LANGHAM 

Langham Essex Village Sign

2007 ARCHIVE

Winter

The village sign on its area of greensward
The Shell garage area suffers from the weight of traffic
The littered and degraded area south of the establishment
One complaint that emerged from the VDS was the lack of pavement maintenance in the Old Ipswich Road
Roadside damage in Moor Road; it appears placing obstructions beside the road renders the householder liable for any damage caused!
Heavy goods on the A12 on a winter's day that has drained all colour from the scene
The heavy rain has begun to lie in the fields, which will soon ruin the winter planting
More roadside damage, this time from HGV's in Langham Lane
The Nissen huts off the track leading to Boxted alongside 'Wisconsin'. I had never seen a brand-new hut like the above before
A smelly and noisy job; burning off old road markings outside the Primary School
Chaplin's Farmhouse
Yet more road damage on the inside of the bend between Park Lane and Langham Lane
The garden of 'Floral Dene'
More views of the Park Lane/Langham Lane area
View across the airfield towards the silos and new construction at Dove House
The view east along by the Recreation Ground in School Road
At Blacksmith's Corner, an overloaded 'Give Way' sign carries both bus and directional information
'Bardles Barn' as seen across the fields from High Street
Drainage problems persist in Langham Lane, where the water can often be half way across the road
Willow Farm on a fine winter's day
Often favoured as a dumping ground for fly-tippers, the old concrete track entrance in Langham Lane has been cleaned up and bollards installed - not pretty, but effective
The A12 entrance to Langham is still taking knocks; here the village signs shows an impact
One of two new builds in Park Lane, this property fell victim to arson, on a Sunday afternoon
On a lighter note, this sign would be even more appropriate outside some properties now being completed in local housing estates
A pair of views of Wick Road...
A surprise visit from the hunt on a wet midday
School Road
A storm passes beyond Moor Road; the evidence of its passing lies on the new onion crop
The USAF war memorial in Park Lane has gained a new neighbour in an extensive expanse of new stabling at 'Applebys'
Some scenes from School Road; the studied chaos of a scene at 'Tudor Cottage Farm'
The essential English country garden at 'Bakers'
the post and rails of the landscape of 'horseyculture', which so characterises the rural/urban fringe
Two scenes in the Recreation Ground; the colourful children's climbing frame...
and the 'Pod' - for older children to congregate. They do gather there, despite some complaints (in their VDS survey) that the rain comes through the perforated sides!
A delivery to the community shop, a regular part of the week. someone said to me recently, from outside the village, that having the shop must raise house-prices!

Spring

Fox House, Moor Road and Chapel Road
After the incident in which David Isted was forced off the road in Langham Lane, the council brought in contractors to clear the ditches and erect a bund between the road and the ditch. Needless to say, this does not really address the problems of Langham Lane
What needs to be done, of course, is the ditch needs to be piped, at public expense, to make the road safe. If an HGV ban followed, together with adequate arrangements for vehicles to join the A12 at Colchester, the lane would need no attention - except resurfacing after all the traffic!
Developments at Dove House have been going on apace, with some structures behind the house itself, and the old farm building being ripped apart and converted into small office spaces
Two developments from Chapel Road; firstly that it has become one of Langham's two 'No-cold-calling' zones, and the trimming of an oak
View along Park Lane, where a new hedge has been planted between the bungalow 'Dalmeny' and 'Langham Oak Cottage'
Langham Oak Cottage
Community Speedwatch came to Langham as the newly-trained volunteers showed their skills off to an Anglia News TV team. The crafty councillors, Messrs. Garnett, Gallup and Ellis look on ... and have the camera turned on them!
Up close and personal for Sylvia Mays first on with 'the gun' ...
... and Tony Ellis prepares to take over as a Dutch HGV approaches
A 'phone report called me out to a spill of rubble, from the conversion work at Dove House, for the new office units. With half the road covered, in three locations at least, with brick and mortar, the police were soon in attendance. Within the hour the clean-up team from Essex County Council were living up to their name, after an urgent call from Cllr Garnett
Knowing the oak at 'Tallats' was to come down the following week, I shot this on the Sunday
It was a considerable surprise, early on Monday morning, to see the tree surgeons lopping off parts of the oak's anatomy. At this point I had to leave to go on holiday
Not only reports of a taxi leaving the road at Runkin's Corner, but pictures too! Thanks to Chris Stanfield for the pictures
This has become a favourite place to park your car, and the ground really needs filling in
A lovely spring day as seen from Ernie Schofield's drive
On a more mundane note, sacks of garden refuse awaiting collection in Chapel Road
The dinghy that once resided outside 'The Wig and Fidget' pub in Boxted was taken and dragged to the Community Centre car park
A local wag, clearly a councillor, has designated the vessel as an ark when sea-level rises prompt an evacuation!
The Community Shop looking very spry
The concrete block has been successful in denying access to Hundred Lane to vehicles; perhaps it is time to paint it a more sympathetic colour?
In Chapel Road the centre the speed limit sign is still in bits
On walking up from Black Brook to the Dedham Road, on Old Mill Road, one is greeted by a show of bluebells
Cricket bat willows
The Dedham Vale with Docura's Farm on the right, and the reservoir building in white - on the right
A curiosity, to be found on Whalebone Corner, are a pair of posts baring the inscription 'roadside Nature reserve, 'Manages for Wildlife' I would have thought that this might not be the brightest prospect for fostering wildlife in our hedgerows, but we will see!
The gates to 'The Old House', centre, well-covered in flower
The open, tree-lined drive towards the church is one of the joys of Langham, here being enjoyed by a grazing horse on a fine afternoon. Langham Hall is the building behind the fine animal, in both left and right shots
Another view of the approach to the church
A pair of views of St Mary's Church
The lovely outlook over the gate at Church Farm
Looking towards the Hurlock Schoolroom from the lynch gate
The inscription
Treescapes near Cosgrove Lodge
Although I had missed this myself, Chris Stanfield let me know that a load of tyres had been dumped on the old airfield track on the land of Robin Gooding. The law requires the landowner to be responsible, financially, for removal of the waste
Clearly the law needs reforming; this should be a charge on the community, not the unfortunate victim. In this case the tyres need to be taken to the dump, where there is a charge of between, I believe, £1.50 to £25 for every tyre! The audacity of this particular fly-tipping incident is also worthy of note, for the time taken to unload this lot, accessing the site from Langham Lane, must have been considerable
Every week, in Langham, somebody dumps something, and it would be good if they were seen and reported!

