Edition 162 - June 2016
EDITORIAL
The year seems to be flying past and we are already in to June, but is it or will it be flaming?
The sixth month of the year it brings Summer, Fathers' Day and the Summer Solstice as well as rich foliage colourful flowers, grass cutting and Wimbledon. Its birthstones are pearl, alexandrite and moonstone and its flower, the rose. Spring ends and summer begins.
July, the seventh month was named after Julius Caesar in 444BC. Its birthstone is ruby and flower larkspur. Until the 18th century in English the stress was on the first syllable, rhyming with duly and truly. Although six months have passed, the 1st of July is not the mid-point of the year, the exact half-way point is at 1.00 p.m. on the 3rd July in a non-leap year.
Has Lord Byron got it right? 'The English winter, ending in July, to recommence in August . . .'
To all newcomers to the village, we welcome you and wish you happiness in your new homes; and to those leaving us, we wish you the same.
It is sad that so many villagers have spent time in or are in hospital and to you all and those not feeling at their best just now, get well soon.
As always, a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this issue in any way. The August issue is due out on the 4th and articles will be welcome as soon as possible but by Wednesday, 13th July, at the latest. Thank you.
However, in the meantime there are lots of events to look forward to including the Tea and Tiaras Tea Party, Ron's 100th Birthday bash, a Flower Demonstration and the Flower Festival at St. Peter's Church. Enjoy.
Judie - Ed
1
WEATHER OR NOT
Storm Jake, UK and Ireland windstorm season on 2 March 2016
NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The 1st of March is the first
meteorological day of Spring but up until the 10th of the month the weather was
anything but spring like. Storm Jake
arrived on the 2nd bringing strong winds, snow showers, hail and very rough
seas. This was followed by another,
this time unnamed storm, which hit on the 9th with winds forecast up to storm
10.
After that things settled down and we
had a welcome spell of calm with a mix of sunny and overcast days and a drying
though often chilly easterly breeze.
Unfortunately, the weather broke on Maundy Thursday and
although Good Friday was glorious the rest of the Easter weekend was showery,
windy and cold.To cap it all on Easter
Sunday /Monday, Storm Katie brought strong winds and heavy rain.Despite the storms the total rainfall was
84mm which was fairly average for March.
The maximum temperature was 14.7 Deg C which was a bit below average while
the minimum of -0.3 Deg C was a bit above average and 99.94 hours of sunshine were
recorded. We were sheltered from the
worst of the strong wind and recorded a maximum gust of 36knots [41mph].
The most notable feature of April was the below average
temperatures throughout the month culminating in snow [fortunately not here in
Berrynarbor] during the last week.The
winds were mainly from a northerly or easterly direction and although on the
10th strong winds combined with high tides caused damage in South Devon and
Cornwall, generally there was just a constant cold breeze.
April is often a fairly dry month and this was no exception
with 44mm which fell on only ten days, the rest of the month there was no
recordable rain, combined with the wind this did allow the ground to dry
up. The maximum temperature was 16.4 Deg C
which is a bit deceptive as there were only five days when the thermometer
exceeded 14 Deg C, we have recorded over 20 Deg C in many previous Aprils.The minimum temperature of 1.2 Deg was not out
of the ordinary neither was the total sunshine recorded of 140.28 hours.The maximum gust of wind was 25 knots
[29mph].
The 1st of May was a bit miserable but there is a rumour
that the weather might be warming up!
Simon
and Sue
2
IN MEMORIAM
Life is a book in volumes three -
The past, the present, and the yet-to-be.
The past is written and laid away,
The present we're writing every day,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight - God keeps the key.
Author Unknown
ETHEL TIDBURY
[25.7.1913 - 6.4.2016]
How sad we all were to learn that
Ethel, our oldest resident, had passed away peacefully on the 6th April, just a
few months short of her 103rd birthday.
Her funeral, taken by Keith Wyer in the
new crematorium and well attended by her family and many friends and
neighbours, was a celebration of her long and happy life.
Our thoughts are with Linda and all her
family at this time of sadness.
Ethel was born in Walthamstow, London,
the third of seven children. She went
to the local junior school and her mum met one of the teachers who told her she
had a terrible girl in her class. On
asking the name of the girl, the teacher said 'Ethel Cuthbert', and her mum had
to admit she was her daughter. Ethel
didn't like school and was always up to mischief, but she certainly made up for
it as she grew up.
She lived through two world wars and
saw much in her life time. One of the
most memorable being able to press a switch and the light coming on. As she grew up she met her husband Stan, who
had a motorbike. They joined the
Walthamstow & District Suicide Club and would go on the surprise runs,
meeting at a given point and ending up in all different places, sometimes in
Devon. At a fair they wanted someone to
go on the wall of death - and yes she went and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Through the War her husband, brothers
and all the brothers-in-law served in the forces and luckily all returned, the
only one hurt was her father who broke his leg whilst in the Home Guard.
Ethel worked winding raw asbestos for a
while but her main job was Hoffman pressing, which she did for most of her
working life, along with several other members of her family.
Ethel and Stan had one child, Linda, to
whom they gave a wonderful life full of love, warmth, kindness and
contentment.
When Linda met and married George and
moved to Devon, Ethel and Stan followed them two years later. Stan worked for Loverings and Ethel had
several jobs as well as looking after the grandchildren when Linda and George
were at work.
Ethel had green fingers and loved the
garden and greenhouse, often giving plants away. She also enjoyed making costumes for all the
family and anyone else who needed them.
She knitted for Cecil Gee and made Mary Maxim cardigans and jumpers
which were large chunky fairisles depicting pictures. Many people in the village probably have
something knitted by
Ethel. In later years she enjoyed
crosswords and puzzles as well, of course, her plants and knitting.
She had a really good sense of humour
and took everything in good part when people joked with her. Darren remembers that when he met her she
could still do cartwheels, she was 78!
Ethel flew for the first time when she
was 75, going with the family to Spetse in Greece. From then on she went to Turkey, Cyprus,
Egypt, America, Yugoslavia, Thailand, Mexico, Gambia and most of them more than
once. The man at Heathrow looking at
her passport, couldn't believe she was 90 when she flew to Washington.
Ethel loved her family and friends and
would do anything for them. A very
special lady and an inspiration to most.
She will be missed and spoken about for a very long time with love,
affection and a big smile.
The family would like to thank everyone
for their kindness at this very difficult time and for all the cards and
flowers. The collection in Ethel's
memory raised £600, £350 of which was sent to North Devon Talking Newspapers
and £250 to Crisis. Thank you all once
again and God bless you Mum.
Linda, Allan, Tracy, Darren,
Caitlin, Jasmin and Connor
VERA GREENAWAY
Our thoughts are with June, Betty and Tony following the death of
their mother, Vera, who passed away on the 5th May. A much loved mother, she will be sorely
missed by her family and her many friends.
Although living at Hore Down, Vera and
her late husband, Tom, who passed away in August 2013, lived here and were very
much a part of the village community for many years. Vera was a keen member of the North Devon
Spinners and supporter of the Newsletter.
Her funeral is due to take place on the
20th May at the North Devon Crematorium and donations, if you wish, to the
North Devon Hospice.
3
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Unfortunately, there is no
further news about the installation of our new Vicar, Michael Rogers, as we are
still awaiting replies to our advertisement for a House for Duty Priest to
support Michael, and sincerely hope that we have some more positive news to
announce in the very near future. On
the positive side, Michael is already taking services here and in Combe Martin,
which certainly eases the strain on our PCC.
Our AGM was held on the 29th
March and Jean Pell, Sue Neale, Jill
McCrae, Yvonne Davey and Doreen Prater were all re-elected with yours truly
acting as PCC Chairman for 2016.
As mentioned in the April issue,
we were very sad to hear of Pat and Malcolm Sayer's departure from the village
and a gift box of wine was presented to them both shortly before they went on their
way. We wish them both a happy time in
their new home, nearer to their immediate family in the Cheltenham area.
