Some may still remember the BBC Domesday project, which in 1986 produced a record of life in Britain in the 1980′s in the form of two videodiscs and a special BBC microcomputer. The information was collected and submitted by over one million children and adults from over 14,000 schools, hundreds of branches of the Women’s Institute, scores of scout troops and many other voluntary bodies throughout the country.
Copies of the BBC Domesday Project videodiscs survive but very few videodisc players and microcomputers remain in working order, so a web version, Domesday 1986, was developed in 2004, which recreates much of the original project.
An extract from this for Slaley (shown below) gives a picture of life in this area in the early 1980′s which you may find interesting (especially if you were one of the contributors listed at the end of the extract). A few spelling errors have intentionally not been corrected, e.g. “Slaley Hall Eastate has recently been sold.”
To view the original text & photographs, go to the website, and search for ‘Slaley’.
The BBC Domesday Project: Slaley in 1986
General View Of The Area.
This remote rural area is about 700 feet above sea level and the weather can be harsh in the winter. It consists of farmland and forestry, a significant feature being the Slaley Hall Eastate. The area is unspoiled and the special feature is the countryside itself, plus the wild life it hosts.
To the north, the village of Slaley is a typical “long village”, consisting of one row of houses on either side of the road, nearly a mile in length. Building is not permitted outside the line of existing houses and recent years have seen considerable filling of the gaps. Modern houses outnumber the traditional farmhouses and cottages. House names such as High Clear and Curlew Cottage indicate distictive features of the area.
Employment.
Whilst the largest single group of people actually work within the Slaley area on farm, road haulage, forestry and related services, a large number are employed in Hexham, the local market town. However, it is significant that this number has been overtaken in recent years by residents who commute to Newcastle.
Actual unemployment is insignifcant, although transport problems are a restriction on choice for some and on housewives wanting to take up part-time employment.
Farming.
The farms in this area range in size from about 30 acres to 500 acres and cover a range of enterprises, the most common being milk production for the Milk Marketing Board. The average size of the dairy herds is 50 cows. Several of the farms have a flock of sheep, producing fat lambs for market in autumn. Pigs are the only enterprise on one farm but they are secondary production on 3 of the other farms. The dairy farms all produce silage as winter feed for their herds and 50% of the farms grow corn, mainly barley for home stock consumption. The remaining farm produces beef for sale at the local town marts. Calves are both home bred and bought in for this purpose. Each of the farms is owned and farmed by the same family with one exception – Colpitts Grange, where a manager has been employed.
Slaley Parish Council.
The area is immediately served by Slaley Parish Council, consisting of 5 members, who traditionally stand as independent of any political party. The Parish Council meets 4 to 5 times each year with additional meetings to discuss planning applications or immediate problems.
Residents have close contact with their councillors and rarely attend meetings, although items are raised at the Annual Parish Meeting. The Parish Council can deal with any matter of concern by referring to the appropriate service or higher authority. The District Councillor attends meetings and the present Chairman is the elected County Councillor. The Parish Council employs a part-time clerk who has been traditionally the village headmaster.
Education.
The area is served by Slaley County First School, which is a modern building of three classrooms and a hall, surrounded by ample grounds and playing fields. The school identifies closely with the community. Children join a nursery class held in the mornings when they are three years, transferring to school when they are 4+. The headmaster has full-time responsibility for a class of 20 and there are two other classes of 18 and 14. The school serves the general area of Slaley, Blanchland, Healey and Minsteracres, children beyond 2 miles being transported by minibus. Children from the school usually transfer to Corbridge County Middle School at 9+ and then to the Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham at the age of 13+.
A Day In The Life Of Rachael
My name is Rachael and I am 8. I get up at 7:30 a.m., dress, go downstairs and have Rice Krispies wth milk. Afterwards I wash, comb my hair and dress my doll. I feed our two cats, then at 8:30 a.m. mum takes me to school in he car. I have to open two gates on our lane before we reach the road. School starts at 9:00 a.m. with assembly. I have lunch at 12:00 a.m. then play with my friends in the playground. School finishes at 3:15 p.m. and I travel home on a minibus. Mum meets me and we take a short-cut home across fields and through a wood. I play on my bike, feed my pony and watch television until my dad comes home at 5:30 p.m. when we have dinner. Mum takes me to Brownies at 6:30 p.m. and my auntie brngs me home. I have milk and biscuits and get ready for bed at 9:00 p.m.
Religion.
St. Mary’s Church dates from the 13th century. There is one service weekly: Sunday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Holy Communion is held on 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays, Matins on 2nd and 4th Sundays, with additional services on all Holy Days. There are 42 adult members of the Church and 15 Sunday School members. 1985 saw the first woman Church Warden.