Summer

A walk down Monk's Lane, Dedham
The rape field was just coming into flower, but it was still a dappled green for the most part, as was the lane itself!
Newly-installed wooden guide-rails guide (presumably) horses from getting into difficulties at the edge of the track
The walk along the Black Brook towards Boxhouse Lane passes some pleasant stretches of water
Monk's Farm
An inquisiitive herd!
Three views of the airfield in evening light; the airfield memorial, which is shortly to receive a makeover, the deep furrows for potatoes and the old airfield track alongside Langham Oak cottage
Wenlock Cottage in soft evening light
The airfield with two photos of the memorial plaque, and the burgeoning buildings of 'Appleby's' in the distance.
The grass alongside the main runway was allowed to grow - and has now been cut and is drying ...
Looking towards Wick Road from the footpath gap on Park Lane
On the other side of the road the irrigation arms are working hard putting water on potatoes, right
A very good year for poppies! The abundant flower in the field bounded by Birchwood Road and the A12
The airfield still offers huge expanses of sky in every view
The converted farm buildings at Dove Farm are coming along - to be used as offices
Dove Farm has acquired a pair of giraffes, sculpted in metal . alongside a number of other sculptures, in wood and stone
The new crop in the village is onions, now increasing in volume under the barrage of rain that has characterised the summer of late ...
... no need for much in the way of irrigation, but it is waiting in the wings! These are the fields either side of Hundred Lane
Old Mill Road through the trees
The cricket bat Willow in the meadow next to the Black Brook
Hydangeas at 'Pollyfield' in Chapel Road
Hanging basket showing up so well against the back weatherboarding at 'Gate House'
The corn from High Street
Whitehouse Close enjoys the summer sunshine
Three shots of the Homestead School - and looking particularly chateau-like!
The village shop in morning sunlight
The industrial area in School Road; there are hopes the footpath issue here (providing a continuous footway to and from the school) might soon be resolved on the northern side of the road
Following a site visit by Mr Maplestone, from the County Council, and parish councillors - we have a result! A new drain installed in the always-flooded roadway outside the Primary School
A pair of quiet corners in Langham; the entrance to Perry Lane, complete with its 'No cold calling' sign... and looking through the hedge towards the community centre from Park Lane
The junction of Moor Road and Chapel Road
The Old Chapel
Squirrel's Nook
The Primary School and the War Memorial, soon to be the subject of a renovation - and enhanced with a new plaque listing the names of the fallen
A pair of photographs from the green at St Margaret's Cross
The village sign looking good, but it does have a lop-sided appearance in one direction ... which, in turn, makes any photograph of it appear odd!
The entrance to Alefounders
Park Lane after the rain!

