Stratford sub Castle Village Website
Salisbury, Wiltshire UK

UPDATE: What a great start to our summer season with a fantastic turnout for our May café and record-breaking proceeds of £635 being donated to Wilton Riding for the Disabled. Thank you so much to everyone who came along to support us. Photos taken at the May Café are here: https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/cafe-photos-2026 Did you read that the May café inspired an 'Ode to Mary King'? It's in this newspost: https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/ode-to-mary

2026 Reported sighting in or near Stratford sub Castle 8 May Two swifts Seen but not photographed. Identified by their calls by using the Merlin app (see bottom of this page). 2 May Swallows https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/stratford-wildlife-sightings-in-may 26 April Flower crab spider https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/wildlife-in-stratford-on-a-sunny-april-day 19 April Cuckoo https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/first-cuckoo-2026 27 Marc

Salisbury Reds has advised that the drop off and pick up points serving several bus routes INCLUDING THE R12, will change on Saturday as the city centre will be closed for the Mayor Making Ceremony. See details below:

The April Newsletter is now available, isee screenshot images below. Note that the Newsletter includes a comment that the pedestrian/cyclists' bridge over the Avon near Five RIvers will need to be closed for short periods, with a marked diversion in operation. : Or you can download the document as a PDF here:

Reading Room at Stratford-sub-Castle If Mary King could pause from tatting lace, As in her photograph, and through the glass Her gaze extend, we’d see across her face Benevolence and joy and pride to pass, For glancing through that pond’s mutating skin Called time, she’d see and hear her Reading Room Replete with hum of chat and wagging chin, The warp and weft of conversation’s loom, A modern version of the Sunday Teas, Victoria Sponge and jam and scones and all, A scene of a

Ramblers Wellbeing Walks Salisbury is part of a national organisation run by the Ramblers. Walks are circular and organised and led by trained volunteers. Footsteps to Fitness are 30 minute walks suitable for new walkers, those recovering from illness or surgery, or anyone who lives alone and wants to get out and meet new people. Local walks start from the coffee kiosk at Victoria Park at 10 am on the following Friday dates: 1 & 15 May 5 & 19 June 3 & 17 July 7 & 21 August D

Jim Platt reports having seen four swallows near Parsonage Farm early evening on 2 May. One of them may be this one .... Image KMOC There are currently three pairs of swallows, one pair in each stable. Last autumn 12 of them assembled on a wire for their migration so there must have been six successful fledglings. Kerry O'Connor comments "We had at least TWO broods last year, some years it’s three. (I mean sequential broods per nest/ pair). All depends on how many flying ins

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 28 May at 7.30 pm in the Reading Room, Stratford Road, Stratford sub Castle SP1 3LL. The speaker will be Sally Morgan and her talk is entitled “Climate friendly gardening”. This promises to be both popular and topical. We have one more meeting in this season on Thursday 25 June which will be our AGM – please plan to attend this meeting. We are in need of Committee members to avoid the closure of the club. We look forward to seeing you

The next Guild meeting will be on Wednesday 13 May. It will begin with a short AGM which will be followed by a talk from the Chairman, Ian Budniak, about Britain’s involvement in the Spanish War of Succession during the 18th Century. The meeting will start at 7.30 pm in the Reading Room, Stratford Road SP1 3LL and there will be the usual coffee/tea and biscuits after the talk. The Reviews for the Guild's 2025/2026 are here: https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/news-page/ca

I think this is a Flower Crab Spider. Misumena vatia... The Wildlife Trust gives the following information: Unlike many spiders, flower crab spiders don’t spin webs to trap insects. Instead they ambush their prey, often laying in wait on foliage for unsuspecting bees, moths and other insects that come to feed on flowers. The flower crab spider has a globular abdomen, sometimes with spots or lines. They can change their colour to match their surroundings but often appear white