We have been trying to recruit a
new Treasurer for the PCC for several months now and we are very happy to
welcome Margaret Sowerby and her husband Roger, who have very kindly offered to
take on this position. It is always
daunting when a new treasurer takes on this responsibility, but we on the PCC
will offer Margaret and Roger all possible help and support in the months
ahead.
We are all looking forward to
our special Flower Festival on Friday 22nd July through to Monday, 25th
inclusive. In this year of so many
anniversaries to celebrate, it will be called - surprise, surprise -
Anniversaries 2016.
Berrynarbor PCC and so many
members of our congregation were sad to hear the passing of Ethel Tidbury, who
many of you in the parish will know was the oldest resident in
Berrynarbor. She had reached 102 years
of age and had a wonderful life together with her family and we send our condolences
to Linda and her family for their sad loss at this time.
We are delighted, especially our
Choir members, to see Elaine
Filer back on her feet again following her untimely fall fracturing her hip.
This year's Gift Day will be on
Wednesday, 22nd June, when members of the church will be at the Lych Gate to
receive your envelopes. We hope, in
this difficult financial year for us with urgent major repairs needed on the
church roof, that, as always, the people of Berrynarbor will be generous in
their support.
Church Services follow the same
format:
- 1st
Sunday - Village Service;
- 2nd Sunday - Holy Communion.
- 2nd Sunday - Holy Communion.
- 3rd
Sunday - Songs of Praise;
- 4th Sunday - Holy Communion.
- 4th Sunday - Holy Communion.
All Services commence at 11.00 a.m.
There will, however, be a Joint
Service at St. Peter's on Sunday, 31st July, at 11.00 a.m.
Finally, all are welcome to the
Friendship Lunches held in The Globe, 12.00 for 12.30 p.m., on the last
Wednesday of the month.
Stuart
Neale
As you will see from the above, we are planning to serve tea, coffee and cakes daily in the Church during the Flower Festival, and are looking for volunteers to help us please. We are hoping for donations of cakes, scones, etc., and also help with serving for one or two hours. If you can help in any way, please contact Jean Pell on [01271] 883187. Thank you
4
By now you should all have received this your royal invite to the Village Tea Party to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday.
You are royally invited to a Bring and Share Village Tea Party on
Saturday 11th June 2016 at 2:30 pm
at The Manor Hall, Berrynarbor
to commemorate her Majesty the Queen's
90th Birthday
There will be a Royal fete hosted by Berrynarbor Primary School, musical
entertainment throughout the afternoon, a loyal toast at 4:30pm, followed
by a BBQ, bar and general roistering into the evening.
Please come suitably attired for a regal afternoon of fun - best frocks, hats,
handbags, crowns and tiaras or red, white and blue or even royal fancy dress!
Kindly Illustrated by: Thomas Walker
We do hope that as many of you as possible will attend and make this a really special Berrynarbor Day. Please spread the word and if you can help an elderly neighbour to attend by giving them a lift, so much the better.
All you have to do now is sign up in the Shop or School to advise what you will be contributing to the bring-and-share tea. Tea and coffee will be served but do bring stronger refreshments if you like. Volunteers to help on the day will be greeted with open arms. Please contact Becky Baillie on 07543248916 or Karyn Burgess 07885 781223 Co-Chairs of the School PTA, Karen at The Globe or Fenella Boxall on 882675.
On the day we encourage you to dress up in your glad rags or simply don something red, white or blue. The Pre-school will be running stalls for the younger members of the village in the afternoon and the School and Village Choir will be providing musical entertainment. After the Loyal Toast, the School Fete will start with fun and games for all. There will be a bar, BBQ and music during the evening to raise funds for the School.
We look forward to seeing you all there. Now just please cross your fingers for a glorious sunny day.
5
EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK CALLS ON CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
Exmoor Wild Watch Survey
If you spot any of the following
species, whilst walking on Exmoor, the National Park Authority would like to
hear from you.
- barn owl
- common blue butterfly
- cuckoo
- daubenton's bat
- glow worm
- harbour porpoise
- hedgehog
- kestrel
- red kite
- string of sausages lichen
- toad
- waxcap fungi
This is the third year of the Exmoor
Wild Watch Survey and it is one of the South West's largest Citizen Science
projects. The data collected helps
track the growth or decline of each species.
To submit records, visit
Exmoor-national-park.gov.uk/wild watch;
click on species seen and include details of where and when it was
spotted.
Or call the National Park Centre at
Lynmouth on 01598 752509. The organiser is Ali Hawkins, Wildlife
conservation Office at Exmoor National Park.
6
RURAL
REFLECTIONS - 74
One of my job roles is to monitor services provided to people
with mental health problems living in residential care. Each time I greet a resident I experience a
flashback to Saturday afternoons during my college years whilst living on the
Surrey borders in Banstead. Its
neighboring town, Epsom, is of course famous for a horse race that is one of
the highlights of the flat season and takes place just after this newsletter is
circulated. However, both towns had in
common a facility that had nothing to do with the sort of public recreation
provided by Epsom's racecourse. That's
not to say that recreation wasn't on offer;
but it was certainly not for public use.
There were five of these conveniences in the Epsom
countryside known as the Epsom Cluster and a lone offering on Banstead
Downs. All six provided a service that
was, in essence, set up so that the eyes and the minds of the London public
could pretend that a certain category of the human race did not exist: the insane [and, tragically, many other
classifications who were admitted on a permanent basis for reasons including
having an unattractive health issue or having found oneself in a situation
deemed morally unacceptable]. Like all
other mental hospitals, long term patients lived in what could be culturally
regarded as isolated, self-contained villages.
As an in-patient it was a natural progression to gradually forget the
outside world and know only of one's life within the hospital's grounds. Yet every Saturday afternoon as I handed a
cup of tea over the counter to another patient who had waited politely,
silently in the queue, I would notice a brief sparkle in their eyes; a glimmer of a dream of what could have
been. Instead, a life lost.
In many respects the principle of providing a service for
those deemed as unpleasant civilians or merely regarded as less fortunate, had
been around long before the aforementioned hospitals in the form of workhouses
and asylums. The subject of my last
article, John Clare, was admitted to an asylum in 1837 as a result of living in
desperate poverty; this despite having had a collection of his natural history
letters published. One can only wonder whether he would have gone on to publish
more had better support services been available.
Many of the old workhouse buildings can still be seen in
cities, towns and villages, now adapted for other purposes. South Molton's is a good example. Ironic, therefore, that their urban locations
were in contrast to the settings of the mental institutions. Yet it is their very situation that provides
a tenuous link with race courses; for
both were [or still are] providing services situated in a rural environment.
In the course of composing this article I have realised it
is Mental Health Awareness week and subsequently find myself bringing this
article to a conclusion that I did not set out to do - this happens a lot to
writers! On the radio they are currently discussing the sensitive issue of
abuse, something I have to be
aware of when carrying out my work role.
If I detect it, then I have to report it as a safeguarding concern. Some forms of abuse can be obvious whilst
others can be more subtle, such as emotional or institutional. I am pleased to say that to date I have not
witnessed this.
However, from a rural angle the concept of abuse becomes an
interesting matter; the extent and ways
in which we exploit our countryside is an emotive issue. Bringing both facets together, I shall leave
you with these thoughts. Firstly, if I
was a Reviewing Officer fifty years ago then what of those patients who would only
accept a cup of tea as long as I gave them permission? Would I be having to safeguard them from
institutional abuse? Secondly, if I was
employed in my post in Victorian times, based in Epsom and having to cover
rural issues as well, would I need to safeguard the countryside from the
construction of the mental hospitals - not just on physical grounds, i.e. a
change to the environment, but on moral grounds as well?
Stephen
McCarthy
South Molton Workhouse
Built 1837 as South Molton Union Workhouse, then became Beech House care home, then a honey farm from 1978 to 2019. At time of photograph in 2023 had recently been converted into housing.
