St Botolphs Church​

‘ Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 5: Notable Buildings’, by Richard Dolby and Pat Croxton-Smith

‘ Landscape history of Hadstock Parish 1777-2020, Part 5: Notable Buildings’, by Richard Dolby and Pat Croxton-Smith

This is a further addition to the series of illustrated online publications dealing with the landscape history of Hadstock Parish. Part 5 presents images and explanatory text on notable buildings, including St Botolph’s church, the former village school, listed houses, shops, large barns, pubs, mills and WW2 airfield structures.

Revd Paula Griffiths publishes a collection of her poems

Revd Paula Griffiths publishes a collection of her poems

LOCAL POET PRODUCES COLLECTION
“This is the Only Moment” by Rev’d Paula Griffiths
A collection of poems, ‘This is the Only Moment: Poems from a Journey’, was published on 15th July 2022 by local resident The Rev’d Paula Griffiths.
The book of 29 wide-ranging poems includes an appendix giving a very interesting and helpful context in which each of the poems was written.
Paula moved to the Saffron Walden area in 1999 with her husband Roger after years in London, where they were both born, and quickly felt delight in the new space and beauty around them. Many of the poems are rooted in the natural world around Saffron Walden: others reflect events which affected all our lives, beginning with 9/11 and the Iraq War of 2003 and the beginnings of greater awareness of climate change; yet others reflect events in her previous career dealing with cathedral and church buildings – including the commuting experience! All are part of a personal journey, which led to ordination and 12 years of service with the Saffron Walden and Villages Team Ministry. She was Priest at St Botolph’s, Hadstock from 2014-2021, and retired in June 2021 and is now a member of the retired clergy team supporting the churches.
Paula says: “After I retired last summer, I felt I wanted to share this collection of poems with others. Coming to live in a rural setting near Saffron Walden, experiencing the strong sense of community here, and seeing how the countryside changes day by day really helped root me in the wonders of creation as we made new friends here. I hope you too may enjoy them.”
The Rev’d Jeremy Trew, Team Rector, said, “It is a pleasure to work and walk alongside Paula, who has a gift of reflecting on the ordinary as well as the extraordinary, and turning this reflection into verse; sometimes gentle, often poignant.”
All proceeds from the sale of the book will support the churches of the Saffron Walden and Villages Team Ministry. It is printed by E & E Plumridge Ltd, Linton.
Copies of This is the Only Moment: Poems from a Journey, which costs £5, can be obtained from Harts Bookshop, the Tourist Information Office, by prior arrangement from St Mary’s Parish Office (email office@stmaryssaffronwalden.org and phone number 01799 506024), or direct from paula.greatford@btinternet.com.

War Records – the stories behind our WW1 war memorial, by Roger Mance

War Records – the stories behind our WW1 war memorial, by Roger Mance

Read this fascinating research by Roger Mance into the background stories and family history of 18 men who gave their lives in the Great War, 1914-1918 AD. The names of the 18 are to be found on the village war memorial in the south transept of St Botolph’s Church, Hadstock. All were born in Hadstock or had families with a close association to our village. Roger’s account was created as a tribute to the memory, courage and sacrifice of these men and produced as part of the 2020 Millennium celebrations for the Church.

Parochial Church Council (PCC) retirements, 21st March 2017

Parochial Church Council (PCC) retirements, 21st March 2017

Patricia Croxton-Smith (known to us all as Crocky) was Fabric Officer for the church for 40 years, and worked tirelessly to see it through many phases of essential building repairs from the 1960s on. She stepped down from this post at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on 21 March 2017, when Rick Albrow took her place. Robin Betser was churchwarden for 8 years and also stepped down at that meeting. Members of the congregation, the Friends of St Botolph and the Hadstock Society joined together to thank them and celebrate their achievements. Left to right: Irene Stapleton, Robin Betser, the Revd Paula Griffiths, Crocky, Hamish McIlwrick, Tony Handley and Malcolm Seward.

1020-2020 Millennium Service and Sermon, 18th October 2020

The Revd Paula Griffiths, Priest at Hadstock, led the service and gave the sermon on 18th October 2020 to celebrate the Millennium of the consecration of St Botolph’s Church. Due to restrictions caused by the prevailing Covid 19 pandemic, the congregation was limited to 30, each person spaced 2 metres apart, except for family groups. Singing was not possible.
St Botolph’s church is thought by many experts to be the minster built by King Cnut to commemorate all the dead on both sides of the Battle of Assandun in 1016 fought between the English and the Danes.