Captain James Maclean lead the wreath-laying ceremony in St Lawrence churchyard 2026 Friday 24 April is the nearest schoolday to Anzac Day which is observed in Australia, New Zealand and other countries on 25 April. After a short service at 11 am in St Lawrence Church, Stratford Road, Stratford sub Castle SP1 3LL, pupils from Stratford school laid posies on the Anzac graves in the churchyard. There is more information about Anzac Day and the soldiers buried in the Commonweal

Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Cabinet Member for Highways has said: "Parking charges in Wiltshire have not changed since 2022, despite significant inflationary pressures during that time, so we feel that these proposals are fair and that they remain in line with charges in nearby authorities. No decision has been made on this, and we really do want to hear people's views. Please do take the time to take part in the consultation”. https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/5784/TRO-

Salisbury City Council will celebrate St George’s Day with a day filled with community, tradition and entertainment in Salisbury Market Place and Guildhall Square on Sunday 26 April. The day will begin with a short procession featuring the Salisbury Giant at 9.55 am. Explore an array of stalls, indulge in delicious food and drink, and enjoy an exciting lineup of activities, including creative workshops, circus skills, children’s fair rides, medieval music, forge demos, childr

Salisbury Reds advise that due to a road closure, the 201 bus service will follow a temporary diversion on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 April and therefore will not be travelling through Stratford sub Castle.

Last time I reported my first hearing of the year, it was a St George's Day, but this year it is 4 days earlier. Lying in bed this morning - there it was, the other side of the river, but loud-and-clear and repeated several batches of 3-or-4 calls. Spring is here! Richard Death Ed: The Common Cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus) is famously heard but rarely seen. So we must be content to use a library image to illustrate this newspost - unless one of our readers is fortunate enough to

Now that the groundwater has drained away and the paths have dried out along the walking route from Stratford sub Castle to Five Rivers Leisure Centre through the eastern part of the Avon Valley Nature Reserve, the route is walkable without wellingtons! Some of the scrub-land has been cleared by volunteers from the Salisbury Wildlife Group who manage the Reserve, leaving open areas where swathes of bluebells and cowslips are in flower. Using the material from the clearance,

Some photos of the runners on their route through Stratford sub Castle are here : A reminder that the competitors will be running through Stratford sub Castle. Some local roads will be closed - details on the map below, provided by the race organisers. Original Newspost 22 February The letter below has been sent to the village website by the City of Salisbury Athletics and Running Club for public circulation. It concerns local road closures on Sunday 12 April 2026. Note tha

Regular News - The latest applications for the Salisbury St Francis & Stratford Ward have been downloaded from the Wiltshire Council website and are available to view in the Local Information section of the village website: Local Information - Planning applications The search date was 10 April 2026 These applications are from just outside our ward and may be of interest to local residents: (1) Old Sarum Airfield see this webpage . (2) A proposal by Wiltshire Council f

Reminder - you have until 17 April to make your views known. Original newspost 26 March Wiltshire Council is inviting residents to give Feedback on the changes that have been announced to waste and recycling services. The changes are being made to improve sustainability and provide value for money. Here’s what’s coming: More recycling at home: Weekly food waste collections and fortnightly plastic bag and wrapping collections. Less general waste: With more recycling, house

Speaker: Dr John Sinclair Robson Warning - This review contains references to disasters and death, which some may find distressing. Forensic dentistry is not an occupation with which many people are familiar. Forensic pathology is better known as a result of programmes such as Silent Witness and, for those with longer memories, Quincy ME. Forensic dentistry is most often important in establishing the identity of victims of large-scale disasters where the nature of the injuri

Waters Road was re-opened to traffic earlier today, Wednesday 1 April. Note: There are still some signs indicating that there is a road closure but these refer to Fairfield Road. This brings to an end the extra traffic using the Diversion route through Stratford sub Castle leading to Phillips Lane, around the Beehive roundabout and southwards down Castle Road. The R12 bus had its own diversionary route via Victoria Road and will now resume its normal route via Waters Road.