Richard Kelly, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
7
8
REMEMBRANCE CROSS, BERRYNARBOR CHURCHYARD
Some years ago, the retiring
Secretary of our PCC, Marion Carter, arranged that a special granite cross be
erected in St. Peter's churchyard in remembrance of her mother, Daisy.
It was also Marion's wish that
any member of the parish who would like to place flowers - funeral or otherwise
- in the churchyard, they could put them around the cross.
The cross itself is located just
to the left of the church porch and next to a special seat donated by Jill
McCrae in memory of her husband, Iain.
Recently flowers were left
around this cross in remembrance of Edna Barber, and more recently for Ethel
Tidbury.
I am sure Marion would be
delighted to see beautiful flowers around this cross!
Stuart
Neale
9
MARWOOD HILL GARDENS
Open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Always something new blooming in the garden, delicious food in the Tea Room and special plants for sale.
Coming Events:
- Season Ticket Holders' Evening Walk around the Garden Wednesday, 8th June, 6.30 p.m. led by Head Gardener Joe Reardon-Smith
- Mutts at Marwood, Saturday, 4th June, 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Please help us to support Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and bring your mutt to meet Gaynor and Indigo. A tail-wagging sort of day!
- As You Like It - Outdoor Performance by Folksy Theatre Wednesday, 27th July Start: 6.30 p.m. This wonderful Shakespeare comedy about life, love, betrayal, faith and death will be filled with Folksy's touch of bold characters, live music, audience interaction and plenty of laughs. Not to be missed! Tickets - Pre-show: £13.50, £10 concession, £8 child £38 Family [2 adults, 2 under 16's] On Gate: £15, £12 and £10 - no family ticket available
For more information and to book, please ring [01271] 342528
10
BERRYNARBOR
MANOR HALL TRUST
New
Committee members
As
advised previously, all enquiries about hall availability and charges should
now be addressed to Alison Sharples,
and as we are moving towards using e-mail for most hall contacts, the best way
to contact Alison will be via alison_sharples@btinternet.com,
or if necessary tel. 882782.We are also pleased to advise that our new
Treasurer is Karen Coppin, who has now taken over from
Nora Rowlands. Karen will give her contact details on invoices etc., but
regular users have been advised separately how to get in touch when necessary.
New
booking conditions
Following
someone not paying the balance of their booking charge for a wedding reception
last year, we have reviewed our approach to all one-off events at the hall. In future all one-off events will involve
full payment to be made in advance, except where the booking is a long time in
the future. In the latter case a substantial deposit will be required to secure
the booking. We are also now asking for
a refundable breakages deposit to be made in all cases of adult parties and
wedding receptions. These changes will
not affect regular users.
2016 AGM
Please
note that the Manor Hall AGM will be held on Wednesday 29th
June this year, at 7.30 p.m.To make
best use of the evening we hope to combine the AGM with other updates on our
work.
Work to
the Hall this summer
As
stated in the April newsletter, we are still on track to carry out work to the
Manor House wing this summer - more details will be given when available. The work will mostly be to the old [medieval]
roof.
Major
constitutional proposals for the Manor Hall Trust
Again
in the April newsletter, we mentioned a proposal to convert the Manor Hall
Trust into a new type of charity known as a Charitable Incorporated
Organisation or CIO. These were
introduced by the Charities Act 2006 to help small charities deal with large
projects. At the moment the Manor Hall
Trust is an unincorporated body in law, which means it can't enter into
contracts as an organisation. Current
committee members, the trustees, would have to do so in their own name, and
have no limited liability as a result. In
other words, at present there are considerable personal risks involved which we
feel is an unfair and unacceptable situation, given the scale of repair and
improvement work required at the hall.
A
CIO is able to enter into contracts and gives its trustees limited liability,
and they have been introduced precisely to deal with this kind of problem. Not
surprisingly over 6,500 CIOs have been set up around the country over the last
three years given the advantages they offer.
There
is a process to follow in moving from the current arrangements to a new
structure, but the two buildings involved, the Hall and the Parish Room, would
legally remain held on the same trusts as at present, i.e. held on trust for
the benefit of the Parish. There would
be no difference in how the buildings are used or managed, and the same
committee members [trustees] would be in place.
PUBLIC
MEETING 7th June, 2016
However,
one particular change involved in the creation of a new organisation would be a
transfer of title to the two buildings from the Parish Council to the proposed
CIO. This request has been put formally
to the Parish Council who have taken appropriate legal advice and would now
like to give anyone interested an opportunity to hear more or ask questions at
a Public Meeting to be held at the
hall on Tuesday, 7th June at
7.30pm.People should attend at 7.00 p.m. if they
would like to read some relevant
background papers first.
A
general understanding of the issues involved would be helpful and more
information and correspondence can be read on the village website - see www.berrynarborvillage.co.uk,
Manor Hall news section, or look at the Parish Council's website, www.berrynarborparishcouncil.org.uk.
You will also find documents at the shop
and in the hall itself.
Manor
Hall Management Committee
11
BERRYNARBOR WINE CIRCLE
'A
bottle of good wine, like a good act, shines ever in the retrospect.'
Robert Louis Stevenson
We were grateful to taste only 'A Few of my Favourite
Things' from Brett Stephens, as recently he had been to a corporate wine
tasting, where 800 'things' were on
offer! Six is quite enough thank you!
His employer, Hallgarten Druitt, is one of the historic
names of the UK wine trade, importing wines from family-run producers for over
80 years. Novum joined HD in 2010.
Cava, not Prosecco, was Brett's initial offering. Spanish
bubbles is mainly from Catalonia; he believes that £ for £ it is much better
than Prosecco, as it's made the same way as champagne. He popped the cork quietly and uttered that
this should be 'no louder than a nun's fart'!
Our Cava Brut Seleccion had fine bubbles. +&+ is an unusual name, but points
towards its calibre; there were many mmm's
from the Hall. It's from Barcelona and
was £9.26 + VAT, or £11.11.
Cyprus is not renowned for its wine, but maybe in the future
- Petritis, 2014, a dry white wine crafted from the indigenous variet, Xynisteri,
grown in the Troodos Mountains. It had
partial ageing in oak barrels and was fresh and aromatic. At £12 including VAT, many thought that it
was good.
The third white caused lively reactions and it wasn't the
£20 price tag. Gewurtztraminer is a
Germanic grape synonymous with Alsace wines.
Ours was from the Alto Adige, Italy. A web site review described the Nussbaumer,
2014 as juicy and thirst quenching. Many said it was highly aromatic, smelled of
roses' and tasted of Turkish Delight!One lady member said it tasted like pot pourri
and didn't feel that you should be drinking it!
Yet others have sourced it via the net and bought some as it was their favourite!
The reds were cheaper and not so controversial! Gran Reserva, Echeverria, a Pinot Noir 2013
from the Casablanca Valley, Chile. The
label described it as 'Rich and elegant (with) aromas of strawberries, black
cherries (and) raspberries'. Dark rose
in colour, some described it as pale and deceptive for a red but very nice; others thought it was thin and tasteless. It was £10 + VAT.
Comte de Senejac a Haut-Medoc, 2011 bore an unfamiliar Gold
award label. Each year in Beaune,
France., more than 600 tasters worldwide attend the Feminalise Wine Tasting Competition.
Founder, Didier Martin, with 25-years'
experience, made a simple observation: 'The economical impact of women in the
wine industry'. The competition began in
2007 and went global in 2015. Last year
there were 3655 wines. Tasters numbered 688:
all experts and professionals working in the wine industry or seasoned
oenophiles. The Medoc, aged in oak
barrels was good and £14 ex VAT.
Petit Verdot from the Maipo Valley, Chile, produced
Chaski. It was dark, heavy, but it was
14.5%. Grown between Valparaiso and the
foothills of this famous mountain range, the alluvial soils produced a complex
wine with notes of red fruits, herbs, and spices;well structured, nicely balanced with soft
tannins too. We thought it was good, but
it was £20 ex VAT. A good act, but not
cheap, but Brett's 'Things' wouldn't be!
