MANOR South West Issue 4 High Summer by MANOR

High Summer 2015 Issue 4 | £3.95

Rachel Johnson

As I see it...

TRILL FARM Food for the soul DEER PARK HOTEL Treetop luxury CARPENTER OAK Framed perfection

Michael Caines

at work in Gidleigh Park

Cornwall’s Rogue Theatre MANOR | High Summer 2015

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Hatherleigh, Devon Superbly renovated Grade II listed farmhouse

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976832

Hatherleigh 1 mile, Okehampton 8 miles, Exeter 30 miles (Distances approximate) A delightful property in a good rural position in exceptional order throughout. Recently renovated and extended it comprises 2 reception rooms, a very large kitchen/breakfast/family room, utility room, 3 bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms. Traditional buildings, gardens and grounds.

Guide Price ÂŁ850,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE150125 4 MANOR | High Summer 2015

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Axmouth, Devon Large listed period house in a unique coastal position

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter william.morrison@knightfrank.com 01392 976832

Exeter 23 miles, Lyme Regis 6 miles, Axminster 6 miles (London Waterloo 2 hours 45 minutes) (Distances and times approximate) Situated in a wonderful position directly above the sea at Axmouth on the East Devon coastline. Surrounded by its own land enjoying fine coastal views. 7 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, garden room, study and kitchen/breakfast room. Cottage with 2 bedrooms, garaging, outbuildings and swimming pool. In all about 9.6 acres.

Guide Price ÂŁ2,000,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140353

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

MANOR | High Summer 2015

South Molton | Devon

A stunning Grade II Listed Devon Longhouse on the edge of the Exmoor National Park South Molton 5 miles, Dulverton 10 miles, Barnstaple 17 miles

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Guide Price: ÂŁ1,550,000

Entrance porch, Drawing room, Dining room, Kitchen/breakfast room, Sitting room, Utility, Larder, Pantry, Downstairs shower room, Boiler room, Five bedroom, Four shower rooms, Two bathrooms, Study, Ancillary one bedroom cottage, Detached garage, Further parking area , Tennis Court, Wine, Store, Paddocks

Truro | Cornwall

A stunning arable farm and fine Georgian House on the Fal Estuary St Mawes 8½ miles, Truro 11 miles, Newquay Airport 20 miles

Offers in excess of: £4,750,000

Lot 1 - About 161 acres (65ha) Trelonk – A fine Grade II listed Georgian house at the heart of the farm Six bedrooms, Four reception rooms, Three bathrooms, Studio, Outbuildings, Garages, Gardens including croquet lawn, sunken garden and vegetable garden Trelonk Cottage – Recently refurbished, Four bedrooms, Three reception rooms, EPC rating E Shepherds Cottage – Two bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Large reception / living room, EPC rating D Brickworks Cottage – Recently refurbished, Kitchenette, Dining room, Sitting room, Two bedrooms, Bathroom, EPC rating F Farm buildings and stock handling facilities, Stable yard, Traditional stone barns, Former brickworks, Paddocks, Arable land, Shoreline on the Fal Estuary Lot 2 – About 100 acres (40ha) Productive agricultural land Lot 3 – About 68 acres (27ha) Productive agricultural land About 330 acres (133 ha) in all

Exeter 01392 215631 Exeter@struttandparker.com 50 offices across England and Scotland, including 10MANOR offices| High in Central London Summer 2015 7

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MANOR | High Summer 2015

Accounts . Wealth . Legal

High Summer 2015

Regulars 17 TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Correspondence from across the divide

TRENDS Holiday by day, and night

MANOR CONFIDENTIAL Bovey Castle, Exeter Art Show, Nancarrow and Hayne Feasts

AS I SEE IT...

Rachel Johnson reflects on life, Notting Hill and verbal eruptions

Style & Beauty 23 BEAUTY TUTORIAL Elouise Abbott’s guide to faking it

MY FEEL GOOD REGIME Alexis Bowater seeks out food, vibes and sea soul therapy

THE STYLE SHOOT The irresistible lure of nature

THE STYLE SHOOT Sunshine blooms and honeybees

Features 32 IN THE HEAT OF THE KITCHEN Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park

WAVES AND WARRIORS Lucy Aldridge makes stand-up paddleboard yoga look easy

Photostory 35 THE LUNCHTIME SESSION In the kitchen with Caines’ team at full throttle

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116

76 106 72 Culture 72 THE FUTURE IN FOCUS Macula Collective’s nurturing of star photographers

ACTS OF MAGIC

Food 106 SOUL FOOD Holistic cookery courses at Trill Farm

110

South West suppliers to First Great Western’s Pullman service

113

TURN IT UP!

116

SOUTH WEST MUST SEES... What’s on around the region

WORTH MAKING THE TRIP FOR... Cultural highlights from the metropolis

WORTH STAYING IN FOR... Quality time from your sofa

MANOR | High Summer 2015

BITES Food news from across the peninsular

120

THE TABLE PROWLER ...gets on trend at Bao, London and by the sea at The Gurnard’s Head, Cornwall

The South West’s independent music scene

BOX, SET AND MATCH Quality food box suppliers from around the region

The Rogue Theatre puts us under their spell

FOOD ON THE MOVE

Escape 124 THE DEER PARK HOTEL, WESTON Simply spiffing

127

WHERE THE MOOD TAKES YOU Active holidays to suit all

High Summer 2015

136 143 124 Space 130 WOODEN HEART Carpenter Oak celebrates 20 years of creating show-stopping buildings

134

SUNNY DELIGHTS Sunbeam Jackie’s luxury parasols

136

SPACE SHOPPING Fusion - get global to stamp your individuality

138

THE BATMAN’S SUMMERHOUSE A Scandi retreat on the banks

142

Q&A Emma Sims-Hilditch reveals her sourcebook and inspirations

143

WORKSPACE

156 Property 153 THE BULLETIN Property Finders – an assessment of their worth

156

Painter Jayson Lilley lets us into his studio

MANOR school 147 NEWS IN BRIEF Young chemists, inspirational speakers and state of the art study centres

148

THE NUMBERS GAME Professor Ruth Merttens first in her series on how to Help Your Child at Home at maths for early primary

PROPERTY OF NOTE Chapel Point House – a unique setting, a unique opportunity

159

SNAPSHOT COMPARATIVE A selection of waterfront properties from across the South West and in London

Back page 170 BLACK BOOK Secrets from Exeter graduate Rachel Alcock Hodgson

MANOR | High Summer 2015

is brought to you by PUBLISHING EDITOR

Imogen Clements imogen@manormagazine.co.uk

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Jane Fitzgerald jane@manormagazine.co.uk

LEAD FEATURE WRITER

Harriet Mellor harriet@manormagazine.co.uk

ARTS EDITOR

Belinda Dillon belinda@manormagazine.co.uk

FOOD EDITOR

Anna Turns

T W O M I C H E L I N - S TA R R E D SUMMER SAMPLE LUNCH AT G I D L E I G H PA R K Two courses

£45.50

anna@manormagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Fiona McGowan, Miranda Gardiner, Kate Mount

Three courses

£58.50

DESIGN

Guy Cracknell

To make your reservation, please call 01647 481 357 or visit www.gidleigh.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES

Belinda Allen, Rae Muscat, Rachel Evans, Rachel Roberts advertising@manormagazine.co.uk 07341 563989

THE COVER Silk dress, Zara, £49.99; Stylist: Mimi Stott; Photographer: Tom Hargreaves; Model: Victoria Coutts; Hair and Make-Up: Philippa Spring

© MANOR Publishing Ltd, 2015. MANOR Magazine is published by Manor Publishing Ltd, 3 Station Road, Okehampton, Devon EX20 1DY. Registered in England No. 09264104 info@manormagazine.co.uk. Printed by Warners Midlands plc.

Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8HH Tel: 01647 481 357 info@gidleigh.co.uk www.gidleigh.co.uk

MANOR | High Summer 2015

GPA 93x270mm Manor Magazine.indd 1

09/07/2015 15:18

For those of you new to MANOR, perhaps reading it while on holiday, may we introduce a premium publication that champions the very best of the South West. It is aimed at the modern dynamic individual who either lives here, is looking to live here, or who simply enjoys spending time in the region. After all, the South West is the most frequented corner of the UK for those looking for time out. Not only does it boast outstanding natural beauty in its coasts and countryside, it is brimming with talent and creativity in every sector, from art and design to, of course, food and hospitality. The South West supplies nationwide and international markets with high-quality, ethically farmed, fresh ingredients of every variety, including fish, shellfish and premium organic meat, and it is also the birthplace of Riverford, a pioneer in the delivery of fresh organic food direct from field to kitchen through its multiple award-winning box scheme, now over 20 years old. Doubtless inspired by the abundance in quality local produce, the South West also boasts some of the best restaurants in the UK, of which one is Gidleigh Park – holder of two Michelin stars for 15 years and voted Best Restaurant in the UK by The Sunday Times twice in the last two years. Photographer Juliette Mills was given exclusive access to the renowned Gidleigh Park kitchen during the busy lunchtime session to capture Head Chef Michael Caines and his team in action. For breathtaking beauty, turn to our Style Shoots, two in this issue, both taken by photographer Tom Hargreaves, the locations of which were chosen to show the very best of a Dartmoor summer – woodland, water and wild floral exuberance in prolific and unfettered glory. For the uninitiated, MANOR promises stunning photography and fascinating reads – from Rachel Johnson’s matter of fact views on life, to the spellbinding magic of Cornwall’s Rogue Theatre to the region’s thriving independent music scene. Add to that fashion, beauty, inspirational interiors and awe-inspiring architecture and we think, and hope, you’ll be hooked, whether a resident or a visitor to the region. We’d always love to hear from you. For now, though, enjoy the sunshine, and, wherever you’re from, enjoy your MANOR.

Imogen Clements PUBLISHING EDITOR

The views of the writers in MANOR Magazine are not necessarily those shared by the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or transparencies are accepted on the understanding that the publishers incur no liability for their storage or return. The contents of MANOR Magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission. By submitting material to MANOR Magazine, MANOR Magazine Ltd is automatically granted the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, edit, distribute and display such material (in whole or part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. The contributor acknowledges that material submitted may be published in any

publication or website produced or published by MANOR Publishing Ltd.The contributor agrees not to submit material where they do not own the copyright and where they have not obtained all necessary licenses and/or approvals from the rightful owner. With respect to any photographs submitted, the contributor confirms that all necessary model and property releases have been obtained from any clearly identifiable person appearing in any image, together with any other relevant consents required. Prices and details of services and products are genuinely believed to be correct at the time of going to press, but may change. Although every effort is made to maintain accuracy we regret we are unable to honour any incorrect prices or other details that may be printed.

MANOR | High Summer 2015

100% bespoke, handmade kitchens & furniture for the home

24A West Street, Ashburton, Newton Abbott, Devon TQ13 7DU

Tel: 01364 653613 www.barnesofashburton.co.uk 16

MANOR | High Summer 2015

TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Sweetness...

Darling...

Just who is this Siri person? I keep coming across people, mainly men, along Westbourne Grove shouting ‘Hey Siri!’ at no-one I particular. Bizarrely they are always checking the time when they do. Whoever Siri is, they’re clearly not particularly responsive, or perhaps not English-speaking? And just when did that name become so popular? Seems everyone up here knows a Siri these days, who ignores them. Anyhow, sweetness, we are in the full throes of Café Culture here in W11. I do so love London in the sunshine. It’s like an all day, everyday village fête with tables and chairs on every spare space of pavement and every cake and culinary delight set before you to feast eyes upon. If only we could eat it. But we’re all far too body image conscious to tuck into anything more calorific than a quinoa salad. My personal excuse for abstention really stems more from matters financial rather than bodily. Have you seen the price of cakes in Notting Hill these days? Lovely to ogle all those quite spectacular glass counters and people shouting for Siri, but I shall have to content myself with a large black Americano while I do. I am the queen of appetite control! How is life in the wilds? Are you out plucking crabs from the sea and mussels from the rocks? Unfurling gingham table-cloths and eating all meals al fresco? I imagine scenes of bulging picnic hampers and chilled rosé at the foot of wild flower meadows by the water’s edge. All lovely and idyllic if you’ve got a trailer to help haul it all there and back, doubtless... Nothing like the convenience of the metropolis, however pricey it may be!

That errant Siri person you refer to is in fact their watch. Hence why they are checking the time whenever on the hunt for Siri – she’s right there strapped to their wrists. You really need to stop focusing on appetite control, and get with it, sweetie. Voice recognition is where it’s at these days thanks to those Apple people. Although I do agree, the recognition element does seem somewhat lacking. I’ve heard such things as repeated and frustrated requests to Siri to reveal ‘the weather tomorrow in Widecombe in the Moor, only for her to come back each time with somewhere obscure like Ghana. It’s all I can do to resist shouting ‘Oh do google, please! For all our sakes!’ But you know me, always been a laggard in matters technological. The countryside is indeed glorious at this time of year. Positively teeming with life, of every species, particularly that species of British driver who is incapable of reversing on narrow, country lanes. I must say, I have become a dab hand at this, and come the summer I find myself going backwards more than forwards to accommodate the high volume of panicstricken urbanites in shiny new 4x4s. And yes, you’re right darling, a picnic of any credibility requires a lot of lugging heavy provisions and equipment up and down hill and vale. But you know, it’s probably worth it - all that weightlifting and exercise helps burn off the picnic calories consumed once there. So, no appetite control required! That said, I look back on sunshiney days in the capital with much fondness… But for now, must dash, rather pertinently, to the local village fête. Pimm’s, tug o’war and lots of tasty, affordable cakes await. Ciao ciao cherie, and à bientôt!

WHAT’S HOT IN THE SMOKE?

WHAT’S COOL IN THE COUNTRY?

1984 - Orwell brought to the stage for its second run: multimedia and high on visual impact. At the Playhouse til 5 September.

‘Celebrate’ is the Devon Guild of Craftsmen’s 60th anniversary exhibition on until 6 September. Revel in a plethora of hand-crafted beauty.

Gymkhana - hot Mayfair Indian that opened late last year, still near impossible to get a table.

Hide in a corner of Dunsford’s beautiful Walled Garden to secretly devour their melt-in-the-mouth Devonshire cream tea.

King’s Cross Pond - a natural, open air, unheated swimming pond at, yep, King’s Cross for all those hot, steamy commuters.

Hidden Hut - crowd-drawing open-air feast nights at a hut in the dunes near Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsular.

