The Causeway Gates Two and a half months late - the Castle opened for business in April - the new Oak Gates have been erected by the Cowdray Heritage Trust, and very nice they are too. Just one 'little problem' remains, however. Where is the new fence to connect up with the gates? That won't arrive for another few weeks because the Chichester District Council only realised they were responsible for the fence when Midhurst Pages informed them of the Cowdray Covenant of 1964. Letter to the Editor of Midhurst Petworth Observer; re gates and other related matters.
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Loch Fyne has opened a new seafood restaurant in Rothermere, North Street on June 4th 2007. With seafood now so popular this well established retaurant chain should serve a real need locally. We give them a big Welcome!Details here
AFTER A PROLONGED DRY SUMMER the rain has now returned with a vengeance and it takes a bit of remembering to recall we had rain in March when Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks and the cast of Foyle's War were filming the new series in Midhurst. For those who missed the filming here is a shot of the actors huddling under brollies outside the Southern Bank (Burgage House). The story at this point includes a heist of the Southern Bank. In the meanwhile the real-life jewellers in Church Hill who lent their shop front as a booze shop (see our Picture Gallery) for the film have suffered a real robbery of stock worth £45,000. Picture below - A group of cyclists from a Godalming based Club in Ye Olde Tea Shoppe Midhurst at 11.0 am Friday April 6th 2007. More about this group and where they ride will be published shortly.
The hairdressers next door to the Southern Bank has now been converted in real life to Cabbage White a newcomer to Midhurst whom we welcome to the Town Visitors to Midhurst may be surprised that we are celebrating rain. We live in an area which gets very little - last year's hosepipe ban has only recently been lifted - and rain is very welcome, to rescue our parched fields and gardens from the drought.The picture above was taken at 1.0pm on the 6th of March from the Angel Hotel garden following a night of prolonged rain and shows the Cowdray Castle Ruins flanked by swirling floodwaters.This is the first time this year the water-meadows have been completely inundated.
For holiday makers Midhurst is an ideal place to stay, especially if you enjoy the 'outdoors'. More and more walkers come here to roam the hills, meadows, heaths, forest and downland. And, cyclists, mountain-bikers and those who enjoy aerial persuits such as hang-gliding find the countryside around Midhurst exactly to their liking.
Angmering-on-Sea Walkers Visit The Duke. A party of 10 walkers from Angmering-on-Sea dropped in to the Duke of Cumberland on August
16th 2006 and were caught whilst eating lunch. The Duke is such an idyllic spot on a gentle summer's day. Click here for an enlargement of the photo which may be found on the Duke of Cumberland page.
WHAT'S ON IN SUSSEX From Saturday the 29th July 2006 we are offering to post your event absolutely FREE on MIDHURST PAGES provided it falls within the area Arundel-Chichester-Petersfield-Petworth-Haslemere and takes place in the next 12 months. Email your details to the Editor. john.truemanNOSPAM44@virgin.net. Just remove the words NOSPAM and email using Outlook Express as usual.
Like so many things these Midhurst Pages - Midhurst Town & Community started off by accident. We didn't set out to produce a community website for Midhurst. But we at Violet Designs who sponsor Midhurst Pages wanted to encourage more people to come to our kitchen showroom from afar, and what better way of tempting them than making them aware of the 'attractions' of Midhurst.
Our first page was West Street, Midhurst - A very Special Place. Here we set out some of the enjoyable things to see and do in and around the Town. And, this was also our Location Page so we put a small map on how to get to the showroom and the whereabouts of the nearest free car park. Chichester & District Scooter Club in the Square, outside the Old Town Hall Cafe 25/2. Click for enlargement.
A Town Map
We then felt the need for a Town Map to make it easier for visitors to find the car parks. And, so it continued with a Map of West Sussex.
Helping other small businesses in their first year of start-up with a complimentary web page also came about from our own personal frustrations in setting up in an area covered by three telephone directories; and at a time when Directory Enquiries for many people had become a nightmare with so many competing services, which resulted in most people turning to the web for free information which was there for the asking.