'Never
did a great man hate good wine.'
Francois Rabelais
Graham, Jeremy and Phil presented our first Men's Night, in
April. No showers just a good show. Four of the six wines came from Majestic's
easy access; however, the stars didn't and
were worth courier service!
Graham and Carol had eaten recently at an Ilfracombe
restaurant. They sampled a soft-pressed
grape wine. Hard-pressed grapes are the
usual component for wines: grapes, stalks and possibly leaves are pressed with
gusto. Soft-pressed means that only the grapes are picked and not squashed
completely as a balloon, within the tank, coaxes out the juice and less
tannin. Some experts believe that less
tannins means less chance of RWH - Red Wine Headaches. Majestic, Sainsbury and M & S were
contacted, but visiting Kent relations, a privately-owned Chiselhurst wine shop
produced the soft-pressed goods. This
white was an unusual mix of Sauvignon and Malvasia. The latter made it slightly sweeter than a
straightforward Sauvignon. The 2014 Il
Pumo, is an Italian wine from 'an Marzano in Puglia. It was £8.00 and would make an excellent
aperitif or go well with fish. His red, a 2013 Primitivo, also from San
Marzano caused a stir. Primitivo di
Manduria was a smooth, silky red, 14% and £14.95; however, some of us liked it so much that an
Italian supplier was contacted and Primitivo, imported from Puglia, is now in
Berrynarbor at £8 per bottle, quantity pays!
Jeremy's white and red were an Australasian Sauvignon and a
Pinot Noir. These are synonymous with
Marlborough, their signature grapes from the wine-growing area of South Island,
New Zealand and originate in the Wairau Valley.
The white, 2014, Goldwater Vineyard was £9. An
excellent Sauvignon, described by Majestic as rich yet fresh. Whereas, the single estate Pinot Noir, Ara,
almost 4 years old, reflected the purity of area, comes from the selected sections
of vineyard: Select Blocks. Majestic
write that this is smooth, fruity and complex.
It was £11.
France was the country of origin for Phil's white and
red. The 2014 Domaine Saint Ferreol
Viognier was barrel-fermented and came from near Montpelier, Languedoc. Majestic describes this as aromatic, rich yet
fresh, but some think Viognier can taste greasy. It was
£11.99 or £9.99 for a Mix 6. His red
was also from the same region: a 2012 Domain de Fabregues, £10.99 for a Mix
6. A Grenache-Syrah mix, it has won a
Wine Spectator award.
Our 2015-16 season ends on 18th May when as normal we shall
have a brief but informative AGM, followed by Tony Summers with The Wines of
Portugal.
Judith Adam
12
BERRY IN BLOOM & BEST KEPT VILLAGE
The Best Kept Village award was run by the Campaign to
Protect Rural England, CPRE.Berrynarbor has entered this competition for
several years and won on several occasions.
However, CPRE has not run the
competition for the last two years and has now announced that they are
launching a NEW competition called Our Outdoors and it is our intention to
enter this new competition.
From what I can ascertain the competition runs on roughly
the same lines as the Best kept Village competition so hopefully we'll stand a
good chance of winning.
I hope you all enjoyed the spring flowers in the tubs and
planters around the village.The show
began with hyacinths in March, then daffodils and finally a great show of
tulips still flowering in May.These
will be followed by the summer bedding that should flower right through till
October and be ready for the Britain in Bloom judging which will be on
Wednesday, 6th July, at 2.00 p.m.
We have held three litter picks so far this year.It is amazing how much is thrown from cars
and just generally discarded without thought and the first litter pick gathered
up about thirty bags of rubbish.The worst area is on the main road between
Diggers Cross and the top of the Sterridge Valley and took four people almost
two hours to cover.Getting rid of all this litter could be
difficult so we have been very grateful to Martin our 'road sweep' who collects
the bags and takes them to the tip for us.
He retired at the end of May and we thank him for all his help and wish
him a happy retirement.We welcome his replacement Mark and look
forward to working with him.
Our next two fund raisers are:
The
Sterridge Valley Open Gardens is on 26th June
We
hope you will all come and enjoy the gardens and the lovely tea served in the
Manor Hall.
The
Village Open Gardens on 14th August
Wendy Applegate
13
Mars
Bar Cake
This has got to be the easiest cake ever made, just don't
think about the calories and enjoy.
- 10x40g Mars bars or 9x45g Mars bars
- 2 free range eggs
- 60g S.R. flour
This quantity makes 1x 20cm cake but
double up the quantity and allow extra Mars bars for the icing and you have a
real show stopper!
- Put all but one of the Mars bars in a microwave-proof bowl
and microwave for about a minute in 20 second bursts until more or less
melted.Stir them to complete the
process.
- Beat in the eggs and flour to get rid of as many lumps as
possible.
- Grease and line a 20cm round tin with baking parchment.Scrape in the mixture.
- Bake at 180C/350F/gas 4 for 35 minutes.
- Cool in the tin.
- Melt the last Mars bar and spread over the top.
Wicked or what!
Wendy Applegate
14
NEWS FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL
Berrynarbor Parish Council
Adam Stanbury [Chairman] 882252
Jenny Beer [jen.beer@btinternet.com]
Julia Fairchild [882783]
Denny Reynolds [inskip828@btinternet.com]
Adrian Coppin [882647]
David Kennedy [07791 781283]
Clare White [882959]
Sue Squire - Parish Clerk - [01598 710526] sue@suesquire.com
County Councillor - Andrea Davis [883865]
District Councillors - Yvette Gubb [882364], John Lovering [john.lovering@northdevon.gov.uk]
Snow Warden - Clive Richards [883406]
April
Minutes
of the previous meeting were approved and reports given.The Chairman of the Manor Hall Trust
addressed the meeting regarding the proposal that the Trust become a Charity
Incorporated Organisation, on which Sian Barten was to seek legal advice.
Tenders
regarding the refurbishment of the public toilets were discussed but no
decision made although it was acknowledged that the work needed to be carried
out.
Planning
applications were considered and discussed.
DCC Public Rights of Way had awarded £300 towards the upkeep of Parish
footpaths. The two adopted telephone
boxes and defibrillator had been included on the insurance policy.
May
Adam
Stanbury and Sian Barten were re-elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman
respectively and Parish representatives elected as follows:
- Footpath Officer - Clare White
- Deputy Footpath Officer - Julia Fairchild
- Highways Liaison Officer & Tree Warden - Adrian Coppin
- Emergency Plan Officers - Adam Stanbury, David Kennedy, Adrian Coppin together with members of the village who would liaise with District Councillor Yvette Gubb
- Councillor to check Invoices for payment - Julia Fairchild
- Combe Martin & District Tourism Association - Jenny Beer & Gemma Bacon
- Berrynarbor Manor Hall Committee - Denny Reynolds
- Play Area Inspection - Jenny Beer
- Councillor to initially check Planning Applications - Gemma Bacon
- Finance Committee - Adam Stanbury, David Kennedy & Denny Reynolds
- Personnel Committee - Sian Barten & David Kennedy
Adrian Coppin was co-opted as a
Parish Councillor, bringing the Council up to full strength.The minutes of the previous meeting were
approved and reports given. The
proposal that the Manor Hall become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation was
again discussed.
The
Newsletter and Berry in Bloom were awarded £500 each and £200 given towards the
Street Party to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday.
The next
meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Tuesday, 14th June, 7.00 p.m. at
the Manor Hall.
Sue Squire - Clerk
15
NEWS FROM THE OLD SAWMILL INN
A big HELLO!We are Scott and Jenny Evans and together
with our boys, Aaron and Danny, have moved in to the Old Sawmill Inn.We are part of the local family business
that runs The Thatch and Billy Budds at Croyde and Cook Island at Mullacott
Cross, and are very excited to be in Berrynarbor.