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Days on the beach It’s time to pack your bags – ensure you’re fully beach ready for elegant lounging…

Straw hat, H&M, £14.99

Maxi dress, Marks and Spencer

Bandeau bikini Top Shop, £22

Sea Folly Swimsuit, John Lewis, £85 Watch, Next, £24

Towel, John Lewis, £15

Pool sliders,Top Shop, £22

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Striped towel, John Lewis, £20

trends Next SS15

Sleeper hoops, Accessorize, £15

Trilby, Next, £12

Dress, Top Shop, £39

Dior, £240

Converse, £45

Just Cavalli, £95

Holiday reads, available from all good book retailers

MANOR | High Summer 2015

When the sun goes down... Come the evening, show off your style credentials with pieces that epitomize this season’s key trends - culottes, florals, whites and stripes.

Dress, Zara, £39.99

Bird’s nest bangle, Whistles, £30

Constellation pendant, Accessorize, £19

Stripe linen tee, Whistles, £65

Trousers, Zara, £39.99 Nude clutch bag, Whistles, £125

Pampus print wrap skirt, Whistles, £44

Luma ankle strap sandals, Whistles, £175

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Richard Nicols SS15

trends

Star pendant, Accessorize, £15

Vest, Zara, £17.99

Dress, Zara, £39.99

Trousers, Zara, £15.99 Sandals, Zara, £39.99

Dress, Top Shop, £40

MANOR | High Summer 2015

promotional feature

As the layers come off, the accessories go on With summer comes many happy days outdoors enjoying the glorious sunshine, but looking glamorous while staying cool and comfortable can often be at odds. Yet with the right choice of accessories, there is no need to compromise, and a practical outfit can fast become a stylish one.

ichael Spiers, the South West’s leading independent jewellery and watch retailer, has put together a selection of striking pieces to complement your everyday summer look, so you don’t have to sacrifice feeling comfortable and relaxed in order to look great. Layering up is a key jewellery theme at the moment. The stars are stacking up thin rings, offsetting bare arms with a cluster of slim diamond bracelets, and overlapping delicate necklaces of differing lengths. Pendants are enduringly fashionable, and what better this summer than this handcrafted one that evokes the pattern of seashells? Think pale sands when it comes to fashion too. Look to the female contingent of the Middleton family at Princess Charlotte’s christening with cream and neutrals all the way, each enhanced by pieces of statement jewellery. These muted tones can be effortlessly complemented by Michael Spiers’ wide range of pieces, from stylish Gucci silver bracelets, to desirable rose gold watches. Call in to one of our four stores across the South West to make your outfit ‘summer ready’ this season.

www.michaelspiers.co.uk

ANOTHER JEWEL HAS BEEN ADDED TO EXETER’S CATHEDRAL GREEN THIS SUMMER Summer 2015 has already been a good one for the team at Michael Spiers, as last month the family business opened the doors to its brand new Exeter showroom located at the city’s shopping hotspot, Cathedral Green. The new store has just undergone a 12-week shop fit to include branded areas by Rolex, TAG Heuer and Gucci. It is far larger than the previous store and is now able to offer one of the largest collections of diamond and coloured gem jewellery in the South West.

MANOR | High Summer 2015

beauty

Faking the perfect tan Although the only sensible option these days is to get your brown from a bottle, the last thing you want is for your fake tan to look it. Make-up artist Elouise Abbott reveals the key steps to achieving that natural sun-kissed look

e have long winters in this country – time enough for skin to turn a paler shade of white that for many of us borders on translucent when the opportunity arises to expose it. Skin with a little colour immediately looks healthier and firmer than skin without, so even the slightest of bronze burnishes can make us feel more confident. But with bronzing comes caveats. We can no longer sensibly spend the first two days of exposure frying to speed up the transformation. We need help. Bring on the fake tan. Fake tan isn’t just the go-to remedy to prep pasty skin for public exposure, it’s also a handy colour enhancer during your holiday and, of course, a tan prolonger for once the holiday’s over. But which one, and how? Here are my top product recommendations and application tips for avoiding skin looking parched, patchy and leathery. PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING

Key to perfecting your fake is to exfoliate, so lose those dead flaky skin cells once or twice a week and the night before applying your product. Through exfoliation, skin becomes more receptive to moisturizer, increasing hydration, which will lead to a more even, longer-lasting tan. Boots Botanics exfoliating gloves are a seriously good investment and can be used daily. If you love a luxurious scrub, I recommend Body Shop’s Africa Ximenia and Salt Scrub, which moisturizes as you scrub, leaving your skin wonderfully soft. To minimize patching, make sure to moisturize daily, paying extra attention to those dry areas around the knees and elbows. L’Occitane Shea Butter, which is organic-certified, gives a natural deep hydration. NARS Monoi Body Glow II brings a touch

of Tahitian luxury with its beautifully fragranced and refined oil. Oils are incredible for drier skins. FAKE IT

My go-to self-tanner, St Tropez, has been market leader in the tanning industry for many years thanks to its reliable and simple-to-use systems, giving perfect colour. With the St Tropez Lotion for a deeper tan, and St Tropez Spray, which is quicker to use and offers a lighter tan, you’d think they had all bases covered. That was until they introduced the Gradual Tan in Shower Lotion. After washing, simply apply onto wet skin and allow to develop for three minutes, then rinse, for a beautifully even, streak-free tan that you can build daily. Clarins Radiance Plus Body Golden Glow Booster gives a stunning golden glow. Just mix a few drops of the sun booster to any Clarins moisturizer to create your own self tanner, tailored to your own desired level. Garnier Summer Body Lotion Light Sun-Kissed is also an excellent hydrator, and works really well for people with fair skin, giving just the right touch of colour. If you prefer a darker tan try the Summer Body Lotion Deep SunKissed. This product is fantastic to use post-holiday to rehydrate the skin and extend your tan for just that little bit longer. BRONZERS

If you prefer the idea of a quick fix over full fake tan application, I love Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs. This is a waterproof spray make-up that gives coverage and colour while being waterresistant. Quick, easy, and simple to wash off, it’s fantastic for an evening out if you don’t have time to tan. If you are feeling adventurous this summer try Black Stockings Solid Body Tint from Lush, a moisturising bar that contains Shea butter, and has a stunning iridescent bronze colour. Rub the bar directly onto the skin where you want to add the colour – I recommend using it to highlight the shins, thighs and arms.

MANOR | High Summer 2015

beauty

My feel-good regime Alexis Bowater is a born and bred Devonian who has worked in the media for 20 years. She was a reporter for ITV Westcountry for 15 years and spent seven of those anchoring the six o’clock news. She then spent four years as Chief Executive of the national charity Network for Surviving Stalking, helping to change the law in this country and Europe. Alexis now runs her own PR and communications company, Bowater Communications, and founded the award-winning outdoor learning company Beach Schools South West. Alexis has two children and is on the board of governors for the primary school federation in the area in which she lives. Being outdoors, taking on challenges, and exercising are where I feel most peaceful and fulfilled. I have trekked high in the Himalayas and the Atlas mountains, summited Kilimanjaro, done a charity expedition up Mount Toubkal and tromped around Dartmoor. But anything physical is great for me. Dancing absolutely lights me up, it feels so natural. Dancing in my kitchen is where I like to dance the most, and at parties. I’ve learned to jive and salsa over the years, and tap dancing is next on my list.

