Stratford sub Castle Village Website
Salisbury, Wiltshire UK

This is a first brood but a couple of weeks behind two other nests in adjacent stables, whose broods have already fledged. KMOC Newspost from 5 June There are three nest sites in the stables and this brood ventured out onto the telephone lines on Stratford Road early this afternoon. There was a lot of calling heard as two adults swooped around and appeared to be feeding their youngsters. After a while the brood was left alone for a few minutes before the adults returned to j

The latest Newsletter from the Riverpark team includes details of two free guided walks to discover the inspiration behind the artworks and explore the River Park from a fresh perspective. For more details and to book your place for 'The Art of Salisbury River Park' on either Friday 19 June or Tuesday 30 June, see The Art of Salisbury River Park: Guided Walk | Wiltshire Creative The June River Park Newsletter (3 pages) is shown below, or you can download the PDF version at t

The footbridge over the Avon near Five Rivers Leisure was closed today whilst landscaping and other works were being completed by the Salisbury River Park contractors. A marked pedestrian diversion along Hulse Road lead to the interesting discovery of work in progress, a wooden sculpture of a bull. Recycled disused fence panels form most of its structure, to which small sections of milled Douglas Fir have been added. The artist working on it will paint it black before seeki

A dry, sunny day brought many visitors to Stratford sub Castle to view the 8 gardens that were open for the event organised by the Garden Club. These images have been included in a new photo album https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/open-gardens-2026ima If you have any images that could be included, please send to sscvillagewebsite@gmail.com Original Newspost 4 June Eight gardens in Stratford sub Castle will be open on Sunday 14 June between 2pm and 5pm for this Open Garde

2026 Reported sighting in or near Stratford sub Castle 8 June Three cygnets On the west bank of the Avon, close to the boardwalk, image below. 5 June A brood of four Swallows https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/parsonage-farm-swallows 28 May Cuckoo calling from the area around the river Heard from Mill Lane 27 May Painted lady butterflies https://www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/newspost/painted-lady-sighting-in-stratford 8 May Two swifts Seen but not photographed. Id

Fencing has been erected alongside some of the River Park pathways. A sign explains that this is a temporary measure to allow the planted areas to become established. Wild flowers are flourishing in other areas - see image below taken on 3 June. Earlier newspost 6 May 2026 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

This flytipped material on Gradidge Lane has been reported to Wiltshire Council. https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts-online-reporting

Join us for a series of friendly Cyber & Fraud Advice Drop-In Sessions at your local library. This is a great opportunity to speak directly with Cyber Crime & Fraud Protect Officers and get practical advice on staying safe. Salisbury Library 4th June 11:00am – 1:00pm Whether you’ve been affected by a scam, want to improve your online security, or simply have questions, come along for a chat. Learn how to spot scams and avoid fraud Get practical tips to stay safe online

Our meeting in June will be different! This year it will take the form of a Social and AGM and will be held at the home of Judy & Charles, 9 Castle Keep at 7.30 pm on Thursday 26 June. This will be an evening for you all to talk together - how does the Garden Club get more Committee Members? We will definitely need a new Programme Secretary - a Chairman, and Secretary would also make life easier for all. The programme for 2026-2027 is all booked. Could you join the Committe

Over the past few days there have been reports of the Painted Lady butterfly Vanessa cardui appearing in parts of Wiltshire. This morning several were seen on the sunny side of a hedge on Stratford Road. The species originates from North Africa and is unable to survive UK winters. It is probable that the ones we are seeing now have crossed the channel from France. The image below from https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=cardui is a better indication of what

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. We do hope that you will join us again between 2.30pm and 4.30pm for our Sunday 7 June café at the Reading Room (opposite St Lawrence Church) where there is ample car and bicycle parking. If the weather is kind to us, you can take advantage of sittin

This event has now taken place. Photos taken over the weekend are on this page: www.stratfordsubcastle.org.uk/community-weekend-may-2026 Original newspost Bunting has appeared along the hedge bordering Stratford Road outside St Lawrence Church, with just a few days to go before the Community Weekend. Similar events were held in Stratford sub Castle in 2022 for the Jubilee celebrations and in 2023 for the Coronation of King Charles III. These are the planned activities for

The Pearly Kings and Queens – The other London Royal Family A presentation by Terry Ereira I had planned to write up Ian Budniak’s talk on the Spanish succession, but a last-minute health issue prevented Ian from attending. As always (and being a Londoner) Terry rose to the occasion and presented an interesting history of the Pearly Kings and Queens of London, and he didn’t need a microphone. Henry Croft, an orphan born and raised in St Pancras workhouse in 1861, left at 13

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

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:

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

UPDATE - Unfortunately Ian Budniak could not attend the meeting. At short notice Terry Ereira gave a talk - The Pearly Kings & Queens - the other Royal Family. See a later Guild newspost to read the review. 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

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