But, our experience of web marketing also was a driver. The ubiquitous Google on whom we all depend for quick, effective searches on the net had initiated, for the best of reasons, the dastardly 'sandbox' which prevented new sites from being truly visble for many months whilst they checked them out.
Town Pages We decided to help with simple entry-level Town Pages for newcomers. A batch of these have been moved here from the parent site.
Because so many of our future clients are moving house into the area we have done simple directories on Estate Agents and Solicitors and a Property Guide and Map for Haslemere.
Moving house is always a stressful time. Finding good suppliers for just about everything these days is a lottery unless you have neighbours or friends who can recommend firms who are reliable and value for money. But, even if you've lived in an area for some time finding suitable suppliers is a tedious and sometimes protracted job. So our Home Improvements & Gardens Directory was born.
We could tell you a lot more - but the menu says it all. We are now moving rapidly to a self-standing site which we hope will be useful to town visitors and residents alike. More 'content' is on its way.
One last tid bit. The Violet Designs Domain which includes Midhurst Pages now has over50,000 visitors each month - compared with18,000 a year ago - of which about 2000 are repeat users of our increasingly popular Good Restaurant Guide. If you're one of these, the next time you eat out please raise your glass and say 'Cheers, Violet Designs!' And think of us when you renovate your house.
Editor, Midhurst Pages.
28 walkers descend on Midhurst to promote inclusion in the South Downs National Park. Report by Owen Plunkett.
Eve expects to announce regular wine tastings with a Master of Wines in attendance. If you're interested in an invitation please leave your card with Eve. General Wine offers free local delivery and just about any destination for a charge. Pre-orders for Goodwood, Polo and other parties or events
are welcome. Please discuss your requirements with Eve personally or by phone on 01730 812027 . Alternatively email her on midhurstshop@the general wine.co.uk.
Her address is 15, North Street, Midhurst, GU29 9DH
Comments from Bikers on the Cowdray Park Crash
We have this comment from Ray Clayton-Hoar, Manager of the Garden Machinery Dept Dept at Aylings Garden Centre, Nr Midhurst, who was disabled in 2002 as the result of a car pulling out from the Stedham turning and crashing into him.: "The biggest risk for inexperienced riders in the Summer is tree sap on the road. It's difficult to see and you're off in a flash"
Biker Safety
Mike Waite's Web Site - Important for Bikers to read this!
Letter to the Editor of Midhurst Pages from Mike Waite ex Police Traffic Officer, currently a Trainer in Advanced Riding Techniques.
Thank you for contacting me regarding the above accident.
I have no knowledge of this location but the road system may be found in
all parts of the country. Investigating such an accident one would require
lots of information as each accident is always different and demands the
utmost scrutiny. I am sure you are not seeking to have me comment on the actual accident.
The one thing I can contribute is bringing to all riders attention that training is so important to keep all motorist safe and secure on our roads. It is very difficult to sell safety courses to motorists. Police advanced riding techniques would no doubt save many lives.
I have my web site set up dedicated to give riders information on all aspects of skills required to enjoy the delights of motorcycling. Lots of free down loads are available. There is a DVD on police advanced riding techniques which explains in detail all the relevant features involved.
Please check out the feed back on the web site how riders feel after training. It gives me a great feeling of pride. No doubt you will have the same people who will be saying that this accident was entirely down to speed and shout how it is essential to cut speed limits further. As an ex police traffic officer who has investigated numerous accidents I can tell you very few accidents are caused by speed alone.
The biggest killer is lack of concentration combined with lack of skill.
During the time I have been training civilians it has given me great pleasure first seeing how a rider who has no training rides, then after a few days training the same rider develop into a safe happy and skilful rider. All the rider needs is information and direction.
There is no doubt that excellent training saves lives. I have had four riders who have been in touch to say that one technique they followed saved their lives. See Blind and gradual summits.
May I offer my deep condolences to all the riders and their families involved in this tragic accident.
All I ask is that you direct riders to my web site and maybe, maybe someone out there who bothers to read the items and watch video extracts will save them from being involved in an accident which may be lying in wait for them.