The Sawmill is currently undergoing a
full refurbishment which, as these things do, is taking a bit longer than
anticipated. At the time of writing, we
expect to be open to welcome you all sometime in mid-June, but, Watch This
Space.
We should like to thank everyone for their
warm welcome and especially Karen for her kind words in the April issue of the
Newsletter. We look forward to meeting
you all soon.
Scott and Jenny
16
NEWS FROM BERRYNARBOR PRE-SCHOOL
Welcome back to the Summer Term trusting you all had a
lovely Easter break. We should like to
welcome all our new children and their families to our Pre-school and hope they
enjoy their learning journey with us.
Topic
of learning
We shall also be exploring the days of the week and our
seasons, observing the changes that occur in nature.This will include the stories of The Very
Hungry Caterpillar and Jack and the Bean Stalk.
Fundraising - We would like to say a big well done to
all our children for taking part in our sponsored Sports Relief obstacle
course.They all did extremely well
challenging themselves in balance, co-ordination and fitness.We raised £163.00 and the money will be split
evenly between the Sports Relief charity and ourselves.
With money previously raised through
various fundraising events, we have now been able to purchase 2 Kindle Fires
for Kids. This will improve our children's learning in technology and their IT
skills.
The Queen's birthday celebration - We are working with the local community
to organise a village party to celebrate the Queens 90th birthday. The date put
forward is Saturday 11th June with activities and events to be confirmed.Look out for posters.
Clothes recycling
- Men's, Ladies' and Children's Clothing
- Paired Shoes [tied together or elastic band around]
- Hats, Scarves, Ties, Belts
- Handbags/bagsJewellery
- Lingerie and Soft Toys
We are
Ofsted registered and in receipt of the 2gether scheme and Early Years Entitlement. We provide care and education for young
children between the ages of 2 and 5.
Please
visit us or call 07807 0903644 or email preschoolberrynarbor@gmail.com
for additional information.
From
all the staff at preschool, thank you for your support.
Sue,
Karen and Charlotte
17
LOCAL WALK - 156
A Devon Belle
A few years ago we were walking along
the coast below Trentishoe Down when we spotted a tiny pale blue flower at the
edge of the path. Just the one plant in
the vicinity of North Cleave.
I did not know what it was but when we
returned home I identified it, with the help of my trusty field guides, as the
Ivy-leafed Bellflower. [Some of the
smallest flowers have the longest names.]
The Ivy-leafed Bellflower - Wahlenbergia Hederqacea - is a scarce
plant of damp moors, heaths and peat bogs.
Flowering in July and August, it is a modest cousin of the Harebell but
nevertheless described as 'a little gem'.
Illustrations
by: Paul Swailes
I have a rather charming book [a jumble
sale find] published in 1946, Flowers of Marsh and Stream, in which its author
Iolo A. Williams considers it one of the 'most exquisite small bog plants, a
miniature beauty'.
He explains,
"This is one of those flowers which takes
some spotting, even when you know
it is there, and you may often not find it till you have knelt down on very wet
turf to search for it at short range "But once found it reveals a slender grace that is
entirely captivating. Among British bog
plants I would rank this small blue campanula as one of the very choicest things
..."
In subsequent summers when walking that
way, we always look out for Wahlenbergia
Hederacea but have never found it there again.This stretch of coast path has suffered a
lot of erosion and we assume that has caused the loss of this uncommon flower.
However, some years later we were
walking up the hill from Landacre Bridge, heading for the area beside the River
Barle between Sherdon Hatch and Ferny Ball, where Bog Asphodels grow, when we
were surprised to find patches of delicate Ivy-leafed Bellflowers creeping
about the roadside bank.
The Bog Asphodels we were expecting "sole
reason for visit" as Oscar Wilde said when he arrived in America and was asked
by a customs official if while in the US he intended to incite insurrection and
overthrow the
state], but the Bellflowers were a complete surprise.
Ferny Ball was the home of author and
artist, Hope Bourne who lived frugally in a caravan there, writing books on
self-sufficiency and the natural history of Exmoor. Regular Newsletter readers will recall
PP of DC featured Hope Bourne in her Movers and Shakers series in August 2011.
N.B. If you visit the churches at nearby
Withypool or Hawkridge, you will find Hope Bourne's sketches on the covers of
the church leaflets.
Sue H
18
QUICK QUOTES
"Summer Afternoon" two of the most beautiful words in
the English language.
Henry James,
1843-1916
"When the facts change I change my mind."
Maynard Keynes
"Life can only be understood backwards but has to be
lived forwards."
Kierkegaard
U and Non-U Tips
as given to Binkie Beaumont:
Words like 'nothing' may we say,
End with G and not with K.
Napkins, in the smarter sets,
Are not known as serviettes.
Also, these are not tucked in
Neatly underneath the chin . . .
Should you belch at lunch or tea
Never mutter "Pardon me".
Mark these rules and, if you can,
Be a little gentleman.
Noel Coward
20
GRAMMAR & SAT'S
It would be interesting to know how
many readers know their 'subordinating conjunctions' from their 'fronted
adverbials'?
No, and you've never even heard of
them. But as 6 and 7 year olds in 21st
century Britain, you would be expected to know and understand them!
21
SNIPPETS
The Collingwood Hotel was a feature of the Ilfracombe seafront for more than
130 years. Originally a terrace of four
boarding houses, it was named after the famous Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood,
Nelson's second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar. Now Wetherspoon's The Admiral Collingwood.
22
A DIFFICULT TIME
I go back to 1987 when there was an
enormous gale which caused havoc in many parts of our country.
Mary and Jack Robinson were a married
couple who lived in a bungalow in the rural village of Stock in Essex. Jack worked on the railway, whilst Mary did
a bit of cleaning for a few people to bring in some extra money for them to
enjoy.
However, Mary had to give this up as
she was in the very late stage of pregnancy.
They had just gone to bed when the gale
started. As the night wore on it got
stronger and stronger. The wind
whistled loudly; the windows rattled and
they could hear dustbin lids being blown around. They were worried when they heard trees
being snapped off and got down under the covers with the hope that it would
blow itself out by morning.
Waking around six-thirty, Jack got up and
looked out of the window. Things had
calmed down, but what was this?The
wind had brought down power lines and there were two cables right across their
front, completely preventing their way out onto their road.
It so happened that Mary being overdue
was going to have a Caesarean that very day but how were they going to get to
the hospital? One of the power lines
was about four feet up.
"Oh, please Jack, have you any
ideas? I've got to get to the hospital"
pleaded Mary.
"Well wait a mo," he paused, "Yes, but
I don't think you'll like it."
"Whatever it is, please tell me."
"Listen," Jack said, "Fred White along
the road has a cherry picker. Would you
be prepared to go in it?"
Mary, looking a little surprised,
hesitated for a moment before saying quietly, Yes, I suppose so."
"I'll give him a ring," Jack
replied. He looked up the number and
dialled it. When he told Fred the situation,
Fred agreed to come with his cherry picker.
Meanwhile, Mary got herself ready and
before long Fred arrived just at the same time as a man from the
Electricity Authority.
"Don't touch those cables!" he shouted,
"They're live. Our chap won't be able to turn the
current off for some time. He is too
busy with other jobs. What are you
doing?"
"Well," said Jack, "Our friend here is
going to lift my wife over the cables with his cherry picker. She is pregnant and must get to the
hospital."
The electricity man just stood there
with his mouth open.
When the cherry picker was lowered over
the cables, Mary got in and was easily lifted over the cables. Jack followed and soon the ambulance which
they had called arrived.
All went well at the hospital and Mary
gave birth to a little girl. The cables
had been removed and Mary and the baby were able to go home.
All three, Jack, Mary and the baby were
cuddled up on the settee when Jack and Mary said together, "What shall we call
her?" And then again together, "What
else but Cherry!"
Illustrations
by: Paul Swailes
Tony Beauclerk -
Stowmarket
23
RICKY BRAIN
In the February 2016 Berrynarbor Newsletter, you wanted to know what had become of the children, whose school photograph appears in the centre pages.
