Produced by the Friends of Tintern – June 2006

Tribute to Brian Young

Brian passed away on the 12^th May aged 86 and was buried at Trellech on Friday 19^th May. Vice Chairman of Tintern Community Council Dawn Floyd represented the Council at the funeral.

Brian was a firm believer in the need for local government at the village level and spent a considerable amount of his life dedicated to the good of the community of Tintern.

The first record of Brian being a councilor was on the Parish Council in May 1961 and he was constantly mentioned in the minutes not least for his thoughts on the village street lighting project which took place around about 1965.

He left the council later that year to take up his occupation as chiropodist in the area and did not return until May 1983. However, he then came back with new energy and after being elected chairman in 1987 remained in that position until April 1990. During this time he spent a lot of effort dedicated to establishing rights-of-ways and footpaths.

Brian was an example of a person dedicate to the good of the community in a quiet way with no regard for reward or praise.

Roger Hopson

Clerk to Tintern Community Council

History Group

Summer Evening Meeting

A visit to the stonemasons yard at Tynterne Abbey

6.30p.m Thursday 8^th June 2006

This event, by kind permission of CADW, presents an opportunity to see the intricate work that the present day masons are undertaking in maintaining the Abbey structure.

Coupled with the expert knowledge of our speaker, this will also provide a rare insight into the different skills required of the medieval masons in constructing the numerous buildings making up the Abbey complex

Our guide will be Rick Turner (Inspector of ancient monuments, CADW).

Please note

Rick Turner has suggested that the event should be open to as wide an audience as possible and hence tickets will not be required

Meet adjacent to the Abbey concourse at 6.30 pm

oooOooo

SNAPSHOTS OF TRAVEL TO INDIA AND CAMBODIA DECEMBER 2005

Tintern Village News asks us to tell of any exciting travel experiences. So I just have to mention Cambodia. It was one of the surprises of my life.

We were going to Australia for Christmas to meet up with our two sons, their wives and our four ‘across the world’ grandchildren (2 half Australian, two half Japanese). But we discovered it was cheaper to go Round The World, setting off in November, than to go straight to Australia for the peak Christmas season.

Hence our journey to Australia via India and Cambodia.

India was exciting of course. The Taj Mahal was everything we expected it to be. The ‘Holy Cows’ wandering freely through streets and villages, helping themselves at vegetable stalls, taking a nap in the middle of the highway, these were unforgettable. As were the stately camels pulling carts piled mountain high with produce or even stone. But expectations of India are high to begin with of course. So very hard to live up to. And, to be honest, the constant 12 hour per day attempts to sell us everything and everything, in the end became very wearying. There is a limit to what you can buy! India seemed to us to be a very serious country, seriously attempting to become a rich important country - but unfortunately still much of an administrative shambles. At least where we were.

But Cambodia! I thought we were brave planning to go to Cambodia. And to some extent we were. We were warned that if we got ill we were to fly out immediately as our lives would be in danger if we needed to seek medical help. There simply isn’t the health care structure to cope. And Cambodia is only four years away from being a war zone. It is still a mine-field – literally - in many areas. If you go to Phnom Penh you do need to be brave, as you may feel you must visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. We were told by our guide that one in every four Cambodians was murdered by Pol Pot

Here is an excerpt form one visitor’s review:

“Visiting Toul Sleng is really what has made the visit to Cambodia worth it. You just won't be able to imagine the deep horror the victims were facing until you step into the blood-stained prison yourself, seeing the their terrified eyes in the black & white pictures. And it's shocking to imagine all the torturing and murdering just took place a short while ago……..”

I have to confess we pleaded lack of time for getting to Phnom Penh. I don’t think I could have coped.

But Siem Reap was simply a story of surprises and smiles. The first surprise was that the Cambodian people were all smiles– in spite of the nightmare their country had just emerged from. In spite of wars and landmines and abject poverty. I asked our Guide “How come everyone seems so happy?” He answered, “because the war is over, and because you are here. We need our tourist to help us get back on our feet”

The next surprise was all the world-class hotels – seemingly hundreds of them - in Seam Reap, where we arrived to see the Angkor Wat Temples. Western hotels with up to five stars and western amenities for the tourists, swimming pools, posh restaurants, en suite bedrooms etc. Quite a contrast to the poverty we were to see later. But I confess a comforting sight for a couple of weary travellers. Our hotel was 2 stars and was idyllic. A lovely ground floor en suite room overlooking the pretty palm lined swimming pool… where bar staff sat discreetly nearby ready to bring whatever cocktail or iced drink exhausted sun worshippers needed.

