Edition 18 - June 1992

 
Artwork by: Debbie Rigler Cook

THANKS

To all the people of Berrynarbor who kindly helped me to raise the money to go to Lourdes at Easter, thank you very much. The trip was a complete success - one of the most touching weeks of my life so far. Although it was hard work looking after the handicapped children, it was a very fulfilling experience and a real eye-opener to life. It puts one's own worries in life into perspective.

I went to Lourdes with a group of students from college and was placed in a group to help both physically and mentally handicapped children. Each day we took the children to see the sights in and around Lourdes - the Grotto, the Baths, etc. on several occasions we simply took them to a forest and the village of Garvania up in the mountains, where we had fun and games which the children thoroughly enjoyed.

Once again, thank you for making such a rewarding experience possible.

Fiona Duncan

1

THE DANCING CLASS

 

In response to the picture of Miss Harris's dancing class in the April issue (see the article in edition 17 here) , two interesting letters have been received.

• "I was most interested to see the photograph of Miss Harris's dancing class in the April Berrynarbor newsletter, as my father, Willy Harding, and aunt, Bessie Harding, are in the photograph. My aunt perhaps is remembered by some as Bessie Stephens.

  I can remember both of them talking of the dancing class and the fun they used to have, particularly as Miss Harris insisted that they were dressed correctly.

  I do not know the exact date of the photograph, but I do know that it would have been before 1914. My father was in the North Devon Hussars and was in the Army before the First World War broke out. He was 24 In 1914 and from the photographs I have of him then, and the photograph you reproduced, he looked much younger, so I would think that the date is not not much later than 1906 when he would have been 16."

  Dorothy Grinnall
  Horsham, West Sussex

• "Re the photo of the dancing class in the April newsletter, I think the date was 1909 when Jim Ley was 18 years old [the youngest of the Ley family] . The unknown member next to Fred Richards I believe is Vida Hicks.

  The dancing classes were held in the Temperance Hall that was situated at the back of Orchard House. It was owned by the Church and no alcoholic drinks were consumed. Fred Ley became so good with his dancing that he helped Miss Harris teach until he married in 1912 and moved to Braunton. The Rector also held Bible Classes for young men in the Hall. Many went on to serve in the 14-18 War, Jim Ley being one.

  I think there are ruins of the Hall still visible."

  Vera Lewis [Ley]
  Epsom, Surrey

2

UNITED REFORM CHURCH

Services are now held at 6.00 p.m. for the summer months. Do come and join in worship - we should love to see you.

A COFFEE MORNING with stalls, raffle, baked goods [in aid of Chapel Funds] will be held on Thursday, 25^th June in the Manor Hall, 10.30 to 12.00 noon. Please come and support our fund-raising efforts.

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BERRYNARBOR W.I.

A well attended April meeting had Mrs. Skinner - Federation Home Economics Committee Chairman - as the Guest Speaker . She enlightened many, especially newer members, as to how the finances are dealt with by the Federation, and of the many other Committees. There were two entries for the flower arrangement - Doris Upton and Olive Kent - and a prize was given to both. Thanks for having a gol

12 members attended the Kentisbury Group Meeting on the 27th April. A wet and windy night was not very encouraging but the atmosphere awaiting us made up for any discomfort, and the speakers - Martha and Ned - were excellent, a laugh a minute as Martha recaptured the Devonian scene. We did not do too well in the competitions, but thanks to Kath, Jean and Doris for their efforts - it's the taking part that's important.

At the May meeting, resolutions for the national W.I. A.G.M. in Bournemouth in June were discussed and voted upon. Arrangements were made for the Ilfracombe Victorian Week, when members will be visiting the Museum in costume. In July, it is proposed to have a W.I. Supper at Marwood after visiting the Gardens. Joan Wood won the competition for a buttonhole at her first attempt - well done Joan!

An Open Evening is planned for 18th August when Kath Arscott will be giving a slide show of her visit to the Galapagos Islands, together with stalls and exhibits. Admission will be 50p and proceeds to the Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. Please make a note of the date and meet the W.I. for a special evening's entertainment. The June meeting will see Miss Linda Dark speaking to us on the Growing Year at St. John's.

Vi Kingdon - President

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MANOR HALL MANAGEMENT TEAM

wanted : wanted : wanted : wanted : wanted : wanted : wanted : wanted

TWO MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE as soon as possible. Please contact Vi Davies (882696) or any team member if you are interested. We are a small, but active team WORKING for your village and VILLAGE HALL please come forward.

