Our journey
2025
2025
Winter 2025
Christmas Get Together at The Bottle
Thursday 18th December - Christmas Get Together
Please come and join us between 5pm - 7pm at Bottle Inn, Marshwood.
Friends & Family Welcome. Please RSVP to Samantha.Martin2024@outlook.com
2025
November - 4th Finger Post - Paddocks Cross
Paddocks Cross
​Char Valley parish Council approached the CLT Board and asked if they would consider renovating the fingerpost located in Marshwood Vale, just past Shave Cross on the way to Bridport
The Board agreed to dismantle & asses how much work & money it would need.
Location of Paddocks Cross - Marshwood Vale - Near Shave Cross
Paddocks Cross - Fingerpost
After dismantling and a lot of hard work to remove the letters and remove layers & layers of old paint. The letters are 3" which were original used for trunk roads and are difficult to come by.
The majority were broken or missing.
The CLT provided a quotation to Char Valley PC, to see if they would have available funds in their budget,
The post requires 86 new letters 21/2, 2 new wooden boards and paint & misc materials.
In November, Char Valley PC agreed to fund the refurbishment with a donation to CLT of £350.​
October 2025 - Paddocks Cross
2025
September - 3rd Fingerpost - Fishpond
Fishpond Fingerpost
September 2025 - Fishpond Finger Post sign
Fishpond - CLT & Char Valley PC work together to refurbish
After having a scout around the local area, the CLT was looking fingerposts which needed partial refurbishment rather than full.
A full refurbishment involves a new pole, brackets, wooden boards, letters and cap/rondal which can come to £2,000
We identify the post on B3165. Lyme Regis to Crewkerne, near to Lambert Castle, which lies on the border of UMVPC & Char Valley.
After approaching Char Valley to ask for permission, who were pleased to give their permission and were happy to donate £50 towards materials.
The post required rubbing down, pole, brackets, letters, rondel and re-painting and tidying up of the surrounding area.
The refurbishment started, this was the first post with a rondel, so a few more lessons to learn......
2025
August - Marshwood School Fingerpost complete
Marshwood School looks fantastic
Before & After - Marshwood School - August 2025
Marshwood Community Land Trust would like to thank Sam Martin and Nigel Lancashire for their effort in the refurbishment & Quentin Hitchcock​
After a few setbacks, the post was finally finished and was re-assembled in time for the wedding Fayre and vintage car display held at the church.
August 2025 - Refurbished Finger post - Marshwood School
Marshwood School Rondel - Tim Beer has managed to secure the donation of a new rondel for the top of the post from Dorset National Nature. Many thanks to them both. We look forward to seeing the new rondel, once it has been made in Bridport Foundry.
2025
August - Board agrees to fund the refurbishment
Board approves refurbishment of our 2nd post - Marshwood School Fingerpost
Marshwood School Fingerpost
At the end of July the Board approved the refurbishment of the fingerpost. After dismantling the post, the following work was identified.
1) Unable to dismantle the post & brackets, due to years of rust and therefore would be painted in situ
2) New wooden board required
3) The letters were mixed between plastic & broken, there new letters would be purchased with the correct spelling of the locations.
August 2025 - Marshwood School Finger Post sign
2025
July - Turners Lane Fingerpost complete
Three ways Cross looking splendid
A beautiful finger post overlooking the Marshwood Vale
Marshwood Community Land Trust would like to thank Sam Martin and Nigel Lancashire for their effort in the refurbishment.
Thank you to Tim Beer for donating the reclaimed cap for the top of the post.
Onto the next one!.................
After a lot of hard work and lessons learnt along the way, the Three ways Cross is looking great and with a trim to the hedge surrounding the post, its finished.
​
July 2025 - Refurbished Finger post - Three Way Cross
2025
June - Refurbishment of Finger post underway
Process steps
Process steps for refurbihment by arm.Remove the arm, sand down to remove old paint, refill cracks with wood filler.
Arm removed and inspected for damage. Remove letters and check to ensure they are metal rather than plastic.
