Devonshire January February 19

DIGITAL MAGAZINE 

JANUARY & FEBRUARY 19

Valuations 

Valuations 

- Insurance and Probate Valuations 

- Home Insurance Visits and Probate Valuations 

- Specialist Home Visits Valuation Days 

- Specialist Valuation Days 

2 

Bonhams 

The Bonhams Lodge 

Southernhay The Lodge West 

Exeter Southernhay West 

Devon, Exeter EX1 1JG 

Devon, EX1 1JG 

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* Prices shown include buyer’s premium. Details can be found at bonhams.com 

* Prices shown include buyer’s premium. Details can be found at bonhams.com 

ENQUIRIES 

A WILLIAM IV SILVER-GILT 

ENQUIRIES 

01392 425264 

A TWO-HANDLED WILLIAM IV SILVER-GILT 

VASE BY 

01392 exeter@bonhams.com 

425264 

TWO-HANDLED PAUL STORR, LONDON VASE BY 1831. 

exeter@bonhams.com 

bonhams.com/exeter 

PAUL Sold in STORR, London LONDON for £20,625* 1831. 

bonhams.com/exeter 

Sold in London for £20,625*

Whittaker 

Commercial 

New Build 

Refurbishments 

Extensions 

Project Management 

I would like to thank you all for 

your hard work and effort. The 

finished product is superb and a true 

representation of everyone’s input. 

Paul Rose Architect, MRM Design Studio 

01404 43340 

enquiries@njwhittaker.com 

www.njwhittaker.com 

Unit 1, Gt Western Business Park, 

Devonshire Road, Honiton, 

Devon EX14 1TA 

BUILDING ON A REPUTATION 

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What’s on in Devon 

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COMPETITION 

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identify the location in the 

photograph at the top of 

this advert. Just email your 

answer to: letterbox@ 

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published in the next issue 

of Devonshire magazine. 

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RICHMOND 

INDEPENDENT 

richmondindependent.co.uk 

PROPRIETOR 

HELEN MULVANEY 

BA(HONS), Dip M, DipPFS 

Tel. 01395 512166 

Beech Royd Bennetts Hill 

Sidmouth Devon 

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4

Guest Editor 

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL 

Catherine Tate once said, “if you give up drinking and smoking, you don’t 

live longer - it just feels like it”. If your January is resolvedly dry and 

abstemious after all the Christmas excess, it can be a long, miserable 

month, to be trudged wearily through. There’s Yuck Monday (7th 

January) and Blue Monday, officially forecast as the most depressing 

day of 2019 (21st January). By mid-February - I don’t know about you 

- but I’ve had enough of the dark, cold, grey days. I can be lethargic 

and listless, (and I envy fellow mammals that can hibernate). I long 

for Six Nations Rugby, and spring, light, new life and colour. Even the 

beautiful East Devon countryside seems dull and lifeless, in sympathy 

with the prevailing mood. 

But, you may say, aren’t vicars supposed to cheer us all up with a bit of 

hope ?! 

And we certainly could do with a bit of hope for 2019. What with 

political crises, Brexit, an overstretched NHS, and, most of all - with 

plastic pollution, global warming, alarmed conservationists, floods 

and fires, wars and famines - 2018 didn’t bode well for the future. Of course, there are many who do 

their utmost heroically to give hope to the earth - researchers, volunteers, conservationists, recyclers, 

environmentalists all around the world. And the movement to recycle more and act responsibly 

continues to grow (maybe that’s among your New Year resolutions). But continuing human greed 

and political obstinacy results in depressingly little change. We need a new earth. 

Do you ever wish we could start again ? Do you ever dream of a new world without pollution – and 

without terrorism and famine, sickness and injustice, pain, sorrow, and death ?? 

And here’s the hope ! In nature, the recreation we long for happens every year ! Yes – it is dark, dull 

and lifeless now - but we know in spring the natural world revives with light, new life and colour. 

We don’t doubt springtime - it’s a certain hope. It won’t disappoint us. And spring is a sign of God’s 

intention to do something new with the earth. Moreover, Jesus during his earthly life miraculously 

took away pain and suffering, evil and injustice, sickness and death. He said, “take a look – I’m making 

all things new.” The Bible describes such a dream world as a real world - promised by God, started 

by Jesus, giving real hope. Amazingly, you and I are invited to join in. We can be remade – a fresh 

start and a new way of living is ours to receive, and on demonstration (very inadequately) at a church 

near you. Why not resolve to find out more this year ? 

Rev’d Steve Weston 

Otter Vale Mission Community 

OFFICE 01395 513383 

letterbox@devonshiremagazine.co.uk 

Beech Royd, 6 Bennetts Hill, Sidmouth EX10 9XH 

Production: Charlotte Fergie - option 2 

charlotte@devonshiremagazine.co.uk 

Sales: Nigel Jones - option 1 

nigel@devonshiremagazine.co.uk 

ISSUES 

Jan, Mar, May, 

July, Sept, Nov. 


@devonshiremagazine 


@devonshiremag 

DISCLAIMER The publishers of this magazine are not responsible for any costs, loss or damage suffered by any person, persons, or company as a result of any advertisement or article in this magazine. Adverts are accepted on the 

understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given by the owner for use in this publication. The opinions and comments 

expressed are purely those of the originators. We do not endorse any products or services advertised within this magazine. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that information is correct, the publishers take no responsibility for 

any errors or omissions. Any person or persons undertaking the circular walk featured within this publication does so entirely at their own risk. If you take children or dogs on the walk, they will require supervision. We strongly 

advise that prior to travelling to any of the events listed in our What's On sections, that you call the event organisers to check that the event is running at the times and dates specified. 

COPYRIGHT All material within this magazine are subject to copyright. Excepting adverts, all images within the magazine are copyright to N.Jones unless otherwise specified. 

www.devonshiremagazine.co.uk 

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people, animals, books, etc - and see stunning photos of Devonshire countryside 

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Lovers of Devonshire's print magazine 

Exciting news - we're going fully digital! 

Digital from 2019 

Devonshire magazine will change it's 

method of delivery in 2019 from 

print to fully digital. 

From March 2019 Devonshire magazine will 

be produced solely as a digital magazine. 

The ability to reach readers through the 

numerous digital channels is undeniable and 

powerful. Devonshire magazine has its own 

range of high-traffic channels where anyone 

from Devon, the UK, and even the world, can 

gain access to read Devonshire magazine 

such as; devonshiremagazine website and 

HUBCAST, Devon's only dedicated What's On 

website, and not forgetting our social media 

channels which we engage with every day of 

the week. 

Editor - Nigel Jones 

Devonshire magazine appears 

on Social Media channels every 

day of the year 

By following us through our Instagram, 

Facebook and Twitter channels you'll see 

daily posts taking you directly into the 

magazine. 

Environmental concerns 

In terms of print publications, the writing's 

been on the wall for many years. Print 

is environmentally unfriendly (both the 

paper use in print, and also the fuel used 

for delivery), cumbersome, and is restricted 

to the quantity of magazines printed. And 

of course, it all needs recycling - seeing six 

massive pallet loads of magazines, knowing 

that it all has to be recycled, increasingly has 

made less and less sense. 

Our commitment to rich, 

interesting content 

Over the past ten years, Devonshire 

magazine has built-up a name for producing 

interesting, rich and eclectic content, and it's 

this that helps Devonshire magazine engage 

with a wide and avid readership across 

Devon and the UK. Providing high quality 

content to the reader has never been so 

important or necessary. 

The centre of your world 

I don't think I'm breaking new ground here in 

saying that the smartphone has become the 

place to engage with the public - it's the centre 

of our world; TV, radio, music, email, text, satnav, 

camera, games, gambling, banking, social 

media - and everything on the internet - is there 

anything it doesn't do? And you take it with 

you everywhere! Social media is where you 

pursue your interests, following whatever you 

find appealing. It's where Devonshire magazine 

engages every day of the year with genuine, 

non-sales, high quality content. 

Read Devonshire digital magazine at the following channels: 

MAGAZINE WEBSITE 



@devonshiremag 

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7

38 

Our stunning waterfront location is the 

perfect setting for your wedding celebration. 

Enjoy our award winning cuisine 

accompanied by dramatic golden sunsets. 

8 

Tel: 01395 513252 

www.sidmouth-harbour-hotel.co.uk 

Sidmouth Harbour Hotel, The Westcliff, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 8RU

18 

78 

46 

48 

26 

 

 

 

 


5. 

The latest from the Editor. 

9. 

News from across Devon. 

12. 

By Christopher Taylor. 

14. 

From the HUBCAST. 

18. 

Ted Gosling at 90. 

20. 

Enjoy great food & live music. 

22. 

The Five Bells Inn, Clyst Hydon. 

26. 

Indulge your inner self. 

28. 

By Devonshireʼs John Fisher. 

32. 

Gara Rock Hotel, Salcombe. 

36. 

Sleep tight - Stephen Hussey. 

38. 

Wistman's Wood. 

40. 

Brought to you by HUBCAST. 

46. 

Naughtiness or pain? - Natalie Bucklar. 

47. 

Bill Burnell - Ken Watson. 

48. 

The Dipper - Andy Stuthridge. 

53. 

By Devonshireʼs John Fisher. 

59. 

John Fisher expounds. 

63. 

By John Germon. 

64. 

By Susan Gebbie. 

67. 

Achieve your new year goals. 

70. 

Break free of addictions in 2019. 

74. 

Making life easier in 2019. 

78. 

Road tested by the editor. 

82. 

Pension equality - H.Mulvaney. 

9

www.laurenceassociates.co.uk 

Devon, Somerset & Dorset 

01579 340 900 

Cornwall 

01872 225 259 

10 Countryside, History, Walks, the Arts, Events & all things Devon at: DEVONSHIRE magazine.co.uk

Letterbox 

YOUR NEWS TO THE EDITOR - LETTERBOX@DEVONSHIREMAGAZINE.CO.UK 

Award success for Devon artist Sarah Bee 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2019 lineup revealed 

Dartington has announced its 2019 

Summer School & Festival programme, 

with Joanna MacGregor as Artistic 

Director for her fifth and final year. 

Joanna MacGregor’s 2019 programme 

sweeps a broad range of musical 

collaboration - from early music to 

folk, classical and jazz and includes 

composers and music she has found 

profoundly influential. Her personal 

choices include the New York street 

musician Moondog paired with Bach’s 

Art of Fugue; Beethoven’s magnificent 

Choral Fantasy and Piazzolla’s sizzling 

tango-études; Benjamin Britten’s Turn 

of the Screw with Tom Randle as Peter 

Quint, and Saint Nicolas conducted 

by Steuart Bedford; John Cage’s iconic 

Musicircus, and Stravinsky’s The Rite 

of Spring. For further information 

about the programme, visit: 

www.dartington.org 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vospers Exeter Supersite to open early 2019 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Sea Change’ Wine 

Sea Change’, a new wine range 

from 10 International, has just been 

launched with a focus on one of the 

greatest environmental challenges of 

the modern day; plastic pollution in 

our oceans. Sea Change aims to raise 

awareness while making a practical 

difference, both through its use of 

environmentally conscious packaging, 

and by donating 25 cents (Euro) from 

the sale of every bottle to marine 

conservation causes, including Sea- 

Changers charity. The money raised 

from sales of the wine that is donated to 

Sea-Changers will feed into their grant 

fund which is distributed to UK based 

marine conservation projects on a biannual 

basis. Sea-Changers awards 

the donated money, in accordance 

with its funding policy, to a range of 

projects engaged in: direct marine clean 

up action, education and awarenessraising 

about marine conservation 

issues, species and habitat protection 

and conservation research. The wine 

will initially be on sale in good pubs, 

bars and restaurants internationally 

and in the UK. 

www.seachangewine.com 

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11

Th e C O U N T R Y M A N 

CHRIS TAYLOR 

The COUNTRYMAN 

Chris lives with his wife, Brianne, 

in north Devon at the confluence 

of the Mole and Bray Rivers. 

Raised on a farm, with a degree in 

Agricultural Zoology, Chris moved 

into Farm Management and more 

recently into Estate Management 

and Consultancy. Over the past 

50 years his passions cover all 

aspects of the countryside, wildlife, 

conservation,agriculture and 

country pursuits. 

Photos copyright C. Taylor 

Short eared owl 

All is in disarray! 

Frog spawn 

Cornflower 

The frogs will be stirring 

Chicory 

Ragged The harvest 

A red hind 

Robin 

12 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Fieldfare making good use of fallen apples

A fallen oak across the river Mole - more work to do in spring! 

You guessed it, the drought - ground parched 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Countryman's Diary 

January and February 

1. Put up new nest boxes and clean out the 

old ones. 

2. Look out for Frogs spawning in late Jan 

and early Feb depending on weather. 

3. Rooks will be some of the first to start 

nest building late Feb. 

4. Mallard ducks will be paired up and 

may even have started nesting. 

5. Plastic rubbish in hedgerows and by 

footpaths is most obvious at this time of 

year, do your part to take some home 

with you to dispose of responsibly. 

6. Dog walkers especially, please 

take those poo bags home or put in 

appropriate bins. 

Lapwings braving the falling snow 

The camouflage is good - it’s a Woodcock - see right 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spot the bird - 360 vision, look 

at the eyes - from behind! 

13

Photo by: Scott Gouldsbrough Photography 

JACK & THE BEANSTALK at NORTHCOTT THEATRE 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

FOR LIVE MUSIC SEE PAGE 18 

hubcast 

EVENT CALENDAR 

Event broadcasting: JANUARY and FEBRUARY 2019 

the easy way to 

find interesting 

local events 

across Devon.. 

Just go to: 

hubcast.co.uk/ 

eastdevon 

middevon 

southdevon 

dartmoor 

northdevon 

westdevon 

exeter 

sidmouth 

reconnect 

You can even search 

down to village level 

Children 

BUDLEIGH SALTERTON 

CARNIVAL CLUB 

05 Jan- This year's Panto, 

Jack and the Beanstalk, 

Budleigh Salterton Carnival 

Club, The Public Hall, 

Budleigh Salterton, 7.30pm 

to 10.00pm. 

JACK AND THE 

BEANSTALK 

06 Jan- Join Jack on his 

GIANT festive adventure, 

Palace Theatre Paignton, 

Palace Avenue, Paignton, 

1.00pm to 3.00pm. 

THE WOMAN WHOSE 

NOSE WAS A SAUSAGE 

06 Jan- Running time: 

45m. Suitable for ages 4+, 

Jellyfish Arts Hub, 34 Bossell 

Road, Buckfastleigh, 5.00pm 

to 6.00pm. 

THE BOY AND HIS HORSE 


45m. Suitable for ages 7+, 

Jellyfish Arts Hub, 34 Bossell 

Road, Buckfastleigh, 5.00pm 

to 6.00pm. 

EXETER CHILDREN'S 

ORCHESTRA OPEN DAY 

19 Jan- Children aged 7+, 

come and try playing in 

an orchestra! No auditions, 

Exeter Children's Orchestra, 

St Leonard's Primary School, 

Exeter, 9.45am to 12.00am. 

HANSEL AND GRETEL, A 

SHADOW PLAY... 


35m. Suitable for ages: 

4+, Jellyfish Arts Hub, 34 

Bossell Road, Buckfastleigh, 

5.00pm to 6.00pm & 7.00pm 

to 8.00pm. 

ASTRONOMY 

ADVENTURES 


45m. Weather-dependent 

stargazing to follow. Suitable 

for ages 3+, Jellyfish Arts 

Hub, 34 Bossell Road, 

Buckfastleigh, 5.00pm to 

6.00pm. 

PANTOMIME 

13 Feb to 16 Feb- The 

Riverside Players present 

the pantomime "RED", The 

Riverside Players, Village 

Hall, Newton Poppleford, 

7.30pm to 10.10pm. 

Choirs 

CHORAL WORKSHOP - 

BACH ST JOHN PASSION 

26 Jan- Come and Sing 

workshop event - Bach St 

John Passion, Torbay Singers, 

Exeter School Music Hall, 

Exeter, 10.00am to 4.30pm. 

Classical 

Music 

LUNCHTIME CONCERT 

02 Jan- Duncan Honeybourne, 

piano, Glenorchy United 

Reformed Church, Exeter 

Road, Exmouth, 12.30am to 

1.15pm. 


09 Jan- Melanie Mehta 

- soprano, Rachel Curtis - 

mezzo soprano, Peter Wilson 

- piano, Glenorchy United 

Reformed Church, Exeter 

Road, Exmouth, 12.30am to 

1.15pm. 


16 Jan- Phil Bonser - clarinet, 

Dorothy Raven - piano, 

Glenorchy United Reformed 

Church, Exeter Road, 

Exmouth, 12.30am to 1.15pm. 

Sean Shibe, Sidmouth 

Parish Church 

FLAUTI D'ECHO:AWAKE 

THOU WINTRY EARTH 

18 Jan- Music for two 

recorders and theorbo from 

these outstanding young 

musicians, Totnes Early 

Music Society, United Free 

Church, Totnes, 7.30pm to 

9.30pm. 

FITZWILLIAM STRING 

QUARTET WITH ANNA 

TILBROOK 

20 Jan- Internationally 

famous Fitzwilliam String 

Quartet with Anna Tilbrook 

(piano), NADSA Concerts, 

Courtenay Centre, Newton 

Abbot, 3.00pm to 5.15pm. 


23 Jan- Josephine Pickering 

& David Lee, piano duets, 




LORD BYRON POETRY 

AND MUSIC 

25 Jan- Poetry & music 

compositions of the period 

for piano, violin and mezzo 

soprano, Violin & Piano Duo 

'Elegance', Lupton House, 

Brixham, 7.00pm to 9.00pm. 

SIDMOUTH MUSIC: SEAN 

SHIBE (GUITAR) 

26 Jan- Sean Shibe (guitar): 

Music by Bach and Villa- 

Lobos, and Scottish lute 

music, Sidmouth Music, 

Sidmouth Parish Church, 

Sidmouth, 3.00pm to 5.30pm. 

ALLINGTON STRINGS 

CZECH WINTER CONCERT 

27 Jan- Allington Strings 

present a programme of 

music by Czech Composers, 

Allington Strings, Church of 

the Good Shepherd, Chard, 

3.00pm to 5.00pm. 

Clock and 

Watch Repair 

Expert and professional 

repairs to all types of 

clocks and watches. 

A wide range of watches 

and clocks also available 

for sale. 

D. J. Offord 

01626 364766 


30 Jan- Luc Walpot - harp, 




ISCA ENSEMBLE LIGHT 

ORCHESTRAL CONCERT 

02 Feb- A Light Orchestral 

Concert of popular music 

with Jazz, ISCA Ensemble, 



BRANDENBURG 

CONCERTO NO 1 

03 Feb- Devon Baroque in 

full force for a jam packed 

concert of virtuoso playing, 

DB, Great Hall, Totnes, 

3.00pm to 5.00pm. 

SIDMOUTH MUSIC: 

XINYUAN WANG (PIANO) 

16 Feb- Xinyuan Wang 

(piano) : Leeds International 

5 Union Street Newton Abbot 

14 

Countryside, History, Walks, the Arts, Events & all things Devon at: DEVONSHIRE magazine.co.uk

What's On: Jan & Feb 19 

A TASTE OF TITAN WITH DR STEPHEN 

BEMROSE 

10 Jan to 14 Feb - Discover the life and 

work of the great 16th century Venetian 

painter, Titian, 2pm-4pm, £70. 

BOOK CLUB 

10 Jan to 14 Mar - Monthly book club 

discussing a wide range of novels, 

meets 2nd Thurs each month, 2.30pm- 

4.30pm. 

Piano Competition 2018 

Prizewinner, Sidmouth Music, 



CHORAL WORKSHOP - 

HAYDN'S CREATION 

16 Feb- Join Exeter 

Philharmonic Choir for 

a day's workshop on 

Haydn's Creation, Exeter 

Philharmonic Choir, Mint 

MethodistChurch, Exeter, 

9.30am to 5.00pm. 

MARTIN JAMES BARTLETT 

(PIANO) 

17 Feb- Martin James 

Bartlett (piano) - 2014 BBC 

Young Musician of the Year, 

NADSA Concerts, Courtenay 

Centre, Newton Abbot, 

3.00pm to 5.15pm. 

