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Melford Hall - 16th March 2008

A task farther afield than usual for CNTV. Melford Hall is in Suffolk and was owned by the Hyde Parker family from 1786
until it was given to the National Trust in 1960. Sir Richard Hyde Parker and his family still live in the Property.
Nearby is the market town of Sudbury, and home to the painter Thomas Gainsborough.
The morning started with a 40 mile drive to the property, it was very cold and very windy on arrival
making us all less than enthusiastic for the days task clearing the scrub in the dry moat.
The moat however was bounded by a high wall, which turned out to be very fortunate, as it kept
the wind at bay . The moat used to be cleared every 2/3 years, but had been left for more than
twice that time, so the brambles had become well established. We got down to the task of clearing
the brambles, soon warmed up by the end of the day had cleared a large proportion of the
moat alongside the main Sudbury to Bury St Edmunds Road.

(Photo: Clare) Left: clearing brambles ........ (Photo: Clare) Right: cleared moat, Melford Church can be seen in the background.

"Pimp My Wagon" - Wimpole Farm February 2008

Emma, one of the heavy horse drivers (the horse that is, not Emma!!) who cares for the
Shire Horses that power the wagon came up with the "Pimp Her Wagon" title for the task.
The idea of including a sound blaster with tweeters and woofers was also muted,
but we decided the Trust might not stump up the Money. Then of course there was the
question of what music was suitable - "Paint Your Wagon" was the obvious one or maybe a traditional
Folk Song "Wait For the Wagon". I suspect Emma might prefer some "LagWagon" though I'm not
sure it would appeal to many visitors!

Back to the task! - over the past few weeks we have been helping refurbish one of the wagons (this one) for Wimpole Farm.
It was originally in a yukky brown/orange colour and is now in a smart new green and varnished colour scheme.
Jobs include sanding down old paintwork, replacing rotting timbers, re-painting and varnishing.
The Trust have even splashed out and bought two colour co-ordinated "Wimpole Farm" signs for the sides.

Incidently, Wimpole run Heavy Horse Driving Courses - interested? - download the pdf leaflet here.

(Photo: Alison) Left: undercoating the seats ........ (Photo: Alison) Right: undercoating the wagon metal frame

(Photo: Roger) Left: Gill adding final coat for seats........ (Photo: Roger) Right: Wagon refurbishment progressing

Spring is the time to see new born animals at Wimpole Farm
(Photo: Roger) Left: one new arrival.....Right: This calf arrived on the day of our task, seen here being washed by Mum.

At the end of February, the barn at Wimpole was being used to film a new version of a Noel Coward play - Easy Virtue
(Photo: Roger) Left/Right: Filming shots of Easy Virtue...original film was made silent and in black and white by Alfred Hitchcock in 1928.
The film stars Jessica Biel and Colin Firth were on set.

Brancaster Weekend - 26th/27th January 2008
Brancaster is a regular event on our programme calender and typically the first working weekend of the year.
Once again we travelled to the Millenium Activity Centre on the North Norfolk Coast to help with the regular
decoration of the property. This Year we were re-painting the clothes drying areas plus one dormatory.
It was a superbly clear and sunny weekend, and we even had time to fit in a walk along the coastal path.
Good food ,as always, was provided making a very welcome change from our usual DIY meals.
The home baked ginger biscuits and chocolate cake were excellent - who cares about calories!

(Photo: Roger) Left: Lop lying down on the job (typical!!) ........ (Photo: Roger) Right: Warden in action

(Photo: Roger) Left: Val, our task leader, getting down to some sweeping ..... (Photo: Roger) Right: lunch break - anyone spot the chocolate cake?

(Photo: Roger) Left: 11th century round tower church at nearby Titchwell .... (Photo: Roger) Right: view from quay at Brancaster

Wimpole Gardens - 20th January 2008
Back again at Wimpole, this time hedge laying with Simon in the South Avenue.
The west side hedge is virtually complete and looks very smart from the A1198.
Our jobs included staking the hedge and planting new hazel and hawthorn in a missing area of hedge.

(Photo: Roger) Left: final tidying of layed hedge ................... (Photo: Roger) Right: new plantings to complete hedge

(Photo: Roger) Left: newly planted hedge next to hedge due for laying .... (Photo: Roger) Right: William knocking in stakes

Wimpole Gardens - 13th January 2008

Our first task of 2008 was at the back of the kitchen garden planting trees in an area which it
is hoped will eventually be opened up the the public. Some improvements to drainage will
be required before then - hmmm I sense a task coming on!

(Photo: Paul) Left: Clyde, Val and Tom preparing for tree planting ............. (Photo: Paul) Right: unbagging the tree!


(Photo: Paul) Left: poor drainage ..... (Photo: Paul) Right: one of the Wimpole farm residents....oh what an easy life.....

(Photo: Paul) one tree planted 150yrs earlier

Clumber Park weekend - 23rd to 25th November

Our last weekend task of 2007 was at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. The task involved two parts, one clearing
small pine trees from an area being turned back into heathland with newly planted heathers. The other
helping Terry, one of the Wardens, chip piles of cut branches and logs.
For our Saturday evening meal, Lop (our task leader) produced a Lamb hotpot with dumplings, followed up
by an Apple Betty prepared by Val (no, not her Aunt Betty - one of these). There might also have been some wine somewhere.
Read Lops humourous article in our Winter 2007 newsletter.

(Photo & Caption: Alison) Left: Aliens? Village People? Oops, no - it's Roger and Richard ready for action!"...thanks Alison...!!!
(Photo & Caption: Roger) Right: ....oh ho ho, this is Alison, we think doing an impression of a Christmas Fairy ......

(Photo: Roger) Left: feeding the chipper ................... (Photo: Roger) Right: a trailor load of chippings for the gardens

(Photo: Roger) Left: off to work ................... (Photo: Roger) Right: the weekend working party

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