News

• THE CODFORD MILESTONE

  During the 1960s, workmen building the lay-by in Codford High

  Street, unearthed three large fragments of stone, which they

  intended to throw in their skip. One of the team recognised the

  decorative quality of the pieces and carted them off to his garden

  in Somerset where they resided for many years in an ornamental

  capacity. When he came to move house the pieces were offered

  to the local group of the Milestone Society. Their Chairman,

  Janet Dowding, together with other members purchased the

  stone and removed it to Janet’s house for safe storage pending

  repair and relocation to its original site. A bit of research soon

  established this to be the Wiltshire village of Codford. John

  Watts of the Salisbury and Wiltshire Milestone Group moved the

  pieces to Codford where Alec Thomson arranged the repair with

  Alasdair Rennie and his highly skilled team from the Coade

  Workshop in Wilton.

  The Milestone is one of the first generation erected in the 18th

  century, when the first turnpike roads were being laid out. The

  old road through Codford was part of the Amesbury Trust,

  which was set up in 1762, just after the Heytesbury Road was

  turnpiked. The stone may have stood close to where the later,

  cast-iron milepost now stands, although an examination of the

  1773 Andrews and Dury’s map shows it to be standing on the

  north side of the High Street, west of St Peter’s church. The

  stone is Chilmark, some 86cm long, the lower 60cm of which

  would have been inserted into the ground. It averages about

  37cm in width and 18cm in depth. The top is shaped in a

  shallow triangle and the front two edges show signs of having

  been bevelled. The inscription is in capital letters, lower case

  and Roman numerals, about 7cm high, with the date given in

  modern (Arabic) numerals:

  TO

  SARUM

  XIV

  TO

  Warmi[nster]

  VI

  1766

  The repair has been carried out, largely free of charge, with

  great skill and Alasdair Rennie has installed it not far from its

  original home some 50m west of St Peters church. Credit is due

  to a number of players:

  Douglas Roseaman and enthusiasts from the Milestone Society

  Codford Parish Council for support and funding

  Codford Local Historical Society for co-ordinating the project

  Alasdair Rennie and his team from Coade Workshop

  An unveiling ceremony is planned to thank all those involved.

  Watch out for dates.
• 

During WWI, Australian soldiers carved a rising Sun into a hill at Codford. The amazing Codford villagers work hard to maintain it for us.

A passionate group of villagers is fighting to preserve a piece of Anzac history on a hillside west of London. #9News pic.twitter.com/GZBdUEpIh1

— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 2, 2017

Forty four empty cans of Diet Coke was amongst the rubbish found in Chitterne Road and New Road during the recent spring clean of the village.  Chances are that it is one person who is responsible.   Who might it be?

On Saturday 4th March, group of 18 volunteers demonstrated their desire to see action taken to put a stop to littering, by joining in the community litter pick organised by the parish council. A huge thank you to all who volunteered.

GBSC 2018
On Saturday 24th March 2018, 14 volunteers participated in the Community Litter Pick that was organised in conjunction with Great Britain Spring Clean, GBSC. A massive thank you from Codford Parish Council for the commitment shown.