The Past The Present And The Future

A Memory of Chilton Foliat.

I was born 3rd July 1959 in Marlborough hospital, I spent the first few months of my life in Ramsbury, my parents lived opposite the fire station, until our house burnt down and we moved to Crabtree Close, Chilton Foliat, where my dad still lives.

I then went to the "OLD" Chilton Foliat Village School, which is no longer a school but has been converted into a house. The head master in those days was Mr Hassel. Mr and Mrs Dobson had the village shop and post office, I can still smell the scents from the ham that Mr Dobson used to slice up at the back of the shop, I was very sad to hear that they passed away just after retiring. There was also Bunces garage and the Wheatsheaf where I used to work as a "barmaid" in the evenings. I have some very happy memories in that pub.

The photo above is the start of the village and the house on the left handside brings back treasured memories of my first love. I remember so many people in the village it would impossible to mention everyone.

Crabtree Close consists in 4 houses; We lived next to Mr and Mrs Pett. There was also the Ford family and Mr and Mrs Fox. The lane goes up past Crabtree where you can walk for miles and have untouched views across fields. Between our house and the village was Fentons - a dilapidated house which is no longer but if you dug deep enough you were able to find old pieces of bone china - worth nothing but it was fun and there was also the old barns which have also been converted into houses.

The day Dean died I was playing in the barns. Dean was my brother, he was 9 years old when he was knocked off his bike as he was turning up the lane on his way home. We could see the flashing lights from the barns..... totally unaware why they were there. He was born at Crabtree Close and died at Crabtree Close. He is buried in St Mary's Church in the new part of the grave yard. Now, amongst lots of fellow village people.

It's a lovely view from dad's kitchen window where the River Kennet runs; nothing to block the view, you can almost see right through to Littlecote.

And then there's Fairyland, Fairyland used to give me the creeps and now even after all these years makes me sweat. As you go through there is a 1st bridge where we used to pick watercress from the fresh clear running water then there is a good 5 to 10 minute walk through sullen trees until the next bridge (which is well worth the sweat) then you have the most beautiful sight. I always thought I was in another world, a world of bliss. I may suggest if anyone reads this - if you happen to pass through Chilton Foliat don't hesitate in going to Fairyland.

In 1979/1980 I moved to Croydon and in 1981 to the South of France, Bergerac precisely and where I have been living since. I go back to Chilton Foliat on occasions thanks to Mr and Mrs Elliot, who lend me their cottage, and to whom I will never be able to thank enough and who have known me for most of my life.

Our family holidays were mainly spent in Chilton, and on arrival the first thing my children wanted to do was to go and visit Fairyland...........so the story will continue.

Compared with the photo above taken in 1908 and now in 2008, a 100 years on there maybe a few extra houses in the village but the only thing that has changed in Chilton Foliat are certain faces.