In the front row [second left] is Ricky Brain. From Berrynarbor School Ricky went to Edington School and Millfield School, both in Somerset, Middlesex University and Imperial College, London.
He now has his own business based in Russell Square, London, employing twenty people. He was presented to the Queen for Business Awards. Ricky's grandparents, Cecil and Dorothy Brain from Cheltenham, bought Watermouth Castle in the mid- 1950's and with their family spent 15 years restoring the castle.
Robert Brain, Father of Richard
24
BERRYNARBOR
HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW
A reminder that the Show this year will
be held on Saturday, 3rd September.
Subjects for the Art and Photography were given in the April
newsletter. Schedules will be available
for collecting from the Shop at the end of June.
There will be a change this year with
separate sections for Children as follows:
Section L Children's
Section [Must be child's own work]
Note:Please state age of child on the entry form
in years and months.
5 Years and under
- 51. Draw a picture of the
seaside
- 52. A decorated pebble
- 53. Four flowers in a jar
- 54. A collage picture [max.
A4]
- 55. A hand-made crown for a
queen
6-9 Years
- 56. Four gingerbread men [see
recipe]
- 57. A pasta picture on a
paper plate
- 58. A hand-made greeting card
- 59. A hand-made party hat
- 60. An animal made from egg
box/es
10-13 Years
- 61. Four squares of
Mars Bar cake [see Recipe]
- 62. A hand-made greeting card
- 63. A hand-made party hat
- 64. A pasta picture on a
paper plate
- 65. A model made from egg
box/es and yoghurt pots
1st place in every class will receive
points and the overall winner in each age group will receive an award.
Floral Art
Accessories allowed in all classes.Maximum space allowed for classes 1,2 and 3
is 16" x 16" x 18" High.
- Year of the English Garden
- By the seaside
- A table arrangement to be viewed all around
- In a Shell - miniature 6" x 6" x 6"
Please keep the
date free and give thought to what YOU can enter - crafts, flowers, fruit,
vegetables and, of course, home cooking!
25
NEWS
FROM OUR COMMUNITY SHOP & POST OFFICE
Post Office Opening Dates and Hours
Please note that the Post Office will be closed on the
following 2016 afternoons for closedown:
- 8th June - 6th
July- 10th August - 7th September
- 5th October - 9th
November - 7th December
The Shop and Post Office will also be closed on the following 2016 Bank Holidays:
- 29th
August - Christmas Day and Boxing Day
We are always happy to welcome new
volunteers to the Community Shop. If
you would like to join our happy band then please pop into the Shop and have a
chat with Debbie or Karen.
Being a
volunteer has many benefits, you can:
- Meet new people, make new friends, especially if you are new to the area
- Strengthen your ties with the community and strengthen your support network
- Increase your self-confidence
- Gain a sense of purpose
- Help keep good mental health
- Keep active
- Learn new skills
- Have fun and fulfilment
Summer Offer
COMPOST
1 bag £4.50, 2 bags £8.50 3 bags £12.50
26
NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
This
year seems to be flying by.We are already in the second half of the
Summer Term at school. The SATs are
behind us and we are enjoying a variety of sports and other outdoor activities.
The school garden is flourishing with
purple beans, peas, four different coloured beetroots, kholrabi, potatoes,
rhubarb and various cane fruits, all growing well.
In the April Newsletter we mentioned
that the school was fund raising for Sport Relief. We completed the sponsored mile run and held
a Bake Off competition. There were over
30 entries including superb, simple sponges, a selection of decorated, themed
cakes, and some delicious creations with the most amazing aroma and taste. The prize for the tastiest cake was won by
Laura Eaton whose flavoured cake smelt delightful and tasted delicious. The Rolo themed cake entered by Jed and Dillon
Haines was voted the best for presentation and design. Thanks to our judges, David and Eve Walker,
who sampled and tasted each entry, and to all the children who paid to cast a
vote for design and presentation.At the
end of the day, slices of cake were available to buy. We'd
like to thank everyone who supported the fund raiser in any way. Nearly £700.00 was raised for Sport Relief, an
astounding amount.
Elderberry
Class, our older children, are busy rehearsing their end of year Musical. It will be staged at the Landmark Theatre in
July so will be a true theatrical experience for them. Before
that, however, they will be off on their residential trip 'Rock and Rapid' for
an adventure packed with activities. It
will be a time to relax and enjoy each other's company after the hard work in
the run up to SATs. Year 6 pupils will
also be visiting their chosen Secondary Schools in preparation for the new
school year. We wish them well for the future but will miss them come September
as they have been very active within our school family.Some have run after school clubs for the
children in KS1 including gardening, Lego, movie night, science, ICT and party
games. Others have helped serve fruit
from the fruit bar at lunch times as well as reminding children of their meal
choices. They have been caring, helpful
and supportive towards the younger children and we are very proud of them.
Blueberry
Class, our Years 3 and 4, are also looking forward to their residential at Beam
House where they can be sure of an action packed time. Meanwhile our younger children in Key Stage 1
will be welcoming. Summer Club children
into their classrooms as they visit us prior to starting school in September.
At the start of a new term each of the
year groups from Year 2 through to Year 6 elects a girl and a boy to represent
them on the School Council which meets fortnightly. Before the Easter holidays our School Council
went to West Down School to meet with their School Council and the kitchen team
to discuss School Meals for the Summer Term. Here is a report from two of them.
'We talked about how healthy the menu
should be and discussed which hot and cold dinners would be suitable for the
summer menu. We added a fruit bar where
each day children can select portions of various fruits. We think this is a good idea as it helps with
water intake in the hot weather. We
tasted sausages and burgers from a new butcher. They were really good.'
As the
saying goes, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating' and the eating seems
to be going very well at school lunch times as the children enjoy the freshly
cooked meals prepared by Sarah Peach and her team.
Sue Carey - Head
Teacher
27
28
CYNTHIA JOLLY
Singer,
teacher and former resident of Bessemer Thatch
Cynthia
Jolly, born January 14 1922, died April 1 2016 was the daughter of Canon Jolly
who is remembered by some in the village as living at Bessemer Thatch until his
death in 1972.
Canon Jolly was
Rector of St Mary's Church Southampton but Berrynarbor was where he bought a
holiday cottage, Bessemer Thatch, where he retired to and where he died.He is buried in the graveyard at St. Peter's.
Cynthia came to
stay with us when we were running Bessemer Thatch as a guest house.By then she was in her eighties but still a
very lively, cultured and interesting lady. She obviously had fond memories of her childhood
holiday home and was interested in seeing what it was like in the 2000's.We spent a long time going round the house
and garden with her declaring things like, "Oh that is the room that nanny
slept in," and "My father planted those trees".Interestingly the one thing that has not
changed in the garden is the archway.
The second time she came she brought lots of old photos that
were very interesting showing her family - she never married - her father, her
three older brothers and her younger sister.
One of her brothers was Hugh Jolly the famous pediatrician.These pictures show the family standing at
the back of Bessemer Thatch when it WAS thatched, before the devastating fire
in 1937 when the entire roof and top floor were burned down.The
roof was changed to a tiled roof but the name Bessemer Thatch was never
changed.
Canon Jolly must have had good insurance as the house was
completely changed, especially at the back where gables and a balcony were
added taking away the simple cottage look and making it much more Tudoresque. On the
landing are two small old stained glass windows that look as though they may
have come from a church somewhere.
Cynthia told us that after her father died, she and her
sister had wanted to keep Bessemer Thatch as a joint holiday cottage for the
use of the family but in the end it was decided to sell. She was sad about that but was pleased to
have been able to revisit after all the years.