Then the Temples. Angkor Wat was our reason for going to Cambodia. I had heard of the vast temples built between the eighteenth and thirteenth century, which have only recently been rediscovered, some still covered in jungle. These Temples were still surprising even though I had seen pictures. So vast. So many. Spread over 40 miles. So intricate. So impressive. Worth travelling form anywhere to see.

But, I have to confess, three days of Templing is enough for the first visit at least. After that you are ‘Templed Out!’!

And what lives in my memory is not really the Temples. It’s those smiling people. Yes, many were trying to sell us things. And who wouldn’t want to buy? Beautiful gold embroidered long skirts for 4 dollars each (about £2.50), intricate wooden toys 1 dollar, world famous books 1 dollar, etc, etc. But if we said, ‘not just now thank you’, they would just grin and wave. As for the children, yes they were everywhere and, yes, trying to sell us things. ‘Ten poscards wun dollaaa’ will forever ring in my mind. But again they were always smiling and never really hassled us. ‘Yu enjoy temple. Way back, plees buy from me?’ I gave one a cheap biro I founding my bag. Instantly she was surrounded by dozens of other children obviously profoundly jealous. Next time I will take a case full!

And all these smiles among such abject poverty. Millions of Cambodians live around the vast Lake Tonle Sap in huts on stilts. They have no sanitation and no services. Their waste goes into the river, they drink the water, they eat the fish. The children run barefooted or naked. And wave and smile.

It’s a good place to visit.

Jane Marshall

Wesley Cottage

Tintern

jane@marshallworld.com

ABBEY PASSAGE FARM NEWS

Two new donkeys have just arrived from France to join Sally and Ned at Abbey Passage Farm. From France? Well its difficult to find pet donkeys in England nowadays. But Europe is apparently overwhelmed with people casting them off. So an enterprising lady in southern France collects them and sends them off to England where donkeys are like gold dust. Certainly they are providing this very lady with a lucrative income which must be equivalent to gold dust!

But it’s all in a good cause because in England these unwanted donkeys are finding good homes and huge amounts of love and care. Our two are a mother and daughter and are mainly Poitou. I am told there are only about 170 pure Poitou donkeys left in France so they belong to a rare breed. Both are chocolate brown so of course I had to call Mum ‘Coco’ (she arrived without a name. Coco as in ‘Coco Chanelle’ of course!) And I called her daughter Cosette, as the heroine of Les Miserables. She is a tiny heroine escaped from what could have been a miserable life!

‘Mum' Coco did arrive from France looking like an advert for Donkey Famine Relief.  Several days en route and a long sea crossing must be quite an ordeal for the lorry load of donkey immigrants (legal of course!) who make the journey every week. However, a couple of weeks on, wormed, deloused and well fed!, Coco is looking much plumper and very much happier.  Cosette is about 4 months - but huge, nearly as big as our long-time residents Sally and Ned. All have settled really happily together. On Easter Monday we took all four of them for a 3 hour walk over the hills.  They were as good as gold and we all enjoyed ourselves.

All four of our donkeys are incredibly friendly and love to welcome visitors - as long of course as they come by appointment!

If there is enough interest I am also thinking of setting up a Saturday morning Donkey Care Club- so if there is anyone is interested please could they let me know?

Jane Marshall

Wesley Cottage

Tintern

jane@marshallworld.com

Red Bean Moussaka

(serves 2-3) depending on how much you want. I probably double it for 4 or more people

1 large aubergine

sea salt

1 large onion, peeled and copped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons cooking oil (olive/sunflower/vegetable)

1 (400g) tin chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3-4 tablespoons red wine

8oz (225g) tin kidney beans, drained

To finish:

1 egg

3/4 pint (400ml) well-flavoured white sauce

3oz (75g) grated cheese

Slice the aubergine in thin rounds, sprinkle with sea salt and leave for 30 minutes to draw out bitter juices, then rinse and dry the prices. (If it’s a good ripe aubergine you will not need to do this).