DUO DORADO: A 

CELEBRATION OF BACH 

09 Mar- Music for violin and 

harpsichord from the master, 

J.S.Bach, Totnes Early Music 

Society, St Mary's Church, 

Totnes, 7.30pm to 9.30pm. 

Club events 

EAST DEVON DAYTIME 

BAND 

Until 27 Feb- Independent 

Brass Ensemble, East Devon 

DayTime Band, Tipton St 

John Community Hall, Tipton 

St John, 10.00am to 12.00am. 

Tel. (01395) 

515551 

Sidmouth 

SIDMOUTH MODEL 

RAILWAY GROUP 

02 Jan- Sidmouth Model 

Railway Group welcomes all 

enthusiasts, Sidmouth Model 

Railway Group, Sidford 

Social Hall, Sidford, 7.00pm 

to 9.45pm. 

All the event 

listings in this 

magazine are 

supplied by: 

hub cast.co.uk 

Totally free 

to use - we 

also supply 

event listings 

to magazines 

across Devon 

THE CREATIVE PROCESS 

08 Jan- An Art 

Demonstration by Phil 

Clayton, Lyme Regis Art 

Society, The Woodmeads 

Hall, Lyme Regis, 2.00pm 

to 4.00pm. 

www.kennawayhouse.org.uk 

SIDMOUTH SOCIETY OF ARTISTS: 

ARTIST’S TALK 

24 Jan - Lin Holdridge on the History of 

Artists’ Self-Portraits, 2pm-3.30pm, £3 

for non-members. 

EXPLORING PYSCHOLOGY 

27 Feb to Apr 10 - Concepts that 

influence the ways in which we think 

about ourselves and others, 10am- 

12noon, £52. 

CALL 01395 515551 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND EVENTS 

EAST BUDLEIGH WITH 

BICTON WI 

08 Jan- Nathalie Andrews 

will give us a talk about 

a "Seasonal Wardrobe", East 

Budleigh with Bicton WI, The 

Village Hall, East Budleigh, 

7.00pm to 9.00pm. 

SIDMOUTH POETRY 

READERS 

09 Jan- The Poetry of 

Aspects of Old Age 

introduced by Ronnie Page, 

Sidmouth Poetry Readers, 

Kennaway House, Sidmouth, 

10.00am to 12.05am. 

SPEAKER 

10 Jan- Speaker, Newton 

Poppleford Garden Club, N P 

Pavilion, Newton Poppleford, 

2.30pm to 4.30pm. 

SIDMOUTH PATCHERS 

AND QUILTERS 

10 Jan to 08 Apr- Patchwork 

group meeting every Monday 

in term time. Please call 

in, Sidmouth Patchers and 

Quilters, Masonic Hall, 

Sidmouth, 9.30am to 3.30pm. 

NORMAN LOCKYER AND 

HIS OBSERVATORY 

11 Jan- A presentation on the 

story of Norman Lockyer and 

his Sidmouth Observatory, 

East Devon Branch of 

Devonshire Assoc, Manor 

Pavilion Theatre, Sidmouth, 

2.30pm to 4.00pm. 

sail - kite - kayak - surf - sup 

SEATON WETLANDS 

OUTDOORS CLUB 

11 Jan- Enjoy the nature 

reserve, learn new skills, 

become more active and 

meet others, East Devon 

Countryside Team, Seaton 

Wetlands, Seaton, 10.00am 

to 12.30am. 

SCHOOL OF ROCK 

SINGING WORKSHOP 

14 Jan to 28 Jan- Come 

along for a fabulous and 

free singing workshop led by 

Kathy Rufolo, Kathy Rufolo 

Musician in the Community, 

2, Exeter, 7.30pm to 9.30pm. 

inflatable sups 

in stOCk nOw 

EAST DEVON LUNCHEON 

CLUB 

15 Jan- Sergeant Andy 

Squires Policing in 

East Devon, East Devon 

Luncheon Club, Victoria 

Hotel, Sidmouth, 12.30am 

to 3.00pm. 

HONITON UNIVERSITY OF 

THE THIRD AGE 

16 Jan- January Meeting, 

Honiton University of the 

Third Age (U3A, Main Hall, 

Honiton, 1.30pm to 3.30pm. 

SIDMOUTH MODEL 

RAILWAY GROUP 

16 Jan- Sidmouth Model 

Railway Group welcomes all 

enthusiasts, Sidmouth Model 

.co.uk 

from 

£425 

Model 

featured 

Jobe Yarra 

Inflatable 

SUP RRP 

£759 

sail - kayak - surf - sup - bOat 

* Discount Off rrp - Cannot be used in conjuntion with any other deal or offer. Does not apply kayaks or electronics 

unit 14, weycroft avenue, axminster ex13 5hu. 01297 533633 

Railway Group, Sidford 

Social Hall, Sidford, 7.00pm 

to 9.45pm. 

RUINED CASTLES - 

PASTEL DEMONSTRATION 

22 Jan- An oil pastel 

demonstration, Lyme Regis 

Art Society, The Woodmead 

Halls, Lyme Regis, 2.00pm 

to 4.00pm. 

SIDMOUTH SOCIETY 

OF ARTISTS MONTHLY 

MEETING 

24 Jan- Talk by Lin Holdridge 

entitled 'The History of 

Artists' Self Portraits', 

Sidmouth Society of Artists, 

Kennaway House, Sidmouth, 

2.00pm to 4.00pm. 

hubcast 

.co.u k 


CONTINUED OVERLEAF... 

15

‘Black Tom’ Fairfax 

DEVONSHIRE 

Curios 

Fascinating historical artefacts from across the county 

The Relief of Dartmouth - English Civil War 

From Dartmouth Museum collection 

General Fairfax’s report 

General Fairfaxʼs four regiments 

attacked the unwelcome Royalist 

garrison on a Sunday night in 

January and he reported the detail to 

Parliament in a short very readable 

document. The documents above 

and below are held in the Dartmouth 

Museum collection. 

Archives in a Museum need not be boring old bits of paper. In 

Dartmouth Museum they have a transcript of the report made by 

General Fairfax when his troops relieved Dartmouth towards the 

end of the English Civil War in 1646. 


EXETER U3A MONTHLY 

MEETING AND GROUPS 

FAIR 

24 Jan- Monthly meeting and 

Groups Fair - A social and 

information event, Exeter 

U3A, Mint Methodist Church, 

Exeter, 10.00am to 12.00am. 


OUTDOORS CLUB 

25 Jan- Enjoy the nature 




Countryside Team, Knowle, 

Sidmouth, 10.00am to 

12.30am. 

MODEL RAILWAY GROUP 

06 Feb- Model Railway 

Enthusiasts Welcome to All, 

Sidmouth Model Railway 

Group, Sidford Social Hall, 

Sidford, 7.00pm to 9.45pm. 

FABRIC ROADSHOW 

08 Feb- A massive selection 

of cotton fabrics etc 10.30 

am to 1.30 pm Entrance 

£1, Sidmouth Patchers 

and Quilters, Kennaway 

House, Sidmouth, 10.30am 

to 1.30pm. 


OUTDOORS CLUB 8 

FEBRUARY 

08 Feb- Enjoy the nature 




Countryside Team, Seaton 

wetlands, Seaton, 10.00am 

to 12.30am. 

THE ACLANDS OF 

KILLERTON 

08 Feb- A history of the 

Acland family of Killerton 

House told through their 

heraldry, East Devon Branch 

of Devonshire Assoc, Manor 


2.30pm to 4.00pm. 

GREAT VICTORIAN 

ARCHITECTS & EXETER 

CATHEDRAL 

12 Feb- The second in the 

series of talks on 'What the 

Victorians did for Exeter.', 

Royal Albert Memorial 

Museum - RAMM, Queen 

Street, Exeter, 6.30pm to 

9.00pm. 

SIDMOUTH POETRY 

READERS 

13 Feb- An Introduction 

to Eco Poetry, Sidmouth 

Poetry Readers, Kennaway 

House, Sidmouth, 10.00am 

to 12.05am. 

AGM 

14 Feb- Annual General 

Meeting, Newton Poppleford 

Garden Club, N P Pavilion, 

Newton Poppleford, 6.30pm 

to 9.30pm. 

EAST DEVON LUNCHEON 

CLUB 

19 Feb- Ray Balkwill An 

Artist's View, East Devon 

Luncheon Club, Victoria 

Hotel, Sidmouth, 12.30am 

to 3.00pm. 


20 Feb- Model Railway 

Enthusiasts Welcome, 





OUTDOORS CLUB 22 

FEBRUARY 

22 Feb- Enjoy the nature 






12.30am. 

HONITON UNIVERSITY OF 

THE THIRD AGE 

27 Feb- February Meeting, 

Honiton University of the 

Third Age (U3A, Main Hall, 

Honiton, 1.30pm to 3.30pm. 

All the event 

listings in this 

magazine are 

supplied by: 

hub cast.co.uk 

Totally free 

to use - we 

also supply 

event listings 

to magazines 

across Devon 

SIDMOUTH SOCIETY 

OF ARTISTS MONTHLY 

MEETING 

28 Feb- Demonstration by 

Kaili Fu entitled Bamboo 

Landcape, Sidmouth Society 

of Artists, Kennaway House, 



06 Mar- Model Railway 

Enthusiasts Welcome, 




EAST DEVON DAYTIME 

BAND 

06 Mar to 01 May- 

Independent Brass Ensemble, 

East Devon DayTime Band, 

Tipton St John Community 

Hall, Tipton St John, 

10.00am to 12.00am. 

THE LOWER OTTER 

RESTORATION PROJECT 

08 Mar- The Lower Otter 

Restoration Project - the 

challenges of climate 

change, East Devon Branch 

of Devonshire Assoc, Manor 


2.30pm to 4.00pm. 

Craft 

ASYMMETRIC WASTE 

PAPER BASKET 

12 Jan- Make a small round 

willow basket in a day, East 

Devon Countryside Team, 

Knowle, Sidmouth, 9.30am 

to 4.30pm. 

WILLOW BRETON 

BUTTON BASKET 

23 Feb- Make a large round 

willow basket in a day, East 


Knowle, Sidmouth, 9.30am 

to 4.30pm. 

WILLOW PLANT 

SUPPORTS 

02 Mar- Make a sweet 

pea support and a grow 

through in a day, East Devon 



4.00pm. 

Fairs 

PSYCHIC AND 

WELLBEING FAIR IN 

TORQUAY 

12 Jan- Mind, Body, Spirit 

- Therapies, Readings and 

Gifts fair.Free entry & 

parking, Discovery, Belgrave 

Beefeater, Torquay, 1.00pm 

to 6.00pm. 

Festivals 

GENERAL 

MICHAEL 

PORTILLO:"LIFE: A GAME 

OF TWO HALVES" 

18 Jan- A life in politics 

and then a life following 

the world's great railways, 

Palace Theatre Paignton, 

Palace Avenue, Paignton, 

7.30pm to 9.30pm. 

SHORT FILM: 

OBSERVABLES 

24 Feb- Collection of short 

films, The Arts Institute, Jill 

Craigie Cinemas, Plymouth, 

10.30am to 12.00am. 

DECODING REALITY:THE 

UNIVERSE AS QUANTUM 

INFO 

24 Feb- PRE-CONCERT TALK 

Vlatko Vedral, Department of 

Physics, University of Oxford, 

The Arts Institute, The 

House, Plymouth, 1.00pm 

to 2.00pm. 

MUSIC 

EXETER RECORD AND 

CD FAIR 

12 Jan- Knowledgeable local 

vendors selling quality vinyl, 

CD's and music memorabilia, 

Exeter Record & CD Fair, 

Corn Exchange, Exeter, 

9.30am to 3.30pm. 

BBC SINGERS: FESTIVAL 

GALA CONCERT 

23 Feb- The BBC Singers 

hold a unique position in 

British musical life, The 

Arts Institute, The House, 

Plymouth, 8.00pm to 

10.00pm. 

RESEARCH CONCERT 

24 Feb- Research concert 

with Marcelo Gimenes, Alexis 

Kirke and Nuria Bonet, The 

Arts Institute, The House, 

Plymouth, 2.30pm to 4.00pm. 

EXETER RECORD AND 

CD FAIR 

02 Mar- Knowledgeable local 

vendors selling quality vinyl, 

CD's and music memorabilia, 

Exeter Record & CD Fair, 

Corn Exchange, Exeter, 

9.30am to 3.30pm. 

16 


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SAT 6 & SUN 7 APRIL 

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Free Entry with Online 

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Free Parking ✔ 

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MEDIA PARTNERS 

MAGAZINE 

DEVONSHIRE 

An excellent read! 

f 

southwesthomeshow.co.uk 


hubcast 

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l 

17

PEOPLE 

by the Editor 

Ted laughs when he tells me about some of the classic cars that heʼs 

both owned, and passed over. For instance, Ted used to go to Exeter 

motor auctions, an old Lagonda Eight - described as a gentlemanʼs 

car, offered for £50 at the time, now worth an easy quarter of a million 

pounds. The list of old classics heʼs owned is extensive, for instance 

One of Ted’s fundraising stunts for the 

Sidmouth Carnival on a Penny Farthing 

Ted Gosling 

This issue in 2019 sees a notable Devonshire 

person attain the great age of ninety. 

For those of you that donʼt know him, Tedʼs an interesting character, 

from a generation of Devonians that hark back to a much gentler, 

simpler and probably an altogether nicer time. 

Born in Seaton, Ted left school at the age of 14 to work in a local 

garage, a sign of things to come, because Ted developed a great 

passion for all things motor car. 

Ted taking Seaton’s Youth 

Club Queen to a fete in the 

Cricket Club in 1952 

a 1924 Lancia Lambda, 1926 Bull-nosed Morris, 1938 SS100 Jaguar, 

numerous Austin 7s, an Austin Heavy Twelve Four. 

Ted was also involved with the Sidmouth Carnival for a number of 

years, his girlfriend at the time being the 1956 Carnival Queen Valerie 

Moore. One of his fundraising stunts for the Carnival was riding a 

penny farthing along the Esplanade in Sidmouth (see photo). 

Another, and probably the most overriding passion of Tedʼs life has 

been his interest in history, to the point at which he became one of 

the founders and also the curator of the Axe Valley Heritage Museum. 

Heʼs also been a prodigious author, with over thirty history books on 

Devon to his name. Tedʼs contribution to the community has exceeded 

some 78 years in total, an amazing achievement and testament to his 

selfless character. In 2011 Ted had the honour of being made Seatonʼs 

first Freeman, presented by the Mayor Peter Burrows. 

Tedʼs been an editorial contributor to Devonshire magazine over 

the years and itʼs been an absolute pleasure working together. Iʼm 

sure youʼd like to join me in wishing Ted All The Best in his 90th year. 

Editor 

Tedʼs first community involvement was during the second world war, 

as messenger boy at the age of 12 for the local Air Raid Protection 

group. Itʼs hard to believe it now, but in one of the German raids, 

four people in Seaton lost their lives. Ted later went off to undertake 

National Service in the RAF, working in the department that repaired 

instruments. Ted spent most of his time working on Lancaster Bombers 

(this was after the war), although the Lancasters were now redeployed 

for use on photographic surveillance of England and Africa. Every 

Friday Ted had to go up on a trial flight to ensure equipment was 

working correctly - he said that this had put him off flying for life! 

When his time in the RAF finished, Ted returned to the motor trade and 

his interest in vintage cars was fulfilled when he opened a garage in 

Seaton, restoring vehicles, this was situated next to the old post office. 

Top sales agent of the South West 1978 

London Manchester Insurance Co 

Reflecting - Blue Pool 

in Dorset 2006 

18 


What's On: January & February 19 

LOOKING FOR LOVE IN 2019? 

Heritage 

www.carolinecrowther.com 

WHAT DO YOU COLLECT? 

HANDKERCHIEFS 

15 Jan to 07 Apr- A 

selection of eye-catching 

handkerchiefs collected 

over many years, Royal 

Albert Memorial Museum - 

RAMM, Queen Street, Exeter, 

10.00am to 5.00pm. 

CHINESE NEW YEAR 

TRAIL AROUND RAMM 

05 Feb to 05 Mar- Join in 

the celebrations by finding 

Chinese-inspired objects 

around RAMM, Royal Albert 

Memorial Museum - RAMM, 

Queen Street, Exeter, 

10.00am to 5.00pm. 

TATTOOS: A SECRET 

LANGUAGE 

01 Mar- Decode the 

historical and cultural roots 

of tattoos across the world, 

Royal Albert Memorial 

Caroline Crowther is 

a truly local personal 

introduction agency 

helping you meet 

someone new in your 

area. We offer a long 

term personal service 

until you find your 

perfect match. 

For a professional 

and personal service 

call 0800 180 4788 

Museum - RAMM, Queen 

Street, Exeter, 6.30pm to 

9.00pm. 

Theatre 

MUSICALS 

TREASURE ISLAND12 

Until 05 Jan- Annual family 

pantomime fun, Sidmouth 

Amateur Dramatic Society, 

Manor Pavilion Theatre, 

Sidmouth, 6.30pm to 

10.00pm. 

PLAYS 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S 

MACBETH - BRIXHAM 

THEAT 

18 Jan to 19 Jan- Theatre 

performances of Macbeth 

by award winning local 

team, South Devon Players, 

Brixham Theatre, Brixham, 

7.30pm to 10.00pm. 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S 

MACBETH :TORQUAY 

MUSEUM 

01 Feb to 02 Feb- Full 

production of Shakespeare;s 

classic drama, Macbeth, 

South Devon Players, 

Torquay Museum, Torquay, 

7.30pm to 10.00pm. 

ESCAPING THE STORM 

09 Feb- The tale of notorious 

sex campaigner, Marie 

Stopes, as she shatters 

the peace, Palace Theatre 

Paignton, Palace Avenue, 

Paignton, 7.30pm to 9.30pm. 

BAREFOOT IN THE PARK 

13 Feb to 16 Feb- A touching 

and romantic comedy 

following the story of New 

York newlyweds, Palace 

Theatre Paignton, Palace 

Avenue, Paignton, 7.30pm 

to 9.45pm. 

Wildlife 

WHAT'S THAT BIRD? 

12, 24 Jan & 09, 28 Feb- 

Whatever your experience 

come along and improve your 

bird identification skill, East 


Seaton Wetlands, Seaton, 

11.00am to 1.00pm. 

BIRD RINGING 

DEMONSTRATION 5 

FEBRUARY 

05 Feb- Bird ringing 

demonstration by Axe 

Estuary Ringing Group, East 


Discovery Hut at Seaton 

Wetlands, Seaton, 9.00am to 

12.00am. 

SEE MORE EVENTS FOR YOUR LOCAL AREA ON 

HUBCAST.CO.UK 

NEST BOX BUILDING AT 


19 Feb- Make bird nest boxes 

for your garden, East Devon 

Countryside Team, Ree Base, 

Seaton, 10.00am to 1.00pm. 

BIRD WATCHING FOR 

CHILDREN 

20 Feb- Learn about the 

birds at Seaton Wetlands, 

East Devon Countryside 

Team, Tower Hide at Seaton 

Wetlands, Seaton, 10.00am 

to 12.00am. 

BIRD RINGING 

DEMONSTRATION 8 

MARCH 

08 Mar- Bird ringing 

demonstration by Axe 

Estuary Ringing Group, East 


Discovery hut at Seaton 

Wetlands, Seaton, 9.00am to 

12.00am. 

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19

Great Night Out 

Enjoy FOOD and LIVE MUSIC at your local venue 

LIVE MUSIC 

KICK OFF JANUARY WITH NICK THE FISH 

04 Jan- Great way to start the New Year - 

an evening with Nick The Fish at The Shack, 

The Oyster Shack, Milburn Orchard Farm, 

Bigbury, 7.00pm to 9.00pm. 

SILVER BULLET 

05 Jan- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Riddle 

and Rye, Silver Bullet Band, Riddle and Rye, 

Exeter, 9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

RUDNICK-CANTER QUINTET AT THE 

GLOBE CHAGFORD 

06 Jan- Jazz with two great saxophone 

players and a fantastic rhythm section, Pete 

Canter, The Globe Inn, Chagford, 7.30pm 

to 10.00pm. 

OPEN ACCESS FOLK BAND 

07 Jan- Open access Folk Band for acoustic 

instruments, Wren Music, Victory Hall, 

Broadclyst, 7.00pm to 9.00pm. 