I’m a big walker. My favourite place to walk is in the South Hams by the sea. The walk from Bantham to Thurlestone and back takes some beating. Solo walking clears my thoughts, walking with friends is always fun. We’re blessed with amazing coastline. We have the longest area of coastline of any region in the UK and Devon is the only county in England to have two coasts. Amazingly, research shows that last year 81% of children here did not go to the beach. For me, Bigbury Bay and the coast from Mothecombe Beach west past Thurlestone are beyond beautiful. For a bit of sea soul therapy you can’t really beat Bantham. I love food, all food. I am absolutely blessed to live in Devon with its glut of astonishing chefs, restaurants, produce and drinks. I love cooking when I have a chance. It’s as fresh and local as possible for me, from land or sea. My favourite is a big bowl of creamy moules, but I also love a good steak and a proper pie. Eating out I love the food at The Sloop at Bantham - high quality, fresh and local to me. I’d travel quite a way though for a Jane Baxter meal. I enjoy books, theatre and music. Books in particular. I have just put down Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and may well have to pick it

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Bantham, South Devon

up again. A real thriller with some astonishing twists. I’m going to have to read it back and check on some of them. Long-term favourite is Bruce Chatwin’s The Songlines. I love it so much I have lost seven copies by pressing them on friends: “You must read this!” I enthuse and have never seen them back which is good in a way because they must love it too. My house looks like a library but they are a comfort and a stimulation simultaneously and I can never get enough: a terrible teetering pile of them stands lopsided on my bedside table. As for theatre I saw a really great production at the Theatre Royal’s Drum Theatre recently called After Electra by April De Angelis. It is a very moving and witty black comedy which re-imagines the meaning of family and explores how the choices we make can change our lives forever. I found it profoundly

thought provoking and it has stayed with me. I have a pretty eclectic mix of music favourites, from classical to pop to reggae. Coldplay features quite heavily in there as do a plentiful variety of chart toppers. We have Cheerleader, Happy and Uptown Funk pretty much on a loop in the kitchen at the moment.

LANGUISHING IN MY MAKE-UP BAG My make-up bag contains a spare pen, some baby wipes, loose powder that has probably exploded everywhere, Bourjois black mascara and eyeliner, Mac lip gloss of some pale variety, bronzer in the summer, Nivea SPF 15 moisturiser, Clarins Beauty Flash balm and Coco by Chanel.

beautiful fused glass interior pieces, handmade at our cornwall studio. bespoke design service available. galleries at st ives, padstow, fowey and launceston, cornwall and ripley, surrey. www.jodowns.com

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Bovey Castle relaunched On 14 June Sir Peter Rigby and directors of the Eden Collection held an evening of drinks and menu samplers from the hotel’s two new restaurants to celebrate Bovey Castle’s multimillion pound refurbishment. The Band from Her Majesty’s Royal Marines from the Commando Training Centre in Plymouth performed a magnificent sunset ceremony. Photos by Sarah Clarke. sarahclarkephotography.com

MANOR | High Summer 2015

confidential

Exeter Art Show Exeter Art Show hosted by the Maynard School held a Private View for Sponsors, Governors and Friends of the Art Show on July 3. More than 40 exhibitors, pupils of the school to Royal Academicians including Peter Randall-Page and Ken Howard were exhibiting their works to sell over the weekend. Money raised was to go to The Children’s Hospice, South West and to an Art Bursary. Photos by Jethro Olsen.

Simon Gregory, Chairman of Foot Anstey (governor) and Bee Hughes, Headmistress of the Maynard School

Laurie Steen, artist

Work by John Hurford

David Reynolds, Head of Marine Pipelines and Engineering (sponsor), and Henry Rising, Senior Investment Manager, Hawksmoor (sponsor)

Julie Dart of Dart’s Farm, Sarah Bell and James Dart of Dart’s Farm (governor)

Patrick May and Helen Reynolds

Edward and Maria Whitton, Whittons Auctioneers and Valuers (sponsor)

Jill Lammonby, Business Development Manager, Foot Anstey (sponsor), and Bee Hughes

MANOR | High Summer 2015

Nancarrow Feast Since throwing open their barn doors last autumn, the Nancarrow team have hosted nine sell-out feasts on their farm four miles from Truro. Inspired by farmhouse cookery from all over the world, July’s ‘Breton Farmhouse – Moules, Boules et de Fumee’ event was inspired by childhood holidays to northern France by founder Steve Chamberlain and chef Ben Quinn. Spit roasted new season lamb from the farm was slow cooked over a wood fire. 110 guests took to their seats following an aperitif of Breton sparkling cider, hay smoked mussels and a boules tournament. For more information on events visit nancarrowfarm.co.uk and sign up to their mailing list for priority notification. Photos by Adam Sargent Photography.

MANOR | High Summer 2015

confidential

Pickleshack at Hayne On July 3 Michelin-trained caterers Pickleshack teamed up with Milla and Tim Herniman to inaugurate Hayne, in Zeal Monachorum (haynedevon.co.uk), as the perfect venue for feasting and dancing, whatever your occasion. Having enjoyed a three-course meal of marinated broad bean salad, seared beef sirloin and salted chocolate tart courtesy of Pickleshack, the 134 guests were invited to bop to the six-strong band which included Tim on piano and Milla on vocals.Photos by evolvephoto.co.uk and facebook.com/evolvepics.

Tim and Milla Herniman

MANOR | High Summer 2015

PHOTO: PETER CLARK

MANOR | High Summer 2015

As I see it...

Rachel Johnson is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster. She has written for the FT, the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times and is now a columnist at the Mail on Sunday. In 2009, Rachel became editor of The Lady magazine and oversaw the title’s re-design and relaunch, but left three years later following reported clashes with the title’s proprietor. She has published several novels including Notting Hell, Shire Hell and now, the third in the trilogy, Fresh Hell. Rachel is married to Ivo Dawney, Director of London for the National Trust, and they have three children. She divides her time between her homes in London and Exmoor. As a child I pretended I was a boy most of the time. The person I most wanted to be was Georgina in the Famous Five, the fiery headstrong tomboy. Understandable, I suppose, as a girl amongst three brothers. Every child accepts their childhood for what it is. When I was growing up we were given very few choices. We couldn’t choose what we ate, who we saw – we saw no-one – where we went to school. The only thing we could choose was what to read. I read a lot as a child. What you read as a child often defines people as writers. I always thought it would be lovely to write a book that would make people laugh. The books I read beyond The Famous Five were Molesworth, anything by PG Wodehouse, Just William plus, of course, I Caught the Castle. I was thrilled to go to boarding school. The school was good: it was very structured and academic and I was the only girl bar one there, which I handled very well. I learnt how to be independent and selfsufficient and not too demanding. Although we were in the same school, I didn’t get support or protection from my brothers, and I didn’t look for it. You don’t chum up with your siblings at school. The sibling relationship goes into abeyance. My parents’ generation is much wilder than mine. We were children in the wild 70s when our parents felt they were breaking new ground with open marriages and hairy armpits. But everything has its consequences. Children aren’t equipped to make decisions. It’s a parent’s job and responsibility to make decisions for them. I chose to send mine to boarding school but not as young as everyone assumes. My daughter went at 16 for A-Levels and my sons went to prep school at 10 because the London schools near us at the time were too academic, plus my husband was not well. I don’t think anyone can control who they fall in love with, man or woman. Nor when. Love is

