With thousands of visitors to the village website each month from all around the world, Broadwindsor.Org celebrates 4 years! 🙂
Local business’ support is invaluable as Broadwindsor.Org (affectionally referred to as ‘The Org‘ by many) is a not-for-profit organisation. £300 was donated to the Comrades Hall following a successful music promotion in September ’23.
The QR code above is for a £20 payment.
If you are a visitor and would like to donate a different amount, please use the QR code below.
St. George’s Day is also known as the Feast of Saint George. As well as England, St. George is a Patron Saint of several countries: Portugal; Cyprus; Georgia; Serbia; Bulgaria; Bosnia & Herzegovin, and the Republic of Macedonia, all of who fly the red cross flag on the day.
St. George is also the patron saint of The Scout Movement, which has held St. George’s Day parades by Scouts (and now Girl Guides) since its first years.
Not much is known about Saint George’s early life, and what is known has been argued for centuries. It is believed that he was probably born to noble birth, around 280 AD in Cappodocia (Turkey) and died on 23rd April in Lydda, Syria Palaestina, an area which is now in modern-day Israel.
The Legend:The myth of St. George & the Dragon became popularised around the time of the Crusades who brought back tales of a dragon-slaying Christian who saved a princess and her village from the flesh eating monster. It is said that the local villagers had offered up sheep everyday to appease the monster, but when that failed they tried feeding it their children, chosen by lottery! Until, on one occasion, it happened that the lot fell on the king’s daughter. Distraught with grief, the King told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter was spared. His people refused and the daughter was sent out to the lake, decked out as a bride, to be fed to the dragon…
By chance, George rode past the lake. Noticing him, the dragon charged for George, who fortified himself with the Sign of the Cross and charged on horseback delivering a grievous wound. With the dragon harnessed, George rode the princess back to the village, subsequently telling the villagers that he would only kill the dragon if they all became Christians. Unwilling to subject themselves back to the terror of the dragon, the king and his people agreed to convert to Christianity and George slew the dragon. On the site where the dragon died, the king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. George, and from its altar a spring arose whose waters cured all disease.
George became a solider, and ultimately an officer, in the Roman army under Emperor Diocletian. When the Emperor ordered the systematic persecution of Christians. George refused to take part, which resulted in his torture and subsequent death on 23rd April 303 AD. The Emperor’s wife was so inspired by George’s bravery and loyalty to his religion, that she too became a Christian and was subsequently executed for her faith.
The earliest documented mention of St. George in England comes from the Catholic monk the venerable Bede (c. 673–735). His feast day is also mentioned in the Durham Collectar, a ninth-century liturgical work. The will of Alfred the Great is said to refer to the saint, in a reference to the church of Fordington, Dorset. At Fordington a stone over the south door records the miraculous appearance of to lead crusaders into battle. Early (c. 10th century) dedications of churches to St. George are noted in England, for example as well as Fordingham, Dorset, at Thetford, Southwark and Doncaster.
St. George’s Chapel at Windsor castle was established by Edward III in 1348. The chapel, which is in the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle, had a big refurbishment started on it by Edward IV in 1475 that wasn’t finished until his grandson Henry VIII was on the throne in 1528.
It is both a Royal Peculiar, that is a Church of England parish or church exempt from the jurisdiction of the Diocese and the province in which it lies and subject to the direct jurisdiction of the monarch. It was where the funeral of H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place in 2021.
The chapel also serves as the Chapel of the Order of the Garter. The Garter Service takes place at St George’s chapel every year because St George is the patron saint of the Order of the Garter. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George Cross. It is granted by the Sovereign to people who have either served her well or contributed something special to the nation – such as Sir Winston Churchill. The annual ceremony takes place in June.
The motto in gold lettering ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ translates as “Shame on him who thinks evil of it.
St. George’s Day was a major feast and national holiday in England on a par with Christmas from the early 15th century. The tradition of celebration St. George’s Day had waned by the end of the 18th century after the union of England and Scotland in 1707.
A traditional custom on St. George’s Day is to fly or adorn the St. George’s Cross flag in some way: Pubs in particular can be seen on 23rd April with garlands of St. George’s crosses adorning them inside and out.
It is customary for the hymn “Jerusalem” to be sung in cathedrals, churches and chapels on St. George’s Day, or on the Sunday closest to it. Traditional English food and drink is likely to be be consumed.
The service for village resident Paul Miller will be held at Yeovil crematorium at 13.20 hrs. on Tuesday, 9th April.
Anyone who would like to come along and raise a glass in his memory, are welcome to join the family at The White Lion from 15.30 hrs. onwards.
“Thank you to everyone for all the kind thoughts, cards and flowers we have received, we are overwhelmed with kindness.”
– Chris and family x
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Chris, Jo and all the family at this sad time.