KINGSBRIDGE JAZZ CLUB AT AVETON 

GIFFORD 

08 Jan- Roger Marks’ hugely talented 

Cornish Armada Jazz Band play New 

Orleans Jazz, Kingsbridge Jazz Club, The 

Fisherman’s Rest, Aveton Gifford, 6.30pm 

to 10.00pm. 

BRIDGE JAZZ CLUB EXETER 

09 Jan- Pete Canter & Friends 

Jam Session, Pete Canter, Exeter Phoenix, 


JUST MISBEHAVIN’ 

13 Jan- Swing jazz to finish your weekend 

in style, Just Misbehavin’, The Point Bar & 

Grill, Exmouth, 6.00pm to 8.30pm. 





RED PENDULUM JAZZ 

23 Jan- New monthly jazz night with house 

trio & special guest Julie Yount (vocals), 

Pete Canter, Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, 8.30pm 

to 10.30pm. 

Grill ed Goats Cheese Salad, Five Bell s 

Louise Parker 

SOUND OF THE SIRENS 

25 Jan- West Country folk-rock duo, Abbe 

Martin and Hannah Wood, return to the 

Palace, Palace Theatre Paignton, Palace 

Avenue, Paignton, 7.45pm to 10.30pm. 

© Optimo Images 2017 

SARAH GILLESPIE - WISHBONES 

26 Jan- An evening of music from the 

critically acclaimed singer songwriter, Palace 

Theatre Paignton, Palace Avenue, Paignton, 

7.30pm to 10.00pm. 

SILVER BULLET 

26 Jan- Silver Bullet LIVE at Tiverton Con 

Club, Silver Bullet Band, Tiverton Con Club, 

Tiverton, 9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

LOUISE PARKER QUARTET 

26 Jan- Louise Parker Quartet, The Tucker’s 

Jazz Club, The Tucker’s Arms, Axminster, 

8.00pm to 10.00pm. 

THE MAGNOLIA JAZZ BAND 

27 Jan- New Orleans jazz from a fine and 

experienced group of musicians., Plymouth 

Jazz Club, The Royal British Legion Club, 

Plymouth, 7.30pm to 10.30pm. 





SILVER BULLET 

01 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Squirrel 

Inn in Laymore, Chard, Silver Bullet Band, 

Squirrel Inn, Chard, 9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

SILVER BULLET 

02 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Lord 

Nelson, Silver Bullet Band, The Lord Nelson, 

Topsham, 9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

MARTIN DALE QUARTET WITH ROGER 

MARKS 

03 Feb- Popular mainstream jazz by five 

great musicians, Plymouth Jazz Club, The 

Royal British Legion Club, Plymouth, 7.30pm 

to 10.30pm. 


04 Feb- Open access Folk Band for acoustic 



KINGSBRIDGE JAZZ CLUB AT AVETON 

GIFFORD 

05 Feb- Top-notch all-girl band Hotsy Totsy 

return & play great jazz from the 20s&30s, 

Kingsbridge Jazz Club, The Fisherman’s 

Rest, Aveton Gifford, 6.30pm to 10.00pm. 

Make a night of it! 

Book a dining table at the venues below 

Dining Offers 

20 

waterfront bar bistro 

DINING OFFERS 

Pie Kick & Pud Evenings Back & Relax 

£13.50 | per person | Mon | From 5pm 

Fish & Chips Supper 

Special price - call us for details | Wed 

Quiz Night 

First Tues of the month | booking required 

Burns Night: traditional menu and music 

25 Jan | booking required 

reat 

Table Bookings t. 01752 500008 

tel: 01752 500 008 

Jolly 

Jacks 

Food, Company 

& Location ! 

www.jollyjacks.co.uk 

The 

Otterton 

DINING OFFERS 

Breakfast (Open to non-residents) 

Daily | 7-10am 

Full Menu & Specials 

Daily | 12-2.30pm & 6-9pm 

Sandwich menu available until 9pm 

Sunday Carvery 

Sun | 12 - 8pm 

Book now to avoid disappointment. 


DINING OFFERS 

Curry Night Wednesdays 

£14 | per person | Wed | 6:30-9:00pm 

Pie and Pudding Thursdays 

£14 | per person | Thu | 6:30-9:00pm 

Sunday Lunch 

£14 | per person | Sun | 12:00-2:00pm 

Sunday Dinner & Dessert 

£14 | per person | Sun | 6:30-9:00pm 



••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 

DINING TOPOFFERS 

SECRET MENU 

Mussel Madness 

£10 | per person Mussel | pint Madness of Devon rock, £2.90 

1lb 4oz mussels, unlimited fries & bread £10.00 

Shack Classic 

Add a pint 

Fish 

of Devon 

Pie 

Rock for £2.90 

£14 | per person | glass of Shack 

Sauvignon, £2.90 

Shack Classic Fish Pie 

Shack Trio withof unlimited Fish & roast Chips veg £14.00 

£14 Add | per a glass person of the | Shack pint of Sauvignon Salcombe for £2.90 

Pale Ale, £2.90 

Chef’s Sponge Shack Trio of the of Day Fish & Custard Chips 

£3 | per person | glass of Dessert Wine, 

£2.90 

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 

Beer battered prawns, breaded plaice & grilled catch of the day. 

Served with unlimited chunky chips & minted mushy peas £12.50 

Add a pint of Salcombe Pale Ale for £2.90 

Table Bookings Finish it allt. off01548 with.... 810876 

Chef’s Sponge of the Day & Custard 

£3.00 

Add a glass of Dessert Wine for £2.50

© Mike Alsford 

Live Music 

Saturday 26th January 

LOUISE PARKER QUARTET 

The Tucker’s Arms, Axminster 

Sunday 17th February 

The Riviera Ramblers 

Royal British Legion Club, Plymouth 

Friday 4th January 

NICK THE FISH 

The Oyster Shack, Bigbury 


06 Feb- Pete Canter & Friends 



SILVER BULLET 

08 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at John Gandy’s, 

Silver Bullet Band, John Gandy’s, Exeter, 

9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

SILVER BULLET 

09 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Union Inn, 

Silver Bullet Band, Union Inn, Newton Abbot, 

9.00pm to 11.30pm. 


10 Feb- Swing jazz to finish your weekend 



SILVER BULLET 

16 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The London Inn, 

Silver Bullet Band, London Inn, Ottery St 

Mary, 9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

Wild Mushroom Ravioli, 

The Clock Tower Cafe 

SILVER BULLET 

17 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Railway 

Inn, Silver Bullet Band, Railway Inn, Newton 

Abbot, 4.00pm to 6.30pm. 


20 Feb- New monthly jazz night with house 

trio & special guest Marius Rudnick (flute), 

Pete Canter, Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, 8.30pm 

to 10.30pm. 

SILVER BULLET 

22 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The York! 

Silver Bullet Band, York Inn, Torquay, 

9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

Just quote 'Devonshire' for all dining offers 

THE 

MALTSTERS 

ARMS 

DINING OFFERS 

Rump Steak & a bottle of red wine 

£30 | 2 persons | Mon | 6-9pm 


DINING OFFERS 

Handmade Pizzas 

Buy 1 get 1 half price | Mon-Sun | 6-9pm 

Fish & Chip Fridays 

£15 | 2 persons | Fri 

Buy five pints - get 1 free 

Also applies to 125ml wine 

T&Cs apply to offers 

More special offer details on our website: 

www.churchhouse-churchstow.com 


hubcast 

.co.u k 


Sarah Gillespie 

SILVER BULLET 

23 Feb- Silver Bullet LIVE at The Lime Tree! 

Silver Bullet Band, The Lime Tree, Paignton, 

9.00pm to 11.30pm. 

LA VIE EN ROSE 

23 Feb- Gipsy Jazz, The Tucker’s Jazz Club, 

The Tucker’s Arms, Axminster, 8.00pm to 

10.00pm. 

PETE CANTER TRIO THE POINT, 

EXMOUTH 

24 Feb- Excellent jazz with fine saxophonist 

Pete Canter & Friends., Pete Canter, Point 

Bar & Grill, Exmouth, 6.00pm to 8.40pm. 


25 Feb- Open access Folk Band for acoustic 




06 Mar- Pete Canter & Friends 




10 Mar- Swing jazz to finish your weekend 




11 Mar- Open access Folk Band for acoustic 




20 Mar- New monthly jazz night with house 

trio & special guest, Pete Canter, Exeter 

Phoenix, Exeter, 8.30pm to 10.30pm. 

ALAN BARNES & JULIAN MARC 

STRINGLE 

23 Mar- Alan Barnes & Julian Marc Stringle 

with the Craig Milverton Trio, The Tucker’s 

Jazz Club, The Tucker’s Arms, Axminster, 

8.00pm to 10.00pm. 

PETE ALLEN’S JAZZ IN THE AFTERNOON 

24 Mar- Pete Allen and his Dukes of 

Wellington welcome guest Kevin Grenfell 

(trombone), Pete Allen, Sidholme Hotel, 


PETE CANTER TRIO THE POINT, 

EXMOUTH 

24 Mar- Excellent jazz with fine saxophonist 

Pete Canter & Friends, Pete Canter, Point 

Bar & Grill, Exmouth, 6.00pm to 8.40pm. 

Do you have great performances 

planned in 2019? 

Add them to 

hubcast.co.uk, itʼs free! 

hubcast 

21 

hubcast regional websites: • eastdevon • middevon • southdevon • northdevon • westdevon • dartmoor • exeter

FOOD and DRINK 

The Restaurant Inspector 

Visits: 

The Five Bells Inn 

Clyst Hydon, East Devon 

Fine 

Dining 

g ol d awa r d 

Five Bells Inn 

at Clyst Hydon 

menu sampled 

Starters 

Autumn squash velouté 

Broccoli with almonds 

& lemon 

Free range chicken breast, green bean, pea & 

bacon fricassée, roasted new potatoes 

Autumn squash velouté 

Mains 

Free range chicken breast 

with gravy, mash and greens 

Spiced Aubergine Caponato 

Mushroom risotto 

Pudding 

Tira Misu 

Dark Chocolate Delice 

Cheeseboard 

Drinks 

Pedro Ximenez 

House Merlot 

Déjà vu 

A couple of years ago Devonshire 

mag visited the Five Bells for 

dining, the food provision being 

under the steady hand of chef 

Ian Webber. We awarded a 

Devonshire Fine Dining Gold 

to the Five Bells, so it was with 

sadness to hear that the chef had 

moved on to pastures new. 

Ross Haywood, the Five Bellsʼ PR 

guy made contact to see if weʼd 

like to carry out a review, bearing 

in mind the new kitchen team 

were now firmly bedded in. I had 

reservations as our previous visit 

had delivered spectacular food. 

Sometimes, however, you can 

be surprised, and indeed we were 

as the food again proved to be of 

spectacular quality, no small feat. 

What was noticeable when we 

arrived was the buzz that the old 

Inn seemed to have, plenty of 

people enjoying themselves and 

looking happy, always a good sign 

Iʼd say. Firstly we opted for the 

Autumn squash velouté which I 

have to confess, Iʼd never tasted 

anything like it, being light, full 

flavoured and delicious. Again 

another surprise, broccoli served 

with toasted almonds and a 

lemon sauce - taste sensations 

that I didnʼt expect - nuts/ 

lemon/broccoli? - but it worked 

Mushroom risotto 

beautifully, actually a brilliant tasty, 

light, slightly astringent starter, 

paving the way perfectly for the 

main course. 

Spiced aubergine caponata was 

the first mains, very Italian you 

may say (thereʼs an Italian guy in 

the kitchen), and again another 

tasty surprise. Incidentally, this 

chapʼs also responsible for the Tira 

Misu - heaven on earth if you like 

puds - and not too sweet - which 

usually means death to all serious 

quality puddings! 

Secondly, the mushroom risotto, 

(risotto always sorts the men from 

the boys in the kitchen) was 

delicious, supremely well-cooked, 

attractive and ultimately delicious. 

Finally a veritable double platinum 

to what, for me, was one of the 

most memorable mains Iʼve 

had in a long time - Free range 

chicken with greens and potatoes 

- fabulous and flavoursome chicken, 

gravy and mash to die for, lovely 

sweet peas, all beautifully 

seasoned - extremely humble, 

but ultimately just lovely food! 

The lady dining with her partner at 

the next table said to a member of 

staff that it was the best fish and 

chips sheʼd ever had - that sums 

it all up, food doesnʼt have to be 

overly messed with, just good 

ingredients cooked well to bring 

out the best flavours. 

Editor 

Always hopeful - Alfie 

Worth the trip to the Five Bells 

alone - for the Tira Misu - bliss! 

Spiced aubergine caponata 

Broccoli with toasted almonds and lemon 

22 


Great Devon eateries 

THE 

MALTSTERS 

ARMS 

Church House Inn 

Churchstow 

A 13th Century village pub steeped in history and bursting 

with original charm and character. 

Inglenook fireplace, log burners & beams a plenty, with 

legends of smuggling monks and secret tunnels. 

Relax, step back in history and enjoy really good honest 

award winning food, sourced from the abundance of local 

produce from the land and sea that surrounds us. 

Check out our website for latest offers & events 

01548 852237 

www.churchhouse-churchstow.com 

hello@churchhouse-churchstow.com #churchhouseinnchurchstow 

Come and join us in our traditional village pub. On top 

of our delicious regular menu, we have ever-changing 

seasonal specials such as our succulent slow-braised lamb 

shank or a baked sea bass fillet with chive and shrimp sauce. 

We also boast beautiful home-made desserts to finish 

off your meal in the perfect way. 

Visit our website to view our current menu & events: 

www.themaltstersarms.com 

 

 

www.oystershack.co.uk Milburn Orchard Farm, Stakes Hill, Bigbury, TQ7 4BE 01548 810 876 

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23

FOOD and DRINK 

The 

Otterton 

Fresh food prepared & cooked on the premises 

using local ingredients from our own farm shop 

• 15 quality rooms for B&B. From £90/night per double room, 

including full English breakfast • Dogs welcome (designated areas) 

• Childrenʼs play area • Extensive Gluten Free menu 

• Fresh food using local ingredients from our own farm shop and fish 

landed by our own trawlers whenever possible 

• Food served 12pm-2.30pm and 6pm-9pm Monday to Saturday 

Quality carvery Sundays Noon-8pm • Reservations recommended. 

• Bar serving quality local real ales & fine wines 

FORE STREET • OTTERTON • DEVON • EX9 7HB 01395 568416 www.kingsarmsotterton.co.uk 

Bringing Mediterranean cuisine to Devon 

We take pride in using Fresh and Local 

ingredients and lots of love to prepare each 

dish to be simply delicious and unique, 

taking your taste buds through a sun kissed 

Mediterranean journey. 

Gluten free and vegetarian 

options available. 

Traditional Sunday Roasts 

Pick up your 

favourite Takeaway 

pizza at a 

discounted price! 

AXMINSTER 

01297 631697 

Church Street, Axminster EX13 5NX 

www.lepisani.com 

SEATON 

01297 624338 

1 Fore Street, Seaton, EX12 2LE 

www.lepisani.com 

Subscribe to our newsletter! 

If you'd like to receive Devonshire magazine in your inbox 

each issue, subscribe to our newsletter on the link below, or 

find us on social media. 

www.devonshiremagazine.co.uk/newsletter 

24 


Great Devon eateries 

By Richard & Jayne Eley 

A great pub for every week of the year! 

 

Knowstone 

Jolly 

Jacks 

Kick Back & Relax 

waterfront bar bistro 

Kick Back & Relax 

Great 

Jolly 

Jacks 

waterfront bar bistro bistro 

Great 

Great 

Jolly 

Jacks 

Food, Company 

& Location ! 

Food, Company 

& Location ! 

Food, Company 

& Location ! 

Where everything that’s great comes together! 

People, and great company, cosy, friendly ambiance, fresh Devon and 

Cornish produce, tel: 01752 creative 500 and 008 passionate www.jollyjacks.co.uk 

chefs, great wines, local ales, 

coffee, Mayflower fabulous clientele, Marina • family, Richmond children Walk and • dogs Plymouth welcome • PL1 (dogs 4LSin bar 

or on terrace), free Marina parking... Jolly Jacks, where great things happen. 

tel: 01752 500 008 www.jollyjacks.co.uk 

ALL DAY EVERY DAY 

Mayflower Marina • Richmond Walk • Plymouth • PL1 4LS 

Bookings for Burns Night now being taken. 

tel: 01752 500 008 www.jollyjacks.co.uk 

Mayflower Marina • Richmond Walk • Plymouth • PL1 4LS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Molton 

The 

Masonʼs 

Arms 

Bampton 

Tiverton 

 

 

 

 

A place for eating, drinking & meeting 

• WITH A VIEW OF LYME BAY • 

Pyne's Sidmouth Devon | 01395 513047 

www.bedfordhotelsidmouth.co.uk 

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25

FASHION & BEAUTY 

New Year, 

new styles! 

A brand new year means brand new styles. Now the 

January sales are in full swing, it's the perfect opportunity 

to refresh your wardrobe for the new season and invest 

in some key on-trend items for less. There is nothing 

like seeing the quality of clothing in person, visit your 

local Devon fashion retailer for this seasons latest trends. 

Monari Summer 19 collection 

 

 

Brighten up winter... 

Come and see our dazzling jewellery 

collections! 

Chapter 

Autumn Winter 

“innovative designs” 

“luxurious wearable pieces” 

“unique collections” 

“rare, self indulgent” 

For more Jewellery, Online Shop and 

Jewellery Making Classes visit us at: 

www.victoriasewart.com 

01752 220011 (Gift Vouchers Available) 

39 Southside Street, The Barbican, Plymouth victoria sewart 

Beautiful 

clothes at 

affordable 

prices 

Lebek ◆ Brax 

Marie Mero ◆ Marble 

Olivier Philips ◆ Just White 

Pause Café ◆ Frank Lyman ◆ Luna Shoes 

Jewellery ◆ Accessories 

01395 579181 

info@chapterclothing.co.uk 

Church Street ◆ Sidmouth ◆ EX10 8lZ 

Autumn/Winter Sale: up to 50% OFF! 

26 


Est. 1959 

www.brookvaledental.co.uk 

FASHION & BEAUTY 

Taifun 

Monari 

Just white 

Toni 

Foil 

Capri 

Passioni 

Aventures des Toiles 

Olivier Philips 

Orientique 

Michaela Louisa 

JANUARY SALE NOW ON! 

01395 443117 

12 High Street, 

Budleigh Salterton 

EX9 6LQ 

www.angiesofbudleigh.co.uk info@angiesofbudleigh.co.uk 

Open Mon to Sat 10am - 4pm 

Great shoe shopping 

in Sidmouth 

Private Dentists 

that let you enjoy the confi dence 

of a beautiful smile. 

Just back from the Esplanade in Fore Street 

WHITE & SON SHOES 

@ SIDMOUTH 

01395 516618 

BROOKVALE DENTAL PRACTICE 

6 King Street, Honiton, EX14 1AF 

Tel: 01404 44800 

MERRIFIELD DENTAL PRACTICE 

15 Mill Street, Sidmouth, EX10 8DW 

Tel: 01395 579932 

| www.merrifielddentalpractice.co.uk 

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27

WIFE FOR SALE! 

“Stand on that table and smile for the gentlemen!” 

IT WAS ONCE THOUGHT 

LEGAL by many country 

folk in rural Devon, that a 

man could sell his wife at 

public auction, providing 

certain procedures were 

adhered to. 

These included putting 

a straw halter round her 

neck and leading her - 

gently - to the auction, 

having first announced 

publicly that both 

parties were agreed to 

end the marriage in this 

way: and importantly 

that the wife would then 

be bound to transfer her 

affections to the highest 

bidder. 

Some wives went for a few pounds 

or even a few shillings: others for a 

pint of ale or a jug of gin or in one 

case, a few shillings and a dog. 

The bid accepted, it was necessary 

for the buyer to then lead his new 

“wife” home by that same bridle and 

not remove it until the couple had 

crossed the threshold of her new 

abode. This, they believed, made 

everything legal and aboveboard. 

This ‘quaint’ rural custom persisted 

in some parts of Devon especially 

mid and north Devon (less so in the 

south) until shortly before the Great 

War, the last wife sale in the county 

being recorded in the early 1900s 

by the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould, 

the vicar of St. Peter’s Church, 

Lewtrenchard, near Okehampton. 

