Edition 36 - June 1995

 
Artwork by: Debbie Cook

THE RED DEER

The Red is Britain's largest native deer, often found in private parks, but the true wild herds are only found in dense deciduous forests in Scotland, Devon, Somerset, the Lake District, New Forest and parts of Ireland. The males [stags] and females [hinds] live in separate groups, but in the late summer they collect together, usually under the leadership of an old hind. During the rutting, or mating, season, the stags challenge each other by roaring and fighting over the hinds, the strongest male collecting the largest harem.

A single calf is born in early summer and the spotted fawns are, for the first few days, hidden in the bracken by their mothers. The hind is smaller than the stag which, when mature, is about 48" at shoulder height. The brown-grey winter coat turns reddish in summer. Only the male carries antlers and these can grow up to 28" with many points, or tines. Antlers are solid, bony appendages of the skull, developed each year and shed after the rut. The growing antlers are covered in blood-rich skin called 'velvet'. Mainly browsing animals, red deer eat young shoots and leaves of trees and shrubs, but will also eat nuts and fruit.

There are some 53 varieties of deer worldwide and 10 species in Europe. Native to Britain are the red, the fallow, the roe and latterly the muntjac. The fallow, whose coat is usually brown with white spots can, like the red, be found in parks, but wild herds are mostly in the south and east. The females are called 'does' and again the calves are born singly. Twins and sometimes even triplets are born to the roe, the smallest of our deer. The muntjac came originally from Asia and was first introduced to the Woburn Estate about 1900. Escapees, now on the increase [they give birth every seven months], are responsible for causing crop damage and even destroying many of our wild flowers, especially bluebells.

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THANK YOU

We would sincerely like to thank all our relations and many friends of Berrynarbor for sending us so many messages of sympathy, telephone calls and kindnesses shown to us at the loss of our Mum. Our most grateful thanks to the two Johns, Ivan and Bill for their services as Bearers, which was Mum's wish. Sincere thanks to all who gave donations in her memory to the Cancer Care Centre at the N.D.D.H. which amounted to £300. Many, many thanks to you all.

June and Gerry

The family of the late Mrs. Hilda Melhuish would like to thank everyone for cards, letters, messages of sympathy and all who attended the funeral. Our thanks for donations for the Tyrrell Hospital League of Friends in her memory.

Vera and Tom Greenaway:

May I express my sincere thanks to all the Residents of Berrynarbor who voted for me at the North Devon District Council Election on 4th May, and for all the support and help I received during the campaign.

I am sorry I was unsuccessful in winning a seat on the Council, but again many thanks for your confidence in me.

Sincerely,

Maureen Lovering

Thank you to the Ladies who supported my Fashion Day Invitation and who raised £185 for the Church.

Good wishes,

Margaret Andrews [Hon. Sec.]
St. Peter's Parochial Church Council

Many apologies for the delay, but nevertheless my thanks to everybody who contributed to my sponsored Startrek Walk. The final sum raised was £60 and I thoroughly enjoyed the event notwithstanding the mud which made it heavy going in places! I have always wanted to see Badgeworthy by moonlight, and it was up to expectations. Finally, I must make the point that the turnout of the younger generation, boys and girls, was magnificent. If we ever, in the future, have another national emergency like 1939-45, rest assured they would emulate their parents and do their duty.

Peter West - Hilarion

I should like to say a very big thank you to all the kind and caring folk who sent so many lovely cards during my sojourn in hospital. Grateful thanks, also, to those staunch friends who so diligently shopped, cooked and kept the house tidy both whilst I was away and during my convalescence: how could we have managed without you? Lastly but by no means least, thank you to Ron Toms who took over the toilet cleaning. You did a super job, Ronnie.

I hadn't realised how many good friends I'd made in Berrynarbor - your help greatly aided my recovery. Thanks one and all.

Grace

We should like to thank everyone who has shown such care and concern over the last few months.
So many of you have supported us over the time I have been off work, it would be impossible to list you all, but please understand how grateful we are.

I intend to go back to work, all being well, at the start of June. At least that will give me a chance of a rest!! Thank you.

Peter and Mary-Jane Newell and Family

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BERRYNARBOR W.I.

In April, a well attended meeting greeted Mr. Michael Hesman, who enthralled everyone with his slides and talk on Exmoor. Kath Arscott was just the right person to give the vote of thanks, being such a keen photographer herself.