The Methodist Chapel holds two services weekly: Sundays 10:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., with additional services Easter, Harvest and Christmas. The Chapel is in the Corbridge section of the Hexham Circuit. There are 35 adult members and 6 Sunday School members. During the winter, Fellowship meetings are held in the Chapel or members’ homes.
A joint service is held once per month.
Transport.
The area is fairly remote and 80% of households have at least one vehicle. There is only a limited bus service and most people find a car essential for both work and leisure. The households without their own transport are usally retired people, and in the main women. Having a vehicle becomes a high priority for young people in order to enjoy leisure activities both within the area and Hexham.
Slaley Show.
1985 will see the 127th Slaley Show held on Townhead Field. Over 50 people have organized 270 competitive classes including flowers, vegetables, flower arranging, cookery, handicraft and children’s classes in two marquees. Outside over 200 sheep will be judged in classes for Suffolk, Blue-Faced Leicester, Mule and fat lambs. There are classes for goats, terriers and lurchers together with pony sports and a clay-pigeon shoot. Special attractions have been Police Dog Displays, a Parade of Heavy Horses, a Highland Pipe Band and Foxhounds.
St Mary’s Church.
The Church of St. Mary the Virgin stands on the eastern slope of the village hill, about 700 feet above sea -level. Various buildings have adorned the site, while the original of the name belongs to the 13th century. The building was thoroughly restored in 1832. In 1907 the Church was further restored and embellished with much of its present furnishings. In 1921, the Lych Gate was erected as a memorial to the Fallen of the First World War. The stained glass windows show the dates and dedications, apart from the West window, which was given by a member of the Hunting family of Slaley Hall. The Parish Registers date back from 1703 and record the names of several great families in the village and illustrate the occupations of parishioners, such as Clogger, Weaver, Miller, Smelter, Husbandman and Farmer.
Slaley Hall.
1985 is significant for the area in that, following the death of the owner, the Slaley Hall Eastate has recently been sold. Planning permission has been granted to develop a 140 acre golf course using the Hall as the clubhouse. The farm and other parts of the property are for re-sale.
Birds
The area consists of foresty and farmland with hedgerows. Whilst farmland birds (curlew, lapwings, snipe, skylark, meadow pipit, cuckoo, barn and little owl) are decreasing, the hedgerow and woodland birds (dunnock, yellowhammer, chaffinch, greenfinch, bullfinch, goldfinch, blackbird, song thrush and mistle thrush) are increasing. Carrion crow, rook, magpie, jay, sparrowhawk, kestrel, crossbill, siskin, redpoll and tawny owl are stable with fluctuation mainly due to the accessibility of food. The merlin is rare but does occur.
Wild life
Mammals are numerous. Roe deer, red squirrel, badger and fox are increasing. Common and pygmy shrew, bank and field vole, stoat, weasel and hedgehog are stable. Water vole and water shrew are decreasing. Reptiles (adder and slow worm) are stable.
Amphibians (common frog, toad and palmate newt) are stable to decreasing. There are 6 species of bat in the area.
Brown Trout and eels are seriously decreasing due to polution.
Most plants and hardwood trees are under pressure of modern life but an increased awareness of the importance of conservation means that most of the wild life and countryside is just past the worst.
Shopping.
The majority of families purchase the bulk of their groceries from supermarkets in the local market town of Hexham, supplementing this with purchases from the local shop. Some make occasional visits to the large hypermarkets in the Newcastle area. Others, mainly elderly people with transport problems, make the bulk of their shopping at the local shop or from travelling shops which visit them at their door. Whilst the older residents usually purchase specialist items such as clothing and furniture in Hexham, the remainder tend to visit Newcastle at some time to seek a wider range. The local shop is also the post office and nearly everyone makes some kind of purchase there at some time.
Credits.
Mr. Barry Robson, Paul Kendall
Mrs. Joan Jewitt, James Gibson
Mr. Collin Jewitt, Lee Rudderham
Mrs. Pat Wilson, Rachael Hall
Mr. David Baynes, Amy Melvin
Mrs. Shirey Baynes, Wayne Hillier
Mr. Alec Bissett, Paul Baynes
Mrs. Karen Melvin, Michael Ogle
Mr. Allen Ogle, Matthew Atkins
Mrs. Margaret Ogle, Rowland Bone
Miss. Gillian Robson, Ben Rutter
Miss. Susan Weatherley, Justin Cule
Andrew Robson, Julie Robson
Jeffrey Makepeace, James Wilson
Georgina Barclay, David Robson
Iain Craig, Carina Evison
Stephanie Gledhill, Andrew Patrick
