Month: <span>November 2014</span>

Police appeal after Peplow burglary

West Mercia Police LogoWest Mercia Police have today (26/11/14) appealed for information after high value historical items were stolen in a burglary in Peplow. A report here on their website provides the following information.
The incident happened at around 8pm on Wednesday 19 November, when offenders forced entry to the property and stole a number of belongings including a carriage clock and two statues, all collectively worth thousands of pounds.
The belongings are also of a great historical importance and police are eager to reunite the items with their owners. WMP have published the following pictures of these items:

Police would like to hear from anyone who has information on this burglary, whether that be seeing suspicious activity in the area at the time or any high value historical items being sold nearby.
Call 101, quoting incident 602S of Wednesday 19 November. Alternatively, the independent charity, Crimestoppers, can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Update: Friday 28 Nov.
A report on the Shropshire Star website provides information on other items stolen in the burglary. The additional items are listed as:

  • A portrait of William Fitzwarren Lloyd dated 1825;
  • 2 gold pocket watches with the initial ‘R.B.’ inscribed;
  • 2 silver ashtrays;
  • A silver frame containing a thermometer;
  • a George IV medallion carved in hard stone;
  • 4 crested stamps or seals in gold.

The exact amount of what the items are worth has not been revealed.
 

Congratulations to The Bear

Spotlight Awards: The Bear: Best Pub 2014
Sponsor Ed Wood, from Woods Brewery, presents the Best Pub Award to Alyn Jones & Greg Williams from The Bear. Picture: Shropshire Star
This week The Bear in Hodnet won the Best Pub award at the Shropshire Star Spotlight Awards. The award was presented to Greg Williams and Alyn Jones from The Bear at Hodnet. Greg commented, “We are really excited and chuffed to bits. It’s a great achievement.”
The Best Pub award, sponsored by The Wood Brewery, had four finalists in total – the other three being The Prince of Wales in Belle Vue, Shrewsbury, The Green Dragon in Little Stretton and the New Inn in Hadnall.
The presentations took place at The Buttermarket in Shrewsbury following an on-line vote covering twelve different categories. The Festival Drayton Centre was another local winner.
Full details of all the winners can be found here on the Shropshire Star website. The Bear’s own website is www.bearhotel.org.uk.

Enjoy a Spring Walk

After our warm Easter, it really feels like spring is finally with us, so we are hoping the weather will be kind for our next (HFG) organised walk on Monday 4th May 2015. It will be a repeat of what was planned at Xmas, but which had to be cancelled due to poor weather.
We shall be walking from Hodnet to Marchamley and back via the route shown in local Walk Leaflet 3, with a extension via Wollerton (part of Leaflet 2) for those who wish to carry on further, returning to Hodnet via the old railway line.
This is an interesting walk, requiring only moderate exertion, which includes nice views and a varied range of terrain/countryside.
Children and dogs [dog friendly route] all welcome – but dogs on a lead please.
The walk starts from the Lyon Hall at 10.30 AM, return expected between 12.00 for the shorter portion, and 13.00 via Wollerton. Either way, you should be back in time for a drink or lunch at The Bear!
Sensible footwear and clothing advised.
Cancelled if really pouring with rain, but if in doubt visit website an hour beforehand for a ‘go/no go’ announcement.
For further info on HFG, including links to contact info, see our page HERE

Road closure: 10 to 14 November 2014

Many local residents will have noticed the signs on Shrewsbury Road in Market Drayton informing motorists that it will be closed from Monday to Friday next week.
As this is one of the main routes into Drayton from the Hodnet area we thought it would be worthwhile to post a reminder here. According to shropshire.roadworks.org the closure is to allow resurfacing work to be carried out. The section concerned is from the roundabout with the A53 by Müller’s factory, through to the small roundabout at Lostford Turning. Please be prepared for a slightly longer journey time as most traffic will divert along the Market Drayton bypass.

More memories and photographs

The Bear Inn, Hodnet July 1963Born in the early 1940s, Geoff Fletcher was brought up in Peplow. A keen photographer from an early age, Geoff contacted the webteam after coming across the village website. He offered to allow us access to some of his extensive archive of images and also to put in writing some of his memories of growing up in the area.
As a result of Geoff’s efforts we have now been able to add four new pages to our local history section and this picture of The Bear to the selection of old pictures of Hodnet itself.
You can find Geoff’s memories and photographs on the following pages:

  • Memories of Peplow
  • The Wellington – Market Drayton – Nantwich Branch Line
  • Old Photographs: Peplow
  • Old Photographs: Community Sport
  • Old Photographs: Hodnet

If you have memories and/or photographs of Hodnet, Marchamley, Wollerton and Peplow that you would like to share via the Hodnet website please contact the webteam.
Here is a montage of a selection of Geoff’s photographs.