He was an extraordinarily gifted 

man, happily married with a large 

family, an author, poet, gatherer of 

folk songs and composer and wrote 

Onward, Christian Soldiers. His was 

an ancient Devon family and his 

lifelong study of the county, its people 

and customs was extensive and 

he recorded and wrote about what 

he saw and heard 

throughout his long 

life (1834 ‒ 1924). 

Rev. Sabine Baring- 

Gould 

On the subject of 

Wife Sales he wrote 

that “many such sales 

have taken place, and 

that this is so is due to 

rooted conviction in 

the rustic mind that 

such a transaction 

is legal and morally 

permissible”. 

Sold! for half a crown 

When he was a boy, he recalled, 

there was a man in his parish called 

Henry Frise who was ‘a village poet’. 

His verses, taken to the manor-house 

were rewarded with his dinner and 

a crown. He once used half of one 

of those payments to buy a wife at 

Okehampton market. Her name was 

Anne and having bid half a crown for 

her led her home still in her halter 

the twelve miles to his home, “she 

placidly, contentedly wearing the 

loop about her neck”. 

“I must say that Anne proved an 

excellent “wife.” She was thrifty, 

clean, and managed a roughtempered 

and rough-tongued man 

with great tact, and was generally 

respected. She died in or about 

1843”. 

Sold! for a jar of gin 

Baring-Gould also recalled a 

publican, “who lived some miles 

off” who bought his wife for a stone 

two-gallon jar of Plymouth gin. She 

had belonged to a stonecutter, who 

became dissatisfied with her and 

put up a written notice in several 

public places to this effect: 

NOTICE 

This here be to hinform the publick 

as how James Cole be dispozed 

to sell his wife by Auction. Her be 

a dacent, clanely woman, and be 

of age twenty-five ears. The sale 

be to take place in the New Inn, 

Thursday next at seven o’clock. 

He held the sale, making the woman 

stand on a table, and he armed 

himself with a little hammer. The 

biddings were to be in kind and not 

in money. One man offered a coat, 

but as he was a small man and the 

seller was stout, when he found 

that the coat would not fit him, he 

refused it. 

Another offered a “phisgie,” i.e. a 

pick, but this also was declined, as 

the husband possessed a “phisgie” of 

his own. Finally, the landlord offered 

a two-gallon jar of gin, and down fell 

the hammer with “Gone!” 

The wife who bought herself 

Henry Whitfield in his book 

Plymouth and Devonport in Times of 

War and Peace (1900) writes of how, 

28

in December, 1822, the Plymouth 

town crier was sent out and about in 

Modbury Market to announce that 

James Brooks was about to dispose 

of his wife by public auction. The 

lady was advertised as young and 

handsome and would arrive at the 

auction on horseback at precisely 

midday. 

Sure enough the lady arrived, 

attended by the ostler of the Lord 

Exmouth public house and the 

husband invited the bidding. The 

first was for five shillings, then the 

sums offered mounted slowly to 

two pounds. Whereupon the ostler 

called out “Three pounds!” and she 

would have been knocked down to 

him had not two town watchmen 

intervened and escorted the pair to 

the Guildhall, followed by a crowd. 

When the mayor took them to task, 

the husband declared that for the 

life of him he could not see that he 

was doing wrong. He and his wife 

had agreed to the sale, as they had 

not lived together for long, and were 

ill-assorted, and therefore desired 

fresh partners. 

It transpired that the ostler was 

buying her at a reserved price, at 

which she had valued herself. There 

was a gentleman, the lady said, a Mr. 

K., whom she had expected to turn 

up and bid for her.”I was very much 

annoyed,” she told the mayor, ”to find 

that he had not kept his promise. But 

I was so determined to be loosed 

from Mr. Brooks, that when Mr. K. 

did not attend, I asked the ostler to 

buy me with my own money”. 

The justices bound the loveless 

pair over in sureties to be of good 

behaviour, and dismissed them. 

Unsold at 18 pence - and a 

tragedy 

The Rev. W. H. Thornton, vicar of 

North Bovey, recalled: “In March of 

this year (1906), I was investigating 

in North Devon a remarkable 

instance of suicide, and a still 

more remarkable verdict thereon. 

My informant was an old poacher 

and fisherman, and speaking of the 

deceased, he said casually that he 

came of a curious family, and that he 

himself could well remember to have 

seen the dead man’s grandfather 

leading his grandmother on a halter 

to be sold by public auction in Great 

Torrington Market. 

“The reserve price was fixed at 

eighteen pence, but as no one would 

give so much money, the husband 

had to take his wife home again and 

resume matrimonial intercourse. 

Children were born to them, and 

the ultimate result was the suicide”. 

Sold! a wife and children - 

for beer 

Hardy’s Mayor of Casterbridge, 

wherein a man sells his wife and 

child 

The Reverend gentleman went on to 

say that shortly before he became 

the incumbent at North Bovey in 

1868, “a man, whose name I can 

give, walked into Chagford, and 

there by private agreement sold 

his wife to another man for a quart 

of beer. When he returned home 

with the purchaser the woman 

repudiated the transaction, and, 

taking her two children with her, 

went off at once to Exeter, and only 

came back to attend her husband’s 

funeral, at which, unless I am 

mistaken, I officiated”. 

Devon was not the only scene of 

these wife-sales, writes Baring- 

Gould, though they were probably 

more common here than elsewhere 

and listed several other instances “to 

relieve Devon of exclusive discredit 

in such matters”. 

Sold! for 20 shillings and 

a dog 

In 1832 a farmer in Carlisle named 

Joseph Thomson sold his wife of 

three years for 20 shillings and a 

Newfoundland dog. 

He placed her on a chair, with a 

rope of straw round her neck and 

then, according to the editor of The 

Carlisle Annual Register made the 

following announcement: 

”GENTLEMEN, I have to offer to 

your notice, my wife, Mary Anne 

Thomson, otherwise Williams, 

whom I mean to sell to the highest 

and fairest bidder. Gentlemen, it is 

her wish as well as mine to part 

for ever. She has been to me only 

a born serpent. I took her for my 

comfort, and the good of my home; 

but she became my tormentor, a 

domestic curse. 

“Gentlemen, I speak the truth from 

my heart when I say may God deliver 

us from troublesome wives and 

frolicsome women! Avoid them as 

you would a mad dog, or a roaring 

lion, a loaded pistol, cholera morbus, 

Mount Etna, or any other pestilential 

thing in nature. Now I have shown 

you the dark side of my wife, and 

told you her faults and failings, I will 

introduce the bright and sunny side 

of her, and explain her qualifications 

and goodness. 

“She can read novels and milk cows; 

she can laugh and weep with the 

same ease that you could take a 

glass of ale when thirsty. She can 

make butter and scold the maid; 

she can sing Moore’s melodies, and 

plait her frills and caps; she cannot 

make rum, gin, or whisky, but she 

is a good judge of the quality from 

long experience in tasting them. 

I therefore offer her with all her 

perfections and imperfections for 

the sum of fifty shillings.” 

An hour later she was knocked down 

to one Henry Mears, for twenty 

shillings and a Newfoundland dog. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomson then parted 

company in perfect good humour, 

Mears and his new “wife” one way, 

Thomson, his 20 shillings and the 

dog the other. 

The chambermaid who 

became a Duchess 

Finally and in complete contrast 

there is the extraordinary instance 

of Mrs Anne Jeffries, a chambermaid 

at the Pelican Inn, Newbury, who 

was unhappily married to a Mr. 

Jeffries the ostler there. 

It was the late 1730s when Lord 

Henry Brydges, second Duke of 

Chandos, having stopped off at the 

inn to dine whilst on his way to 

London, had his meal interrupted 

by a commotion in the inn yard. 

Jeffries the ostler had led his wife 

into the yard with a halter round 

her neck and was offering her up 

for sale. 

So smitten with Anne’s beauty “and 

the patient way she waited to be 

set free from her ill-conditioned 

husband”, and notwithstanding 

that he was already married, the 

good Duke bought her for himself 

for half a crown (12½p). 

She was his mistress for some years. 

In August 1738 his wife died, and 

by 1744 the ostler was dead also, 

and so the two were finally married 

in London on Christmas Day, 1744. 

A noble contemporary said of her, 

“Of her person and character people 

speak variously, but all agree that 

both were very bad.” She died in 

1759, after which Chandos married 

again. Of the noble Duke it was the 

King himself, George II who said 

of him, “there goes a hot headed, 

passionate, half-witted coxcomb.” 

So hardly a love match there then. 

True love, everlasting 

But if you seek a happy ending in the 

midst of all these terrible goings-on 

you should look no further than to 

the life and love of the Reverend 

Sabine Baring-Gould himself who 

did so much to record them for 

posterity. 

When he was a very young curate 

he met Grace Taylor, the daughter 

of a mill hand, then aged fourteen. 

In the next few years they fell in 

love. His vicar, John Sharp, arranged 

for Grace to live for two years with 

relatives in York, “to learn middleclass 

manners”. 

He and Grace were married in 1868, 

they had 15 children and their 

marriage lasted until her death 

48 years later. . When he buried 

his wife in 1916 he had carved 

on her tombstone the Latin motto 

Dimidium Animae Meae which 

translates as “Half my Soul”. 

He did not remarry and died on 

2 January 1924 at their home at 

Lewtrenchard and is buried there 

at St. Peter’s Church, next to his wife. 

JOHN FISHER 

29

Contact me to find or create your perfect holiday. Added service at no extra cost. 

01395 542180 / jo.white@travelcounsellors.com 

Read testimonials and more at www.travelcounsellors.com/jo.white 

by Jackie at 

Independent, expert travel 

advice at no extra cost 

Thousands of travel 

suppliers at my fingertips 

Personalised service and 

round the clock care 

Best financial protection 

in the Travel Industry 

Travel packages arranged and booked 

personally for you 

01395 542180 07967 756543 

jo.white@travelcounsellors.com 

Read testimonials at: 

www.travelcounsellors.com/jo.white 

Jo White 

travel expert 

A great experience! 

Jo White, Travel Counsellor 

Your personal Travel Expert 

Contact me to find or create your perfect holiday. Added service at no extra cost. 

01395 542180 / jo.white@travelcounsellors.com 

Read testimonials and more at www.travelcounsellors.com/jo.white 

I had an action-packed trip to Universal in Florida this 

year courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, Gold Medal Holidays 

and Universal, experiencing everything the resort 

has to offer. 

Exceeding All Your Expectations 

Specialists in Executive Travel 

All UK airport & dock transfers, corporate business 

travel & chauffeured services for that special 

occasion... Weddings, Anniversaries & Birthdays. 

Our vehicles include: 

Mercedes E250 & Luxury 8 seater Ford Tourneo 

mini cab. 

For a restful 

journey we provide; 

complimentary WiFi, 

refrigerated 

water, blankets and 

head pillows. 

Local runs undertaken 

by prior appointment 

Please contact us with your requirements 

Call Barry Gardner on 07925 933100 

I was so lucky to experience so 

much on this trip and we really 

did get the best out of our stay 

using the Universal 3 Park 

Explorer tickets. Our stay on 

site at the Loews Sapphire Falls 

Resort meant we could make 

use of the complimentary 

water taxis available to all 3 

parks, together with early park 

admission to the Wizarding 

World of Harry Potter. 

There really is something 

for all the family at all three 

parks - Universal Studios 

and the Islands of Adventure 

have a host of thrilling rides 

and simulation attractions 

plus themed restaurants and 

characters to meet. Volcano 

Bay is an amazing waterpark 

with huge sunbathing areas, 

set around lazy rivers, thrilling 

slides and more. 

If you’d like to hear more about 

my adventure, or need help 

planning yours, please pop in 

and see me in the Exmouth 

office or give me a call. I’d love 

to help! 

Happy Travels! 

Jackie and 

The TRAVELWORLD team 

30 


Proudly Independent 

We would like to wish all friends and clients of Travelworld, 

old and new, a very healthy and prosperous New Year! 

Your truly local 

independent travel agent 

Travelworld is a local independent 

travel agent offering a huge range of 

holidays. Our dedicated travel experts 

are committed to sourcing the perfect 

holiday just for you, from package 

holidays, cruises, touring, tailor-made 

itineraries, skiing, rail holidays, city 

breaks weddings & honeymoons and 

much more! 

Book Great Rail Journeys, Titan, Riviera, 

Newmarket Holidays and Saga with us 

- prices are no different, but we add 

the extra value to your booking! 

Up & Coming Events in 2019 

Somak Holidays - Africa 

29th January 

Around the world with Wendy Wu 

2nd April 

Devon County Show with Exeter Airport 

16th, 17th, 18th May 

Soloʼs Travel Club 

Coming in Spring 2019 

Cruise & Holiday Show 

3rd November 

For further details on any of our forthcoming 

events please contact your local Travelworld office. 

The place where holiday dreams are made! 

Exmouth: 01395 265777 

www.travelworldexmouth.co.uk 

Open for you to come in to discuss your holiday requirements in Exmouth and Sidmouth between 

9.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 1pm on Saturdays. 


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Sidmouth: 01395 262270 

www.travelworldsidmouth.co.uk 

31

The lovely cheerful and comfortable lounge area 

The rotunda here is the restaurant having stunning and 

panoramic views out across the coastline 

Inside the rotunda, its 

infinity sea and sky! 

STAYCATION 

Gara Rock Hotel - it's here! 

Gara Rock Hotel 

East Portlemouth 

Near Salcombe 

Devon 

01548 845946 

gararock.com 

If you enjoy scenic grandeur and endless coastal 

walking in one of Devon's most beautiful areas, 

it's all here for you at the Gara Rock Hotel. 

If you already know and have visited 

Salcombe, you'll be aware of what a 

lovely destination it is, azure water, 

golden sands, on a sunny day it's 

much like being in the Caribbean! 

There are many interesting and 

luxurious hotels in this locality, 

the one we visit in this instance 

is the recently redeveloped Gara 

Rock Hotel. The name gives you 

an indication of the location, the 

coastline just outside the Salcombe 

estuary is rocky to say the least, in 

fact its spectacular and the hotel 

is situated right on the coastal 

footpath, so for walkers, countryside 

and dog lovers, it's heaven. 

Gara Rock was originally a coast 

guard station, ideally situated 

because of its commanding view 

across the coastline. It was later 

purchased in 1909 and became 

a hotel, receiving many notable 

guests such as Sir John Betjeman, 

Sir Lawrence Olivier and Margaret 

Rutherford. In 2006 the old hotel 

was demolished, making way for 

the redeveloped hotel which was 

completed in August 2018. The 

redevelopment has meant that it 

now provides the most extensive 

facilities for guest including 

indoor heated swimming pool 

and spa facilities such as jacuzzi, 

sauna and steam room. There's 

also a cinema and the top deck is 

where the restaurant and lounge 

are situated. The restaurant is 

beautifully placed, this bit of the 

building forming a rotunda with 

wrap-around glass, allowing you 

to fully enjoy the panoramic coastal 

views whilst dining. What's fantastic 

here, particularly if you're a dog 

owner, is you can bring your pooch 

in with you which makes your stay 

incredibly easy and enjoyable - top 

marks to Gara Rock Hotel for their 

dog friendly credentials, they really 

Herb ravioli, girolles and chard Homemade ice creams Chickpeas, squash, harissa and 

broccoli spigarello 

32 


One of the beautiful bedrooms with views leading 

on to the suite and garden 

The suite with garden view 

do go the extra mile for your furry 

member of the family! 

The lounge area is lovely, the interior 

designers have done a great job, it's 

cosy, comfortable and classy - a great 

place to relax and enjoy a drink, with 

a log fire at one end and many easy 

chairs and sofas where you can 

stretch out. The general atmosphere 

is informal and friendly, that's their 

ethos and it works well, you feel more 

like part of a big friendly family, rather 

than a paying guest. 

The accommodation rooms vary 

greatly, they have a wide range of 

suites with or without balconies, 

loft rooms, apartments and even 

cottages, so something for everyone. 

The suite we stayed in was the Junior 

which had its own living room 

leading out via sliding doors onto 

the communal garden, just opposite 

to which was the gateway taking you 

directly onto the coastal path. 

An important part of your stay at 

any hotel is the food, it being pretty 

important here as you're several miles from another 

eatery. The restaurant is a delightful place to 

be and their food offering was excellent (see 

photos below). A wide range of the menu was 

sampled which all proved to be delicious, with 

some interesting options including plenty of tasty 

vegetarian options, so it's top marks to the chef 

and team. 

Here's the coastline which is directly outside Gara Rock Hotel's door. You can get straight onto 

the coastal path and enjoy miles and miles of unspoilt coastal scenery. 

Gara Rock Hotel is somewhere you can escape 

and recharge the batteries, leave the car parkedup 

and enjoy fantastic coastal walking and 

scenery (see overleaf) with luxurious and relaxing 

accommodation, it's great! 

Editor 


Interested in news 

on Devon hotels 

and restaurants? 

Just follow: 


on Instagram 

to keep abreast 

of Devonshire 

reviews and visits 

PS - Instagram users, follow us on @inspiredtovisit 

to see our latest hotel and restaurant visits 

Crab, celeriac remoulade and herb Artisan cheese board Jersey Royals, radish, lardo and lovage 

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33

Entering the mouth of Salcombe estuary, 

hopefully a hold full of fish? 

Clear water for 

bathing, bit cold at 

the moment though 

Sheep walk 

some rather 

precipitous 

paths 

It rocks man! 

Gara Rock and East Portlemouth 

34 


The view looking eastward up the coast 

A kestrel taking a peek at us 


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35

Natural World 

by Stephen Hussey of the Devon Wildlife Trust 

Hedgehogs - Jon Hawkins 

he tumbling temperatures of 

Twinter present a stiff challenge 

to Devonʼs wildlife. Some species 

opt out, choosing migration in 

search of warmth and food. But for 

most the strategy must be to stay 

put and do the utmost to survive. 

This is true of one of our most 

familiar, but sadly most rapidly 

declining mammals, the hedgehog. 

Hedgehogʼs rely on invertebrates 

‒ insects, worms, slugs, snails, etc. ‒ 

as their main food source. Because 

their prey is small in relation to their 

own body-size, they are voracious 

feeders, requiring huge numbers 

of invertebrates just to keep going. 

Winter presents the hedgehog 

with a conundrum. Cold weather 

demands more energy to stay warm 

and on the move. At the same 

time there are fewer invertebrates 

around to feed on ‒ many insects 

perish in the first frosts, others 

including slugs and snails hide 

themselves away. The answer to 

this food shortage for hedgehogs 

(like those other invertebratereliant 

mammals, the bats) is to 

hibernate. 

Hibernation is not the snug, cosy, 

deep sleep depicted in childrenʼs 

story books. It represents a 

time of risk, a state from which 

some hedgehogs will never reemerge. 

Hibernation opens 

the hedgehog to discovery by 

predators, accidental disturbance 

and harm from humans, frost bite 

and freezing, even flooding and 

drowning. 

As a consequence, hedgehogs will 

go on leading active lives as long 

Sleep Tight 

as the autumn and early winter 

weather and their food supply 

allows. 

When the time does come to 

hibernate, a nest of dry leaves or 

grass is favoured, often under the 

cover of a hedge or cover such 

as brambles. Once settled an 

extraordinary change occurs in the 

animal. Hedgehogs will rely on the 

fat reserves that they spent autumn 

and the early winter months 

building up. But they also look to 

minimise their energy use. Their 

metabolism will slow dramatically, 

brain activity will almost cease and 

the animal will not move from its 

familiar ball position. An active 

hedgehog will take between 40- 

50 breaths per minute, but during 

hibernation this will drop to just 9. 

A heart beat that runs at 190 per 

minute in summer is slowed to 20, 

while the body temperature falls 

from 34°C to as little as 6°C. 

A hedgehogʼs problems donʼt 

end when they emerge from 

hibernation. The animal will wake 

when its bodyʼs fat supplies are 

running low. At this time it must 

find water and food quickly. If it fails 

then dehydration and starvation 

may strike. 

There are things that we can all do 

to help hogs negotiate the coming 

winter. These include leaving part 

of your garden ʻwildʼ, and putting 

out food sources and water at key 

times of year. For this and many 

more tips on supporting local 

wildlife take a look at the wildlife 

gardening pages of: 

www.devonwildlifetrust.org 

36 


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37

Glimpses of 

Wistman's Wood 

pposite the Two Bridges Hotel there's a walk 

Othat takes you up the valley parallel to the West 

Dart river to Wistman's Wood, an impressive ancient 

sessile oak forest. You cannot fail to be impressed by 

the tortured nature of these trees, festooned with 

lichens and mosses, growing amongst a patchwork of 

enormous granite boulders. 