I read her obituary in the paper. She had
said she was a teacher and singer but she was being very modest as it was
obvious she had enjoyed international status having been part of the Hungarian
composer Zoltan Kordaly's inner circle performing Kordaly's collection of
native folk songs in their native language and performing as a singer at the
Wigmore Hall
Wendy Applegate
29
VISIT TO CHINA APRIL
2016
On 7th April Inge and I left London
Heathrow in the afternoon on a British Airways flight to Beijing arriving there
on the Friday morning. We had arranged
our visit through Let's Go Travel and China Links Travel. We were met at the airport by our Tour Guide,
Willow, and a driver who took us to Beijing Prime Hotel where we checked in.
We were then taken for a tour of the Hutong
area and a Welcome Peking Duck Banquet at One35, Beijing's most traditional
restaurant we were told.
Next morning, after an early breakfast we
were picked up at 8.00 a.m. for a long drive, 2.5 hours, on motorways,
sometimes five lanes in each direction, to visit the Great Wall, which we
finally reached by cable car. We were
able to walk along the top of the Wall and had excellent views of the hills.Returning to Beijing we enjoyed a
traditional Kung Fu Show.
The Great Wall
Kunming Lake
Next
day, having declined the 5.00 a.m. flag raising in Tiananmen Square, we were
again picked up at 8.00 a.m.Passing the
very large Tiananmen Square, we made a long visit to the Forbidden City.
For us
it was unbelievable in so far as you went through one huge palace only to find
the next, and this continued for at least a further eight palaces.
Forbidden City
Tiananmen Square
On the
fifth day we were taken to the Temple of Heaven to see Imperial China architecture
and activities in Chinese park life.
A visit to the Summer Palace was followed
by a relaxing cruise on Kunming Lake. After viewing the Olympic Village and
Bird's Nest Stadium we were taken to the airport for our flight to Xian. At Xian our new guide, Liz, met us and three other
English couples, and took us to our next Hotel.
The following morning, we were all
taken to visit the Terracotta Warriors. This was quite unbelievable with over ten
thousand life size statues of the Chinese Army made over two thousand years
ago.
We then visited the Muslim Quarter and taken
to watch a shadow play in Gao's house.
A Dumpling Dinner followed whilst watching the Tang Dynasty Show in a
very large Theatre - a colourful performance of traditional music and dance.
Day seven and we all made a visit to
the city wall in Xian, walking along the top for quite some distance. The wall is the most complete city wall to
survive in China. Our final stop was
made to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda to explore China's unique architectural
style. Four of us were then taken back
to Xian Airport for our next flight to Chengdu. There we were met by our next Chinese Guide,
Vivian, and driver and taken to our next Hotel.
Next morning the four of us were taken
for a full day excursion to the magnificent LeshanBuddha. The Buddha, built during the Tang Dynasty, is
carved out of the rock cliff face and is 233 feet high! Our first impression was from a river boat
trip taken before the long walk up to the head. The Buddha
is the largest stone Buddha in the world and is situated at the
confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers near Leshan. We also visited the ancient town Hunglongxi.
Day nine and after early breakfast we
were collected by Vivian and driver arriving at the Chendu Giant Panda Breeding
and Research Centre at 8.30 a.m., where we were able to see all the pandas
eating mounds of bamboo shoots. We
noticed how after their fill, they would vanish in to the trees or on to
benches and literally fall asleep. It
was a truly wonderful sight to see young and old pandas, there were well over
100, in such natural and wonderful surroundings.
Inge and I were then taken back to
Chengdu Airport for the flight to the vibrant city of Shanghai. Here we were met by our final Chinese Guide,
Darcy, and his driver, and taken to our final hotel. That evening we were collected and taken for a
cruise along the Huangpu River.
Next day, another early 8.00 a.m. start
before being taken to the Yu Yuan Gardens, centuries old the gardens with beautiful
pavilions, corridors, streams, courtyards and flowers.
A visit to the Jade Buddha Temples,
each sporting large and intricate sculptures of Buddha, followed.We were
then taken to visit the Shanghai Museum and had the only rain of the entire
visit and boy did it rain! Later we
visited the Shanghai World Financial Centre.
It was here that we had an
unbelievably quick lift up to the 90th floor before taking a further lift up
the remaining 11 floors to the viewing platform.From here we had a breathtaking view of the
whole of Shanghai, including the highest building in the world which was just
next to us.
Day 11 saw us visiting the ancient
water town of Suzhou with its history of over 1,700 years known as the Pearl
Stream.
Yu Yuan
Suzhou
Then it was our last day and we were
collected by Darcy and our driver and taken to Shanghai Pudong
Airport for our 11 o'clock British Airways flight to London Heathrow, arriving
at four thirty in the afternoon, exhausted!
Finally we should just like to say that
virtually everything has happened in China since 1991 and the changes from one
year to the next are unbelievable. When
we saw bicycles being used they were generally motorized and all the cars seen
on the crowded motorways were usually large Chinese, Japanese and German
models. No old cars were seen by us at
all. China has certainly exploded in to
this century!
Inge
and Tom Bartlett
30
THE BUREAUCRACY OF WASTE!
A Postscript
Having
read my piece under the above heading in the April newsletter, our good friend,
Judith Maunder, sent me a cutting from the I newspaper [19.4.16].It reported the following:
A gentleman
living in Faversham, Kent disgusted at the state of his town, spent two weeks
of his free time litter picking. At the
end of it, he took his bags of litter to the tip to be told, "You can't take
rubbish to the rubbish tip"[sic].
Astonished, he appealed to Kent County Council who agreed, claiming that
the tip could be used only for rubbish originating from the tipper's own
property. Anything from other places
had to be taken by "A licensed Waste Collector".
More to
the point, they said that by definition, "Litter waste has no specific origin
and by default could be hazardous;
members of the public should not be exposed to handling potentially
hazardous waste."
I think of the noble litter-pickers of
Berrynarbor. Perhaps we should equip
them with protective leather thigh-boots, flack-jackets, goggles and helmets.
Devon is
evidently not the only county afflicted by the Bureaucracy of Waste.
Alex Parke of DC
31
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
32
To help with the catering please let Sheila [01793 875510] or
Carol at Lee Lodge [883875] know if you are able to join the celebrations. Thank you.
33
MOVERS AND SHAKERS - NO. 63
JOHN PENROSE
[1575 - 3rd July 1624]
Woollen Cloth Merchant and Mayor of Barnstaple [1620]
John Penrose
Public Domain
Barnstaple Almshouse
As
I awaited my chiropody appointment in Litchdon Street, Barnstaple, I flicked
through a 2015 Devon magazine and hey presto!
From the pages leapt a photograph of the Almshouses just across the road
from where I was sitting. They were, I
read, the result of a legacy left by John Penrose, completed three years after
his death at the age of 49 and supervised in part by his father-in-law, Robert
Beaple. John and his wife, Anne, had no
children.
But here was definitely a 'mover and shaker'!
The twenty Almshouses built around a cobbled courtyard, each
accommodated two people of the same sex and all had a small allotment to the
rear.
The site included a chapel and board room - and woe betide
anyone not attending chapel "for a form
of Morning and Evening prayer [except such as from age or infirmity]", and
again at three o'clock on Sunday afternoons.
At the next Monthly Meeting, the Acting Trustees "shall deduct One Penny from their pay for each time of such absence and
that the sums so retained shall be distributed among the other people of the
house."That is a shortened form
of Rule 2 of 6, and no doubt if you couldn't read they would all be explained
in detail to you. In White's Devonshire
Directory of 1850, each resident also received "six shillings per lunar month".
No doubt John Penrose accomplished many other deeds during
his short life, but none would benefit the 'poor and needy' as much as these homes.They were allocated, to "poor people INHABITANTS within the Borough and parish of Barnstaple and
none of any other place"and mostly
to women. Each new mayor could choose
the first incumbent of his reign.
John Penrose was born in Fremington in 1575.He made his money as a successful cloth
merchant and exporter. In 1620, the
year that the Pilgrim Fathers sailed from Plymouth to New England, he became
Mayor of Barnstaple or put more quaintly by the stone carving over the entrance
porch:
"THIS
HOWSE WAS FOUNDED BY
MR JOHN PENROSE MARCHANT
SOMETIMEMA IOR OF
THIS TOWNE ANo DI 1627
Yes, 1627, three years after his death, was the year that
John Penrose's will was honoured. His
executors were to buy 'some convenient place' fit to erect an Almshouse.On the door supports at the entrance are
carved his coat of arms and initials, and underneath, an 'A' denoting that
Anne, his widow helped complete his bequest.
