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Choral Magic in Great Chishill
Chishill Voices continues to thrive and the autumn season promises to be packed with wonderful musical experiences. Our Great Chishill Singing Weekend began with a full service of Choral Evensong at St Swithun’s – with a brand new hymn composed for the occasion. This was followed by a Songs of Praise service on Sunday morning at the URC chapel – rousing hymns loudly sung! These services of celebration we open to all faiths and none, a chance for us all to get together and enjoy music and fellowship.
The choir will then dip into solemn tones for our service on Remembrance Sunday - beginning at the village memorial and continuing in the URC Chapel.
Then rehearsing starts for our annual service of Nine Lessons and Carols, which, this year, will take place at the URC, making full use of our exciting new organ! Saturday 21st December is the date for your diary!
The festive season will begin on Friday 6th December at St Swithun’s. We’ve invited Jamie and his professional choir Cor Meum to return to the village for a concert of light-hearted Christmas classics. Tickets will go on sale soon so look out for posters and book early to avoid disappointment! 
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2025 Sloe Gin Competition
Every year the Bellringers run a SLOE GIN Competition, believed to be one of the oldest of its kind in the world.
Very simply, you go out into the local countryside and pick sloes, usually about this time of the year, and you add them to gin, according to your own recipe (plenty on the web). Then in February, you supply a sample of your brew to the judges who compare your sample with the other entries. A couple of days later, a party is held when everyone gets a chance to sample all the entries and see if they agree with the judges.
There are 4 categories - 'Nouveau' made with this year's sloes, 'Vintage' made with previous year's sloes, 'Ringers' Delight' any fruit and spirit based concoction, and for the first time last year, 'No/Low alcohol sloe gin'.
More details to follow, but now is the time to get picking!
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The Windmill
The exterior is always open and is accessible to all who can climb a short, grassed incline. There is parking, benches and picnic tables. The site has no other facilities.
The tail assembly has been restored so that this ancient post mill can now turn to face the wind again as the fantail spins in the breeze. Don’t be surprised if the mill is pointing in a totally different direction to when you last saw it. It acts like a giant weathervane.
While you’re at the mill why not bring a picnic and admire the view or walk to the village (footpath from the mill) and sample the delights of The Pheasant pub.
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The Hundred Parishes Society
The Hundred Parishes Society was launched in 2014 in an attempt to raise awareness of a large area of northwest Essex, northeast Hertfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire that is particularly notable for its exceptional depth of heritage.
The Society is so called to recognise that it contains just over 100 administrative parishes which includes Great and Little Chishill. 
The website is www.hundredparishes.org.uk and it has just had a major update, which includes amongst other things an index which gives access to the many interesting articles that the society has produced since it was started.
An article is produced each month with news or information of interest to the area. A recent article is about Origins of Schools. This describes educational establishments in the hundred parishes, how they came to be set up and how they got their names.
Picture above is of the Gatehouse of Rye House, Stanstead Abbots, the home of Joyce Frankland after whom The Joyce Frankland Academy in Newport is named.
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Leventhorpe Memorial in Sawbridgeworth Parish Church
Leventhorpe Academy in Sawbridgeworth
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Ralph Sadleir Memorial in Standon Parish Church
Ralph Sadleir School in Puckeridge
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The website is www.hundredparishes.org.uk and it has recently had a major update, which includes amongst other things an index which gives access to the many interesting articles that the society has produced since it was started.
 The index includes links to videos that have been made about the area, some going back to WW1. One of particular interest to us is a documentary about the proposal to make Nuthampstead London's third airport! You can see that here.
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Parish Services
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YOUTH CLUB
Youth Club runs every 2nd & 4th Tuesday in term time from 6.30-8.00pm in Great Chishill Village Hall.
The club is for all local young people from age 10. New starters warmly welcomed, and any new volunteers!
Contact Emily on 07900 243491
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Sunday 10th November
Remembrance Sunday
10.45am Act of Remembrance at Elmdon War Memorial followed by service in
St Nicholas ELMDON
Monday 11th November
Armistice Day
10.45am Remembrance service at Holy Trintiy HEYDON
Sunday 17th November
9.00am Holy Communion at
Hamlet Church, DUDDENHOE END
11.00am Family Service with
Holy Communion at Holy Trinity
CHRISHALL
Sunday 24th November
9.00am Holy Communion at
St Mary’s, STRETHALL
11.00am Family Worship at
St Swithun’s, GREAT CHISHILL
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You can now see the
October edition of the Icknield Way Parish Village Web magazine here.
Please see here for all church news and information.
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Parish Bulletin available here
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Bin Collections Tuesdays unless otherwise marked
12/11/24:Black Bin
19/11/24: Blue Bin and Green Bin
26/11/24:Black Bin
03/12/24: Blue Bin and Green Bin
Not sure what goes in which bin? Click here to see the SCDC quick guide.
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Barley Shop Opening Times
Normal opening hours
Mon to Fri 8am to 6.30pm
Sat 8am to 2pm
Sun 9am to 2pm
Tel 849611
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Saffron Screen
Saffron Screen is your not-for-profit independent community cinema based within Saffron Walden County High School. The professional auditorium boasts a full size screen, 200 cinema seats, Dolby Digital surround sound and both 35mm and digital projection equipment. Ticket and refreshment prices are kept low to benefit all and parking is free.
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For full details see website www.saffronscreen.com
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Saffron Hall
 Saffron Hall is an exciting venture set up in the grounds of Saffron Walden County High School. The vision is to inspire through music and the arts.
Exceptional adjustable acoustics. Ample FREE parking.