Alfie standing to attention, these days he knows that when the camera points 

directly at him, he is required to stand still and pose! 

Wistman's 

Wood 

Two Bridges 

Dartmoor 

National 

Park 

Postbridge 

Belever 

Hexworthy 

Dartmeet 

There are days towards 

the end of the year when 

the grey has descended, 

with no wind to blow it 

away, it can be cool and 

damp, but immensely 

peaceful, the mist 

seemingly deadening out 

any sound. 

Photography of course, 

generally requires decent 

light levels and the day I 

visited Wistman's Wood 

on Dartmoor the light 

levels were low. Although 

you don't get glorious 

back-lighting, decent 

modern digital cameras 

should be able to pick up 

the subtle tones prevalent 

at this time of year. 

It's a busy spot with 

families and walkers on 

the weekend, the walk's 

about three quarters of 

a mile from the car park, 

which is situated on the 

other side of the road 

from the Two Bridges 

Hotel. Wistman's Wood 

is a unique habitat with 

many people visiting 

through the year, so 

it's important to cause 

as little damage as is 

possible, it's a special 

environment that 

should be admired and 

preserved. It's also worth 

saying that the granite 

boulders have many 

holes between them, it's 

extremely easy to sprain 

or break an ankle, so 

please be careful. Alfie 

(pictured) had to be 

restrained from playing 

with another dog for 

the same reason - that's 

health and safety over 

with! 

Don't miss the 

opportunity at the end 

of your walk to visit one 

of my favourite Devon 

hotels, the Two Bridges 

Hotel. I always liken a visit 

to a step back in time to a 

country hotel in the 1970s, 

you'll often hear clipped 

English accents, broad 

Dartmoor ones, with old 

monotone photos of the 

Royal Family on the walls 

and welcoming real fires - 

don't forget to try the Jail 

Ale - it's a totally unique 

place! 

Editor 

PS - if you love photos 

of Devon countryside, 

you can follow us on 

Instagram 


Just opposite the Two Bridges Hotel on Dartmoor is the start of 

the footpath taking you straight along the valley to Wistman's Wood 

Lichen hanging from the branches 

The moss when it catches the sun can 

give luminous greens 

38 


The sessile oaks are bare at this time of the year, showing the contorted branches that spread out horizontally rather than growing upwards. 

If you visit for a walk, be very careful of the rocks, it's easy to sprain an ankle in one of the interstices! 

Twisted oaks, massive granite boulders 

A bleak day, but pleasant none the less 

Alfie, pausing to admire the views, just in front of a couple of walkers 

returning from Wistman's Wood (you can see in the distance on left) 

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39

ART EXHIBITIONS 

January to February 19 

EXHIBITIONS 

FROM CITY TO THE SEA 

Until 04 Jan- Joint exhibition 

featuring work by Louise Davies 

and Gail Brodholt, Brook Gallery, 

Foreshore House, Budleigh 

Salterton, 10.30am to 5.00pm. 

MAKE 2018 

Until 06 Jan- Devon Guild's 

annual Christmas selling 

exhibition. Filled to the brim with 

charm, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, 

Bovey Tracey, 10.00am to 5.30pm. 

AFTER EIGHTIES CELEBRATION OF 

FOUR ARTISTS 

Until 20 Jan- Fred Cuming RA, 

Alfred Stockham RCA RWA, Robin 

Rae RCA and Richard Batterham, 

Sladers Yard, West Bay Road, 

West Bay, 10.00am to 4.30pm. 

WINTER ART SALE 

Until 23 Jan- Celebrate post- 

Christmas with 2D/3D art by 

local artists at great prices, Town 

Mill Arts, The Malthouse Gallery, 

Lyme Regis, 10.30am to 4.30pm. 

Donna Goold - 'Winter Warmer' - Artwave West, Morcombelake 

Studio Gallery 

E X H I B I T I O N S 

In the Studio Gallery 

Light on Water 

Exhibition of Mark’s paintings. 

Portrait Commissions 

Mark was taught by 

Robert Lenkiewicz. 

Budleigh: Tues-Sat 10.30-5.00 Sun 2.00-4.30 

www.brookgallery.co.uk 01395 443003 

From City to the Sea 

Until 04 Jan 

An exhibition combining etchings 

by Louise Davis and line prints by 

Gail Brodholt. 

Exhibitions 

Display your work 

We welcome enquiries from 

artists wishing to exhibit. 

Please contact us using the 

information below. 

Welcome to 2019 

We’d like to introduce two new 

artists to Marine House at Beer: 

Simeon Stafford and 

Hannah Ludnow. 

Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, 

Plymouth PL1 3RP 

www.markfielding.co.uk 

For this, other talks and events visit: 

www.brookgallery.co.uk 

01395 515551 Coburg Road, Sidmouth 

www.kennawayhouse.org.uk 

www.marinehouseatbeer.co.uk 

01297 625257 

40 


Jenni Murphy - 'Sparkly Love' - GalleryFAB, Newton Abbot 

Jo Dixon - 'The Note' - Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton 

WINTER EXHIBITION 

Until 31 Jan- A fabulous collection 

of paintings, prints, sculpture and 

jewellery, Brownston Gallery, 36 

Church Street, Modbury, 10.00am 

to 5.00pm. 

LYME COUNTRY 

Until 08 Feb- Artwork inspired 

by the countryside beside and 

behind the Jurassic Coast, Town 

Mill Arts, Lyme Regis Museum, 

Lyme Regis, 10.00am to 5.00pm. 

FOCUSSED 

05 Jan to 03 Feb- Showcase for 

recent work by Dorset and Devonbased 

photographers, Town Mill 

Arts, The Courtyard Gallery, Lyme 

Regis, 10.30am to 4.30pm. 

EXHIBITION TOUR AND TALK 

12 Jan- Academician Ken 

Cosgrove will introduce the new 

South West Academy exhibition, 

Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield 

House, Honiton, 2.00pm to 

3.00pm. 

SOUTH WEST ACADEMY EXHIBITION 

12 Jan to 09 Feb- Exhibition of 

work by members of the South 

West Academy, Thelma Hulbert 

Gallery, Elmfield House, Honiton, 

10.00am to 5.00pm. 

CRIMINAL ORNAMENTATION: YINKA 

SHONIBARE MBE 

19 Jan to 17 Mar- This intriguing 

exhibition includes eye-popping 

art using many mediums, Royal 

Albert Memorial Museum - 

RAMM, Queen Street, Exeter, 

10.00am to 5.00pm. 

CAROLINE BARKER IS ARTIST IN 

RESIDENCE 

22 Jan to 28 Jan- Calligraphy and 

handmade books, Harbour House, 

The Promenade, Kingsbridge, 

10.00am to 4.00pm. 

PRICELESS 

26 Jan to 03 Feb- Annual 

exhibition of artwork by students 

of all ages from Woodroffe 

School, Town Mill Arts, The 

Malthouse Gallery, Lyme Regis, 

10.30am to 4.30pm. 

'GARDENS ARE LIKE PEOPLE' BY 

MARIUSZ KALDOWSK 

26 Jan to 10 Feb- Contemporary 

impressionism at its finest. A 

must see show, Host Galleries, 

12 Whimple Street, Plymouth, 

9.00am to 5.30pm. 

GALLERY ARTIST EXHIBITION 

01 Feb to 28 Feb- A wonderful 

mix of Contemporary Art from 

Gallery Artists, Artwave West, 

A35, Morecombelake, 10.00am to 

4.00pm. 

Do you have exhibitions to 

promote in 2019? 

Add them to 

hubcast.co.uk, it’s free! 

hubcast 

Simeon Stafford - 'The Fisherman' - Marine House at Beer 

What's On in Devon? 

hubcast 

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CONTINUED OVERLEAF... 

41

ART EXHIBITIONS 

January to February 19 

Jonathon X Coudrille - 'Harvest Moon' - Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton 

51 High Street Honiton 

t. 01404 43201 

www.hybrid-devon.co.uk 

Gallery Artists 

See website for details and new 

programme. 

info@artwavewest.com | artwavewest.com 

artwave west | 01297 489 746 

morcombelake | dorset | DT6 6DY 

Exhibitions 

Gallery Artists 

Throughout February. 

Open by appointment only 

during January. 

Do you have exhibitions to 

promote in 2019? 

Add them to 

hubcast.co.uk, it’s free! 

hubcast 

Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am-4pm 

42 


Derek Holland - 'Roscoff' - The Brownston Gallery, Modbury 

Mark Fielding - 'Two trees, Antony Passage' 

RIVIERA ART FAIR 

05 Feb to 24 Feb- Not Mondays.. 

Riviera Art Fair with Torbay Guild 

of Artists, Devon Art Society, 

Brixham Society of Art, The 

Spanish Barn, Torbay, 11.00am 

to 4.00pm. 

PRIMARY COLOURS 

09 Feb to 23 Feb- A celebration 

of art and craft from our local 

primary schools, Harbour House, 

The Promenade, Kingsbridge, 

10.00am to 5.00pm. 

'SYNERGY' BY MARC TODD - ART 

EXHIBITION 

23 Feb to 10 Mar- One of our 

newest artists to showcase in the 

gall, Host Galleries, 12 Whimple 

Street, Plymouth, 9.00am to 

5.30pm. 

ON PAPER EXHIBITION 

23 Feb to 18 May- An Arts 

Council touring exhibition, 

Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield 

House, Honiton, 10.00am to 

5.00pm. 

BABY-FRIENDLY CURATOR TALK - 

WOMEN ARTISTS 

07 Mar- New for 2019 - 

introducing our baby-friendly 

talks by RAMM’s curators., 

Royal Albert Memorial Museum 

- RAMM, Queen Street, Exeter, 

10.00am to 11.00am. 

SEE MORE ON 

www.hubcast.co.uk 

W W W 

g a 

l 

l 

. G A L L E R Y FA B 

e r y 

& 

P 

. C O 

E 

I C T U R 

. U K 

F R A M 

E R S 

Art · Homeware • Picture · Giftware Framing 

Greetings Cards 

Greetings Cards • Giftware 

Picture Framing 

FRAMES & BOXES, BANK STREET, NEWTON 

ABBOT, TQ12 2JW · 01626 335965 

Thank you for a great 2018! 

facebook.com/galleryfab 

We’re looking forward to 

seeing you in 2019... 

thebrownstongallery 

thebrownstongallery 

Exhibitions 

From Devon With Love 

8-22 February 

featuring work by 

Devon-born artist 

Derek Holland 

(1927-2014) 

Frames & Boxes, Bank Street, 

Newton Abbot TQ12 2JW Tues-Sat 

01626 335965 facebook.com/galleryfab 

art prints sculpture jewellery 

art prints sculpture jewellery 

36 Church Street, Modbury, Devon PL21 0QR 

36 Church Street, tel - Modbury, 01548 831338 Devon PL21 0QR 

tel - 01548 831338 

What's On in Devon? 

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43

Simeon Stafford - ‘Ducky’s Cafe, Beer Beach’ - 50x75cm - £2050 

WELCOME TO 2019 AT 

Marine House at Beer 

We’d like to introduce two new artists to the gallery: 

SIMEON STAFFORD - A Cornish-based, 

leading naive artist captures the mood 

and excitement of good times in favourite 

South West spots such as Beer. 

HANNAH LUDNOW - We had outstanding 

success worldwide during 2018 with her 

magnificent moody portrayals of skies 

and seas of the West Country. 

View their work on our website or, better still, come and visit us in Beer. 

Hannah Ludnow - ‘Found’ - 70x100cm - £1500 

44 

Fore Street, Beer, EX12 3EF Marine House 01297 625257 Steam Gallery 01297 625144 

Countryside, info@marinehouseatbeer.co.uk 

History, Walks, the Arts, Events & all things Devon marinehouseatbeer.co.uk 

at: DEVONSHIRE magazine.co.uk

continued from page 12 

Th e C O U N T R Y M A N 

knowledge of my whereabouts, is 

the real challenge. Waiting for 

the most natural of positions is 

(to me) the hardest part, so please 

bear with me on the composition! 

As you can see, woodcock are 

perfectly camouflaged for feeding 

on woodland floors amongst the 

leave litter. These two birds may 

possibly be residents in Devon all 

year and perhaps breed here, but 

most likely they have flown from 

northern Europe for the winter. 

They arrive usually in November 

and this year I encountered an 

exhausted woodcock near Moles 

Chamber in early November which 

was hardly able to fly more than 

20 metres at a time and I suspect 

it had just completed its migration 

to Devon. One of the best times 

to spot woodcock, often several 

at a time, is at dusk as they leave 

woodland to feed on old pasture, 

better still on a moonlit night. 

They will pass by rapidly, seldom 

above tree height and a keen eye is 

needed to get anything more than 

glimpse of a silhouette against the 

last vestiges of daylight. By mid 

March most non-breeding birds 

will have left to migrate north 

again. 

I am often mourning the lack of 

salmon fishing in 2018 due to the 

absence of water in the rivers. I 

believe last season may be the 

worst on record and as the season 

finishes on the River Taw at the 

end of September, we have little 

knowledge of salmon returning 

after this. However, spawning takes 

place in November and though 

to December. Each year I try to 

reconnoitre the river Bray, the 

main spawning tributary of the 

Taw system, looking for evidence of 

spawning redds. At last, something 

slightly encouraging on the salmon 

front! I found nine large redds 

in the mile I walked and believe 

I would have seen many more if 

the water was lower and I had 

better visibility through the water. 

Further upstream I understand 

more redds were seen and also 

A hind bearing the scars from the rutting 

several spent (spawned) fish. 

This bodes reasonably well for 

the future. The life-cycle of these 

graceful fish is that young from 

these eggs which will probably 

spend two years in the river 

A newborn lamb 

before returning to the sea. Then, 

migrating to the seas of Greenland, 

returning to their river of origin 

after one, two or three years. Once 

spawning is finished, it is often 

possible to find the dead or dying 

fish as spawning normally depicts 

the end of the life cycle. 

I hope many vegetable gardeners 

will agree that the drought has had 

as many benefits as not. The veg 

patches and allotments of Devon 

should be weed free now as a good 

hoeing even in October saw weeds 

just shrivel away. This allowed 

me to get my broad beans in the 

ground in October and they stood 

12 inches tall at the turn of the 

year, that’s a first! Even the onion 

sets planted at the same time are 

looking well. The rest of the veg 

patch is mainly weed free so... roll 

on spring! to get planting again. 

The brassicas have struggled since 

the rains started in November 

and my planting scheme for the 

cabbage family will now be limited 

to just over wintering swedes. After 

some thirty years of trying to get 

good brussel sprouts and early 

purple sprouting it‘s time to give 

up on these winter greens. How I 

will get through those lengthening 

late February days without a feed 

of purple sprouting, I don’t know. 

It heralds the earliest of spring 

growth in the veg patch, along 

with the wild snowdrops bordering 

the garden and the first few leaves 

of hedgerow honeysuckle. One 

vegetable that I have had great 

success with and can be put to 

great winter use (as it stores well) 

is celeriac. February is the month 

to sow these tiny seeds indoors and 

they seem to take ages to germinate 

and grow prior to planting outside. 

They require plenty of fertilizer, 

love farmyard manure and require 

plenty of watering in a dry time. 

Mine never seem to increase in size 

noticeably until early September 

when they fill out rapidly. Try 

mashing with spuds or grated raw 

in a salad. January and February 

are the best months to prune and 

graft apple trees and take cuttings 

of blackcurrants. The latter will 

benefit from more well-rotted FYM. 

Autumn bliss raspberries should 

be cut back to just above ground, 

be sure to dig out those annoying 

spreading roots or they will run 

riot. These are just a few things 

that should be done before the 

real sowing season starts. 

Though hedge laying can run into 

March, dependent on prevailing 

weather, best to get it sorted in 

January and February. It is time 

consuming, but, very rewarding 

and a great source of pea and 

beans sticks as well to use as 

kindling for the fire or woodburner. 

I am not sure there is fact behind 

this, but I was recently told that 

field hedge boundaries shouldn’t be 

cut horizontally on top as so often 

the case in Devon, instead, cut to 

a point. Why, you will ask? A very 

respected friend, an ex-farmer and 

keen naturalist told me this will 

prevent magpies finding nests and 

raiding eggs and fledglings of our 

hedge nesting birds. The magpies 

are unable to see though the hedge 

easily when the hedge top is cut in 

this manor, sounds very plausible. 

Happy New Year - Christopher 

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45

Equestrian expert Natalie discusses: 

Equine Care 

Natalie Bucklar 

BSc (Hons), MSc (Equine Science) 

Natalie has lectured in Equine Science to degree level as well as 

researching for GB’s Olympic equestrian team. Natalie provides 

consultations in horse management, training and problem solving 

using a force-free, science based approach. 

WE BELIEVE QUALITY HOME 

INSURANCE CAN’T BE RUSHED 

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Honiton 

Devon EX14 4TP 

Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited. 

Read more of Natalie's 

articles on our website 

www.devonshiremagazines.co.uk 

Naughtiness or pain? 

Problems with ridden horses 

are often attributed to the horse 

being purposefully difficult, 

naughty, stubborn, taking the 

mickey, ignoring the rider or 

always being that way. This 

means that pain as a cause of 

unwanted behaviour is commonly 

disregarded, often resulting in 

the problems getting worse and 

management of the problem 

being completely inappropriate. 

However there is evidence that 

almost 50% of sports horses in 

normal work may have lameness 

that is unrecognised by owners 

and trainers, which has led to 

some pioneering research. Earlier 

this year a new assessment 

method for equine performance 

was tested by leading veterinary 

researchers from the Animal 

Health Trust in Newmarket and 

tested with a panel of vets. Their 

work aimed to develop an equine 

ethogram to help determine the 

presence of musculoskeletal pain. 

An ethogram is a catalogue of 

species specific behaviours which 

are objectively defined and this 

development in understanding 

behaviour is fantastic news for 

horses. Better recognition of 

behavioural changes and facial 

expressions will greatly assist 

earlier assessment of lameness 

and will hopefully reduce 

punishment based training and 

suffering of ridden horses. 

Behavioural differences between 

lame and non-lame horses 

were very apparent. Beginning 

with 117 behavioural markers, 

20 of these showed a strong 

correlation with the presence 

of lameness and overall, 24 

behavioural markers were 

associated with musculoskeletal 

pain. The following behaviours 

occurred significantly more in 

lame horses compared to sound 

horses- head tossing, tilting the 

head, mouth opening, tongue 

out, ears back, unwillingness 

to move, hurrying, crookedness, 

changing gait spontaneously, 

resistance, changes in eye posture 

and expression (such as closing 

the eyes partially or completely), 

going above the bit, stumbling, 

toe dragging and having a poor 

quality canter. Lame horses 

demonstrated an average of 9 of 

the 24 behaviours, compared to an 

average of 2 of the 24 behaviours 

being shown by non-lame horses. 

The maximum occurrence score 

in lame horses was 14 out of the 

possible 24 markers. Lame horses 

who were given pain relief with 

local anaesthetic also showed a 

significantly lower score once the 

pain was removed. 

Pain as a cause of unwanted 

behaviour is commonly 

disregarded 

The results therefore showed that 

behaviour and facial expressions 

can reliably be used to help assess 

pain in horses. The ethogram 

can also be used by a variety of 

people, not just vets but owners 

and trainers too, so they can 

successfully apply it to horses 

they see on a regular basis. This 

exciting work has the potential 

to drastically improve equine 

welfare and change perceptions 

about equine behaviour in relation 

to being ridden. The work is 

ongoing but more people can now 

learn that if unwanted behaviour 

is present or the horse is making 

ugly faces, it is more likely to 

be in pain, rather than being 

naughty. There is no such thing 

as a naughty horse, just a horse 

that is trying to communicate! 

Happy New Year! 

46 


Tales from a bygone age: 

The 

Old Vet’nary 

Ken Watson 

Ken started practicing in the post-war 50s at what was the advent of 

pet veterinary before which veterinary was considered as solely the 

province of equine and farm animal treatment. He retired in the 1980s. 

a friendly, family practice 

Bill Burnell 

Bill Burnell was a simple man 

in every sense of that word. I 

first met him when I went to 

work at Elm Cottage veterinary 

practice in Plymouth in 1961. 