HELP, HELP AND MORE HELP! with the Berry Revels Event to be held on Tuesday, 28th July, 6.00 to 9.00 p.m. at the Manor Hall. This is the BIG fund raiser of the year for hall funds, so everyone's assistance is needed. You can help in several ways. Just to mention a few:

Can you:

• Help set up the event?
• Donate any item [or money] for prizes?
• Run a Stall [or assist someone else run a stall]?
• Distribute posters or run the raffle?
• Help with the Bar-B-Q or donate potatoes?
• Donate bric-a-brac/ help buy needed supplies?
• Sell tickets at the Gate?
• Bake an item for the Cake Stall?
• Donate a bottle for the Bottle Stall?

By everyone working together, this can be a REAL VILLAGE EVENT. Please offer some help - it can't succeed without YOU. Contact Joy Morrow [882531] , Ginny Neale [882447] or Vi Davies [882696].

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COUNTRYWAYS - LAVENDER BOTTLES

Lavender Bottles will last for many months and the scent will be very strong each time the bottle is pressed. Left in drawers to freshen clothes, it is also said that they will keep the moths away.

The bottles can be made by tying a bunch of lavender heads together and weaving ribbon through the stems. The stems must be fresh cut, with the flower heads only just opened. The best and most aromatic variety to use is Old English lavender [lavendula officinalis], the stems of which are long and sturdy and the flowers very sweet-scented.

Tie about 18/20 stalks together, just below the heads, with a piece of wool and then bend the stalks back over the heads. With a narrow piece of ribbon, about one and a half yards and leaving one end loose [this should be sufficient to tie one half of a bow], start to weave with the other end, going over and under every two stems, pulling the ribbon firm as you go. Carry on until the heads are covered and there is enough ribbon left to tie the other half of the bow. Tidy up cutting the stalks . Note: If you wish to weave over and under every stem, an odd number of stems [19/21] MUST be used.

 
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes

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BRITAIN IN BLOOM & BEST KEPT VILLAGE

Yes, once again we have entered these events. Judging the blooms is usually mid-July [18th]. We are in need of additional funds this year due to unforeseen expenses, so we have two boxes for donations - one in the Post Office and one at the Butchers. Please give what you can, every bit helps. We hope to retain the cup for small villages of our size.

Please help us to be the Best Kept Village by keeping your own properties tidy and pick up any LITTER WHEN YOU SEE IT, NO MATTER WHERE. Does anyone have any spare time to help paint the benches on the corner of Barton Lane? Please contact Joy Morrow [882531].

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BADMINTON

The Badminton Club has finished for the summer and will recommence on Monday, 7th September. Any enquiries, please contact Mary Hughes [882580].

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GET WELL

We are pleased to hear that Mrs. Goodwin is home again following her fall down the stairs and a three-week stay in hospital. We hope that she continues to improve and wish her well.

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Sally Billett on qualifying as an RGN at the Torbay Hospital, Torquay. Sally began her nursing career at Torbay, where she qualified as an REN. She has also qualified as a Registered Orthopaedic Nurse at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Wonford, Exeter, returning to Torquay to sit her RGN examinations. Sally is currently a Staff Nurse at Torbay.

Also to be congratulated is Louise Walls who has been training as a nurse at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, where she has qualified as an SRN - one of the last to do so before the new RGN and REN were introduced. Louise is currently nursing on the orthopaedic ward but is looking for a change of hospital in the near future.

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LOCAL WALKS - 12

"Then roller into roller curled and thundered down the rocky bay,
And we were in a water-world of rain and blizzard, sea and spray.

The threatening skies failed to produce rain, as we made our way down to Rockham Bay on a mild May morning. The downs, on which the sheep and Iambs grazed among the bright golden gorse, shimmered with bluebells.

As we approached the sea, a flock of swallows swooped low, glinting metallic blue-black. Out at sea several cormorants were swimming and diving and fulmars could be seen, gliding with straight unflapping wings, mottled fawn and grey. This bird, gull-like in appearance, was once confined to St. Kilda, where it was a source of meat and oil, but in recent times it has been increasing in numbers and distribution around the British coast.

Further on, as we climbed towards Bull Point, a delightful sight awaited us - a pair of wheatears flitting about the short turf in the company of a linnet and a stonechat. The wheatear is an elegant summer visitor with a pale silver-grey back, dark wings and buff plumage beneath a conspicuous black eye-mask.

Beside the path leading back to Mortehoe, alkanet was in flower. A tall plant with bristly hairs and small, very deep blue flowers, it was introduced to this country by monks as a dye plant. [A red dye is extracted from the roots.] Along the lane alexanders, with yellow-green flowers, was prolific and a yellowhammer, perched on the fence, was almost camouflaged.