See Whats On for more details
www.saffronhall.com Box office 0845 548 7650
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Thriplow Dump
There is now no need to book a slot. .
Gravel Pit Hill, Thriplow, Cambridgeshire SG8 7HZ
Tel: (01223) 839001
Opening hours:
8am to 4pm everyday excluding Bank Holidays, 1st October to 31st March
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Fancy a Walk?
Circular Walks from Great Chishill
13.3Km
8.9km
7.4Km
or
4.5Km
or, if you want to go further afield, Hundred Parishes Walks More than 50 FREE walks to download.
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Looking for an Interior Designer?
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Forthcoming Events
Games Night
The Pheasant Every Monday 6.30 Bridge, Cribbage, Draughts, Chess or any other game you fancy.
Pie Night
The Pheasant Every Wednesday 6-9pm
Boozy Bites
The Pheasant Every Friday 5-6pm
The Pheasant's version of Happy Hour - you buy the drinks, they supply the Bites
Breakfast
The Pheasant Every Saturday 10.30-11.30am
Moules & Wine
The Pheasant Every Saturday 6-9pm
THE SCHOOLROOM - DANCE STUDIO
A fun and light-hearted approach to...
Scottish Dancing URC Schoolroom, Barley Road Every Monday, 7.30-9pm Partners are actively encouraged but certainly not essential! £5.00 for each person per session.
To include a wee dram afterwards...!
No experience needed, just a sense of humour!
New Age Kurling
Every Friday, 7.30-9pm
COFFEE MORNING
St Swithun's Church Wednesday 13th November 10am to MiddayCome and enjoy some tea, coffee, cake and chat at St Swithun’s Great Chishill.
Children’s corner available. All welcome.
Quiz Night
The Pheasant Wednesday 13th November 7.30pm Book your team of up to 6 NOW 838535
Fishy Friday
The Pheasant Friday 29th November 6-9pm Book Now 838535
Great Chishill Craft Fair
30th November in the Village Hall More details to follow.
WINE CIRCLE
For those of you who don't know, this is NOT a fund raising event, it is just a get together of people who live in or around Great Chishill. Just turn up with a bottle of wine (or whatever you would like to drink), it doesn't need to be anything special, and just enjoy the company of others who live nearby. Nibbles supplied by the hosts. Usually, the event takes place monthly (last Wednesday or Friday of the month) and is hosted by someone different each month. If you haven't been before, just come along you don't need to be invited.
More about wine circle can be found HERE
At the present time we do not have any volunteers to host a November venue. Email greatchishill@gmail.com for more info or to offer to host!
Get your event listed here by emailing webmaster@greatchishill.org.uk or phone 838311
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Village Newsletter
 November 2024 Chishills Newsletter now available to view or download
If you have any items to be included in the December newsletter, please contact Will Parsons on wllprsns@gmail.com by 23rd November
If you have trouble downloading or viewing the newsletter it may be because you do not have the latest version of Adobe Reader. 
Back numbers of Newsletters here
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Village Hall Bookings
It is possible to have a look at the Village Hall diary online. Simply click on the picture of the calendar to see it. (the diary will open in its own window).
Please treat this calendar as a guide only as some events may be provisional.
If you would like to make a booking, please email chishillvh@gmail.com
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Metal Detectorist finds in the Chishills area
From time to time you may have noticed people out walking the fields around our villages with metal detectors. The ones who have been doing it with the landowners' permission are members of the ‘Herts & District Metal Detecting Society' a club of responsible metal detector users who have experience of detecting on farms in the Hertfordshire countryside over the last 40 years, the oldest detecting club in the UK. Their finds are recorded with the Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) for Beds. & Herts., who is based at the Verulamium Museum (St Albans).
Just some of the local finds are shown in the picture above, detected by Barney Bryant who has kindly shared some of his photos with us, and can been seen in this site's photo album, accessed here.
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Great Chishill United Reformed Church
There has been a ‘Congregational chapel’ on the site of the present United Reformed Church for over 400 years and we are very much planning for the future.
On a Sunday you are guaranteed a warm welcome, with services held on the first and third Sundays of the month. Whether a morning or evening service the duration will be around 45 minutes with a time of friendship and fellowship afterwards in the schoolroom (usually with splendid refreshments).
The church is part of a Linked Pastorate of 5 churches, Great Chishill, Bassingbourn, Buntingford, Fowlmere and Melbourn. Minister - Sue Fender.
The present pattern of services is for a 6pm evening service on the first Sunday of the month and for a 9.30 morning service on the third Sunday of the month.
Next service - 10th November, 11am
Read about more than 300 years of 'Non Conformist' worship in Great Chishill
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Defibrillator
 An Automatic Electronic Defibrillator (AED) has been installed on the wall of the sports pavilion facing the car park. In the event of a cardiac arrest, upon calling 999 the caller is given the location of the nearest AED and the code to unlock it. The device gives easy to follow verbal instructions, is safe to use, and will only operate if it is appropriate.
More information about Defibrillators.
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Mobile Library Dates
Heydon Road opposite the bus stop, on the first Wednesday of each month 14:10-14.40
4th December
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Melbourn Library Opening Times
Monday to Friday 2-4pm
Saturday 10am–2pm
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Local History
Chris Allan from Barley sent us a copy of an article about Great Chishill published in 'The East Anglian' in October 1966. It contains interesting old photos including The Plough, Rectory Cottage, the Church Tower and the Windmill. See the whole article here.
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History
 
To find out about the history of our villages read an extract from 'A tale of two villages' by the late Lorna Prior together with the Doomsday Book entry.
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