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Vacancy for Local History Recorder for the Parish of Barking
There is a vacancy for the post of Local History Recorder for Barking. This is an unpaid role and would suit anyone in the Parish of Barking who has a little time on their hands, is interested in the History of the Parish, and who wants to perform a valuable role within the community.
A little bit about the Local History Recorder Scheme:
The Suffolk Local History Council administers a Local History Recorders Scheme throughout Suffolk. It maintains a network of people in the county to ensure the survival of valuable material for future local historians by: 1. seeing that the present is adequately recorded at local level, and 2. being on the look-out for items of historical interest which might be overlooked or lost for ever. To do this Recorders are asked to note significant happenings in their area, especially the changes going on around them, and also to be on the look-out for older records and to record reminiscences of their area in the past.
Recorders are asked to send in a short report at the end of each calendar year, giving an account of activities in their community and the changes that have taken place. The reports are kept on open shelves in the nearest branch of the Suffolk Record Office. When Recorders resign, the material they have collected is deposited for safe keeping with the Record Office in the name of the Suffolk Local History Council.
For further information:http://www.slhc.org.uk/recorders.html
Anyone interested should apply/make enquiries to the Parish Clerk as soon as possible.
Parish Clerk - Lucinda Rogers Tel: 01449 677882
Email: pcbarking@gmail.com
Community Governance Review - Darmsden
At its meeting held on 20th December 2012, Mid Suffolk District Council approved the recommendation by the Mid Suffolk District Council Community Governance Review Working Group to create a new parish of Darmsden. The Mid Suffolk District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Darmsden) Order 2012 was made on 20th December 2012. A copy of the Order and the map referred to in the Order was made available for inspection at MSDC Offices and also on its website. The changes came into effect on 1st April 2013.
A Community Governance Review was sought by a Darmsden resident in October 2011, following which a Community Governance Review Working Group was set up by Mid Suffolk District Council and all residents were consulted.
It was the decision of the Working Group to recommend that a new parish of Darmsden be created. The recommendation was approved by the Full Council at its meeting on 20th December 2012 and the Mid Suffolk District Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) (Darmsden) Order 2012 , was made on the same date, under the Local Govcernment and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
Barking Parish Council was ordered to transer the sum of £750 to the newly formed Darmsden Parish Meeting as set up costs.
Darmsden had been part of the Parish of Barking from 1907 - 2013.
A painting by Lady Susan Elizabeth Percy of Barking Hall and Church in 1799.
The painting is now held by the Tate gallery
History of Barking
The Parish of Barking has a lot of history, most of it recorded, but there is still more material to be found. There are beautiful ancient buildings, the Churches, many cottagesand houses, beautiful ancient woodland and the Tye (the common). Stories abound and these are constantly being updated and co-ordinated with the families that lived in these ancient buildings through the years - and it is fascinating.
The Church
St Mary's, Barking - This beautiful church is probably the oldest building recorded in Barking, as, from a document dated 951 we know there was a church here in Saxon times. it was originally the mother church for Barking and Needham Market.
St Andrew's, Darmsden - There has been a church on this site from medieval times but the present church was rebuilt in 1880.
Listed Buildings
There are many of these in and around Barking and although the buildings are well recorded, there is little record of who occupied them through the years and this is an on-going project.
Barking Families
It is people that make history - not their homes. Tracing these families is now a project.
Suffolk Record Office
My precedessors have logged most of their work with the record office and this can be found in either the Ipswich Office of the Bury St Edmunds Office.
Former Local History Recorder
The Tye and Woodlands
The Barking Tye, which is a focal point of the village covers some 45 acres.
In 1251 a survey carried out by the Bishop of Ely states " there is a certain common pasture called barkingtye which has within itself about 50 acres in which all the town may common with the Lord Bishop and pasture their beasts". Certain farmers grazed their stock up until the 1940's. During the Second World War, it was ploughed for cereal production. The Tye was inherited in 1959 by the Rev. John Bickersteth, who generously gave it to Barking Parish Council. In 1965 it was registered as common land under the Commons Registration Act 1965 and it's management and use governed by byelaws passed in 1969. Six commoners still have the right to graze stock but this is no longer exercised. Today the Tye is down to grass with a hay crop being sold for the benefit of the parish. A small area is devoted to a children's play area and recently work has started on establishing a wild flower meadow.
