West Chiltington
Encyclopedia
West Chiltington is a village
and civil parish
in the Horsham District
of West Sussex
, England
. It lies on the Storrington
to Broadford Bridge
road, 2.6 miles (4.2 km) north of Storrington
.
The parish covers an area of 1733 hectares (4279 acres). In the 2001 census 3315 people lived in 1476 households, of whom 1383 were economically active.
teams and is home to West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club
. Not all sports are played at the village's Recreation Ground next to the Village Hall. There is also a flourishing tennis club also adjacent to the recreation ground. West Chiltington Golf Club is another sporting enclave within the parish
West Chiltington Silver Band was formed in 1908 by landscape gardener and Salvation Army Bandsmen Mr. Juden of West Chiltington. He formed the band with Mr. P. Slater, a builder and Mr. Edwin Pullen, a wheelwright, who lent them £20 to buy some instruments. Mr. Pullen went to London, toured the music shops, and returned home with enough instruments for all ten members. Ed Pullen didn’t actually play an instrument but used to walk in front of the band carrying the flag.
Most of the players had no idea of music when they joined, but by Christmas of 1908 they were proficient enough to give their first performance. They gave a concert of hymns and carols under the leadership of Mr. Juden, who remained their conductor for the next five years. Mr. Nash followed him as conductor and then by Mr. Chatfield, who remained for 20 to 30 years until 1950.
The band started to enter competitions in 1930, and competed in the Brighton Music Festival. On only its second attempt it won a second prize. Many more prizes were to follow in the coming years, hence the name ‘Silver Band’, due to the amount of silverware they won. The band’s silver instruments were to come later.
The band owes much to a local family, the Slater’s. Phil (Grandfather) Slater and his eldest son Albert were founder members and there were four other Slater brothers who also played. Between them they played cornet, tenor horn, baritone and trombone, and were later joined by other members of their families. Albert took on the role of conductor in 1950 and also taught ex-conductor Doug Golds to play. The last Slater to play in the band was Reg, son of Fred, one of the original brothers. He left in the early nineties.
Doug Golds is now the longest serving member of the band. He joined in 1945 when he was twelve and was given a cornet to practise on, which he had to share with another boy, Jimmy Weeks. They had it for a week each but Doug got so fed up with not being able to practise enough that he asked what else he could play. He was given an old dilapidated tenor horn, much in need of attention, and has been playing the tenor ever since. Doug has had a good spell in front of the band too - stepped into the breach after the sudden retirement of Tony Deacon.
In September 2006 the band recruited Annette Clifford as conductor and musical director.
July 2008 marked the band's centenary.
and Midhurst
. The First Growth 2003 was crowned "Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines" (2009) by the Italian wine magazine Euposia using a blind tasting test. The 2003 vintage has won six awards to date including the Euposia award; the latest being a silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2010.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Horsham District
Horsham (district)
Horsham is a local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in Horsham. The district borders those of Crawley, Mid Sussex, Mole Valley, Chichester, Arun and Adur....
of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies on the Storrington
Storrington
Storrington is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England, and one of two in the civil parish of Storrington and Sullington. Storrington lies at the foot of the north side of the South Downs. As of 2006 the village has a population of around 4,600. It has one main shopping street...
to Broadford Bridge
Broadford Bridge
Broadford Bridge is a hamlet in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England. It lies on the B2133 road 2.7 miles south of Billingshurst. The hamlet is also home to Broadford Bridge Football Club....
road, 2.6 miles (4.2 km) north of Storrington
Storrington
Storrington is a village in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England, and one of two in the civil parish of Storrington and Sullington. Storrington lies at the foot of the north side of the South Downs. As of 2006 the village has a population of around 4,600. It has one main shopping street...
.
The parish covers an area of 1733 hectares (4279 acres). In the 2001 census 3315 people lived in 1476 households, of whom 1383 were economically active.
Sport
The village has football and croquetCroquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
teams and is home to West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club
West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club
West Chiltington & Thakeham Cricket Club is a cricket club based in the village of West Chiltington in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England....
. Not all sports are played at the village's Recreation Ground next to the Village Hall. There is also a flourishing tennis club also adjacent to the recreation ground. West Chiltington Golf Club is another sporting enclave within the parish
Village band
Most of the players had no idea of music when they joined, but by Christmas of 1908 they were proficient enough to give their first performance. They gave a concert of hymns and carols under the leadership of Mr. Juden, who remained their conductor for the next five years. Mr. Nash followed him as conductor and then by Mr. Chatfield, who remained for 20 to 30 years until 1950.
The band started to enter competitions in 1930, and competed in the Brighton Music Festival. On only its second attempt it won a second prize. Many more prizes were to follow in the coming years, hence the name ‘Silver Band’, due to the amount of silverware they won. The band’s silver instruments were to come later.
The band owes much to a local family, the Slater’s. Phil (Grandfather) Slater and his eldest son Albert were founder members and there were four other Slater brothers who also played. Between them they played cornet, tenor horn, baritone and trombone, and were later joined by other members of their families. Albert took on the role of conductor in 1950 and also taught ex-conductor Doug Golds to play. The last Slater to play in the band was Reg, son of Fred, one of the original brothers. He left in the early nineties.
Doug Golds is now the longest serving member of the band. He joined in 1945 when he was twelve and was given a cornet to practise on, which he had to share with another boy, Jimmy Weeks. They had it for a week each but Doug got so fed up with not being able to practise enough that he asked what else he could play. He was given an old dilapidated tenor horn, much in need of attention, and has been playing the tenor ever since. Doug has had a good spell in front of the band too - stepped into the breach after the sudden retirement of Tony Deacon.
In September 2006 the band recruited Annette Clifford as conductor and musical director.
July 2008 marked the band's centenary.
Vineyards
West Chiltington is unusual in the South of England in that within its parish boundaries it has three established vineyards. Friar's is tiny and not well known outside the village. Nutbourne is more well-known locally and is gradually changing its grape varieties from Germanic types (Sylvaner and Muller-Thurgau) to French ones (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) but the vineyard of international fame is Nyetimber. Nyetimber is based on an old manor which reputedly was part of the dowry of Anne of Cleves when she married Henry VIII. The first vintage in 1992 was chosen for the Queen's Golden Jubilee dinner. It has recently expanded substantially so that second growths are now in place. The second growth vineyards are located between PetworthPetworth
Petworth is a small town and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield to Winchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some twelve miles to the south west of Petworth along the A285 road...
and Midhurst
Midhurst
Midhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
. The First Growth 2003 was crowned "Champion of Worldwide Sparkling Wines" (2009) by the Italian wine magazine Euposia using a blind tasting test. The 2003 vintage has won six awards to date including the Euposia award; the latest being a silver medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2010.