Paul Miller 04.09.1947 – 15.03.2024
Due to personal reasons and after 4 years continual work, I am stepping back from chief editorial duties at Broadwindsor.Org until Easter. I will endeavour to keep the What’s On up to date in the interim.
Annual registration fees, for local businesses & organisations cover basic overheads, will be £20/year and due in April. I hope I can continue to count on your support.
Registration fees and donations are motivating, inspiring and always most welcome.
Thank you!
Wendy Shields.
Editor.
Broadwindsor, Blackdown and Burstock churches begin their Lent Lunches this Thursday from 12.30pm – 2pm at the Comrades Hall, Broadwindsor. This will continue every Thursday for six weeks:
Good Friday is on 29th March and Easter Sunday on 31st March.
The £5 charge will fetch you a hot bowl of soup with fresh bread, cheese and pickle, tea or coffee and a warm welcome with a smile 🙂
The mobile Post Office Van will be in attendance as usual on Thursdays, 9.15am- 10.45am.
However, the Coffee Club that normally runs from 9am-11am will be cancelled for Lent Lunches and begin again in April.
Local business Pour Decisions had one of their products featured on Channel 4’s Sunday morning programme, Sunday Brunch…
“…the most delicious vintage of Galets Rouge. You may have tried the absolutely delicious ‘21 (it was a best seller), try the ‘22 and see the difference for yourselves!” – Yasemin
Congratulations Yasemin & Pete 🙂
At 7.30pm at the Comrades Hall this Friday, 19th January, Broadwindsor’s Community Film Club will be showing…
Directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Kenneth Branagh, Kelly Reilly, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Dornan.
Running time 1 hr. 43 mins.
Kenneth Branagh stars as celebrated sleuth Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. He soon gets thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets when one of the guests is murdered.
A couple of warming recipes to fend off the January chills…
Scouse (or Lobscouse) – serves 4-6
Derived from ‘lapskaus’, a traditional, one-pan stew said to have been introduced to Liverpool by Norwegian sailors, this is a great winter stand-by, using beef or lamb and January’s seasonal root vegetables. Leave out the meat if preferred. Typically served with pickled red cabbage and a doorstep of crusty fresh bread (a squeeze of HP not to be underestimated). Every household has its own version. No need to follow exact weights, go by eye.
Method:
Rinse and drain the barley/soup mix. In a large pan, melt the butter on a medium heat and seal the meat on all sides.
Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes, before adding the stock and barley/soup mix. Add marrowbone, if using.
Simmer until the meat is tender and the pulses cooked, then remove the meat onto a plate.
Season the broth with salt and pepper (plus an optional good dash of Worcestershire sauce), add the carrots and swede then after 20 mins add the potatoes and cook until everything is cooked.
Remove and discard marrowbone. Add the meat back in, check seasoning, and enjoy.
Ginger Cake
Best wrapped and kept for a few days before eating, but easier said than done. You will need a 2lb loaf tin, buttered and lined, and a hand whisk.
Method:
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas mark 4.
Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl and rub in the butter (the colder your hands, the better).
Gently warm the treacle and syrup until runny but not hot. Do the same with the sugar and milk in the other pan, just enough to dissolve the sugar.
Add the treacle/syrup mixture to the dry ingredients, whisk, then add the milk/sugar mixture and the egg.
Whisk briefly until you have a smooth batter. Fold in the stem ginger pieces, ensuring they are fairly evenly dispersed.
Pour into the loaf tin, give the tin a sharp tap on the worktop and bake for around 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack. Keeps well.
Many thanks to Ann 🙂
To revisit the Bishops’ Kitchen recipes provided by Richard Childs – please click HERE 🙂
At this morning’s FareShare in Drimpton, Yeo Valley donated a range of their fully organic soups made with natural and freshly sourced ingredients to be included for distribution – most welcome in this very cold weather.
33 members attended today – feeding a minimum of 65 individuals with in date produce which would otherwise be thrown away!
This is a weekly membership scheme* aimed at helping people make their money go further by reducing food shopping bills.
You must register to become a member. To become a member, collect a form on a Friday morning or request by emailing: FSSouthernCentral@fareshare.org.uk. Once completed, proof of address/ID needs to be provided and you email the completed form to the same email address (or alternatively, bring along on a Friday morning 🙂 ).
Initially weekly membership fees can only be paid in cash and vary dependent on the size of your household:
Some 2023 facts and figures from the Met Office climate station at Providence Farm in Common Water Lane, Broadwindsor:
2023 has been the wettest calendar year (1561mm) since 1872 (1755mm).
1982-2023 mean for the year is 1141mm.
December 2023 was the wettest (292mm) since 1934 (351mm).
1982-2023 mean for December is 136mm.
Thank you to Mike Lowing for the information and we look forward to more reports for everybody’s information 🙂
