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January 2023 January 2023
NEWS FROM WESTMINSTER
BERE REGIS HISTORY SOCIETY

As we look forward to 2023, naturally one also reflects
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO BERE's on the year past; on the massive changes that have
BRONZE AGE BARROWS? happened in the last twelve months. This time last
year, we had a different Prime Minister, and the
In 1969 my father visited all the 53 Bronze Age Barrows in Queen was still our Head of State. It has been a
the parish of Bere Regis. I helped him measure them and tumultuous time in politics, and there have been
these dimensions became part of the records used in ‘The many changes. My government role has changed,
Book of Bere Regis’ (1978). They were all marked on the early 19th century but my job as your Member of Parliament for Mid
Ordnance Survey maps and had also been recorded in L.V. Grinsell's book ‘Dorset Dorset and North Poole remains the same.
Barrows’ and because of this they all have an "L.V.G." number which ensures that
each Barrow's records are consistent. Some of the Bere Barrows in 1969 were quite I always love coming back from Westminster to
well preserved, but others had been ploughed out completely and only Dorset as it is a journey that is bringing me home. 2023 will mark 20 years since I
identifiable by a "smudge" visible in the ploughed ground. first moved to Dorset, and it is such a wonderful place to live, work and bring up
my family. London is where parliament sits, but Dorset is very much home!
Victorian adventurers had previously dug up nearly all the Barrows between 1840
and 1850, not just at Bere, of course, but all over Dorset and beyond. Many burial Later in the year we will hear the exact changes that are being made to the
Urns and votive Urns were found, together with other artifacts dating between boundaries of Parliamentary constituencies. At the moment there are around
2000 BC and 1000 BC, 84,000 people living in Mid Dorset and North Poole, with around 65,000 adults
eligible to vote. This needs to be increased, to standardise the size of
and eventually most constituencies. The new boundaries will mean that there will be around 72,000
went from collectors'
studies to the British voters, which is more similar to the other constituencies across Dorset and BCP.
Museum by Will. As far as Over the last year I have received over
is known, no precious 8,500 emails and letters from
metal was found in these constituents, and sent out over 10,000
excavations, and that is email and letters. This might seem a lot,
rather suspicious. I think and my team and I do sometimes
so anyway. receive more than 100 emails each
John Pitfield day. Many of you let me know your
views on a range of issues, and that is
Projects Secretary an important part of being a
constituency MP.
LVG-8, north of Bere in November 2006 If you do need to contact me for help or advice, my excellent team and I will do
everything we can to assist you. I always say that I sadly don’t have a magic
wand, and change can be slow. But even if an issue is not within my gift or
power, I will do my best to help, and point you in the right direction.

In Parliament I have one of the highest voting records amongst all MPs over the
past year, voting on a wide range of topics. These included preventing child

When you respond to advertisers, do please tell them you saw their marriage in England, ensuring waiting staff get their tips instead of being kept by
employers, enshrining freedom of speech in our universities into law, putting a
advert in this magazine - it helps them monitor the effectiveness of cap on energy prices to prevent soaring bills, and putting a levy on oil and gas
their advert and helps us generate more advertising revenue!! producers. I was pleased to support the government in the decision to increase
benefits and pensions in line with inflation, which will benefit over 35,000 people
in MDNP.

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