always a surprise when it happens. For some it never happens. I think the embracing of gay marriage by the UK and the US is incredibly positive. Where my children are concerned there isn’t the remotest frisson when someone’s gay. It’s considered normal. I’m obviously longing for one of them to come out. I blame the Big Bang and Richard Curtis for what’s happened to Notting Hill. We’ve been here since 1978 when the neighbourhood was full of artists and middle-income professionals. Now it serves only two constituencies: the super rich (with all those boutiques and expensive delis like Ottolenghi and restaurants) and tourists. Everything’s become absurd and ludicrously expensive. It’s all uber-gloss, which I can’t stand. Notting Hill, however much it’s changed, is my home. According to my husband, if you’re living in an area you can’t afford to shop in, it’s time to move on, but why should I? I stay here because I’m not greedy for the millions I’d make on selling, because I love the house and communal garden and my friends, and so do my children. I’m a writer, not a public figure, so it doesn’t matter what I say. I can’t be bothered with being media-controlled. My siblings are very good about my occasional eruptions, although I probably ought to be more careful. I mentioned something about Downing Street at a Tory conference fringe event last year that was picked up by The Mirror. It made things somewhat uncomfortable for one of my brothers at the time, but was all right in the end. Frankly, I don’t think we get enough stick as a family. I’m amazed that people aren’t sick of the sight of us. I have no regrets, except perhaps that thing I said about The Lady, that it’s ‘a piddling little magazine’. I probably shouldn’t have said that. Fresh Hell is published by Penguin and available at all good book retailers.

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Heat of the kitchen

Named UK’s best restaurant twice in the last two years, long term holder of two Michelin stars, considered one of the top ten restaurants in Europe… just how has Gidleigh Park maintained such consistency in excellence throughout the last 20 years? Executive Head Chef Michael Caines, who’s been at the helm throughout, take us into the kitchen to provide an insight into how it’s done. Words by Imogen Clements. Photos by Juliette Mills.

tep over the threshold of Gidleigh Park and you enter a different world. On the outside you’re yourself, a bit giddy from the hotel’s fairytale setting, not to mention the winding and seemingly endless mossy lanes you’ve driven along to get there; on the inside, however, you’re nobility, welcomed by attentive staff into a stately lounge to sit in one of the opulent armchairs amid an aura of elegant tranquility. Your chin lifts a little and your posture improves. Gidleigh Park is nothing if not refined. There is a hush that is fitting of the environment – books, periodicals, beautiful ornaments, a slow ticking clock and the silent blur of staff as they cater to your needs, bringing first the menus. Because, of course, every aspect of Gidleigh Park is really about the food – that’s why you’ve come – and the level of comfort and regal greeting is just the perfect prelude to the star act that follows. “It’s all about the guest experience,” emphasises Michael Caines several times during our visit, “of which every aspect is considered and enhanced.” The Gidleigh experience clearly begins well before you get to the dining room, such that having made your menu choices, you glide down the hall escorted to the dining room and take your seat. The waiter shakes out your napkin and lays the clean starched

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linen on your lap and amid the calm your palate glistens in anticipation for the gastronomic tour de force that awaits. Across the hallway from the dining room is a very different zone. There is no hush, but a frenzy of charged energy, pan clatter, and shouts from chefs racing past one another to tend to boiling pots and oven timers. There is a lot of “Yes, chef!” but no ‘F’ words here, and the pained expressions on the team’s faces result from their pursuit of perfection rather than any public humiliation for errors made. Perfection is often what they achieve: Gidleigh Park has been named Best Restaurant in the UK twice in the last four years by The Sunday Times and under Michael Caines has held two Michelin stars since 1999. This is a slick machine powered by people clearly inspired by their mentor and keen to please. Processes, systems, precise timing and good teamwork have ensured consistently high quality in everything that crosses that corridor of calm from kitchen to dining room. Welcoming us into the kitchen of Gidleigh Park, Michael Caines gives us a rare glimpse behind the scenes, explaining the workings behind one of the UK’s best gastronomic experiences. In doing so, he demonstrates just why he has risen to be regarded as one of the best UK chefs of his generation.

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“The kitchen sleeps just four hours – between 1am and 5am. We are a hotel, not just a restaurant, so it’s not just lunch and dinner, but breakfast, light lunch, lunch, cream teas and dinner, of which everything needs to be of the same high standard. As a hotel, we need to consider the full guest experience. Every meal needs the same degree of all-round attention. One bad impression will taint the rest.”

It’s all about precision. Nothing happens by chance. We run to GMT in here – Gidleigh Mean Time. GMT is our time

“It’s all about precision. Nothing happens by chance. We run to GMT in here – Gidleigh Mean Time. GMT is our time. All our clocks are synchronized. Timing is key – everyone knows their waiting times. Likewise, everything is weighed precisely. All ingredients. It’s vital to ensure consistency in quality.” “The requirements of a chef are multi-faceted – you’ve got to be good at logistics, good at organising, a team player and a leader. You need to have a mammoth knowledge base, a great palate of course and be a good businessman – you need to know how to make money, to deliver a degree of quality and a culinary experience that people are prepared to pay for. There are restaurants that turn over £9m.” “Almost two-thirds of Gidleigh’s business comes from food and drink. Food is the main driver therefore we’re always looking at new food concepts, food innovation, every element of the eating experience and how we can enhance it. Presenting the food beautifully is intrinsic to the experience.” “Presentation of food continually evolves – it’s not just the art on the plate, the colours, but also the materials we use to set off the food: walnut, granite, corian… I’ll brief Jon, our carpenter, on the concept I’m looking to deliver to present an appetizer or petit-fours and he’ll make it to spec – so perhaps a polished walnut board with a hole cut for the chocolate pot and grooves to hold the spoon.”

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“I’m a Devon boy. My foods have evolved but I source as much as I can locally. We’re looking to create food memories that are as much a part of Gidleigh as they are of Devon and the South West. We represent a region. Our key ingredients are all plotted on a map of the South West, so that the waiters know exactly where each ingredient comes from, should they be asked by a guest.” “It’s important to attract and nurture good staff. Gidleigh Park is remote so we struggle to attract good talent. When we do we invest in developing them into good chefs with good futures. It’s important to train them as individuals and create opportunities for them. Alistair, my head chef, has been here eight years. Andy, my pastry chef, has been here 17 years, and Dan has been here for two years; at 19 years old, he wasn’t even born when I started at Gidleigh. He’s shaping up to be a great sous chef.” “A lever arch file contains my entire body of work, all my recipes. My cooking’s evolved but there are some things that never change, such as technique. Raymond [Blanc] taught me technique – as well as some core recipes. I learnt the beef and red wine sauce I’m cooking here at Le Manoir and I’m still cooking

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it regularly today. As in everything, there are some things you discard as you move on, other things you take with you. “This is now my 21st year at Gidleigh. I went to Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons at 21 years old to train under Raymond Blanc, then to Paris at 22 years old. I started at Gidleigh Park at 26 years old. I won two Michelin stars within four years and have been here ever since.” “I’m at a stage when I would like to show the full range of my creativity – express myself not just through the kitchen but beyond it. At the heart of whatever I do next, however, remains my passion for food and wine. That is the driver. Everything ultimately stems from that.” Michael Caines has recently exchanged contracts for Courtlands, a Grade II Listed Georgian mansion in Lympstone, East Devon, and hopes to convert it into a 21-bedroom country house hotel and restaurant. The purchase is subject to the project achieving full planning permission. gidleigh.co.uk

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Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park At the age of 26, Michael Caines arrived at Gidleigh Park in 1994 as Head Chef. Within three months of his tenure he had a car accident as a result of falling asleep at the wheel on the M4. He lost his right arm and had a prosthetic fitted. He returned to work within two weeks. Five years later, in 1999, Michael Caines had earned a second Michelin Star. In 2006, Caines was awarded an MBE for services to the hospitality industry and in 2007 he was named the AAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UK Chef of the Year. In 2009, Gidleigh Park was named Best Hotel of the Year. In 2010, Gidleigh Park under Caines was named Best Restaurant in the UK by The Sunday Times, and then again in 2013. Photos by Juliette Mills.