On returning to Mortehoe, we were pleased to find St. Mary's Church unlocked, as we always enjoy visiting it. There is a window depicting four angels in the Chantry of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Catherine. It is set at an unusual angle, pointing inwards, so that the light shining through it is cast about the church's interior in fragments of colour.

There are some stained glass windows in the Pre-Raphaelite style [look out for 'The Light of the World'], very elaborately carved pew ends and a mosaic over the chancel arch. As we emerged, we were greeted by a friendly tortoiseshell cat which had been sunning itself in the churchyard.

Sue H

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SHARE-A-POEM

I am very grateful to Margaret Doughty of Mortehoe, a member of Ilfracombe U3A, who has sent me two of her favourite poems, one of which is:

Night is on the Downland

John Masefield

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ST. PETER'S CHURCH

We are planning a Musical Evening ag part of the Flower Festival, on the Monday, 3rd August. May we please have offers of flowers and donations for the Festival - promises to the Churchwardens, Betty Davis in particular, or myself.

Preb. Eppingstone

The stonemasons have just finished repointing the outside of the south wall of the church and the PCC are ready to make a concerted effort to clean and polish the woodwork inside - doors, pulpit, pews, etc. Work should already be underway as you read this, but, if anyone has time to spare and has not yet volunteered to help, more hands will be most welcome. Please contact one of the churchwardens or any member of the PCC.

On Thursday, 18th June, a coffee morning will be held at Chatsworth, Barton Lane. Proceeds to help meet expenses for the Flower Festival. We shall be glad of gifts for the draw and cakes for the cake stall and there will also be a plant stall. Start at 10.30 and finish about 12 noon.

Our last coffee morning, held on Election Day, raised a profit of £93 towards church funds. Our grateful thanks to everyone who contributed.

Betty Davis & Mary Tucker

13

BERRYNARBOR PARISH COUNCIL

May I take this opportunity to thank once again the Parish Council for their continued generous support with financial help towards the cost of producing the newsletter. Funds at present look very healthy, but a coffee morning may be on the cards for later in the year. [J.W.]

For the new Council year, Councillor Len Coleman has been voted in as Chairman, with Councillor Graham Andrews as Vice-Chairman.

The Parish Council has found it necessary to close the playground for the time being, until the Parochial Church Council have had repairs carried out to the unstable walls. Hopefully this work will be commenced in June and completed by early August.

The Parish Council has made arrangements for a skip to be available in the village [car park] for the disposal of bulky household waste during the following week-ends commencing:

Friday, 13th November & Friday, 12th March

Please make a note of these dates

I am very honoured and pleased to be your new Chairman of the Parish Council. I shall, with the Council 's support, do all I can for the good of the village and would ask you not to hesitate to contact me with any queries or problems, which I shall do my best to sort out. I am available at most times on 883763.

Len Coleman

14

GOOSEWELL GONE-BY

There used to be a carpenters workshop at the top end of Goosewell. It was owned by the Ley Family, John and Tom Ley. Soon after this photo was taken, John Ley became Bailiff for Watermouth Castle Estate, and from then on Tom Ley took over the business.

It was a busy workshop where carts and butts were made, as well as ladders, wheelbarrows, etc.Tom Ley was the village Undertaker and the coffins were hand-made. He was also a farrier. In the field opposite, they worked a sawmill with a steam engine for sawing planks from trees that were brought from the Watermouth Estate.

 

The people in the photo from left to right:

• Harry Slee, Albert Jones, John & Tom Ley, the Ley's grandmother, taken on her 90th birthday. [1901]

I hope people living at Goosewell might find this interesting.

Vera Lewis

15

COLLEGE VICTORIAN FAYRE

Ilfracombe College Parent Teacher Association will be holding its annual Victorian Fayre on Sunday, 7th June, on the sea front, as part of the town's Victorian Week celebrations.

The Fayre will open at 10.00 a.m. and there will be something for the whole family throughout the day: games for children, numerous stalls with a Victorian flavour and all the fun of Victorian capers. There will also be stalls of cakes, books and plants and attractions and bargains too numerous to mention! In addition, there will be live entertainment, such as The Cloggies and the College Choir.

Roll up for all the fun of the Fayre

16

NORTH DEVON HOSPICE CARE TRUST

Combe Martin & District Friends' Support Group

Our very grateful thanks to all who supported "The Hidden Edge of Exmoor" slide show on 4th April.

Our next event is the Sixth Annual General Meeting to be held at the Community Centre [Church corner] Combe Martin on Thursday, 4th June, at 7.30 p.m. when the speaker will be Mrs. Barbara Cecil, who runs our North Devon Day Care Centre

A warm welcome is extended to all.