Only
fifteen years later, the Civil War broke out and by 1643 Barnstaple surrendered
to the Royalists.The town changed hands
4 times over the next three years and by 1646 the Roundheads successfully
recovered it. If you step into the
colonnade beyond the granite pillars and look left, you will see in the black
door of the Board room, the bullet holes made in the attack - and if you are
lucky, the caretaker [who was very helpful] will show you the bullets and small
cannon balls. [Apparently some years
ago a kindly volunteer painting the door, filled up all these venerable holes,
which then had to be opened up again!]
The Almshouses are now operated by Barnstaple Municipal
Charities, and the inhabitants are all tenants.
In the 20th century the properties were re-planned and some
converted into flats. Some of the houses at the rear have
been extended, and the 'two persons of the same sex' no longer applies!They are mainly occupied by couples and
widows, two of whom we met - attractive, friendly and helpful and certainly not
looking as if they were over the 'age-barrier'. It made us feel it was a good
place to live - if only we were Barnstaple folk!If residents can't or don't want to use
their allotments, they are let out to outsiders.The Almshouses are now Grade 1 listed and
being nearly 400 years old, demand a lot of upkeep.The granite pillars overlooking the street
need attention and so do the roof and cobbled courtyard.Funds are always needed and if you wish, you
can help by joining Friends of Penrose.
John Penrose is buried in Fremington Churchyard.On his tomb is the following inscription:
"Here
lieth the body of John Penrose, who was born in this Parish
but bred in the town of Barnstaple, where in the trade of Merchandize he
attained fair Estate and held Office as Mayor.
The greater part of his means he gave for the relief of the poor, to the
founding of the Almshouses and endowing them with lands for their perpetual
maintenance, and in testifying for the truth of his faith, by the bounty of his
charity. He passed hence into a better life, July 3rd in the year of Christ, 1624".
It would be a sad day if John Penrose's generous gift to
Barnstaple was to fall into such disrepair that it was lost to the town.
PP of DC
34
NEWS FROM THE GLOBE
We have just changed our menu here at The Globe: the evening menu has been spiced up a bit and our lunch menu will soon be available all day. We are now serving food until 10.00 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Food is served all afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays and during the Summer Holidays we shall be serving food from 12.00 noon until 10.00 p.m. with take-aways from 6.00 to 10.00 p.m.
Our Carvery is available 12.00 noon to 3.00 p.m. every Sunday with a choice of 2 meats, all the trimmings and plenty of delicious vegetables.
Our All You Can Eat Night for June is German, on Saturday 25th and then on Saturday 23rd July it's South African.
We have a variety of live music planned for the coming months including The Swingboat Duo [Jazz] on 18th June and The Umberleigh Bovver Boys [Skiffle] Friday 8th July plus Della & James, Old No7, Doubtful Origin and more . . . keep an eye on boards for dates and further music night details.
... and due to the popularity of the Curry & Drink for £10 nights during April, we have decided to carry this on Every Friday Night.
Children's entertainment is yet to be confirmed so check the boards soon, or look out for an e-mail if you're on the database.
We hope to see you here soon. Have a fun, safe Summer.
Karen and the Team at The Globe
35
AT-A-GLANCE DIARY
JUNE | |
1st | to 3rd June: Primary School & Academy - end of Half Term |
---|---|
7th | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. Public Meeting re. Manor Hall C.I.O, Manor Hall, 7.00/7.30 p.m. |
11th | Tea & Tiaras - Bring and Share Tea Party, 2.30 p.m. Manor Hall |
14th | Parish Council Meeting, Manor Hall, 7;00 p.m. |
22nd | St. Peter's Church: Gift Day |
23rd | Referendum Day - IN or OUT? Don't forget to vote! |
26th | Open Gardens Sterridge Valley, Teas from 3.00 p.m. Manor Hall |
29th | Friendship Lunch from 12.00 noon, The Globe Manor Hall A.G.M. 7.30 p.m. Manor Hall |
JULY | |
2nd | Summer Celebrations - Flower Demonstration, Manor Hall, 2.00 p.m. |
5th | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. |
6th | Britain in Bloom Judging, from 2.00 p.m. |
12th | Parish Council Meeting, Manor Hall, 7.00 p.m. |
16th | Ron's 100th Birthday Celebration, from 2.00 p.m. Manor Hall |
19th | Ilfracombe Academy: End of Summer Term |
22nd | to Monday, 25th inc. St. Peter's Church: Flower Festival Primary School: End of Summer Term |
27th | Friendship Lunch from 12.00 noon, The Globe Marwood Hill Gardens, As You Like It, Folksy Theatre, 6.30 p.m. |
30th | Bar-B-Cue & Pig Roast, South Lee, 7.30 p.m. |
31st | St. Peter's Church: Joint Service, 11.00 a.m. |
AUGUST | |
2nd | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. |
Manor Hall Diary | |
Mondays | Upholstery, 9.00 to 1.00 p.m.Craft Group, 1.45 p.m. Badminton, 7.30 p.m. |
---|---|
Tuesdays | N.D. Spinners [2nd & 4th] 3rd: Craft Art Group, 9.30 a.m. |
Wednesdays | Pilates Body Workout, 9.00 a.m. School p.m. |
Thursdays | Watercolour Painting 10.00 a.m. [10 week terms] |
Fridays | Toddlers Soft Play and Activity a.m. Primary School p.m. |
Penn Curzon Room | Pre-School: Daily - Term time only Morning Session: 8.30 or 9.00 a.m. - 12.00 noon Afternoon Session: 12.00 noon to 3.30 or 4.00 p.m. All Day: 8.30 or 9.00 a.m. to 3/3.30 or 4.00 p.m. |
Mobile Library | |
Village Shop: 11.40-12.10 p.m. Sterridge Valley: 12.25-12.55 p.m. |
School, Pre-School and Toddler Group - Term Time only
36
OLD BERRYNARBOR -
VIEW NO. 161
Berrynarbor Mill
This
month I have chosen two postcards published by William Garratt of Bristol
around 1903-1904 showing Berrynarbor Mill.
It is fitting to say that these are two of the first photographic
picture cards that Garratt took of Berrynarbor.The young lady in the picture is Mrs. Jewell
with her daughter, together with their dog which has a resemblance to the one
advertising His Master's Voice.
The upright card has a Berrynarbor
October 19th thimble postmark and was sent to Miss Hicks living in St. Judes,
Plymouth, from her mother Em Hicks living in Berrynarbor.
Mill Park House was originally the Mill
and Mill Park Cottage the farm house built in 1671*.The deed tithe records of 1841 indicate that
a miller and maltster live in the farmhouse.
In William White's 1850 History, Gazetteer and Directory, we are
informed that Jane Dyer is the corn miller.
We are also informed that there were 899 inhabitants in Berrynarbor,
which had a total of 4,958 acres.
Harrod's Directory of 1878 indicates that John Jewell was baker and
miller. Kelly's Directories of 1883,
1889, 1890,
1895, 1897 and 1902 all indicated that John Jewell was Miller [water], Berry
Mills.
Then Kellys of 1939 shows James Chugg
as farmer, Mill Park Farm, indicating the mill was no long used as such.The mill's cast iron overshot wheel was 20
foot in diameter and a very wide 5 foot in width.
It is interesting to note that during
World War II, the Pipe Line Under the Ocean, PLUTO, operation used the water
power of the mill*. Both the farmhouse and the mill were
converted to residential accommodation in 1946*.
*Watermills
in North Devon 1994- John Gale and Others
Tom Bartlett
Tower
Cottage, May 2016
e-mail: tomandinge40@gmail.com
37