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All photos by Juliette Mills juliettemills.com

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Waves and warriors

Iyengar instructor Lucy Aldridge has taken her practice to the water to teach Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) yoga – a form she refers to as ‘SUP-pose’. Fiona McGowan dons her wetsuit and gets balancing. Photos by James Ram.

t’s my first time on a stand-up paddleboard. I gingerly launch myself from the shallow beach and stand with my feet planted side by side in the centre of a giant, semi-inflatable board. It feels like cheating. There is no wind and the water is flatcalm – it’s a far cry from nose-diving over the front of a surf board or trying to stand up on a waterski. When did watersports get so easy? I put my paddle in the water and draw it back, then switch sides and repeat. “Bend your knees slightly,” suggests Lucy, my predictably lissom SUP-yoga teacher. “The closer you keep your paddle to your board, the straighter you go,” she adds as she watches me correct my style. And that’s it. Suddenly I am cruising, my arms and shoulders are working smoothly and I simply can’t believe it. I am standing up on the water without clinging on to a windsurf sail or desperately trying to keep my balance on a wave. Minutes later, we drop anchors over the edge of our boards and I begin to shakily follow Lucy’s instructions. I am a yoga novice. I have done it on dry land plenty of times, but still feel like an absolute beginner every time I strike a pose. It doesn’t feel much different on a board. Ensuring that my feet are in the right place is vital. Step one foot too far backward and your body lurches, the board wobbles and you fight to compensate. I don’t fall in, but a few times I feel pretty close. I’d go halfway into a pose and have to correct myself, sometimes coming out of the pose. I have to fight the frustration of starting to feel the stretch, ‘getting it’, and then having to stop because I am wobbling again. How does a yoga aficionado like Lucy take up a completely new discipline and not feel similar frustration? After all, she’s been teaching Iyengar yoga for 18 years – surely even she struggled with the whole wobbly off-balance thing at first? Back on dry land, soaking up the sunshine outside her stone cottage in Carbis Bay, she explains a thing or two about her mindset. Having been convinced to give SUP-yoga a go by friend Lawrence Smith, who runs Ocean High watersports company, her first thoughts were: “It’s a fad. It’s not real yoga.” She tried it anyway: “And I thought – this is not real yoga. This is not what I’m trained to do.” So what changed her

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mind, I ask, slightly disconcerted by the fact that she is doing her yoga practice while answering my questions. “I love being on the sea, being surrounded by salt water… I think I’m a mermaid at heart. I swim in the sea every morning” – all year round, without a wetsuit – “and I used to surf. But surfing was either the BEST thing in the world or I was the WORST surfer ever. It was like having an unpredictable friend. Stand-up paddleboarding is like having a friend who will either join you for a stroll or go for a race.” Lucy claims that the adjustment from teaching Iyengar to SUP-yoga is not so difficult. “In Iyengar, we’re taught to see every practice with a beginner’s mind,” she explains while stretching out in an implausibly bendy seated pose, “so it’s a joy to be taught and be learning new stuff.” In my experience, Iyengar is a particularly regimented form of yoga, with every pose being precisely corrected, using props such as wooden bricks, chairs, raises and straps to help you get into the perfect position. Presumably, this kind of accuracy gets put aside when you have people teetering about on a big plank in the sea? “For me, it is still all about the alignment of Iyengar,” says Lucy. “It is the Iyengar training that holds you firm when you’re on an unstable surface. But let’s get this clear – SUP-yoga is not Iyengar. In fact, I prefer to call it SUP-pose. It is a different discipline – a fun way of coming into your body.” Ever since I first saw a picture of a heinously toned Jennifer Aniston in a bikini on a stand-up paddleboard, I’ve been reading that it is one of the best ways to get in shape and improve fitness. At that time, I was living in London, trying to get to grips with motherhood for the first time, and the

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very idea of it seemed faintly ridiculous. Since living in Cornwall, the possibilities for watersports have opened up a little more – although getting a really thick wetsuit and a boogie board for Christmas is about as far as I’ve got. Lucy espouses the theory that SUP is good for you: “You can work your body really hard. It genuinely is a good workout.” It is easy to look at the super-toned celebrities (and Lucy herself ) and think that SUP-yoga is probably the best way to get flawless legs and a rock-hard stomach. We hear a lot about ‘the core’ – fitness instructors are forever telling you to ‘hold your core tight’ and I have been told more times than I care to admit that my ‘core is not strong’. Most of us know that the ‘core’ is the part of the body that automatically engages when we try to balance – particularly on wobbly surfaces. So the expectation is that one simply has to get on a standup paddleboard and do some yoga poses, and we will automatically look ripped. Right? Lucy lifts out of a flawless downward dog pose, and looks at me somewhat derisively. “Everybody is obsessed with the core. But if you drove a car and only used first gear, it would just wear out very quickly. All the muscles of the body need to be used together. The core muscles are the deeper ones that support the spine and provide good postural alignment. You need proper core strength to exercise correctly and safely. So working on an unstable surface like a paddleboard challenges these stabilisers, helping them to respond, lengthen, and strengthen.” But it will not actually give you rock-hard abs or reduce belly fat. However, the cardio-vascular aspect of stand-up paddleboarding (if you really push it to the point that you’re breathing heavily) clearly burns calories. Combine that with the many documented

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You need proper core strength to exercise correctly and safely. So working on an unstable surface like a paddleboard challenges these stabilisers, helping them to respond, lengthen, and strengthen.

physical health benefits of yoga and the engaging of core muscles while on an unstable surface, and there is a clear argument that SUP-yoga (or SUP-pose) is good for you. When I was on the paddleboard and trying to find my balance in a warrior pose, I realized that I couldn’t think about anything else. I was pressing my toes into the board, I was concentrating on every part of my body and trying to get it into the correct alignment. My previous experiences with yoga have been all about mind-chatter – questioning whether I’m doing the poses right, checking other class members to see if they are doing it better, wondering how much it’s supposed to hurt, challenging myself to go further into each stretch… On a paddleboard, the chatter stops. I just had to breathe and go as far as I could. There was no pain (I never got deep enough into a pose) and there was no checking other people (even moving your head out of alignment

can make your board tip up). ‘Mindfulness’ – like ‘the core’ – is very much in the zeitgeist right now. Lucy moves effortlessly into a full lotus position with the sun gleaming on her mermaid-like tresses. “On a paddleboard, you don’t want to fall in,” she says. “That makes you focus on what you’re doing right now. In that sense, you’re taken out of what you want to achieve and into what your body is capable of. In this moment. And that’s how it becomes mindful.” As well as an expert Iyengar instructor, Lucy is a massage therapist and Reiki practitioner, and is now an SUP-yoga ambassador for international surf brand Starboard, and holds an Association of Surfing Instructors qualification to teach in open water. This summer, she is offering SUP-yoga holidays on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, around the coast of Cornwall and in Portugal. For Iyengar yoga and SUP-pose bookings, see Lucy’s website: lucyaldridge.com or email her on lucy@lucyaldridge.com Ocean High Watersports: oceanhigh.co.uk

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The Style Shoot STYLED BY MIMI STOTT PHOTOGRAPHED BY TOM HARGREAVES

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Silk dress with tassels, Zara, £49.99; black bracelet, £5 and fern necklace, £15, Divine, Chagford

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Collar, ÂŁ20, Divine, Chagford

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Dress, Top Shop, ÂŁ29

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Floral playsuit, ASOS, ÂŁ38

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Maxi dress with shorts, ASOS, ÂŁ48

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Behind the scenes On a perfect summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day the team could be found deep in the woods near the banks of the Teign, frollicking in foliage, and swimming fully clothed. On higher ground we dried off in an old allotment bathed in sunshine. Hats off to our model Victoria â&#x2C6;&#x2019; not even rampant red ants or billowing smokers fazed her.