Twelve of us visited East Down for the Group Meeting on the 26th April, and we were duly impressed with the refurbishment of the Hall. It was a most entertaining evening, Margaret Pover finding even more exciting stories to tell from her air hostess days. As always, the refreshments were superb. We were not successful in the competitions, but all credit to Edna Barnes and Win Collins for their efforts - as for 'Yours Truly', there is a lot still to be learned about Soap Sculpture! The exhibits just had to be seen to be believed - really exquisite.Thank you all for your support.

So many absentees on the 2nd May - illness claiming some - meant a smaller gathering to greet our visiting V. C. O, Mrs. Sheila Hale, a most charming and interesting lady who talked us through the Resolutions for the A.G. M. with time to spare to enlighten us as to County plans for the 75th Anniversary. A Garden Party by the bandstand in Ilfracombe on 10th September sounds fun, and I shall give more details as I get them.

Our guest speaker for June will be the Rev. Jim Bates who will show slides on Victorian Ilfracombe. This will be our last meeting in the Hall until September, so final arrangements will be made for our trip to St. John's Nursery on the 4th July, and the Summer Coffee Morning on 16th August.

Happy holidays and a successful season.

Vi Kingdon - President

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ST. PETER'S CHURCH

Mary Tucker

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SUNDAY SCHOOL

The Sunday School collected their Palm Crosses from Preb. Eppingstone in church on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday, Katie and Peter came to Berry Home and created the most beautiful Easter Garden ever - it was made with much love and care - but the difficult part was transporting it to the church without mishap! This was achieved with a lot of "up a bit, left a bit, down a bit, mind the step and do you know the garden's on my foot? - No, but if you hum it I might remember how it goes", etc., etc.!!

The Easter Sunday Service was a joyful time. The Rector had hidden Easter Eggs around the church, which all the children had to hunt and find, each hiding place being significant to the Easter message. The children really do understand now why Easter Eggs should be hollow, and the meaning of New Life.They were presented with more eggs by the Rector and I was very proud of one member who quietly gave her egg to a little handicapped boy in the congregation.

We're now back in full swing until the summer holidays and we welcomed a new member last Sunday, Eleasha McDonald, who has recently moved with her family to the Village.

I should like to thank Charlotte and Jacqui for their help and support whilst Joy is away and also the offers of help from Ann Hinchliffe when she is free from her many other church duties.

Having talked of eggs, this quotation is very apt: "Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket and counting your blessings before they've hatched."

Sally B

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ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE

Elder is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to Europe [including Britain], North Africa and Western Asia. It grows wild in woods, scrub or wasteland and is often thought of as a weed. Flowers, in bunches, open in June and fruits, which ripen in August and September are especially rich in Vitamin C. Both the flowers and fruit may be used in making drink - the berries for wine and the flowers for champagne.

• 7 Heads Elderflowers
• 1 1/2 lbs Gran. Sugar
• 2 tbs. White Wine Vinegar
• Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon [not white pith]
• 1 gallon Water

Put all ingredients in a plastic bucket or bowl. Leave for 2 days and then bottle in screw topped bottles. Ready in 3 weeks.

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FOR SALE

YAMAHA A505 Electronic Organ:

• 2 Keyboards - Bass Pedals - 9 Organ Voices. 12 Auto Rhythms. Walnut cage with matching stool. £195.00 o.n.o. Telephone: [01271] 882491

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CROSSWORD CORNER
David Beagley

Solution in Article 32.

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H.A.P.P.A.

I should just like to say thankyou to everyone who attended the Easter coffee morning in aid of H.A.P.P.A., the Horse and Pony Protection Association. In all we made £120.00. The Easter Bonnet Competition was won by Peter Hiscox [see Peter and his prize-winning hat below], Guess the name of the Hamster was won by Connie Crone, a sister of one of the helpers.

I would also like to thank everyone who helped in any way. Dawn Pearson kindly came to do the face painting, her son, Gregory, the raffle. Lucy Roberts did 'pin the tail on the pony' , which was won by Ann Davies. Katie Gubb was on the jewellery stall and was helped by Connie Crone, Connie's elder sister Sophie donated some cakes and sweetpeas and her mum, Liz Crone, who is a whizz on a sewing machine, kindly made some duffle bags which we sold. James Martin let us use his hamster, Eric, for one of the games and he also ran the stall. Vi Davies worked hard in the kitchen making teas.