He was the yard man to the 

firm. Every practice had such a 

worthy in those days and his was 

an essential part of the smooth 

running of the whole affair. Apart 

from general cleaning he would 

maintain the cars, carry out 

minor repairs, feed the inmates 

and often step in to help out at 

lambings or calvings. Burnell 

did all these things with a quiet 

dignified manner, but in his own 

way. He did all this faithfully 

for many, many, years and then 

retired and died so quietly that I 

thought his life, such as I knew it, 

should be recorded in some way. 

He was known to everyone in 

the practice as Burnell. A man 

of much personal dignity, he 

would have regarded the use of 

his first name as an intrusion 

into that dignity, but happily 

to my knowledge no-one ever 

did. I remember once, after his 

retirement, I called at his house 

where I found him entertaining a 

group of cronies to tea; he never 

drank. And I was shocked to hear 

them all calling him Bill and 

he had a jocular manner which 

I had never seen before. As to 

retirement, he kept on working 

after that date for “the sake of 

the cats” and he made it quite 

clear that he did not consider 

anyone else in the practice was 

capable of looking after the cats 

properly. But he said he would 

come in his own time for no pay 

or it might, he worried, interfere 

with his pension. We did, however, 

come to a private arrangement 

about that. I never knew a lot 

about his past life but I think the 

fact that he recognised me as a 

fellow cat lover made him a little 

more forthcoming. I do know that 

he started his working life as a 

delivery boy for Condy Uren the 

chemists in Plymouth. 

When war broke out he was 

conscripted into the Anti-Aircraft 

Regiment. By this time he was 

married and had a son. He 

was stationed at a battery on 

Mount Edgecumbe at the time 

of the great Luftwaffe raids 

on Plymouth. Thus it was that 

he was allowed home after a 

particularly vicious raid to find 

his house destroyed and his wife 

and son dead. He never spoke 

of it much, but I think it was 

a turning point in his life. He 

withdrew into himself and found 

solace in his love for cats. It is 

remarkable to think that one 

of his postings later was to an 

anti-aircraft battery at Barrowell 

Green swimming lido North 

Ken Watson, second from left. 

London, where I would often 

go swimming during wartime, 

and I well recall seeing its long 

guns pointing at the sky. Burnell 

must have been there on some 

of those times. He was always 

diligent in his work, but he had 

his own way of doing it and it was 

unwise to interfere. He was very 

good at a type of carpentry using 

recycled wood and his wirework 

was second to none. Wire fencing 

was of course very important 

where so many animals had to 

be securely confined. He also did 

all the simple electrical wiring, 

but in his own rather eccentric 

manner which would play a role 

in his very dramatic demise. The 

most distinctive trademark was 

his habit of tying a knot in any 

continued on page 60 

...Providing the highest standards 

of professional veterinary care 

OPENING TIMES 

Monday - Friday: 8.30am - 6.30pm 

Saturday: 8.30am - 12.30pm 

Consultations by Appointment 

EMERGENCY SERVICE 

For out of hours veterinary attention 

or advice please ring 01752 700600 

PLYMOUTH 

01752 700600 

Burnett Road, Manadon, 

Plymouth PL6 5BH 

HOT OFF THE PRESS! 

Ken Watson's new book 

Veterinary Days is now 

available from Paragon 

Books, Sidmouth. 

01395 514516 

Continuity on 

next page 

'Wilson' 

IVYBRIDGE 

01752 690999 

Cornwood Road, Woodlands, 

Ivybridge PL21 9JJ 

Part Time Clinic at Yealmpton 

Veterinary Days 

Ken Watson - my working life as a vet 

by Richard Woodward 

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47

Wildlife observer and photographer discusses: 

Wild Devon 

Andy Stuthridge 

The Dipper 

A freezing cold day and I am 

walking along a path that winds 

its way along the riverbank.The 

river looks dark and foreboding 

with a slight mist hanging above 

the surface and seems devoid of 

life on this frosty December day. 

Suddenly I hear a sharp “Zit” call 

and see a small stout brown and 

white bird fly quickly passed me 

and then alight on a some rocks 

on the rivers edge, a few yards 

downstream. The bird is a Dipper 

and is a bird that holds a special 

place in my heart. 

I still recall the first time that I 

saw on a Dipper, when as a young 

boy, I was standing on a bridge 

over the river Fowey in Cornwall. 

I was with my late father and he 

pointed to a small bird that I found 

quite extraordinary. I watched as 

it stood bobbing up and down on 

some rocks below the bridge and 

then dropped into the water where 

it completely submerged itself. It 

then surfaced and then once more 

repeated this behaviour before 

flying down stream. 

A fledgeling Dipper 

I recall being mesmerised by this 

bird. This was the first time I had 

seen a Dipper and the memory still 

lingers to this day. Even now, when 

I see a Dipper, I still marvel at its 

uniqueness and beauty and marvel 

at how it is a bird that is totally 

adapted to its environment. The 

Dipper is a member of the genus 

Cinclus cinclus and the family 

Cinclidae, and can be found on 

fast flowing rivers and streams 

in the southwest, Wales, Northern 

England and Scotland 

Their wings are relatively short but 

strongly muscled, enabling them 

to be used as flippers underwater. 

Their bones are solid instead of 

hollow which reduces its buoyancy. 

The dipper is exceptional for the 

ability to feed underwater by 

walking along a riverbed. They 

can also swim underwater and are 

able to stay submerged by using 

their wings against the current 

to push themselves down and by 

holding onto stones with their feet. 

A beak full of grubs to take back to the chicks in the nest 

Other adaptations that help them 

stay submerged include flaps over 

their nostrils, well-developed wing 

muscles, eyes that can function 

underwater and blood that stores 

large amounts of oxygen. It is our 

only songbird that is able to swim 

and feed under water. 

Dippers are relatively common 

on the fast flowing rivers in our 

region and are so called for their 

bobbing or dipping movements 

as they stand on riverside stones 

or banks. Often you will see one 

fly quickly, low over the water 

before perching on a rock or stone 

in the river. 

I have been lucky enough to 

watch and photograph Dippers 

on numerous occasions and am 

familiar with several of their 

local haunts. Dippers are early 

breeders and generally begin to 

build their nest in March although 

occasionally as early as February. 

Nest sites are generally traditional, 

and are used by successive generations. 

One site is known to have 

been used for over 100 years!. 

Their domed mossy nest may be 

built in a riverside bank, crevice, 

or even behind a waterfall, but also 

on man-made structures such as 

bridges, walls and weirs. If built 

too close to the water the nests 

are often washed away by rising 

water levels after heavy rainfall. 

Whenever I see a Dipper it always 

takes me back to that first sighting 

in Cornwall, many years ago and 

we are lucky to have them on our 

local rivers. 

So please look out for this superb 

little bird and hopefully you will 

get to see first hand what a special 

bird the Dipper really is. 

Andy Stuthridge 

andystuthridgenatureimages.co.uk 

The Dipper’s ability to step into fast-flowing current is amazing 

48

In association with the HOME DESIGN YEARBOOK 

 

DEVONSHIRE HOMES 

A great source for local, Devon based businesses 

that can help you with your home project 

in association with 

Available to buy direct on 01395 513383 or via Waterstones, WH Smith or Amazon. ISBN 978 1 5272 1212 1 

49

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50


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51

Free store event… 


Martin 

 

Saban-Smith 

Saturday 12 th January 

Nationally recognised woodturner, tutor and demonstrator, Martin Saban-Smith visits our 

Axminster store to showcase his creative talents, demonstrating a variety of woodturning 

techniques and providing a practical guide to using texturing and colouring to enhance 

your next woodturning project. Martin is also the creator and manufacturer of 

Hampshire Sheen wax and oil finishes which will be used on the day. 

This is a free event with free tea and coffee. Come along anytime between 10am - 4pm 

Please register your interest for this event through the website - 

just search ‘Axminster’. We’re always adding new events so please check regularly! 

Visit our store soon to experience the ‘Axminster difference’ 

and discover just how much we share your passion. 

Search axminster.co.uk or call 01297 302370. 

52 

The Trafalgar Way, Axminster, Devon EX13 5SN


Nelson’s Column by JOHN FISHER 

A point of view! 

 

Today there are an estimated 10 million 

living Americans and as many as 35 million 

people worldwide claiming descent from the 

Pilgrims, according to a report by the General 

Society of Mayflower Descendants (13th June 

2018). Hence Plymouth 

is promoting the 

celebrations as “the 

biggest family gettogether 

of all time”. 

The voyage that built a nation 

YOU WILL NOT HAVE FAILED to notice that 

the fair city of Plymouth has already started 

its countdown to the 2020 Celebration of the 

Pilgrim Fathers epic voyage to America. 

The tiny vessel, Mayflower sailed from 

Plymouth on Wednesday, September 6, 1620 

with 102 passengers and about 30 crew on 

board. After an horrendous, stormy crossing 

during which they came near to foundering 

and two people died - and one child was born 

- they finally dropped anchor off Cape Cod 

on Saturday November 11, 1620. 

Most famous ‘family’ 

members claiming 

descent perhaps are 

the late ex-Presidents 

George H.W. Bush 

and George W. Bush. 

President Donald Trump is not a claimant 

but has been invited to grace the celebrations 

with his presence. 

For interest, the late Bing Crosby ( born Harry 

Lillis Crosby) also claimed to be descended 

from a Pilgrim, one William Brewster: so 

too did Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane 

Mortenson), descended from Pilgrim John 

Alden. 

Cheer up, Mariana! 

THAT LITTLE FLOWER in the stained 

glass window at Mariana’s eye level as she 

eases her aching back 

after long hours spent 

at her embroidery, 

is a snowdrop: a 

flower that had a 

special meaning for 

Victorians. 

It is one of the first 

flowers of the year 

and in ‘the language of flowers’ symbolises 

Consolation and Hope. In his famous painting, 

Mariana by John Everett Millais it is his 

message to the viewer, pure and simple and 

Paul McCartney’s even clearer message to the 

listener in his ballad, Here comes the sun!’’ 

Mariana, poor soul, is in the kind of deep 

despair that mid-winter can sometimes bring 

and wonders whether her true love will ever 

return. But Spring is just around the corner, 

the year has turned, the days are grown longer 

and the nights shorter and Devon is suddenly 

full of snowdrops again. 

Many of the great houses of the National 

Trust surrounded by estates have woodland 

walks which are carpeted with snowdrops 

at the start of the year. Saltram House near 

Plymouth or Killerton House near Exeter 

are worth checking out 

or tap into the National 

Gardens Scheme website 

at greatbritishgardens. 

co.uk/snowdrops. 

Hope springs eternal, Mariana, and so do 

Devon’s snowdrops. 

Capturing the spirit of horses 

SHE WAS THE MOST GIFTED PAINTER 

of horses the 19th century had ever seen: a 

pioneer woman artist and the illustrator of 

Black Beauty. 

Her name was Lucy Kemp-Welch and 

her painting In Sight which depicts Lord 

Dundonald’s dash to relieve Ladysmith 

during the Boer War is one of the highlights 

of an exhibition of Women Artists at the Royal 

Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter. 

The exhibition runs until 

19 May and includes 

paintings from from 

the 1770s to the 1980s. 

Works include detailed 

early watercolour studies 

of birds and insects by 

Miss Ann Lee from 1770s, 

views of Exeter after the 

blitz by the suffragette 

artist Olive Wharry 

(1886-1947) and works 

Lucy Kemp-Welch 

(1869-1958) 

by the popular Victorian children’s book 

illustrator Kate Greenaway. Modern artists 

are represented by Barbara Hepworth, Mary 

Martin, Hester Frood, Primrose Pitman and 

Judith Ackland amongst others. 

A unique exhibition this whilst the rest of 

this extremely visitor-friendly venue offers 

a memorable day out - particularly as a treat 

during school holidays. 

by JOHN FISHER 

53


 

Tel: 01395 263898 

Email: info@homesbydesignexmouth.co.uk 

KITCHENS BATHROOMS BEDROOMS 

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54


Enhance the Value and Beauty of Your Home 

Up to 20% OFF Timber Windows and Doors 

Until 31 st January* 

 

THE SPECIALISTS IN TIMBER 

INCLUDING LISTED AND CONSERVATION 

Our superb showroom showcases undoubtedly the area’s 

most extensive collection of windows and doors. Let us help 

you choose the right products for your home. 

You are welcome to call in today, it’s the perfect environment 

to browse and discuss your plans. 

For total peace of mind the choice is clear, you won’t make a better call. 

Tel: 01404 41999 

4/5 Reme Drive, Heathpark, Honiton EX14 1SE 

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*20% offer is a material/product only discount and 

installation charges are excluded from this offer. 

55

56

According to a recent 

survey*, the average Brit 

will set aside a budget of 

between £10k and £25k 

when renovating the most 

used room in the home – 

the kitchen. 

*2017 Kitchen Trends Report from Houzz 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

A new look for your old kitchen– 

at a fraction of the cost! 

With the responsibilities of everyday life 

constantly evolving and around 1.5 million of 

us working from home, this multifunctional 

space now houses so much more than a few 

pots and pans! 

If your tiles are looking tired, your worktops 

are worn out, or your door fronts are drab, it’s 

high time your pots, pans – and all of the other 

components of family life – were given the 

storage space they deserve! 

The great news? 

With over 1 million installations under their 

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Say goodbye to tired tiles! 

If your splashbacks have seen better days, 

Granite Transformations can help! Ripping out 

sections of tile is a lengthy, costly and messy job 

so instead of replacing, refresh! 

The Granite Transformations range of 

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fuss out of installing while modernizing the 

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to an impeccable standard. 

maximum style 

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ONE DAY 

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Worn out worktops will be long gone! 

Granite Transformations offer a range of 

stunning surfaces and, with their exclusive 

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over existing worktops, eliminating the need 

for removal, shortening the project timescale 

and reducing costs. After 22 years in the 

industry, and with hundreds of showrooms 

worldwide, this team of elite design 

consultants, showroom hosts and in-house 

fitters are the people to go to for all of your 

renovation needs. 

Don’t settle for drab door fronts 

Most kitchens have the foundation of a 

great, working space. You may find you have 

ample storage solutions but have grown 

tired of the design or feel of the room. In 

recent years, pine and Formica cabinetry has 

fallen in popularity, in favour of more 

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cool, classic tones. Switch up your pine 

panelling for a dove grey shaker-style look, 

like the Granite Transformations door fronts 

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57


 

WOODLEY ’ S 

JOINERY LIMITED 

Exeter Road, Newton Poppleford, Devon EX10 0BJ 

www.woodleysjoinery.co.uk 

info@woodleysjoinery.co.uk 

01395 568 666 

We Make Wood, Work 

We’re a longstanding family run company that’s been operating from East Devon within the beautiful Otter Valley 

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Historic - Listed - Traditional - Contemporary - Architectural - Commercial 

Our easy to find premises are located behind our five wooden bears that stand alongside the A3052 in 

Newton Poppleford - call or visit our workshops & showroom to see how we could help enhance your project 

Panache 

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All at competitive prices 

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Castle Hill, Axminster EX13 5PY 

58 



But here’s the thing... 

 

Let the sun shine in! 

EVERYONE KNOWS (well at least some olden 

days people may recall) that when the Moon 

is in the Seventh House, and Jupiter aligns 

with Mars, then Peace will guide the Planets 

and Love will steer the Stars. 

People will be more 

free and easy and 

friendly and the Pig 

Year will generate a 

feeling of abundance. 

If this was Tuscany 

Because this is the Dawning 

of the Age of Aquarius - which 

began, so they say - in 2012. 

And if you are still waiting 

for Peace to break out, 2019 

just might be the year. 

For this, in the Chinese 

Zodiac is the long awaited 

Year of the Pig. The Chinese 

New Year begins on 5th 

February and is destined to 

be “a good year” by those in 

the know. 

It’s all in the stars 

rather than Devon say, we would be talking 

La Dolce Vita here. 

But although the Pig is lavish with gifts 

and with affection don’t overspend. Look 

long and hard before you make any sizeable 

investments. But don’t hesitate and waver 

and undermine your own abilities when 

opportunity calls. And it will. 

Finally, what of romance, you ask? Well the 

Year of the Pig is a good year to socialise, to 

get out there and mingle, meet new people, 

rub elbows as ’t were. Do social work of some 

kind perhaps ? Just watch out for the extra 

calories in all those tasty canapés at all those 

shin-digs you might be attending. Weight 

watchers could be facing a tougher time than 

usual in this year of comparative abundance. 

That said, (and returning once more to the 

parlance of the 6os spelled out in our headline) 

hang loose, stay cool and rock on. You dig? 

Twelfth Night or what 

you will 

TRADITION HAS IT that absent-minded 

Devonians who forgot to take their Christmas 

decorations down by Twelfth Night (5th 

January) would be best advised to now keep 

them up until Candlemas Day (February 2nd). 

This will placate the nature spirits they 

inadvertently brought into the house along 

with the green stuff when they were decking 

their halls with boughs of holly before 

Christmas. 

Once upon a time in Devon all the candles 

that were to be used in the church in the 

year ahead were placed before the altar and 

blessed. Hence Candle Mass. 

The first performance of Shakespeare’s 

Twelfth Night (above) took took place, not 

on Twelfth Night itself but at Candlemas, 

February 2nd, 1612. 

That is the end of the News, now here is the 

Weather Forecast. 

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright 

Winter will have another fight, 

But if Candlemas bring cloud and rain 

Winter will not come again! 

Was Valentine’s Day 

invented in Dartmouth? 

A WORD OF CAUTION to any romantics 

amongst our readers before they invest in yet 

another Valentine’s Day card this February. 

Call us a bunch of killjoys if you like but they 

may wish to know that no record exists of 

any romantic celebrations linked to that day 

until Geoffrey Chaucer, living and working in 

Dartmouth as the king’s Custom’s Controller 

in the mid-1300s, wrote his poem, “Parliament 

of Foules,” 

In it he linked courtly love with the celebration 

of the feast day of St. Valentine and refers to 

February 14th as the day when both birds 

and humans come together to find a mate. 

“For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day 

Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his 

mate.” 

So did he invent the day we celebrate today? It 

seems more than likely. He was an incurable 

romantic (as well as extremely wise) and 

idolised his wife, Philippa since first they 

met, he aged 12, she just 10 years old. 

Philippa Roet 

as she was then, 

became a ladyin-waiting 

to the 

Queen and was 

higher born than 

her husband. 

In Chaucer’s, 

Franklin’s Tale, he related the trials and 

tribulations of a lower-born knight and 

a higher-born lady which many believe 

echoes their own romantic comingtogether. 

He once wrote “What is better than wisdom? 

Woman. And what is better than a good 

woman? Nothing.” We said he was extremely 

wise. 

JOHN FISHER 

hubcast 

.co.u k 


59


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01392 214817 sophie@sophielouisainteriors.co.uk 


continued... 

wiring before he connected into 

a socket. He said it was so that if 

anyone pulled on the flex it would 

not weaken the connection. So 

that all our wiring looked peculiar. 

But more of that later. 

His other task was to maintain 

the cars. In this respect, every 

time he saw someone preparing 

to drive off he would rush over 

and rub the windscreen with 

an evil greasy cloth he kept for 

that purpose. This meant that 

as soon as I was safely up the 

road I had to stop and clean the 

wind-screen of his greasy smears. 

It became a battle of wits to jump 

in the car and away before he 

could strike. He also had various 

quaint expressions. In the course 

of measuring up a job he would 

not say a measurement was one 

foot exactly, he would say it was 

one foot bare and bare. Or if after 

a particularly gory lambing in the 

garage he would say rill swamp 

that down in a minute. He seemed 

to wear the same clothes all the 

years I knew him, a black suit 

with a white collarless shirt, all 

this topped with black peaked cap 

of the type favoured by German 

prisoners of war. After his mother 

died he obviously came into a 

small legacy and he bought 

himself a very basic scooter, more 

of a motorised bicycle. But he 

could knock up a fair speed on 

it. I would often see him cycling 

to work along Alma Road and 

I always said I could judge his 

speed by the angle of upturn 

of the peak of his cap. He was 

meticulously honest about money 

and would never accept a tip. 

There was one hilarious incident 

which, although none of us 

witnessed it, we could imagine 

it from his aggrieved account. 