Una Parsons - Secretary

17

MUDDIFORD & MILLTOWN MORRIS MEN

The Muddiford & Milltown Morris Men will be in our area on the following dates. It is hoped that many visitors and locals will come out to see them.

David Duncan, a stalwart of the Morris Men, would like to ask the men of the village, both young and not so young, "Would you like to try Morris dancing? " Its great fun!

If anyone is interested or would like to learn more about this old English custom, please give Dave a ring on 882141, he would like to hear from you.

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OLD BERRYNARBOR NO. 17
Bowden Farm, Berrynarbor

 

This seemingly rare photographic postcard of Bowden Farm has the following printed on the reverse:

"John Jewell, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, was born here In 1522, educated Barnstaple Grammar School and Merton College, Oxford; 1560 appointed Bishop."

Bowden Farm is situated at the South East end of the Sterrage Valley, overlooking Ruggaton Farm, where, of course, the present Bowden Family has been farming for several generations.

John Jewell, undoubtedly the most celebrated person from Berrynarbor, was born on 24th May, 1522, and died as Bishop of Salisbury at Monkton Farley, Wiltshire, on 21st September, 1571, in his fiftieth year. After receiving his early education at Kentisbury Rectory, he went to Barnstaple Grammar School, where a fellow pupil, Thomas Harding of Buzzacott, Combe Martin, first became known to him and who, at a later date, was to become one of his greatest opponents on Church matters. At the young age of 13, he was sent to Merton College, Oxford, and only 4 years later was elected a scholar of Corpus and gave ear to the Reformers and became a Protestant, winning great renown as a preacher. However, on the accession of Queen Mary [1553-58] - a devout Catholic - his religious opinions brought him into trouble and he was expelled from his college and fled to Germany. After 4 years of exile, he returned when Elizabeth I took over as Queen [1558-1603]. She appointed him Bishop of Salisbury and had so high an opinion of his learning that she ordered a copy of his "Apology for the Church of England" to be placed in every church in the kingdom, alongside the chained copies of the Bible. He served as Bishop for approximately 11 years, until his death in 1571. He was buried in his beloved Salisbury Cathedral.

A famous wooden screen, which had been in Bowden Farm since that date, and which was totally worm ridden, was removed some 10 to 20 years ago for preservation by specialists in Exeter. I understand that this was with the approval of both the PCC and the Parish Council and I am sure we should all like to hear of its present whereabouts and state of condition?

Tom Bartlet
Tower Cottage, May 1992

19

STAR TREK

"Oh Good! It's only two days after the full moon; plenty of light! They won't plan a walk on the open moor in the dark; too dangerousl "

We were wrong on all counts, but five [O.K. it should have been four, but these are inflationary times!] intrepid members of the Ilfracombe Walkers, four of whom came from the metropolis of Berrynarbor, checked in at Hunters Inn at 7.45 p.m. on a wet, windy and pitch black night.

Already barely recognisable in waterproofs and hoods, we had to prove possession of a torch (spare batteries, of course), O.S. walking map, compass, first aid kit, reflective arm bands and survival bag. Oh dearl What had we let ourselves in for?

At 8.00 p.m., not a second before, we received our first A4 sheet of instructions and map references. By 8.01, the sheet on which we had to answer questions about the route, was a soaking pulp and our map had been torn in half by the gale. It didn't help that the first section of path was too new to be on the map anyway. We plunged soggily into the darkness. I made a mental note to eat more carrots!

Being the first to leave [others followed at intervals until midnight], we had no glimmer of torches ahead to guide us; not that is until we had lost our way, our compass and our confidence in our ability to map read. Then a party passed us - running! We were right after all, still on the trail but already so punch drunk that Yvonne didn't recognise her own son who was one of the runners.

At the first check point we handed in our sheet, now a lump of papier-mache without any answers on it. Did we want a rest? No thanks If we stop now we will never get going again! But after that our confidence increased, only mildly weakened by squelching for half a mile, ankle-deep in mud and temporarily losing the trail.

We celebrated being back on it with bacon butties and hot chocolate and brandy in the car park at Lower Bumsley. We wondered what their self-catering guests made of the 260 idiots who would slosh past their windows in the storm between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. that night?

Fortified, we set off up a steep narrow track through the woods. Luckily we had chanced to walk that way only about ten days earlier. We had said then, "They couldn't bring us up this precipitous path at night, could they? " Oh yes, they could! Then after another spell across open moor, we found the second check point. On the final stage of the first half, Kathy, farmer to the core, found the strength to unite a lost Iamb with its mother.