As I have said earlier, all the money raised will go to H.A.P.P.A. who help neglected horses, ponies and donkeys. Their mascot, "Rags", when first rescued had maggots in her leg.

Lots of horses who come to H.A.P.P.A. are nervous, wounded and some will never trust humans again, some even die. Can we afford to let this happen?

Anyway, thanks to everyone who attended or helped.

Jan Davies 

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BERRYMANIA

Last issue Terry Babbington shared with us a picture of the Hunt outside the Globe [more of this later] and for his second contribution, he has sent a postcard of the funeral of the Late Capt. C. N. Bassett R.N., February 6, 1908.

 

This is a photographic postcard published by E. Grattan Phillipse of Ilfracombe. It was posted in Berrynarbor on 13th February, 1908, and addressed to Miss E. Slee, Burrow Lodge, Ilfracombe, from her mother, who presumably lived in Berrynarbor. Does anybody know who Miss Slee was, where in Ilfracombe Burrow Lodge is, and what was the nature of Captain Bassett's death? Can you recognise any of the people pictured - perhaps the old gent in the middle with the white beard?

Although it is a sombre subject, it is a smashing picture of the funeral attendees at the rear of the church. The police appear to be in attendance [I wonder why], and the only lady in the picture is the one in the large hat on the far right. Does anybody know who she is?

If anyone can help me in any way with these queries, I should love to hear from you, or have a word with Judie Weedon.

Terry Babbington
38 Park Road, Thundersley, Essex, SS7 3PP
[01268] 758757

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To the Small Celandine
William Wordsworth

Pansies, lilies, kingcups, daisies,
Let them live upon their praises;
Long as there's a sun that sets,
Primroses will have their glory;
Long as there are violets,
They will have a place in story:
There's a flower that shall be mine,
'Tis the little Celandine.

Ere a leaf is on a bush,
In the time before the thrush
Has a thought about her nest,
Thou wilt come with half a call,
Spreading out they glossy breast
Like a careless Prodigal;
Telling tales about the sun,
When we've little warmth, or none.

As our 'Local Walker' tells us in the last issue, the lesser [or small] celandine was Wordsworth' s favourite flower, as, with its bright shiny early flower heralding spring, it is to many folk.

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HATCHED

Greetings and congratulations to the following new arrivals and their parents:

• The 22nd March was weighing in day for young Radford, 8 lb 13 oz - a son for Wendy & Fred Chugg of Keypitts Farm.
• Baby Benjamin Vellacott [8 lb 2 oz] arrived on the 28th March. Ben is the son of Sandra and John and the fourth great-grandchild for Kathleen Norman.
• Boys are in! Rachel and Miki Sprosen had a 7 lb 15 oz boy, Jedd Hamnell, on Easter Monday, grandchild No. 3 for Jenny and David Taylor.

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MATCHED

With six weddings in April and May, and more to follow during June, July and the rest of the year, St. Peter's Church has been a happy and busy place! Congratulations and best wishes to you all for your future health and happiness.

On the 29th April, Gail and Graham Davis celebrated their marriage at Barnstaple Registry Office with a blessing at St. Peter's. Gail, who comes from Cambridge, and Graham, son of Betty and Reg, live here in the village where Graham was borne. An 'old boy' of the Primary School, Graham now works as a motor engineer for Motorhaven.

Don and Edith Ozelton, of the Old Sawmill Inn, were delighted to give their daughter, Karen's, hand in marriage to Mr. Sean Watts of Ilfracombe, at St. Peter's on the 6th May. The reception was held at the Victorian Restaurant, Ilfracombe, and Sean, son of Vic, & Beryl Watts kept the honeymoon destination a secret until the wedding day! Karen and Sean, now enjoying themselves in Amalfi, Italy, will be living in the cottage at Sawmills.