Autumn

A fallen tree across Hundred Lane has been cut up and tidied away, keeping the bridleway open
The new harvest in the village is onions, that has brought new and sophisticated machinery to bear .. and they are large
- as seen by the meeting of a tractor/trailer and some parents waiting for the school bus. Only a very few fell off the trailers .. but they cooked up fine!
After quite a long struggle, a litter bin has been obtained for the impromptu bus stop in Moor Road
I was surprised to see this collection of HGV's outside the industrial area in School Road, although I have since been informed that this occurrence is by no means irregular
I collected some flak from one worker for having the temerity to photograph the illegal and dangerous parking practices!
The problem of connecting School Road with a continuous footway, is possibly going to be solved by a route along the north of the road opposite the industrial area. The crossing to the southern footway is planned to be exactly where the HGV's have been parking!
Looking for details of building construction for the VDS report, the church proved a source of some interest
The porch on the south side of the church
Church Farm has a wealth of details, including this, apparently modern, pargetting
The airfield track in the field behind Moor Road
The mellowing influence of an autumn sun plays upon the gate to Floral Dene
The footpath to nowhere, from Park Lane into a ploughed field. Most walkers use the airfield perimeter track!
Ian Sutherland arrived for his stint at the shop!
Afternoon parking of parents collecting their children from the school extends well beyond the industrial area and makes School Road very problematical at this time. A solution to the walkway problem, enabling parents to park at the Community Centre, is pressing
Wick Road in fine afternoon sunshine
The fight to save the Post Office is on! At a meeting of the RCCE in Chelmsford on Tuesday 30 October a number of local councillors and sub-postmasters learned how to couch protesting statements in the most effective way
Individual letters were urged - but all need to be based on hard facts, especially any difficulties in transport to alternative venues for these services
The attractive surrounding to the Community Centre and Shop
A good deal of rubber was laid down probably by a van failing to negotiate the lethal off-junction at Langham Oak, who clearly went over the grass and took out the plastic direction indicator
Traffic counters have been installed at several locations around the village - this one is in Park Lane next to the A12
Unfortunately, after Bonfire Night at the Community Centre field (and a very successful one at that!) and for the second year running, vandals attacked some of the fixtures left out overnight
Damage was worst to the sparkler equipment, and the fencing
The fire was used to ruin a section of fence and the circular, in yellow, light-bulb holder .. whilst the bulbs were thrown onto the tennis courts

Rebuilding of War Memorial

The village school, Langham Primary, before building work started on the War Memorial
Some further views of the school and the site of the impending work
Initial demolition of the War Memorial arch showed a matrix of hard concrete occupied the internal space, making it impossible to save any of the old bricks
The scene soon after work began
Demolition speeded up when the decision chain accepted no bricks could be saved; indeed the arch was found to have steel mesh reinforcements every three rows ... which, ironically, were a weakness and allowed for much quicker demolition!
The 'Yellow Submarine', a combined office, loo and rest area for the workers, arrived. Work got under way digging the foundations and filled the second skip quickly!
The on-board crane lift the 'welfare combi-unit' into place
Brick-laying is the next phase of the project, now working behind a turquoise veil
Derek Bird works on the east tower
War Memorial work continues apace, with the two towers now being joined by the wooden formwork for the arch - by the end of the day at least one layer of bricks being in place over it
Steve Barratt at work
Dean Harvey, Derek Bird and Steve Barratt
Monday morning shows what good progress was made Friday, after the photographs
The formwork is gone, and the arch is complete; the the end of the day the pointed central spire was pretty much complete
In afternoon sunlight, and after a photo shoot at the 'Suffolk Surge', an almost completed war memorial awaited me back in Langham
Dean Harvey works on the pointing
The marble cladding for the America War Memorial was applied on Friday afternoon...
... by Steve Constable and Dick Beechener
The black marble has an outline map of the runways on the top panel, and an inscription to the units that used the base on the front. The result is an extremely impressive memorial. When further improvements to the site are complete, it will be a fitting site for people to visit, especially relatives of those Americans who served on the base
Saturday work in the rain, as Dean Harvey completes the pointing. The tarmac was laid earlier in the morning, the gate secured, and general tidying up pretty well finished
Rededication of the War Memorial at the Primary School November 11 2007
Elizabeth Schofield flexing her fingers, ready for the off!
Cub banner being readied for depositing at the memorial
David Isted and Ernie Schofield enjoy the burst of sunshine before the service
School Road was closed for two hours to allow the service to take place; gratifyingly, one of the stewards requested an order of service
The Rev Bull conducts the service against a leaden sky
The moment of re-consecration
Scoutmaster Ella Boumeister, with her son Ties, and Susan Lampard
Children lay flowers at the memorial
Readings are given
Elizabeth Schofield, Chairman of Langham PC, taking refreshments in the Primary School hall
The Memorial at the Airfield, November 11 2007
The Rev Dr Tim Bull at the American plinth in Park Lane
The two minute silence at the American Memorial
The bugler plays the Last Post
George Bell, an old airman, lays a wreath
During this short service, a notice invited traffic to slow, which it did
Bob Schofield lays a wreath
Link to Langham Community Shop website, North EssexLink to Langham Community Centre website, North EssexLangham's monthly Community Coffee Morning in the Community Centre, North EssexLangham Film Nights - Community Cinema in North EssexLangham's annual 10k Race and 2k Fun Run, North Essex
Langham is a village and civil parish in the north east of Essex, England approximately 5 miles north of Colchester - close to junction 28 on the A12.