Set the oven to 350F (180C) mark 4.

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil in good sized pan for about 5 - 8 minutes, but don’t brown them, then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, a good grinding of pepper, the cinnamon and wine and let the mixture cook gently for another 5 minutes or so, before mixing in the beans, mashing them slightly as you do so. Add more sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste if necessary. Make the white sauce.

Beat the egg into the white sauce; grease a shallow casserole dish. Put half the aubergine slices into the base of the dish, cover them with half the bean mixture and then half the white sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Then sprinkle the top with the grated cheese. Bake in the moussaka in the oven for about an hour. Serve with a cooked green vegetable or green salad.

(From the Bean Book by Rose Elliot 1981)

Tintern Village Events

Wednesday 14^th June – 7.30pm, Bingo at the Anchor

Sunday 18^th June – Car Boot sale – Anchor field

Sunday 2^nd July – Car Boot sale – Anchor field

June - Plant Exhibition – Parva Vineyard

July - Art Exhibition – Parva Vineyard

July VPA Annual Garden Party

Catbrook Village Events

CATBROOK MEMORIAL HALL EVENTS 2006

Saturday 24th June - Caldicot Male Voice Choir.

Sunday 2nd July - Car Treasure Hunt.

August 4th-6th - Art for Africa Exhibition.

Opening hours: 6.00pm – 9.00pm

Saturday and Sunday 10.00am to 6.00pm

Saturday 30th September - Italian Wine Tasting Evening and Supper.

Friday 6th October - Film Night - The Constant Gardener.

Saturday 21st October - High Jinx Theatre Evening, “Estella’s Fire”

Friday 3rd November - Film Night - Walk the Line.

Friday 24th November - Arts Variety Show featuring Frank Hennessy and Friends.

Whist Drives for 2006 as follows:-

Friday 30th June

Friday 29th September

Friday 15th and 29th December

A Coffee Morning is held in the hall on the third Tuesday of each month commencing at 10.30 a.m. All welcome.

Regular Yoga Classes are held every Tuesday evening and Thursday mornings in the Hall. Call Ruth Routh on 01600-860648 for details.

For details of all other events or to hire the hall contact Betty Maloney on 01600-860548

The New Youth Centre Project

We need your help

Tintern Community Council with Friends of Tintern are seeking people to help start an exciting youth project. We need people to help not only with the management of the project but also with skills in building design and structural engineering as it is the intention to build a new youth centre in the village

We also need help now once a week with the new Youth Club

Please contact Dawn Floyd on 689705, Dave Bennett on 689325 or Tony Parsons on 689446 and discuss what you can do to help make this project happen

If you can please come to our next meeting on Monday June 12^th in the Village Hall at 6:00 p.m.

Tintern urgently needs somebody to cut the grass on two main road verges as well as the Village Green and St. Michael’s Wharf

Strimming is all that’s required and you can do it whenever you like as long as the areas are kept tidy.

The Community Council can’t pay a lot but will recompense you with a mutually agreed sum

A little effort will make the village look a lot tidier

Please contact the Community Council Clerk on 625833 if you

can help

The Moon & Sixpence,Tintern

Senior Citizen Specials

EVERY WEDNESDAY LUNCH

From 12 till 2pm

Prices from just £3.75

Choice of two meals each week

call us on 01291 689284 or visit www.TheMoonAndSixpence.co.uk

The Anchor Inn

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Food Served all day every day

Excellent views of Tintern Abbey

01291 689207

Items for the Newsletter

Items for the Tintern Newsletter from home or abroad can be sent by email to andrew.elspeth@virgin.net delivered to Wye Barn, Tintern, or tel 01291 689456.

If you have had an adventure or been on holiday and would like to write about it for the newsletter please send your contributions to the above address.

Please ensure that items for the July edition of the Newsletter are received by 28^st June.

The Tintern News Letter is sponsored by the Lower Wye Area Committee.