The 

Cookham Society

Newsletter

SPRING 2001

POUNDFIELD - what of the future ?

The AGM on the 24^th May takes on increased significance this year because three committee members intend to stand down. However the recent news concerning the future of Poundfield means that the Society must have a strong committee with the skills to mount an effective campaign to avert future development. Finally could we point out that to attend the meeting you must be a fully paid up member of the Society.

John Bowley – Chairman

This is now nearly complete except of course Cookham does not have its own defences. These will definitely be required since the work carried out on the new channel will only improve things in Maidenhead and will not significantly reduce water levels in Cookham.

The defences are scheduled to follow the line of the riverbank from Cookham Bridge and then skirt Bellrope Meadow, in Marsh Meadow they will follow the field boundary behind the houses on the west side of Berries Road.

The road surface may have to be raised slightly adjacent to the War Memorial and Moor Hall is protected by defences to the south of the property. The Society will monitor progress to ensure that the results are sympathetic to the village’s needs.

Anglo Saxon Cookham – Archaeology

Cookham Village and the surrounding areas are of considerable historical significance. The main Roman military road from Silchester to St Albans, known as the Camlet Way, is believed to have crossed the river at Cookham. There is archaeological evidence of Roman occupation and it may have been the centre of the Roman manor, or administrative area.

Anglo-Saxon documents show that in the mid 700’s there was a “wealthy important Minister” in Cookham; a Royal Minster which was likely to be on the site of our present church and its environs. Then, in about 880, Cookham is believed to have been the location of one of King Alfred of Wessex’s frontier forts in defence against the Danish army and, later still, was a location of the Witan, or King’s Council for King Ethelred.

Cookham was also important in the medieval period, achieving borough status in the early 13^th century, and it remained a Royal manor until the reign

of George 111.

Surprisingly although much has been written about Cookham, there has been little concentrated research and not very much archaeological investigation. Much is still therefore suspected but not proven. This is a typical situation where the Authorities need great care and every opportunity used for investigation.

On the other side of the river, Bucks seeks full archaeological investigation when planning applications are submitted, but this rule does not apply in the Royal Borough. Unfortunately, for some reason, what little archaeological information has come to light in Cookham has mostly not been properly recorded. There is no pro-active involvement; conditions do not get applied during the planning process.

This was clearly shown on the consent given to demolish “Glenore”, Berries Road. There was a case for archaeological investigation but none was requested despite the fact that the site was close to the possible line of the Roman Road, within the area of probable Anglo Saxon settlement.

A message from The Membership Secretary

All members whose Membership Subscription is now due, received an individual reminder letter in early January, along with notification of the government’s new Gift Aid Scheme. The early response has been very encouraging with over 130 renewals received by the end of January, along with a high percentage of Gift Aid Declaration Forms. However, there are still some members who need to bring their subscription up to date.

If the year number shown at the bottom left-hand corner of the address label on this Newsletter shows 00, or earlier, then your subscription is now due. If there is a letter ‘F’ following the year number, this indicates a 5-Year Family Membership Subscription of £10 for the whole family, or otherwise if there is a letter ‘A’ then this indicates that you are an Annual Member for which the yearly subscription is £2 per person. Those showing a letter ‘S’ indicates automatic payment by standing order.

Therefore, please send your subscription, and hopefully a completed Gift Aid Form to me, Bill Spicer at Azul, High Road, Cookham, Berkshire, SL6 9JU. Should you have any questions, please give me a call on 01628-525258.

The Royal Borough allocated a sum of money to Cookham for work associated with a new car park in Cookham Village but this will not now be required. To prevent the money being lost to the village the Society has asked for further consideration to be given to improvements to the island in the High Street outside the Stanley Spencer Gallery. This was one of the options when environmental improvements were first proposed some years ago.

Last summers exhibition was just so good that it had to be repeated, this took place in February, we hope that you did not miss it. 

We were also able to display a collection of material donated to the Cookham Society by Mrs Rogers of  Sevenoaks in Kent who is a patron of the living of Holy Trinity Church. 

One of Mrs Rogers’s family ancestors was the Reverend Reginald Rogers who was vicar from 1864 until 1910, a very long time. The family were significant landowners in the village and the exhibition material portrayed their influence on the community. 

The material will now be deposited with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, where it can be properly cared for.

The Society did send letters to some thirty of our members who live adjacent to the site. Nobody was in favour of the proposals due to the commercial floor space, the sheer bulk of the building, and the unfortunate mock Georgian style employed. 

The Society objected much along these lines, the Royal Borough appeared to agree, since they told the applicant to withdraw the application and think again. 

At the very least the commercial content must be reduced since it was a 50% increase over that employed when the building was in use as a pub. 

No doubt a revised application will be submitted shortly.

This is a most frustrating subject, at a recent meeting of the Royal Borough’s Rights of Way committee it appeared to be highly

probable that the route would be approved right through the grounds of the Ferry Hotel. 

However, last minute objections were received and the item was withdrawn from the agenda. 

It is now supposed to be treated as a matter of urgency, but in view of the amount of time that has been expended on this problem it is high time that it is brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

Berkshire 2016 – where will our new houses go?

This was the title of a discussion document issued by the Berkshire Unitary Authorities in January upon which the Society was asked to comment.

The Government has said that 60% of all new development should go on “brownfield sites”. It is very clear that this type of site simply does not exist in Berkshire in sufficient quantities to absorb the 40,000 extra houses over and above the planned building rate up until the year 2016. 

The plan is to use urban fringe sites and sites being on transport routes in the first instance and also the release Green Belt land. The releasing of Green Belt land would be a big challenge for the Cookham Society if we are to prevent the village being slowly but surely absorbed into Maidenhead.

July - see Local press

AGENDA

1. Notice convening the meeting
2. Apologies for absence
3. Minutes of the 33rd Annual General Meeting
4. Matters Arising
5. Chairman’s Report
6. Financial Report
7. To elect the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year. (See note (a) below)
8. Any other business (See Note (b) below)

Note (a) at the 33rd AGM on 11^th May 2000 the following were elected:

Chairman Mr J Bowley

Vice-Chairman Mr R Mabey CMG

Hon Treasurer Mr J Gibbings

Hon Secretary Mr R Gold

Membership Secretary Mr D Macdonald

Public Relations Officer Mrs M Jones

Mr J Field Mr R Sands

Mr D Lincoln Mr W Spicer

Mrs A Parry Mrs S Tremlett

Mr R Preece

The Officers are the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. The Committee consists of the Officers and not more than fifteen members. All Officers and all committee members offer themselves for re-election except the Chairman, Treasurer and Mr Macdonald. 

Nomination forms, enabling members to propose and second potential officers/committee members, can be obtained from the Honorary Secretary.

Note (b) Any member wishing to propose a subject for discussion under Item 8 is requested to notify the Honorary Secretary not later than 17^th May 2001