A Greek nightclub owner was a 

regular client, both veterinary 

and grooming, for his white 

poodle. He was a flash character 

who paid in cash from a wad 

of notes he produced from his 

pocket. He was later murdered in 

a gangland shoot-out. He lived in a 

grand house on The Hoe. The dog 

was collected and returned for its 

monthly clip and bath. There was 

some competition among the male 

staff for this task because the 

dog’s mistress would wait at the 

top of the wide staircase which 

is a feature of the grand houses 

on Plymouth Hoe. And she was 

The 

Old Vet’nary 

Ken Watson 

always still wearing her baby doll 

nightie. And she was some looker. 

Burnell was of course unmoved 

by all this, but one time he was 

met by the Greek himself, a wad of 

notes in his hand ready to pay. So 

he stuffed a large denomination 

note in his hand, took the dog 

and said “Keep the change”. This 

was too much for Burnell who 

said he did not need tipping to 

do his job and kept the Plymouth 

Mafia man, still in his pyjamas, 

waiting on the stairs while Burnell 

laboriously searched through 

his pockets for change and then 

gave him a signed receipt for 

the money. We were not there 

of course, but could imagine it 

from his affronted account when 

he returned. 

Then came his end. He had finally 

given up regular visits to his cats, 

as he called all the boarders and 

in-patients so we had not seen 

him for some time. He was found 

dead in his little one up one down 

terrace house. For some reason 

the police asked me to look at the 

scene and answer questions for 

about three hours that evening. 

I saw nothing unusual. He lay at 

the foot of steps under a bare 

light fitting wired in his usual 

way. He had obviously fallen while 

changing a light bulb and hit his 

head on the stone floor. He had 

told me some time before that he 

was having blackouts. The rest 

of the scene was normal Burnell. 

But the police thought differently. 

They saw a man lying on the floor 

under a setup which could either 

have been for a hanging or to 

administer electric shocks. They 

saw the walls lined with black 

plastic to catch blood splashes 

and the windows covered with 

the same plastic sheeting. I knew 

this was opened out body bags; 

his idea of privacy and keeping 

the walls clean. What was the 

clincher for them was that on 

that afternoon he had been seen 

arguing with a group of young 

football supporters in town. It took 

me a long time to convince them 

which was quite understandable 

as they did not know the man. I 

often think that had he known 

about it, Bill Burnell would have 

been highly amused. The chief of 

detectives in Plymouth who was 

in charge of the case was married 

to Shirley, who was a secretary 

at the practice I worked at in 

Sidmouth. How strange is life! 

60


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Devon has its own language did you know? 

 

Devonshire 

Dialect 

by John Germon 

Over the months I will be looking at various dialect words. The borders 

of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset are no barrier to dialect and you 

may well find similar words in all of these counties and sometimes you 

will hear people say that a particular word is Devonian and not Cornish, 

or belongs to Dorset or Somerset etc. I prefer to say that a lot of the 

words belong to the West Country 

Hello my boodies, ow be knakin’ vore? 

I have to say now that I have not tried them 

and do certainly not recommend them, if 

you try them - your problem! 

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• In the 1800’s it was believed that if 

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• Another cure was “a good draishin’ 

wi’ olly” Take a good handful of 

holly leaves on twigs and thrash the 

area concerned. (Not sure about that 

one?) 

• And yes of course it had to come 

- go bare foot and stand for 15 

minutes in a dung heap was 

believed to be a good cure! 

Please let me know if you have any unusual or 

old grannies cures that you know about and 

we will take a look at them over the coming 

months. 

Cheers me boodies ‘n uz’l zee ‘ee dreckly 

Letter equivalents 

s = z (e.g. summer - zummer) 

f = v (e.g. farmer - varmer) 

o = sometimes changed for an ‘a’ 

oo = sounds like a ‘u’ 

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63

GARDENING 

Following the seasons at Pebblebed vineyard 

Life on 

the Vine 

by Susan Gebbie 

Avon Mill 

Café • Garden Centre • B&B 

Gifts • Local Art & Crafts • Boutique 

Great wines to come from 2018 

Over the next 12 months we will 

be following life in the vineyard, 

from the growing cycle of the vine 

itself through the various stages 

of wine production. Pebbled was 

started in 1992 by Geoff and Anna 

Bowen with a group of friends. 

Colder temperatures are welcome. 

Vines can survive temperatures as 

low as minus 15 degrees celsius 

when they are dormant and 

pruning is best carried out in cold 

dry weather. Frost only causes a 

problem when is comes late, once 

Loddiswell • Kingsbridge • Devon • TQ7 4DD 

www.avonmill.com 

Geoff sadly passed away less than 

a year ago and the vineyard is 

now managed by Alex Mills with 

a band of seasonal helpers. As 

I arrive in a deluge of rain, Alex 

and his assistant Tom are busy 

with this year’s pink fizz, labelling 

bottles and packing boxes. These 

are destined for local retailers 

and restaurants who fit with the 

Pebbled philosophy of high quality 

local produce. 

Winter is a quiet time for the vines, 

as they go through leaf drop and 

then lie dormant until bud break 

the following spring. Months of 

pruning lie ahead, starting with the 

earliest of the 8 grape varieties here 

at the vineyard. Happily, almost 

all are totally disease resistant. 

Alex makes the first cuts for each 

vine, choosing two ideal cordons, 

or arms, from the head of the vine 

which will bear next year’s crop. A 

couple of spares are left in case one 

of the arms gets broken. 

Summer’s provided a bumper crop 

the sap has started rising, as in 

April 2017, when a staggering 80% 

of Pebblebed’s vines were affected. 

Inside the barn, some 2015 bottles 

are racked up in front of us, with 

the sediment still apparent in the 

bottles. As Alex explains ‘We are 

now disgorging our sparkling 

wine. It’s made in the traditional 

champagne method so has a second 

fermentation inside the bottle. It 

goes into the cool dark cellars for 

3 years to age and ferment, getting 

to about 6 bars of pressure in the 

bottle. A clever machine removes 

the cap, shoots out the sediment 

without letting it fall into the bottle, 

corks it and then it’s left to settle 

until ready to drink.’ My mouth 

is watering now! 

Last year’s superb summer 

delivered a bumper crop to the 

vineyard, 50% up on an average 

year. With this crop just completing 

fermentation and clarifying, Alex is 

Boxing up and transporting 

keenly anticipating a first tasting. 

‘We get subtle differences from year 

to year but keep consistency in style 

but not consistency in flavours, 

which change from year to year 

depending on how the growing 

season has been.’ 

Not far away, Hedger Valley of 

Harpford is home to around 400 

vines. Richard Hedger, who picked 

his first crop last year, also suffered 

from the unusual air frost of 2017, 

quite a shock for a new grower. 

He protects his vines from local 

wildlife with an electric fence after 

a run in with a stag and during 

winter keeps a vigilant eye out for 

weeds, paying particular attention 

to the area around the 

base of his young vines 

to give them the best 

chance of establishing 

strong roots. This will 

be his first year with 

2 cordons and could 

potentially double his 

crop yield, an exciting 

proposition. 

We will return to the 

vineyards in the next 

issue to see how the 

vines have fared over 

winter and to look at what’s in 

store for the spring. 

Susan 

The vines are bare now 

64 


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66 


ACHIEVE 

YOUR NEW YEAR GOALS 

The new year is a great time to 

commit to a healthier lifestyle. 

Exercise can make a huge impact 

on stress-reduction and overall 

cognitive health and wellbeing. 

Create a clear vision 

Ask yourself what you want to achieve and the 

outcome you want from your resolution. Select 

a few things you absolutely must accomplish 

and plan how you are going to make it happen. 

Once you have that vision you can begin 

working towards it. When starting out, it's 

worthwhile getting advice from a personal 

trainer to help you put the right plan in place. 

Avoid quick fix solutions 

After indulging over the Christmas period, 

many people start diets and extreme lifestyle 

changes which can lead to negative outcomes 

and become unsustainable. Customize your 

New Year goal by tailoring it to your lifestyle 

so you can make progress gradually. 

Set realistic monthly goals 

Be real with yourself and set goals that are 

attainable. Break it down into smaller goals 

that will help you achieve that big end-goal. 

Set yourself a target to reach every month, 

this will make you feel more motivated and 

make it much more likely that you will succeed. 

Be patient, results don't come immediately. 

Embrace technology 

The explosion of fitness technology has made 

it easier than ever to achieve your fitness 

goals. There are lots of fitness trackers on 

the market to match any fitness resolution 

and any budget. Fitness trackers that can 

record your heart rate, calories burnt, steps 

and sleep patterns give you the opportunity 

to closely monitor your progress. 

Find your ideal workout 

To stick with a fitness plan, it's important to 

discover what you enjoy and what works 

best for you. This might mean trying different 

classes and workout styles to see which 

you prefer. Classes such as Yoga and Pilates 

are great for the body and mind, muscle 

tone and improved flexibility. Alternatively, 

high intensity classes such as Boxercise and 

Circuits build cardiovascular fitness while 

improving strength. 

Try resistance training 

Improving fitness doesn't have to mean 

spending hours on a treadmill. Resistance 

training can be highly beneficial if done 

correctly. Whether you are looking to build 

muscle or maintain current levels of muscle 

mass, resistance training is a great way to 

increase strength as you lose bodyfat. It will 

also enhance the function and health of 

the bones, muscles, joints, and connective 

tissues. 

Don't forget about health 

It's easy to get so caught up in working 

towards achieving a fitness goal, we tend 

to overlook what should always be the 

number one priority - health. There are lots 

of fad diets out there which promise quick 

results enabling you to lose weight quickly. 

These are not only unsustainable, they can 

also put your health at risk. Supplements 

to support diets should not be a substitute 

for varied nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. 

Make it social 

Going to the gym a couple of times a 

week on your own isn't for everyone. If 

you struggle to motivate yourself, pick a 

workout activity that involves other people. 

Sign up for a fitness class, join a local club, 

or walk with a friend. The social aspect 

will help keep you going. It will also make 

exercising a lot more enjoyable and more 

likely that you will keep it up long term. 

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Lifestyle 

health & fitness club 

• Fitness Gym • Aqua Fitness & Yoga Classes 

• Indoor Heated Pool • Aerobics & AquaZumba Class 

• Far-Infra Red Sauna • All-Weather Tennis Court 

• Steam Room • Sunshower (small supp.) 

• Spa Bath 

• Snooker Table (small supp.) 

Please call or pop in for a showaround. 

Prices start from as little as £5.29 per week. 

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RESORT 

DOUGLAS AVENUE, EXMOUTH 

01395 272277 www.devoncourt.com 

WORKOUT & RELAX AT DEVONCOURT 

The Devoncourt Leisure Club, 

Exmouth is a unique facility where 

you can come to relax and unwind. 

After a work out in the gym, the 

steam room and far-infrared 

sauna rooms will leave you 

feeling invigorated and relaxed. 

It is designed to appeal to those 

looking for a place to feel calm 

and to let go. The gym is designed 

around the cardio exercises, whilst 

stimulating the muscles ready for 

loosening up in the spa and the 

the pool. The pool is kept at 32°C 

which means you can glide in after 

descending the deep steps without 

having the usual tentative steps 

to acclimatize the body, making it 

warm and inviting. The spa is kept 

at the balmy temperature of 39°C 

which, with the added air jets, 

create enough ‘bubble’ to relieve 

any joint stiffness and alleviate 

the aches and pains of busy lives. 

The massage chair is provided to 

assist in the calming process and 

help ease your way into the day. 

Being a member entitles you to 

book our pedigree Snooker table, 

used in the Embassy final of 1990, 

for those who enjoy the game of 

the genteel. The all-weather tennis 

court is available and access to the 

twice-weekly Aerobic, Yoga and 

Aqua Aerobic classes along with 

an exciting AquaZumba class. 

Plus there are discounts off in the 

Brasserie16 and local shops. 

At the Devoncourt Leisure Club 

there are lots of great reasons 

to get fit and plenty of good 

reasons to relax and in the comfy 

surroundings of the Devoncourt 

Resort, what better place to do all? 

www.devoncourt.com 

68 


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69

ROAD TO RECOVERY 

Take the first steps to recovery and break free of addictions in the New Year 

Addiction can be one of 

the major stumbling blocks 

towards positive change. The 

UK’s leading drug and alcohol 

charity, Addaction discusses 

ways you or a family member 

can get support. 

Has something like your alcohol use started 

to have an affect on other parts of your 

life? Does that worry you and would you 

like that to change? A great first step is to 

talk to someone. There’s a web chat on 

www.addaction.org.uk where you can ask a 

professional for some advice and guidance. 

They can help you start to work out what’s 

going on and give you a steer towards 

what to do next. 

What to do if you’re worried about 

someone else? 

We get this question a lot and while we 

always encourage you to talk to the person 

you’re concerned about, it can often feel 

like a difficult conversation to have without 

them feeling judged. 

Starting the conversation: 

Avoid bringing up the subject when they’re 

under the influence or in front of other 

people. Look for quiet opportunities and 

start by explaining you love and care for 

them. 

Question to try: 

Avoid being confrontational, if they 

continue to deny their problem or are 

rationalising it, end the discussion and try 

again another time. 

In general, try to concentrate on their 

health and wellbeing rather than the actual 

issue. For example, ‘I have noticed that you 

haven’t met your friends for a while, has 

something changed?’ 

Practical advice: 

If the issue is around alcohol or drugs, 

you can ensure the environment is safe, 

including making sure there are no trip 

hazards in the home, that there’s a working 

smoke detector and a working phone. 

You could also help by: 

• Offering to visit their GP or health 

professional with them to discuss any 

worries. 

• Reassuring them that you’re not judging, 

but only care about their well-being. 

• Including them in any social activity or 

plans, even if they refuse to go, keeping 

them involved will give them an important 

sense of worth and connection with you. 

Signs to look out for: 

There are many signs that may indicate a 

problem. These pointers may also indicate 

other underlying health problems, so it’s 

important to have a sensitive and supportive 

discussion with the person you’re concerned 

about. 

• Have they stopped doing activities 

they previously enjoyed and isolating 

themselves? 

• Is the person’s appearance or home 

becoming more unkempt? 

• Are there signs of empty bottles or 

overflowing bins? 

• Are they becoming increasingly forgetful? 

• Have they had more falls and injuries? 

If you’re thinking about changing your habits, 

it’s important to know you don’t have to do it 

alone and it’s often safer and more successful 

to do it with the help of people like Addaction. 

To find out about the support Addaction 

can provide, visit www.addaction.org.uk 

70 


‘Supporting you 

towards independence’ 

Notaro ARBD Care has over 30 years experience 

of providing individualised support for people 

living with Korsakoff’s Syndrome or other alcohol 

related brain damage from across the UK. 

Following our successful 3-step enablement programme, our goal is to 

assist the person back into community living having regained basic living 

skills, dignity and structure. For those with a more severe diagnosis, we 

do provide a home for life. Fees are reduced as the person steps through 

the programme. 

Receive the 

service you 

deserve 

We have been working with local authorities across the UK, providing 

what most see, as the missing piece to aiding a successful recovery. 

Our South West specialist care homes are; Serenita Care 

Home in Weston-super-Mare, Campania Care Home in 

Weston-super-Mare and Vane Hill in Torquay. 

If you would like to request a 

brochure or to arrange a free 

assessment, please contact: 

01934 422822 

or email: 

enquiry@arbdcare.co.uk 

www.arbdcare.co.uk 

I had been in and out of rehab and hospitals many times, and nothing worked until coming to 

Serenita. I have been able to get better by on-going support, personal development and guidance. 

I feel very comfortable here and am looking forward to walking out one day, not running. 

- Martin, ARBD Resident 

For further information visit: 


N. Notaro Homes Ltd, Top Floor Office, 25-31 

Boulevard,Weston-super-Mare BS23 1NX 

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71

MSc in Addiction Psychology and Counselling 

FDAP Accredited / MBACP 

I specialise in addictions, eating disorders and 

emotional well-being. I have considerable 

experience working with trauma, relational 

MSc in Addiction Psychology 

difficulties, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. 

& Counselling 

“Freddy FDAP showed Accredited deep understanding / MBACP and was 

MSc in MSc Addiction in Addiction Psychology Psychology 

committed to offering hope with gentleness and 

& Counselling & encouragement. Counselling MSc Specialising Each Addiction 

in session addictions, brought Psychology closer the 

FDAP Accredited FDAP ability to 

eating Accredited & see Counselling 

the / disorders MBACP real me / MBACP behind 

& 

all the personal 

turmoil and dangerous habits.” 

emotional FDAP Accredited wellbeing/ MBACP 

Specialising I see Specialising clients in Exeter, addictions, in Totnes addictions, and online. I also work 

therapeutically e: info@freddyweaver.co.uk 

eating eating disorders Nature. If you have any questions, 

please don’t m: Specialising disorders 

hesitate 07737 

& 

to 092 

& in 

get 625 addictions, 

in touch with me. 

emotional emotional wellbeing eating wellbeing disorders & 

emotional wellbeing 

e: e: info@freddyweaver.co.uk 

m: 07737 m: 07737 092 e: 625 info@freddyweaver.co.uk 

092 625 

m: 07737 092 625 

habits are required, then this is a 

solution focused approach that 

can help. 

FREDDY WEAVER 

Integrative Counsellor 

Addiction is more than a lack of will 

power - it is a profound dysfunction 

of the brain and the psychological 

faculties designed to help us 

navigate life. It can come in many 

forms from crack to slot machines, 

rigid control to relationship 

obsessions and more recently 

social media. it is not what we use 

but why, and what impact it has on 

the precious fabric of our lives. It is 

a communication from deep within 

us that something is wrong and, 

crucially, that something within us 

wants to change. 

In reality who is born with a desire 

to transgress their values, damage 

their health, diminish their potential 

and hurt the people they love? 

Through a process of education 

about addiction people can learn 

the attitudes, skills and behaviours 

that help them change. Through 

the acceptance of others people 

can find acceptance for themselves 

and the self-worth to act on what 

they’ve learned. 

Through self-examination people 

can learn to heal the unresolved 

issues or feelings that often arise 

once they are free form their 

drug or behaviour of choice. 

And through re-connection to 

others and themselves people 

can find purpose, passion and 

peace. It requires commitment 

and perseverance to recover, but 

there is help. Despite the impact of 

austerity measures on local support 

services, there are rehabilitation 

centres, self-help organisations, 

12 step programmes, counsellors, 

mindfulness techniques, trauma 

treatments and more available. 

If you are wrestling with addictive 

patterns or you’re a concerned 

friend or family member, the single 

most important thing to do is ask 

for help from a person or group 

experienced in aiding addiction 

recovery. You do not have to do it 

alone so take a risk and reach out. 

www.freddyweaver.co.uk 

MICHELLE HAGUE 

Hypnotherapist 

Clinical and Cognitive Behavioural 

Hypnotherapist Michelle Hague 

uses a combination of Clinical 

Hypnosis and CBT and Mindfulness 

not only for Stopping Smoking but 

also as an aid for the resolution 

of many problems with a 

psychological origin, most stress 

related conditions respond well 

to Hypnotherapy. 

It is often successful when other 

more conventional methods of 

treatment have failed, and unlike 

the common misconceptions given 

by stage and TV entertainment, it 

is not intrusive and cannot control 

anyone. It is not sleep, and really 

works with a very deep state of 

relaxation. When Anxiety and Fear 

and Phobias make life difficult, or 

modifying behaviour or changing 

As one of the oldest of all 

therapeutic techniques, having 

been recorded as used in the 

sleep temples of ancient Greece, 

‘the trance,’ an integral part of 

hypnotherapy, has been an intrinsic 

part of healing though numerous 

cultures, its benefits are long 

lasting and for many permanent. 

Some of the conditions for which 

Hypnotherapy is effective are: 

• Breaking unwanted habits 

• Creativity 

• Effective weight control 

• Fears, phobias and anxieties 

• Improving memory 

• Insomnia and sleep disorder 

• Pain control 

• Self-confidence 

• Skin problmes and nervous rashes 

• Sporting performance 

• Stress and anger management 

• Study 

• Stress related conditions. 

