We have a dozen antique oak beams that are left over from our house renovation. We believe they are around 400 years old, and were removed from a barn when it was renovated in Winster, so are presumably local in origin.

They vary in length to over 10 ft. with varying diameters of 6 to over 8 inches. If anyone knows anyone who could use them, we are looking for offers around £250 for the lot, with any buyer removing them.

If you are interested, please call 390344.

- Graham and Amanda Johnson.

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To place an advert of your own, please e-mail parwich@hotmail.co.uk.

Photos by Kevin Slater. Please click on each image to enlarge it.

St Bartholomew’s Church, Hognaston is hosting a

Flower Festival
Thursday 22nd to Wednesday 28th May
Open daily 10am -6-30pm
Cream teas available

The church is particularly interesting in relation Parwich because of the parallels with St Peter’s.  It has a crude Norman carved tympanum very similar to the one in Parwich and a fine Norman font, but was almost entirely rebuilt by the Victorians.  Parwich and Hognaston were both held by the de Ferrers family in the twelfth century, when the churches were built, and both were ceded to the Duchy of Lancaster.

With half-term coming up, does anyone have any good suggestions for things to do during the holidays?  Here are some places we have visited or just found on the web:

• Alton Towers, Alton, Staffs
• Ashbourne Liesure Centre, Ashbourne
• Archery Events, Ipstones, Staffs
• Bakewell Swimming Pool, Bakewell
• Blue John Cavern, Castleton
• Bumpi’s Big Adventure Indoor Play Centre, Derby
• Busy Bees Indoor Play Area, Buxton
• Carsington Sports & Leisure, Carsington Water
• Chatsworth Farmyard & Adventure Playground, Chatsworth
• Chestnut Centre Otter Owl & Wildlife Park, Chapel en le Frith
• Chucklebutties, Belper
• Churnet Valley Railway, Cheddleton, Staffs
• Conkers, Moira, Nr Ashby de la Zouche
• Crazy Crocodiles Indoor Play Centre, Ilkeston
• Crich Tramway Village, Crich
• Derbyshire Dales Llamas, Hulland Ward, Nr Ashbourne
• Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Wirksworth
• Farmcraft Rare Breed Centre, Knivetonwood, Nr Ashbourne
• Go Ape Hire Wire Forest Adventure, Buxton
• Going Potty, Matlock Bath
• Gulliver’s Kingdom, Matlock Bath
• Hathersage Swimming Pool, Hathersage
• Heights of Abraham, Matlock Bath
• Hickory Dickory’s Playhouse, Derby
• Highfields Happy Hens, Etwall
• Hudy’s Play Barn, Swadlincote
• Matlock Bath Aquarium, Matlock Bath
• Matlock Farm Park, Matlock
• Matlock Swimming Pool, Matlock
• Midland Railway Centre, Butterly
• Museum of Childhood, Sudbury Hall, Sudbury
• National Forest Llama Trecks, Burton on Trent, Staffs
• The National Stone Centre, Middleton by Wirksworth
• The Painted Plate, Eyam Hall Craft Centre, Eyam
• Peak Cavern, Hope Valley
• Peak Cycle Hire, Ashbourne & Parsley Hay
• Peak Rail, Matlock Station
• The Play Mill, Bonsall
• Pooles Cavern, Buxton
• Sherwood Hall Leisure Centre, Matlock
• Speedwell Carvern, Hope Valley
• Steeple Grange Light Railway, Wirksworth
• Swadlincote Dry Ski & Snowboard Centre, Swadlincote
• Temple Mine, Matlock Bath
• Toys of Yesteryear, Peak Village Outlet, Rowsley
• Treak Cliff Cavern, Hope Valley
• White Post Farm, Farnsfield, Notts
• Wild Park Liesure, Brailsford, Nr Ashbourne
• Wirksworth Leisure Centre, Wirksworth

Another website worth looking at for information on outdoor activities, including horse riding, fishing, sailing and rock climbing, is Derbyshire UK.  Talking of horse riding don’t forget our own Julie Bradbury (see USEFUL INFO).

Do let us know which of these are worth visiting, which are the ones kids actually enjoy and which are the ones adults think kids should enjoy.  Also do let us know which places interest kids of which age (and or adults).  You can comment below on these or any other fun places you know.  Kids’ comments will be especially welcome.  Also if any youngsters want to write about the places they realy enjoyed, or any adults want to share information on what kept their kids occupied do email your own posts to parwich@hotmail.co.uk.  If there is interest we can make a ‘Things to do for kids‘ page in time for the summer holidays.

Click on this link for our full current list of WHERE TO GO

Jonathan Dadley-Webb grew up in Youlgreave and knows the Peak District intimately. Last year he composed an orchestral piece inspired by our region. You can listen to his composition (at no cost) by clicking here.

The Sycamore Inn, Parwich has been nominated for the Great British Pub Arwards‘ “Best Community Pub 2008“. Well done the Brewery and Phyllis for putting our local forward.

We wish Janet and Steve all the best in this event, it is a prize they richly deserve: not only for all Janet’s hard work in providing a shop in the village at three weeks’ notice, in organising the bookings for the Memorial Hall and supporting lots of local groups, but also for providing a friendly relaxed pub where all can mix and chat.

I happened to pick up a leaflet for the  Derbyshire Literature Festival, which runs from the 1st to the 14th June and the programme can be seen on line.   I have not registered it in previous years, but it looks quite interesting.

For more general information on what is coming up in Derbyshire also see the artsderbyshire website, and of course our own EVENTS BEYOND page.

If you’re quick, there are still a few tickets available for the make-over demonstration event at:

The Horns (see previous post) 

Monday 19th May, 7pm for 7.30pm.

Tickets are £20 and there will be a raffle on the night. All profits will be donated to Project Parwich. For tickets please contact Jo-anne on 390722

The other day I came across a splendid photograph of the blessing of Coffin Well, Tissington, in 1899.   It is in a collection held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, and can be seen here .

We had hoped that a new stained glass window on the theme of the Annunciation (Gabriel announcing to Mary that she would bear God’s Son) was going to be installed in St. Peter’s church this coming Wednesday.  The window, commissioned by Roger Graham in memory of his aunt and grandmother, both of whom were postmistresses of Parwich, has been designed and made by Meg Lawrence (see her website here) .  Unfortunately a small crack has developed in the window, which means that a new small piece of glass must be made to replace the cracked portion.   I understand that the delay in installing the window will not be too great - and that the window will certainly be in place when the Bishop of Repton comes to dedicate it on Sunday 6th July at 6 pm (during the Flower Festival).

We chose the Annunciation as the theme of the window because the Archangel Gabriel is the patron saint of postmasters and postmistresses!