THE MANOR CAST AND CREW Model: Victoria Coutts Stylist: Mimi Stott Photographer: Tom Hargreaves Hair and Makeup: Philippa Spring

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Bes�oke Classic �Contem�orary Kitchens HANDCRAFTED IN DEVON

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KITCHENS, BEDROOMS, BATHROOMS & HOME STUDIES Telephone 01363 773533 • www.ashgrovekitchens.co.uk Lords Meadow, Crediton, Devon EX17 1ES. Open 9am - 5.30pm weekdays & 10am - 4pm on Saturdays or by appointment.

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Culture

The Macula Collective, Exeter | The region’s thriving independent music scene Cornwall’s Rogue Theatre | South West must sees Worth making the trip for... | Worth staying in for...

Freedom by The Black Tambourines. Artwork by Samuel Stacpoole

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PHOTO: DANIELLA GOLDEN

The future in Belinda Dillon takes a look at Macula Collective, a photography club that’s nurturing the star snappers of tomorrow.

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lickr, Instagram, Pinterest… the proliferation and popularity of online image-sharing platforms can make the world feel very accessible. For emerging artists looking to promote their work, these sites can be an absolute gift: there’s no quicker way to get your name out there and find like-minded creatives on every continent – and all without leaving your desk. But nothing beats getting together with real people in a real room to bat ideas around, to stand in front of a piece of art, side by side, and talk about what each of you sees within its colours and contours. Set up in Exeter in 2012 by fine art photographer Robert Darch with the aim of helping young adults aged 16-21 to develop their photography skills, Macula Collective offers a supportive space for learning, sharing work and collaborating on projects. In an informal atmosphere that’s low on rules – members can attend as little or as often as they want; the only criteria is an interest in photography – teens receive technical advice and

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There’s a big distinction between a grownup like me telling young people how to do something and them seeing what their peers are doing and wanting to try harder because of that

PHOTO: PETER BUTTERWORTH

guidance, learning all aspects of photography through experimentation and discussion; looking to the work of celebrated photographers for inspiration and – most importantly – giving each other feedback on their own work. The summer months see them head out on trips to the moors, the coast and less well-known spots in and around Exeter. And it’s completely free to join and attend. “I know the internet can make people feel really connected, but I still think that you need support, plus a group of friends that you go out with, pushing each other to do better,” says Robert, who studied the internationally acclaimed BA in Documentary Photography at Newport and is in the final months of his MA at Plymouth University. “The Collective members challenge each other – they see what the others are doing and they all step up their game. There’s a big distinction between a grown-up like me telling young people how to do something and young people seeing what their peers are doing and wanting to try harder because of that.” As well as working as a professional photographer for Exeter Phoenix, Spacex, The Bike Shed Theatre and Kaleider, Robert spent a number of years working with young people in the youth service and with arts organisations, and understands how important it is for teenagers to have a creative outlet.

“From 15-16 is an important time for young people, with lots of pressure to make life choices. It’s satisfying to know that I might be able to help with those decisions, and alongside discussing photography we have conversations about university, and about taking the time to find out what it is they actually want to do.” Daniella Golden, 18, has been with the Collective since the beginning. Inspired to take her photography more seriously following her GCSEs at Teignmouth Community School – she cites her teacher there, Gavin Morris, as a particular influence – she immediately felt at home, and recognises Macula’s contribution to her broader creative aspirations. “Rob helps us in all aspects of photography, but we also contribute to each other’s learning – that’s the really great thing about being part of Macula,” she says. “Being in Macula has changed how I think about my photos and what I want them to show. Instead of producing something that’s just aesthetically nice, we’re all now interested in concepts as well, in creating narratives – that’s something I definitely want to explore more.” Although each member’s style is different – some favouring portraiture, others documentary photography – there is a general move towards creating bodies of work rather than simply nice

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PHOTO: ROBERT DARCH

images; thinking in a more professional way about what they want to articulate with their photos. And while they are growing in technical ability, they’re also maturing in other ways, too, not least the tricky skill involved in giving and receiving constructive criticism. The broader support structure that’s in place – Phoenix Arts Centre, Kaleider and independent gallery Dodo Photo – has enabled members to participate in public exhibitions, as well as providing further opportunities: after doing some filming for Kaleider’s Ancient Sunlight project, Daniella was commissioned by TEDx to lead a team of Collective members to self-organise, shoot and edit a documentary about the recent TEDxExeter event. “There’s no doubt that there’s been an improvement in the quality of their work over the time they’ve been part of Macula,” says Robert, “but what’s more satisfying for me is that they’re all taking

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PHOTO: BETHAN HELLIER

Nothing beats getting together with real people in a real room to bat ideas around, to stand in front of a piece of art, side by side, and talk about what each of you sees responsibility for their interests and making their own opportunities. It’s not my group any more – it’s theirs.” Since hitting the upper age limit of 21, Collective member Martyn Windsor – a Falmouth University photography graduate who now works with Spacex and CCANW alongside his own artistic practice – has stepped into a mentorship role alongside Robert. How does it feel to be on ‘the other side’? “The thing which enabled the smooth transition has been the continual encouragement to live up to the ethos of a ‘collective’, whereby both mentors and mentees initiate their own projects and have meaningful input as to the direction of the group,” says Martyn. “If anything, the only difference between myself and the other members is I happen to be 22, out the other side of university, when many others are preparing to apply. Hopefully I’m able to help them, not only with questions relating to photography, but

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“Rather than waiting for it to come our way, we’re making our own opportunities.” YOUNG SHOT

PHOTO: JAZZ MOFFAT PHOTO: PHOEBE SHEPPARD

also how they consider their steps into the future – engaging with the arts in Exeter and beyond.” Robert agrees that the growth of the Collective, in membership and skill, is building a network of artists who support and inspire each other – which can only be a good thing for Exeter’s creative ecology. “However Macula develops, we’ve got such a great group that we’ll continue to be in contact and connected as a network of people with a passion for photography.” During 5 - 15 September, work by Macula Collective and other contemporary photographers will be on show as part of the Unveil’d festival at The Hall in Exeter, alongside a series of workshops and talks. See maculacollective.co.uk for details. If you are a young photographer and would like to join Macula, email: info@maculacollective.co.uk