We got back to base at about midnight, to be revived with soup [in my case water, as if there wasn't enough about] and a hot dog. Feeling the need, I borrowed Kathy's back support, but in fumbling to wrap it round my soggy middle while standing in the loo, I dropped it down the pan where it became even wetter than I was. Oh well, my soggy scarf was transferred from neck to middle, and we set off on the second half.

The well-known track from Hunters Inn to Woody Bay has never been muddier or windier and we were blown round in record time. We lost the way over Martinhoe Common and George and I needed to pass each others legs over the stile to get to the road. We added another half mile to the scheduled 13 [was that all!] but eventually reached the wind-blown Landrover that was the check point. It was no joke to be marooned in one of those for hour after hour in such conditions, but all were cheerful and encouraging.

From there we joined a melee of lost souls searching for a bridle path that had been spirited away, but by various paths, hampered by horizontal sheets of hail, we finally regained the safety of base camp. Congratulations... photographs ... the ninth team to return safely, battered and soaking, but unbowed.

We learned eventually that our overall placing was 43rd out of 60, but then we hadn't filled in any answers to the route questions. Still we had made it, and we felt that we should have been in line for the geriatric medal.

There is no need to give the team surnames, you must all have been badgered by one or other of us for sponsorship during March, and thanks to everyone's generosity, our team was able to add £365.80 to the grand total which will be in excess of £8000 gathered in by the Rotary Club of Ilfracombe, who, of course, did all the organisation. They will divide this sum between the Children's Hospice S.W. and the Hospice Care Trust [North Devon].

Lessons learned? Yes, of course. Game for next year? Definitely! Alex is already practising his anti-rain and storm dance.

PP of DC

20

BERRYNARBOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

After almost nine very happy years as Headteacher of our village school, I shall be leaving at the end of this term to take up a new post as Headteacher of South Molton Infants School. I should like to express my thanks to the people of Berrynarbor for their friendship and support during that time. I've appreciated the offers of help in the work of the school and the cheery waves and chats in the street which have made me feel a welcome part of the community. My thanks to you all.

The building work - to give us indoor toilet facilities - will begin shortly. The work is to be done on a very restricted site and we hope that the village will suffer as little inconvenience as possible. There will be a time in the autumn when you'll be invited to view the improvements.

The School Fete will be on the evening of 21^st July at the Manor Hall.

My successor in the Autumn Term will be David Chaplin and I should like to take this opportunity to wish him well in his new post. I am sure you will make him as welcome as you 've made me.

Pam Cruse

21

NEWS FROM THE COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCIL

We are pleased that members of Berrynarbor Parish Council are going to inspect the new parish recycling centre in Combe Martin. It takes glass bottles, aluminium cans, newspapers and magazines, food tins (rinsed out please) and silver foil. It is housed in a wooden hut next to the car wash in Kiln Car Park, on the seafront, and is operated as a partnership between the District and Parish Councils and South Molton Recycle.

After waiting a number of years for a bottlebank, it was one of the things made a priority for the District Council and already 16 parishes - a quarter of North Devon District - have parish recycling centres. They cannot work without the help of parish councils and that is why we welcome Berrynarbor Parish Council 's interest. Presently it is a round trip of about 50 miles to dump Berrynarbor's rubbish, so it is important to recycle as much as possible.

We support the Parish Council 's planning application to turn Claud's Garden into a small, informal open space and this has now been approved. The Parish Council will decide what it plans to do next, but we hope it will be a pleasant, quiet spot, in the village centre, for villagers and visitors alike. A new District Council scheme to encourage parish councils to undertake their own small enhancements could provide up to £500. We hope this will promote more small parish schemes rather than the large ones which, so far, have only benefited Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.

It was helpful that the Parish Council supported calls for a study before a licence is granted to dredge up to 17m tonnes of gravel over the next 20 years from the Bristol Channel. Cllr. Lorna Bowden pointed out that Berrynarbor has a coast which is important to. Congratulations to new Chairman, Cllr. Len Coleman - he takes on a busy time.

Mike Knight [882692] Peter Spencer [882634]

Don't Forget!

Until such time as we have a permanent recycling centre, all the items mentioned above may be taken to the area outside the Penn Curzon room on the FIRST WEDNESDAY of EVERY MONTH [next date, 3rd June], before 11.00 a.m. for collection by South Molton Recycle.

Anyone who cannot get up on the Wednesday, may leave items on the Tuesday evening. Please leave them as tidily as possible and make sure that newspapers, etc., are covered [plastic bin liners] to prevent them getting wet or scattered.

22

JULY WITH THE POETS

Contributed by: Marion Billett

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AT-A-GLANCE DIARY

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