V. E. Day celebrations took on a different meaning when Dorne, eldest daughter of Jim and Sandra Jackson, married Andy Satchwell from Ilfracombe. Dorne, who is a care assistant at the Susan Day Home, and Andy, a barman at the Fortescue Arms, Mortehoe, live in Ilfracombe. Panic was averted, when the zips of the bridesmaids dresses went, by Jim's neat sewing! They were 'stitched in' for the dayl

On the 13th May, Sarah, daughter of Dot & Lionel Adams of Lower Trayne Farm [just on our Parish boundary] married Roger Mortimer of Brendon. Sarah is a riding instructress and Roger works for Warwick's. They will start their married life living in Brendon.

The 19th May saw a truly international wedding! Tanya, eldest daughter of Jill and Rainer Jost, and Mark Hill of Brisbane, were married at St. Peter' s. Mark is now working in Fiji, where he and Tanya will be living, at least for a while. Guests came from all over the world - Australia, Fiji, the Solomon Isles, New Zealand, America, South Africa, Europe and, of course, Berrynarbor!

Brian Boyd and Angela Hawkins celebrated their wedding at the Civic Centre, Barnstaple, on Saturday, 20th May. Angela, who comes from Barnstaple, met Brian at the office of the Inland Revenue, where they both work.

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MAYTIME

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WIN'S GARDEN PARTY

You are invited to relax and enjoy the delights of a Strawberry Tea in the beautiful country garden at Win Sanders' home, The Lee House, on Wednesday, 28th June.

Tickets are available from either Win or Ray Ludlow at £2.00. All proceeds will be donated equally to the Tyrrell Hospital League of Friends and the North Devon Conservative Association, Berrynarbor Branch.

If wet, this event will be held in the Manor Hall.

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THE MEN'S INSTITUTE

On Friday, 18th March, a very enjoyable evening was spent at the Annual Snooker Trophies Presentation.

Awards were presented by the Chairman, Gordon Hughes, and winners were:

John Huxtable

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OF THIS AND THAT ...

Goodbye and Hello! Farewells have sadly been made to Rita and David Duncan and family who have returned north to Yorkshire, but we extend a warm welcome to the Parkers who have moved from Ilfracombe, and also moving in from Ilfracombe are Sally and John Baddick and their daughters, Kirsten and Hannah. Many will already be familiar with Sally through her very successful Demi Dance School and John, an avid motor-cyclist, is in the Police Force, stationed at Ilfracombe. A warm welcome, too, to Alan and Pat Robinson and their daughter, Eleasha.

We hope you will all be very happy here in Berrynarbor.

Congratulations to Elaine Gubb on successfully completing, as part of the Ilfracombe College team, the gruelling Ten Tors 45 mile expedition. Elaine completed the 35 mile expedition two years ago.

Good Luck to all students from the Village who are either about to start, or have already started, their 'A' Level and G. C. S.E. examinations, and those university undergrads taking their end of year or Finals exams.

Badminton Club has now finished for the summer. The Club will recommence on Monday, 4th September.

Happy Birthday and very best wishes to Bobbie Hacker on making it FOUR score years and ten!

Sincere Thanks to Joy Morrow who, after ten years, has stood down from the Manor Hall Management committee. Joy has done so much for our village and her keen interest in the Parish properties and organising skills for so many events will be missed. Thank you, Joy.

The new Manor Hall Management Committee, under the Chairmanship of Brian Mountain, is Vi Davies [Secretary], Lorna Bowden [Minutes Secretary] , Ginny Neale, Ann Hinchliffe, Pat Sayer and Dave Beagley, the new booking clerk.

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OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW NO. 35
"Man Harrowing Field" - Combe Martin

 

This view shows what many villagers may believe is Ron Toms in charge of a pair of horses harrowing the field which now forms the land on the Berrynarbor side of the Sandaway Camp site. The card was produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons as one of their many "Real Photograph" postcard series and is postmarked 19th August, 1931. I am grateful to Terry Babbington for the loan of the card from his collection and on showing it to Ron and Gladys, they at first thought it might be Ron. However, when I showed them the date, Ron told me that to the best of his knowledge, the man was Jack Williams and the fields at that time formed part of Newberry Farm. The road to Combe Martin is in the top right-hand corner and the gate to the field immediately in the right foreground, where part of a cart can be seen. If anyone, especially farmers, have any photos or postcards of old farming or village activities, I should be really pleased to hear from you.