Skylarks nest on the Tye every year. The skylark is a small brown bird, somewhat larger than a sparrow but smaller than a starling.It is streaky brown with a small crest, which can be raised when the bird is excited or alarmed, and a white-sided tail. The wings also have a white rear edge, visible in flight. It is renowned for its display flight, vertically up in the air. Its recent and dramatic population declines make it a Red List species.
Found everywhere in the UK, it likes open countryside, from lowland farmland to upland moorland. Often inconspicuous on the ground, it is easy to see when in its distinctive song flight. Skylarks eat seeds and insects and the Tye is an ideal habitat.
The parish boasts a number of ancient woodlands. In 1251 a survey for the Bishop of Ely records the following woods, Tykele (Titley) 5 acres, Prestele (Priestley) 30 acres, Wethersheg (Swingens) 7 acres, Park Wood 9 acres and Boynhey (Bonny Wood) 180 acres. Today the trees are coppiced and the wood sold for logs.
The Tye and woods are a rich source of flora and fauna, including orchids, bluebells, deer and nightingales. Today, the general public are allowed to wander in those owned by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust. The parish is fortunate in having some 24 miles of walkable footpaths which afford some of the most splendid scenery in the County. They are well maintained and used by many local and visiting walkers. In 1998 the Suffolk Ramblers Association awarded Barking cum Darmsden their ‘Premier Pleasure to Walk Award'.
In 2000, monies from the Barking 100 Lottery was used to create a Millennium Wild Flower Meadow. Situated near the children's play area on the Tye, it has now established itself with a wide range of flowers. In flower at present are ox-eyed daisies, ragged robin, redshank, red clover and of course buttercups and daisies.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust (Bonny Wood)
The Woodland Trust (Priestly Wood)
The Old School (now the Village Hall)
The present building was opened in 1894. This Board school was the infant school for Barking and surrounding villages, with older children going to Needham Market. The school was closed in December 1951 when a new school was opened in Ringshall, at that time lighting was still by oil lamp and heating from a coke stove. Cannon S.H. De la Bere who was vicar of Barking and Chairman of the School Managers was instrumental in helping The Barking Community Council to obtain the building for use as a Village Hall.
- 1894 - Barking School Board met to select a tender for building a new mixed school
- Messrs Theobald of Needham Market was chosen, £857.10s
- On the first day, April 30th 1894, 44 children were present. 2 classes, mixed dept and infants. 2 teachers. Older children in big room, infants in small room.
- School used for other events in evenings, Quaker meetings started there.
- Closed as a school at Christmas 1952 when new area school opened at Ringshall.
- 7 May 1953 - Village Hall Committee set up, the Hall was bought for £500 in 1960
- August 1974 - New floor put in and re-wired
- 1981 - connected to mains sewer and internal wall removed
- 1983/4 - Under-floor heating installed
- August/September 1993 - extension added for new kitchen
- December 2007 - kitchen refitted with new cooker, extractor, heated cabinet and dishwasher
- 2008 - Multi-Play equipment upgraded with new bridge
- 2010 - New central heating system installed and new ceiling to main hall
- 2016 - New oil tank installed and new store room built
- 2017 - New Annexe opened
The Village Sign
The Village sign was designed by Mrs. Herring. The religious figure represents the Bishop of Ely, once owner of Barking Manor. The Lebanon cedar tree represents the cedar trees in the Churchyard planted by Rev. Robert Uvedale Rector from 1699-1723. The plough, the importance of agriculture in the Parish.
WW2 Pillboxes
There are 2 World War 11 pillboxes on the Tye
Follow the link for some interesting facts about these pillboxes:
http://pillboxesinsuffolk.blogspot.com/2011/04/barking-tye-pillboxes.html