and the following lunchtime. This is an
extremely popular event and tables go quickly, so please book up as soon as
possible.
And next Thursday, December 11, the pub will hold the second of their Pie and
Pint nights. Come down and have pie, chips and a pint - or a glass of wine - for
just £6.95! And don’t forget that you can also get takeaway fish and chips from
the Dun Cow every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
4th December '08 - It's a Gift
Stuck for that perfect present? There are still a few DVDs of
Theere’s Only One Hornton! They cost just £10, so buy now while stocks last, by
ringing Roger Corke on 01295 670673.
And if you run a village organisation and would like an injection of cash, Roger
has a sizeable pot of money he has accumulated through the sixpence-a-line he
collects from the Hornton column. Now’s the time to lay your claim to a slice of it!
4th December '08 - Church Services
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 8.30 am in the Parish
Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, December 7. At 11am, there will be a
United Service in the Methodist Church, led by Hazel Stagg.
4th December '08 - Don't Be Overdue
The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will visit
Hornton next Wednesday, December 10. It will be parked on the village green from
10.40am to 11.20am.