Tom Bartlett
Tower Cottage, May 1995

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LOCAL WALKS - 30
"Blue remembered hills"

May is bluebell time in the Heddon Valley! In the woods, drifts of them shimmered beneath the trees. More formed translucent patches of blue along the water meadows. The botanist, Richard Mabey, suggests "there is no sight in our whole island flora which can match bluebells en masse". They were also an inspiration to the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins who described their "falls of sky-colour washing" over the ground.

On a more prosaic note, the natural 'glue' derived from bluebell bulbs was used to stiffen Elizabethan ruffs.

As I looked up references to the Heddon Valley and to bluebells, I kept coming across superlatives for both and without a visit to this beautiful valley at this time of year, such claims could seem grossly exaggerated. A friend sent me a 1934 edition of a guide book to Barnstaple and North Devon, which she'd unearthed in an East Anglian second-hand shop. This is what it says about Hunter's Inn and Heddon's Mouth: "The scenery in this district is generally considered the most romantic in Devon and it is impossible to over-praise it."

The River Heddon ripples over boulders along its narrow valley, with water meadows alongside. Where it reaches the sea at Heddon's Mouth, the steep sombre grey scree slopes, rising to 700ft with a gradient of 7 in 10 in places, contrast with the wooded slopes near Hunter's Inn. Beside the path leading down through the oak woods a pretty mixture of late spring flowers bloomed; yellow archangel [it's country name 'weasel-snouts'], wood sorrel and shining cranesbill - the pink geranium lucidum.

But this changed as we approached the shore. There were a few clumps of thrift and sea campion but the slopes become so abrupt that vegetation is sparse.

Just above the little pebble beach is a restored lime kiln, a round structure in which limestone was once burnt with coal - both brought over in coasters from South Wales - for use on the land, to "sweeten" the acid soil. In return, the coasters took pit props back to Wales.

In Henry Williamson's "Tarka the Otter", Tarka spent a week at Heddon living in this disused lime kiln. While there he witnessed a stag and three staghounds crash down the scree onto the rocks, ravens and buzzards alighting to take advantage of the fresh carrion before the huntsmen arrived. Wisely, Tarka slipped quietly into the sea to avoid the onslaught of men and dogs and that night sat on a rock to eat conger before moving on to Great Hangman.

As we returned along the other side of the river, there were glimpses of dippers and a grey wagtail. Croziers of bracken were breaking through and the new ferns were unfurling; shiny green fronds of hart's tongue fern, used by the old herbalists as an astringent for burns.

We had noticed patches of flowers which from a distance appeared to be the white form of the bluebell. However, on closer inspection we found that the white bell-shaped flowers were arranged on three-sided stalks and instead of the scent of wild hyacinths, they possessed the tang of onions. This plant was the 'triangular garlic' .

It was a bank holiday weekend and the weather was warm and sunny and even the presence of all extra visitors, enjoying the walk, could not detract from the tranquility of the place.

Illustrations by: Paul Swailes

Sue H

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SHARE-A-POEM
West Country Poets ... by Birth

PATRICIA BEER
Festival

The village holds a summer festival
Red robes go down the street in the sun.
 
Dance in time now you are medieval,
Men hidden in hobby horses, green men in bushes.
 
Golden corn-dollies make you women fertile,
Blue-eyed bellringer peal you to a wedding.
 
Children and schoolteacher, stomp round the maypole.
Do not forget how to unwind the ribbons
 
The church still stands at the centre of it all.
Vicar, say there will now be a short service.
 
Four-year-old-boy, exclaim 'A circus?', joyful.
It is years later than you all think. Oh, be careful.

 
Illustration by: Nigel Mason

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THE HUNT

Terry Babbington's photograph of the Hunt meeting outside The Globe stirred up memories and thanks to Brenda Layton, Sylvia Berry and Ivy Richards, we now have more information.

The Meet, the only time anyone can remember one taking place in the village, was in the autumn of 1958, and it was the Dulverton West Foxhound Pack, under the Joint Mastership of Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Smythe of Orswell, Stoke Rivers. Such a special occasion merited a treat for the children at the primary school, who were taken by their teachers, Mrs. Cowperthwaite and Muriel Richards, to see it. Their photograph [below] on the church steps as the hunt moved off, and the photograph outside the Globe, were taken by Brenda's husband who, with Brenda at that time ran the village shop.