Michelle offers a confidential and 

professional approach to helping 

people manage their pain, grief, 

traumas, stress, fear or phobia or 

any help required for change. 

www.takecontrolofyourlife.co.uk 

Helping you take control of your life 

Specialising in working with all stress related 

conditions including: 

• Sleep 

disturbance 

• Fear and Phobias 

• Panic and 

Anxiety 

• Trauma 

• Reducing 

Clinical and Cognitive 

Behavioural Hypnotherapy 

Michelle Hague 

BA(Hons) Ed. Cert Ed. PD C.Hyp PD CBT Hyp. FBSCH 

Anxiety 

• Managing Pain 

• Regaining 

confidence 

• Motivation 

• Self-esteem 

• Creativity 

I can also help with Weight Management and 

Smoking Cessation. 

Coombe Lane Clinic Axminster EX13 5AS 

07761 773563 mhague00@gmail.com 

72 


WHAT IS KORSAKOFF'S SYNDROME AND HOW CAN IT AFFECT YOU? 

Symptoms include: 

Korsakoff’s syndrome is a 

brain disorder that is generally 

associated with heavy drinking 

sustained over a long period. In 

recent years it was referred to as 

Korsakoff’s psychosis; however, 

this is confusing as Korsakoff’s has 

no psychotic medical symptoms. 

It is caused by a lack of Thiamine 

(Vitamin B1), which affects the brain 

and nervous system. Many heavy 

drinkers have poor eating habits 

and an inadequate diet resulting in 

a lack of essential vitamins. 

Alcohol can also cause the stomach 

lining to inflame making it harder for 

the body to absorb these essential 

vitamins. Thiamine is needed by the 

body to convert food into energy. 

It is stored in small quantities in 

the liver, but only for up to 18 days. 

When levels fall too low, brain cells 

cannot generate enough energy to 

function properly. 

Korsakoff’s syndrome is the chronic 

form of Wernicke’s encephalopathy 

and is sometimes referred to as 

alcohol-related brain damage or 

dementia (ARBD). Korsakoff’s may 

result if Wernicke’s encephalopathy 

is not treated or is not detected in 

time. It is not easily resolved and 

can continue over a long period, 

even permanently. 

Damage occurs in small but 

essential areas in the middle part 

of the brain, causing severe shortterm 

memory loss. This memory 

loss is the most significant feature 

of the condition, and many other 

abilities remain unaffected. This is 

where Korsakoff’s differs from most 

types of dementia, where there is 

often damage to a large area of the 

outer part of the brain. 

Alcohol-related brain damage leads 

to slightly different symptoms in 

different people and causes a range 

of conditions. 

• A difficulty with taking on board 

new information or developing 

new skills 

• Lack of insight into their memory 

loss, where even someone 

with significant gaps in their 

memory may believe that they 

are functioning normally 

• Apathy or repetitive behaviours 

• Confabulation; where someone 

fills out the holes in his or her 

mind with elaborate fantasies. 

Notaro ARBD (Alcohol Related 

Brain Damage) Care do not offer 

detoxification but instead provide a 

way forward to rebuild people’s life 

skills, helping them to return to an 

independent life in the community, 

although this may not always be an 

option if the individual's condition is 

too severe. In this case, we can offer 

a home for life. 

Notaro ARBD has three specialist 

homes across the South West, 

each providing care and support 

to people living with alcohol-related 

conditions such as Korsakoff's 

syndrome. These homes are; 

Serenita Care Home in Westonsuper-Mare, 

Campania Care Home 

in Weston-super-Mare and Vane 

Hill in Torquay. 


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RETIREMENT LIVING 

There are a range of retirement and care options available to help make life easier in 2019 

The time may come when living 

at home isn't safe or comfortable 

anymore. It's not an easy decision, 

but there are lots of options 

available to help make life easier. 

At this time of year, a broken down 

boiler or leaking roof is the last thing you 

want to worry about. If you are finding 

it difficult to manage in your own home 

and maintaining your house is becoming 

a real burden, it may be time to down 

size to a smaller home that's easier to 

maintain or live somewhere more suited 

to your physical needs. There are many 

senior housing options available. When 

it’s time to make a change in your living 

situation, looking at all the choices might 

feel overwhelming. One way to simplify 

it is to think about how much help you 

need each day. 

If you want to retain your independence 

without the worry of maintaining your 

home, a retirement living complex is a 

good option especially if you want to live in 

an active community setting. It's designed 

exclusively for seniors and there are a range 

of different options including retirement 

communities, retirement homes, senior 

housing, and senior apartments. 

Many people often feel that they will be 

giving up their freedom or independence. 

However, the reality is that your 

independence will increase and you 

will have more freedom to enjoy your 

retirement. Most large retirement schemes 

have a range of facilities including shops, 

gyms, swimming pools and restaurants. 

You will also have friends on your doorstep 

to socialize with whenever you feel like it. 

If you would prefer to stay in your own 

home but require extra support, domiciliary 

care will provide you with the daily support 

you need whilst being in the comfort of 

your own home. 

Sometimes, simple domestic chores can 

feel overwhelming and just a little helping 

hand on a regular basis can make all the 

difference. Homecare can include general 

chores and domestic cleaning, shopping 

or maintaining hygiene and cleanliness. 

Sheltered accommodation or supported 

housing gives you the freedom to live 

independently and also offers more 

security and peace of mind. There is 

also someone on hand to support you, 

a daily cooked meal and help with daily 

chores. This option helps you stay better 

connected to the community and you can 

enjoy communal areas without worrying 

about maintenance. 

If you have had an accident and need 

personal care and assistance, a care home 

may be a better option. All care homes 

offer accommodation and personal care 

but there are specialist types of homes 

such as nursing homes that offer additional 

services for residents with an illness or 

medical condition requiring regular 

medical attention. 

Care Quality Commission inspect quality of 

care in homes across the UK and provide 

reports and ratings to help you understand 

the quality of care: 

www.cqc.org.uk 

74 


FED UP WITH FEELING LONELY? 

TRIED OF SHOPPING AND COOKING? 

LOOKING TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS? 

Stanhope (Abbeyfield Honiton) is a small sheltered house 

providing companionship and gentle support to those 

hoping to maintain their independence in the later years 

of life. 

Bedsits are provided for residents to rent and live 

independently, but all come together at meal times to 

enjoy company and share stories. 

A wonderful team of staff and volunteers make living at 

Stanhope fun and friendly. They support residents to be 

out in the community enjoying themselves as much as 

possible, and are kept safe and stimulated within the house. 

Please get in touch if you have any questions. 

Stanhope house is a warm, friendly house 

providing supported living for elderly people 

who want to remain independent. 

For all enquiries call 01404 43322 or email 

bev@stanhope-honiton.co.uk 

Barleclose 

Farm 

Sheltered accommodation in Chard 

suited to an older lady or gentleman is 

now available on a small working farm, 

within a professional family home who 

have a nursing background. 

For more information please 

call Neil on 07870 422843 

“Ideal for 

animal lovers!” 

Age UK Devon’s Enabling & 

Home Support service provides 

support to older people in 

East Devon and Teignbridge, 

allowing them to maintain 

their independence in their own 

homes for as long as possible. 

Age UK Devon also offers a range 

of community based services 

and activities across Devon such 

as IT classes, social groups and 

exercise sessions. 

The Better Later Lives project 

supports people over pension 

age who may have experienced 

a life change and need some 

support to think about what 

happens next. Perhaps you 

have lost a loved one and are 

wondering how life will be in 

the future; or have received a 

diagnosis of a medical condition 

and would like to explore how 

you can live as well as possible. 

For more information on our services, please contact 

us on 0333 241 2340 or info@ageukdevon.co.uk 

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ADVERTISING PROMOTION 

Outstanding 

care 

An award-winning care provider is raising the bar 

on homecare in Devon. William and Sara Flint from 

Bluebird Care talk to Devonshire Magazine about the 

importance of outstanding care 

When William and Sara started their Bluebird 

Care franchises they were determined to provide 

a care service which was consistently good and 

to deliver a homecare service that they would be 

happy for their family and loved ones to receive. 

William, a former NHS and Social Care Manager, 

says: “We work alongside families and individuals 

to tailor our services to help our customers stay 

in control of their own care for as long as they are 

able to. Delivering the very best homecare is our 

passion, and we strive to achieve this every day. 

“From the first day 

we opened our 

business to serve 

our community, 

our customers have 

been at the heart of 

everything we do. 

Our teams aim to 

deliver a homecare 

service that we 

would be happy for 

William Flint our family and loved 

ones to receive. We 

aim to support our customers to maintain their 

independence and lifestyle by providing the 

highest quality of homecare.” 

And providing the highest quality care is 

exactly what they do. Last year Bluebird Care 

Exmouth, Bluebird Care 

Exeter, and Bluebird Care 

East Devon all received 

an overall rating of 

‘Outstanding’ from the 

Care Quality Commission 

(CQC), putting them in 

the top one per cent 

of homecare providers 

nationally. 

All three “hubs” provide 

a very high standard 

of personal care and 

support to people 

with a variety of needs, 

including physical 

disabilities, and dementia, 

in their own homes. They 

offer personal care to 

adults in Exeter and East 

Devon. 

Sara, who has worked for NHS Devon and has 

been a care assistant herself, says: “We are so 

proud to be recognised by the CQC for providing 

some of the best homecare in the South West. 

The ‘Outstanding’ services that our teams offer 

is down to the commitment and hard work of 

three fantastic teams of staff, who go above 

and beyond to meet the needs of individuals 

across Devon.” 

But despite an ageing population and an 

increasing need for care services, families often 

find it difficult to broach the subject of care with 

loved ones. William explains: “When people 

start to discuss care for a loved one, they often 

assume it means they are going into a care 

home. A lot people want to remain at home 

and, depending on their care needs, retain some 

level of independence. Often, the emotional 

and physical upheaval of moving can be very 

distressing, so why put loved ones through that? 

The answer is there’s no need to, especially when 

homecare is such a fantastic option. 

“We have completely changed the way that 

high quality, bespoke care is delivered in Exeter, 

Exmouth, and East Devon, not only to older 

people but also to those with specialist care 

needs and their families. We support people 

to maintain their chosen lifestyle. We believe 

that each customer is unique, with their own 

individual preferences and needs. So, we keep 

people in control, providing them with the 

homecare and support they want, where and 

when they want it. It’s their life and their care, 

so it must be their way.” 

76 


Care visits at home 

We care passionately 

For many people the questions about care don’t 

arise until suddenly, there is a need. 

Home care with Bluebird 

Care can be anything from a 

30 minute care visit to 24 hour 

live in care, supporting you 

to remain as independent as 

possible, living the lifestyle 

you choose. 

How do I start? 

It really is as simple as ABC. 

A telephone call to discuss 

what care you need. 

Bluebird Care will come 

and visit you to have a 

face-to-face chat. 

Care packages will be 

tailor-made for you. 

Call and talk to one of our friendly professionals today: 

Exeter 

01392 244000 

exeter@bluebirdcare.co.uk 

East Devon 

01404 396006 

eastdevon@bluebirdcare.co.uk 

Exmouth 

01395 875008 

exmouth@bluebirdcare.co.uk 

We are independently regulated 

All 3 of our offices are now 

rated ‘Outstanding’ by CQC 

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MOTORING 

The Stelvio - it's cool man! 

Hexworthy bridge is just to the 

right, out of frame 

Alfa Romeo Stelvio 

Speciale 2.2 TD 210 AWD 

Road tested by the Editor 

It's hard to know where to start with the Stelvio, 

it undoubtedly sets new standards for the SUV genre. 

You have to ask why so many people opt 

for a SUV type of vehicle. The reality is 

there are many advantages to being higher 

off the ground, providing better visibility 

and indeed views of the countryside (not 

forgetting for back sufferers, it's much 

easier to get in and out!). Also, having 

4x4 is no gimmick, particularly if you live 

somewhere like Dartmoor, where ice and 

snow on lanes can mean that four wheel 

drive is the difference between getting 

home safely and having to park up and take 

refuge somewhere! 

I think everyone realises that SUVs, having 

a higher centre of gravity, can be a bit more 

challenging in the twisties, and there's been 

much work done by manufacturers in the 

past few years to improve vehicle dynamics 

in order to make their SUVs handle corners 

with less drama. 

Several years ago, I road tested the excellent 

Land Rover Discovery Sport diesel, much 

work had been done to reduce weight on 

this model, particulary at higher height 

levels, and indeed, the vehicle certainly 

provided great improvements in this area. 

I think we all realise that excess weight is 

the enemy, it impacts badly on all areas of 

vehicle performance. 

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Speciale tested was 

loaned by Vospers at Exeter, the vehicle 

having the 2.2 turbo diesel engine churning 

out 210 bhp, complete with a ZF 8 speed 

auto gearbox. The usual Devonshire test 

route incorporates both A30 motorway type 

driving as well as more challenging 'A' road 

conditions by taking a trip over the moors 

from Ashburton to the Two Bridges Hotel 

for lunch. 

It was great to climb aboard the Stelvio 

which had all mod cons installed such as 

electrically controlled and heated seats with 

memory settings, heated steering wheel (how 

lovely are these touches when the weather's 

colder), split screen sat nav/radio - the 

specification was really luxurious, the Alfa 

cabins are great places to be these days. 

Upon driving off the Marsh Barton estate, 

the stability and briskness of this car was 

noticeable, Kevin at Vospers told me that the 

0-60 time was 6.6 seconds, pretty staggering. 

This is what amounts to a class leading 

figure, beating the much larger engined 

VW three litre V6 Touareg (6.9 seconds), an 

amazing feat - you have to wonder how Alfa 

Romeo have achieved this? Weight saving 

materials and advanced design technology 

are very much to the fore, and of course, this 

weight saving not only boosts performance, 

but results in less effort being required 

when negotiating corners, greatly benefiting 

handling. 

The chassis is something of a triumph and 

it's not until you're in the corners that you 

can really feel the advantage of both the 

weight savings and also the remarkable 

chassis, which possesses incredibly quick 

and precise steering. Coming off the A30 

at Ashburton and taking the road up to the 

moors proved just how much fun could be 

had in this lithe and precise car. It's unusual 

in that it has a 'sports car' like feel to it, aided 

by the slick engine/gearbox/braking setup. 

Powering out of corners and changing the 

line was no problem, even getting into mid 

corner and applying the brakes, none of the 

usual pitch and yaw of lesser machines. It 

took me quite a while to adjust to the dynamic 

78 


MOTORING 

Top - the classic Alfa Romeo grille. 

Lots of quality touches on the Stelvio, note 

the hefty disk calipers. 

I really like the Alfa cabins, there's a quality feel about them and driving ergonomics are good. The nav/info 

screen can be used either in single or split mode, providing great flexibility. The auto box is a peach, with 

seamless changes and well chosen ratios, allowing for rapid and safe progress with minimal fuss, allowing 

you to concentrate fully on the road ahead, particularly important if you're on Dartmoor, with sheep and 

ponies around each corner. 

Dartmoor - it can be a bleak landscape in places, but the Stelvio 

will cosset you in all conditions and is capable of making great 

haste without drama - it's a finely balanced machine. 

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MOTORING 

ALFA ROMEO STELVIO 

LONG TERM AFFAIR 

UP TO £3,500 ALFA DEPOSIT 

CONTRIBUTION ** , 0% APR 

NEW MATFORD WAY SHOWROOM COMING EARLY 2019 

20 HENNOCK ROAD, EXETER, DEVON EX2 8RU. 

TEL: 01392 274700 WWW.VOSPERS.COM 

Range of official fuel consumption figures for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio range: Urban Cycle mpg (l/100km) 31.7 (8.9) 

– 51.4 (5.5), Extra-Urban Cycle mpg (l/100km) 47.9 (5.9) – 65.7 (4.3), Combined Cycle mpg (l/100km) 40.4 (7.0) – 

60.1 (4.7). CO 2 

Emissions 161 – 124 g/km. **Offer available on New Alfa Romeo Stelvio range. Minimum 35% customer deposit required. 36 month 

term HO sales only until 31/12/2018. Model shown is a New Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.2 TD 210 hp AWD Milano Edzione with £1,500 Alfa Romeo Deposit Contribution. Deposit 

contribution varies across the range. Subject to status Alfa Romeo Financial Services. Vospers may record calls for training purposes. 

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81

MANAGING your MONEY 

"the hardest thing in the world 

to understand is income tax" 

Albert Einstein 

Celebrating 26 years of 

providing independent 

financial advice in Devon 

Pension equality 

How fair is our pension system? 

Helen Mulvaney 

BA (Hons), Dip M, DipPFS 

Proprietor of 

RICHMOND INDEPENDENT 

The latest news on the pension front is that a judicial review has 

been granted on the issue of returning women's state pensions 

back to age 60. 

Woman Against State Pension 

Inequality (known as WASPI) and 

Backto60 groups both claim 

that when plans to increase 

the state pensions were made 

(to increase to age 65) that little 

or no personal knowledge was 

provided to those who were 

going to be affected. Many may 

say that equalising state pension 

ages is entirely fair. Women 

wanted equality and now they've 

got it! However, I don't believe 

that the pension situation is 

entirely fair. Many speak of the 

gender pension gap which is the 

difference between the amount 

of men and women's pension. 

Simply equalising 

pension ages can 

inadvertently 

penalise both 

partners 

Firstly, simply equalising pension 

ages can inadvertently penalise 

both partners meaning that a 

couple where the wife/partner is 

younger will probably spend less 

time together in early retirement 

and this is the very time when 

you are probably fit enough to 

enjoy some well earned quality 

time together. Secondly, in many 

cases, women have entitlement 

to much lower pensions than 

men. For instance, a recent 

survey*, looking just at state 

pensions revealed the average 

weekly amount of state pension 

was £126.45 for women and 

£153.99 for men. 

The reasons for the pension 

gender gap are many and varied 

but much is to do with working 

life, home responsibilities and 

pay. The private and state 

pension system historically 

favours men because they were 

traditionally the breadwinners. 

Indeed, today often women 

give up work to raise children or 

they may be caring for parents 

or relatives. There is now a great 

deal of free childcare available 

but even just a few years ago the 

cost of childcare meant returning 

to work for women was just not 

financially viable. Work itself has 

not been flexible enough for 

many to return to the workplace. 

For these varied reasons, many 

have missed out from paid work 

and also from National Insurance 

contributions (known as NICs). 

Widowhood and divorce also 

cause great problems with 

pension provision. 

Recent developments have 

helped. With regard to the 

state pension the government 

has attempted to legislate 

to provide the opportunities 

needed to build up pension 

provision. This has been brought 

about by scrapping the old 

married women's NICs which 

The reasons for 

the pension gender 

gap are many 

and varied but 

much is to do with 

working life, home 

responsibilities and 

pay 

did not count towards the state 

pension at all and new measures 

have brought women in line with 

men for those women entering 

the workplace after 1977. The 

new state pension is no longer 

earnings related and therefore is 

more equal in terms of building 

up pension provision. In terms 

of the private pension, access 

to membership of occupational 

pensions for part-time workers 

(often women) and rules for 

pension sharing for divorce 

have been legislated on. Also 

auto enrolment has meant more 

women paying into pensions 

schemes. 

Helen has been advising 

clients in the East Devon 

for the past 26 years and 

specialises in the provision 

of retirement and 

investment advice. 

richmondindependent.co.uk 

helen@richmond-ifa.com 

01395 512166 

A lot more could be done - 

maybe ensuring that women, 

in particular, understand the 

importance of NIC credits and 

also the fact that there are a 

number of different credits 

available. It would also be 

useful to increase the pension 

tax relief allowance for nonearners. 

As a family unit, it 

would be beneficial if husbands 

or partners contributed into a 

pension for a non-working or 

part time partner or spouse. 

Also increasing the number of 

people into auto enrolment and 

ensuring that tax relief for non 

tax payers works. 

Happy New Year! 

Helen Mulvaney 

Please note that the views and 

opinions expressed in this article 

are those of the author. 

* conducted by Which magazine 

Richmond Independent is a trading name of 

Investment & Financial Solutions Partnership 

LLP which is authorised and regulated by 

the Financial Conduct Authority 

82 


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83

artisans and artists 

Bespoke kitchen featuring brushed oak cabinetry, stone composite surfaces, 

Pearl Ashes Aga, bespoke Venetian settle, African salt sculptures, Fortuny 

lighting, French antique holy water font, Indian antique inlaid table. 

PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT AND INTERIOR DESIGN 

Oxford House 

West Street Ashburton 

Devon UK 

TQ13 7DU 

info@artisansandartists.co.uk 

Showroom / South Devon Studio 00 44 (0)1364 653276 

North Devon Studio 00 44 (0)1837 811099 

artisansandartists.co.uk

Devonshire January February 19

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