Kind regards
Mike
Editor's Comment: We are in frequent contact with Col. Tex Pemberton head of WSCC Highways Dept & Cllr for Fernhurst. Col Tex has informed us that temporary signs will be erected pending the completion of a WSCC review of road safety on the A 272 . It is described as a major route safety study looking at such issues as speed limits, road marking and signing, with the view to 2007/8 as the start date for implementing measures to try and reduce the casualties list. For the latest news please keep looking in.
The number of people killed on West Sussex roads so far this year is 30, three more than for the corresponding period last year when the final figure was 56.
Do signs help or hinder bikers safety? We'll be discussing this here next week.
A new accident on the A272? The sirens were going again this am and it's rumoured a fresh accident has happened on this fateful road. We're investigating. Editor
Now Published! The Spirit of Midhurst by Bridget Howard, Editor, Midhurst Society
Young helpers from Churchers College dispensing wine at the Walled Garden.
Read about how veteran Swordfish pilot,John Moffat, based for a time in Selham in WW2 and who torpedoed the Bismark came to meet deep sea explorer David Mearns from Midhurst who discovered and filmed the wreck
This site and its parent Violet Designs is under continuous and rapid development with 400 pages now & probably rising to circa 600 by the year end.
Dee's Foyle's War experiences
- read her story here
Is hemp oil a dietary fad or the best food to arrive recently on the healthy cook's kitchen shelf?
Read our discerning and informative article next week
Read about the filming of CARLTONBROWNE OF THE F.O. at Midhurst Station and DR WHO at Ambersham Common
"BIKERS KILLED ON MORNING RIDE Two motorcyclists were killed and a man and woman were critically injured during an early morning group ride.
The accident happened on the A272 near Cowrday Park Polo Club in West Sussex at about 6.30 am on Sunday morning (June 18th).
Police believe the two men died after their bikes crashed head-on, and a third bike ploughed into the wreckage, injuring the rider and pillion passenger. They have called for witnesses to come forward"
Report by the Times on June 19th
The telephone number to call is
0845 607099
We now have more information on this crash and the above Times Report is modified as follows:-
Paul Painter (54) of Guillards Oak, Midhurst died when his Honda Goldwing travelling east was involved in a crash with a Kawasaki ZX ridden by Glen Paul Paines (45) of Bognor Regis who was riding in the opposite direction. Paul Painter's wife riding pillion was seriously injured.
A third motorcycle, a Ducati 998, ridden by a Bognor man in his 50's who was following Mr Paines, also collided with Mr Painter's machine.
The Ducati rider and Mrs Painter who is in her 40's were taken to St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, with what police said were serious injuries. Excerpt from Midhurst and Petworth Observer June 22nd
Editor's Note: This stretch of road between the entrance to Moor Farm and Benbow Pond is a lethal switch-back where the view ahead can be a as little as 100 yards in places. Although the road has double white lines to warn riders the swoopy open road has to be a mighty temptation to speed.
At 6.30 am the road seems clear enough on a week-end but this is the hour when other bikers are out enjoying the freedom of the open road, and the amazing panoramic views of the South Downs. Country folk know this is a time for extra caution. Deer which enjoy the early hours for feeding have a habit of suddenly, without warning, darting across the road. And there are plenty of other animals about at this hour .
An examination of this stretch of road coming from the Petworth direction yields this information. As you climb out of the hollow at Benbow Pond, find the brow of the hill, you feel a release as you appear - the emphasis here is 'appear' - to see at least half a mile ahead. But, the 'dead ground' in the hollow leading to Moor Farm is invisible. Motor bikes in this hollow cannot be seen, and they cannot see you. There is NO sign to alert you here. If you haven't undergone advanced bike training concerning VP and ' dead ground' you are now at serious risk..
Above 'Biker Safety' is large picture of the road near Moor Farm Entrance Road - right (top picture)
Visitors to Midhurst may be surprised that we are celebrating rain. We live in an area which gets very little - last year's hosepipe ban has only recently been lifted - and rain is very welcome, to rescue our parched fields and gardens from the drought.The picture above was taken at 1.0pm on the 6th of March from the Angel Hotel garden following a night of prolonged rain and shows the Cowdray Castle Ruins flanked by swirling floodwaters.This is the first time this year the water-meadows have been completely inundated. 