 

Sylvia rode with the hunt, as did Ivy's husband, Ivor, who felt that he should at least find out what hunting was all about. The weather, it is understood, deteriorated during the day and Ivor declared afterwards that it was his first and last hunt - all he had got was a wet behind!

Brenda believes that they hunted at Woolscott Cleave and Smythen Quarry before going further afield, and her daughter, Cheryl, who was then 11, rode her pony 'Nipper' , together with Brenda's brother Brian and Betty Richards' niece Bobby Mason.

Thank you, Brenda, for the photograph and for the following: "Cheryl, mounted on Nipper, is just in the picture. I am on the left next to Miss Muriel Richards, who was teaching at the school. Mrs. Cowperthwaite, the Head Teacher, is on the opposite side, next to her is Sylvia Berry with her mother, Mrs. Fry, in front and Heather Jones behind. Betty Richards is holding Clive, and Michael is the lad in the centre. I recognise several of the children, including June and Betty Greenaway, Sonia Bowden, Pamela Brookman and John Sidebottom. I am sure others will be able to name many more."

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TOOTSIE

I wrote a little article a few years ago about Tootsie when she was a year old. [Newsletter - August 1991]

Tootsie is our Jackdaw. Although we had her from a tiny baby - when she was rescued by our friends Inge and Tom from their hearth, having fallen down the chimney - she is still with us. She stayed at home for the first six months or so, but from then on she has had the best of both worlds.

She flies with her friends and roosts with them at night, except for the occasional night when she stays in and goes off early in the morning. She is in and out of the house all day, to feed from her tray and to trot around the house making a mess and tormenting the dogs as well as me.

It's nesting time again and she's either getting her nest ready or perhaps helping out another Jackdaw friend. I put cotton wool balls around and she's delighted with them; she pulls them to bits and goes out looking like Father Christmas with a long, white beard! She pulls wool from the dogs' blankets and even sits on Alf's and my shoulders, tugging away at our jumpers for fluff. It's really quite comical until she pecks a bit too hard!!

 
Bet and Tootsie

We understand her ways and noises, we even know what she wants to eat from her antics. She has her favourites like butter almonds, cheese and even salt.

When she eventually goes at nesting time, I always worry because she goes for a few days before coming home and then we wait for her to bring her babies to see us. They don't venture indoors, thank goodness. We love Tootsie, but one Jackdaw a time is enough!

Bet and Alf Turner - Watermouth

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Admission 50p - Reduced rates for Children and Senior Citizens

The Museum warmly welcomes new members particularly to help with the care and conservation of our collection, or to man the Museum through the season. For more information, please contact the Secretary [882636]

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MAN ALIVE!
A Hilarious Farce by John Dighton

Pavilion Theatre, Ilfracombe
Tuesday - Thursday, 27th to 29th June, 8.15 p.m.

Studio Theatre's summer production is this highly amusing farce set in the shop window of Hathaways, a large department store in Oxford Street, on the opening day of the New Year's Sale. Shop employees prepare for the onslaught of shoppers, blissfully unaware that the dummies they pose and dress are talking about them ... then a triple strength sun lamp is turned on, with disastrous and hilarious results.

A thoroughly entertaining evening at the theatre for all the family

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THE DECIMAL GAME

Contributed by Marion Billett

Suggest another word, which must contain TEN for the following: [e.g.  Frequent - Often)

Answers in article 30.

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QUICK QUOTE

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

Sir Winston Churchill

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AT-A-GLANCE DIARY

30

Decimal Game Answers

31

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

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EDITORIAL

You will, I am sure, have noticed the work of another new talented artist! My thanks to Nigel Mason who was cajoled into illustrating Patricia Beer's second poem in the series, and I think you will agree that we have struck gold again! My continued thanks to Debbie for another delightful cover and to our other artists, Peter Rothwell and Paul Swailes. My thanks, too, to everyone who has contributed to this issue.

V.E. Day was one of Remembrance and celebration in the village. About sixty people attended the short service and observed the two minute silence at the War Memorial, and the Square was the scene for afternoon celebrations with tea and an impromptu concert - much to the amazement and amusement of passing visitors lucky enough to witness a re-run of 'If I was not upon the sea'!

The Church is both the spiritual and social 'centre' of our village, making a unique setting for so many events - weddings, concerts, flower festivals, etc. - so please DON'T forget Gift Day and give generously to maintain its upkeep.

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