Each arm, sanded, and cracks filled with exterior wood filler
Each letter, rubbed down, undercoat and top coated with black satin paint and left to harden
July 2025 - New letters for arm Lyme Regis / Axminster
Stainless steel screws painted with black
Finished 'Fishpond arm, ready to be put back
2025
Picnic Benches project complete
Marshwood CE Primary Academy - CLT grant awarded
Picnic Benches - CLT donation in Oct 2024
We would like to extend a huge thank you to
Marshwood Community Land Trust and Tesco for helping us fund our new fantastic picnic benches which will be used by the children at Marshwood for many years to come.
We are blessed to have such a fantastic outdoor area and are grateful for new updated benches and parasols extending our learning space into the outdoors.
June 2025 - Marshwood CE Primary Academy
2025
May - Board agrees to fund the refurbishment
Turners Lane signpost in need of some TLC
Turners Lane / Three Ways Finger Post
In 2017, the finger post was refurbished by the late chairman of CLT, but 8 years has since passed.
After battling with the south west weather, wildlife, vegetation and attacks by the hedge cutter, the post is need of some tender loving care.!
In May, the board agreed to fund the refurbishment with the addition of letters for the other side of the arm for Lyme Regis / Axminster.​
Our secretary, Samantha Martin, wishing to maintain her fathers work and the rural posts for the future, decided to tackle the project.
On completion of research and consultation with Dorset fingerpost champion Tim Beer & CPRE (Countryside Charity) with the support of Turners Lane residents, we are ready to start the project.
May 2025 - Turners Lane / Three Ways Finger Post sign
April - Annual General Meeting
April 30th 2025 - Annual General Meeting @ 5:30pm
Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting.
Many thanks to Tim Beer, who gave an informative history & progress of the refurbishment of our local fingerposts signage.
​
2025
April - New Defibrillator Case
New & Improved Defib Case installed - Marshwood Garage
On April 11th 2025 - A new up to date Defibrillator case was installed located at Marshwood Garage. This replaced a very tired looking case.
Many thanks to Ann-Marie Chapman for arranging delivery from British Heart Foundation.
Nigel Lancashire for kindly donating his time to installing the new case and updating the electrics.
Sebastian Walther, Marshwood Garage for allowing us to continue to site the unit on his premises for the benefit of the community.
If you would like any further information on how to use the Defib or any other questions, please feel free to contact us.
2025
March - New Trees for Bottle Inn
CLT Gardening Project
March 2025 Ali & Jacqui took on a gardening project to increase the local tree population!.
After much thought on location, we approached The Blundy's at Bottle Inn and they were only too happy to receive the donation of 4 trees. At end of March after a few strategic planning sessions, the trees were planted in visible locations from the main road so in time they can be appreciated by people passing by.
Many thanks to Ali. Jacqui, Emma & her son. Tessa & Julian & helpers for the transportation, hole digging, planting, staking and now ….. the watering !​
New Trees planted 5th April 2025
Prunus Cerasifera ' Nigra' Black Cherry Plum
Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' - Callery Pear
A round-headed deciduous tree to 10m in height, with deep purple leaves, red when young and dark twigs. Single, pale pink flowers open from deep pink buds before leaves in early spring
A dense, upright small tree, spreading with age. The pale pink flowers open from pink buds then fade to white, and are followed by edible dark purple berries. The foliage opns bronzy, turns green in summer and produces orange and red shades in autumn.
Amelanchier - Grandiflora 'Robin Hill' Service Berry
betula utilis subsp. jacquemonti - West Himalayan Birch
A vigorous deciduous tree to 18m tall, with brilliant white bark on the trunk and larger branches; ovate leaves turn yellow in autumn; yellow-brown male catkins to 12cm long open in early spring.
A vigorous deciduous tree to 18m tall, with brilliant white bark on the trunk and larger branches; ovate leaves turn yellow in autumn; yellow-brown male catkins to 12cm long open in early spring.
2025
Very Wet start to February 2025
We have found it ! - Memorial Stone for David Hitchcock
After a trip across a very muddy field - Ali & Jacqui have located a stone which they think will be ideal for David’s Memorial Stone
The next challenge will be to get the stone to Marshwood !
Many thanks to the Framptons for their kind donation
February 2025