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.
Sport
The village has
football and
croquet 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
Village Band
West Chiltington Silver Band in
1937
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 it’s 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 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 bands centenary.
Vineyards
West Chiltington is pretty unusual in the South of England in that
within its parish boundaries it has three established vineyards.
Fryern'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 typed (Sylvaner and Muller-Thurgau) to
French ones (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) but the vineyard of
International fame is Nyetimber. Nyetimeber is based on an old
manor which reputedly was part of the dowry of Anne of Cleves when
she married Henry VIII but is probably the most successful fizzy
wine producer in England. Cheap it is not. However the first
vintage in 1992 was the fizz of choice at the Queen's Golden
Jubilee dinner. It has recently expanded substantially so that
second growths are now in place. However the second growth
vineyards are between Petworth and Midhurst : this is not quite the
same as West Chiltington.
References
External links
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