When Tom Coleman joined Macula in early 2014, aged 17, he’d just dropped out of college, frustrated by the lack of challenges presented by formal education. “I thought it would be a big step up from school and it was pretty much the same,” he says. When you look at what he’d already achieved, it’s no surprise he felt creatively stifled: at 15, Tom set up Young Shot, a Flickr group for under-18s to share and talk about their photography, which led to a self-published collection of photography featured on the site. Young Shot has continued to gain an international following (the upper age limit is now 25) and showcases work by artists from around the world through galleries, interviews and articles. Tom has since published two more collections, as well as collaborating on, curating or showing work at exhibitions in London, Bristol, Belfast, San Francisco and Exeter. So what’s next? “I want to expand the features on the site, so I’m looking to recruit some younger writers, to build up a team, expand, and then take it from there. I’ve also just finished editing a book of photos from when I was 16-17, so I’m learning about coptic stitch binding – the only binding which allows a book to spread flat, so it’s really good for photography – and hope to publish a limited run of those.” Tom shoots on both film and digital, and at the moment he is particularly interested in exploring 6x7 medium format, which he describes as having “a lovely filmic quality”. Although already accomplished by the time he joined Macula, Tom also cites the healthy competition between members as a boost to his own creativity. “Just being active, getting out and doing stuff, has been great. We all want to push ourselves, and we’ve all moved forward as a collective, in terms of quality.” The grassroots nature of Macula – Robert and Martyn are both volunteers – also fits perfectly with Tom’s own DIY aesthetic. He is currently collaborating on a zine of girls’ portraits with a student from the London School of Communications and is looking to expand the publishing arm of Young Shot. “The older generation of photographers are practice-driven, but the younger crowd are more focused on getting work out there and self-publishing, regardless of whether there’s funding. Rather than waiting for it to come our way, we’re making our own opportunities.” tom-coleman.com

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magic Acts of

Specializing in wildly inventive outdoor performance, Rogue Theatre prides itself on putting the audience right at the heart of its shows. Fiona McGowan finds herself immersed in the magic.

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culture

he journey starts in a wind-stunted woodland on the coast of Cornwall. As the sun dapples through the summer foliage, glimpses of the unexpected flicker in the trees. Dozens of mirrors dangling from branches. A tree adorned with thousands of white ribbons. A scattering of framed sepia photographs…. There is the distant sound of music, drawing the audience along a path. An acrobat leaps out of the undergrowth; a woman dangles in a hoop suspended from a high bough; a mermaid croons a haunting lament… And this is just the beginning. Rogue Theatre specializes in fabulous journeys. The wild and rebellious brainchild of Angelina Boscarelli and Ollie Oakenshield, the company is deeply rooted in the society and landscape of West Cornwall. Their shows that thread their way through Tehidy woods have become an institution and a perennial excursion for locals and visitors alike – attracting as many as 30,000 people to their woodland shows throughout a summer run. Combining a fairy-tale vibe with a very modern ethos and a load of pyro-acrobatics and bonkers costumes (think Mrs Dalloway meets Prince on the back of a dragon), the shows are both family friendly and subtly challenging. Few people can leave without feeling that they have been slightly transported – mentally, emotionally and visually – into another world. Divided up into small groups, the audience walks through Tehidy woods, enticed by unexpected

vignettes in the trees, sometimes directed onwards by the performers and sometimes pausing to watch a scene or to listen to a story. The interactive experience is rarely affected by bad weather – even in a gale or rain, the tough little trees provide both shelter and atmosphere. The end-point is a clearing with rows of hay bales, a stage, a cauldron bubbling with an aromatic stew, hunks of freshly baked bread, a bar tent, face painting and captivating acoustic music. The disparate groups of the audience gather – for the locals, the crowd is filled with familiar faces; for visitors, the vibe is friendly and warm. Children clamber over the bales and play among the adults. Then, the Woodland King’s deep mellifluous voice intones a welcome, the crowd settles, spreading blankets, sipping drinks and munching on snacks – and the play begins. The tale draws together the scenes in the woods, fleshing out the hints and mysteries, incorporating the songs and dances that had been tantalizingly shown along the woodland walk. There are jokes and asides, dark themes of death and confusion and crazy twists and turns that keep the children enraptured and the adults bubbling with laughter. This summer, the matinée performance is a pirate spectacular called Blackbeard’s Heart – presented by Ollie’s Woodland King and Angelina’s Moon – which they are also taking to the family area at the Port Eliot Festival. In the evening, there’s a change of scene for a more grown-up show: King Arthur. “It’s all about fire and

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Few people can leave without feeling that they have been slightly transported – mentally, emotionally and visually – into another world magic and passion,” says Ollie. “It’s an epic nighttime tale of local legends and the mythology of King Arthur, but with a modern flavour. We’re asking, who are our knights of today; who are our heroes?” Like the journeymen actors of times gone by, Angelina and Ollie and their talented, motley gang of performers are on an ever-evolving journey. Angelina’s path really began when she left home and school at the age of 15. After watching her friends heading off to higher education, she decided to follow her passion to work in media, and enrolled on a journalism course. While at college, her life took an unexpected twist when she auditioned for a theatre course. It is clear that Angelina doesn’t fear the unknown, and that risk-taking is innate in her halfItalian soul. “I’d never done performing,” she says. “I’d never done shows. I’d done gymnastics. And shotput.” Despite fierce competition, her talent was spotted and she was offered a scholarship. “All fees paid,” she smiles. “That was the start of it all.” As part of the course, she studied comedia dell’arte in Italy, a style of roving theatre that takes local narratives and turns them into satirical performances – a style that infects Rogue Theatre performances today. “Our stories come from things we want to reflect back about the place where we live, or the people we’re talking to,” Ollie explains. Angelina’s taste for adventure led her to work around the world – from Japan to Greece, then to touring the globe with the high-octane acrobatic troupe Turbozone. Angelina’s experience as a circus acrobat, roadie, tour chef and actor filters into her work as director of Rogue Theatre – from the performers leaping, somersaulting and spinning through the trees and across the stage in wildly eccentric costumes, to the gigantic stew that’s served up from a cauldron, and the hands-on participation of all the actors in every aspect of the production. In 2002, she landed back in Cornwall where she joined a 12-strong experimental performance company at the nascent Eden Project. It was during this optimistic and exciting time that she met and worked with Ollie. In the geodesic crucible of Eden, both actors connected with inspiring people from the world of theatre – and fell in love. Ollie’s journey had begun in Camborne in Cornwall: “I grew up in a very low-income family, but luckily my mum was

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into theatre, and we spent our whole time as children on the beach or in the woods, in castles and ancient sites…” Drawn to the performing arts, by the age of 16 he was dabbling in film while living and surfing at the Gower Peninsula in South Wales. “I found it hugely dissatisfying,” he says, “and realized that being an actor wasn’t about pursuing a path of fame. For me, it was all about live performance.” Returning to Cornwall, Ollie joined outdoor performance company Miracle Theatre, stretching his wings as an actor in Shakespearean plays against the backdrop of village greens, before being recruited for Eden Project. After 18 months of thrilling performances, the funding dried up and it was time to move on. With a large black book of exceptional contacts, the duo decided to set up their own company. “With Angelina’s appetite for risk-taking and wild forms of entertainment, and my passion for theatre and storytelling,” enthuses Ollie, “we started Rogue Theatre.” Their creative impulses led Angelina and Ollie to tour the country with critically acclaimed performances of their ‘fairy-tale meets Kill Bill’ play, Beauty vs Beast, followed by an 80-night tour of the cutting-edge Burlesque show, Madame Lucinda’s Wonder Show. On the side, they put on cabaret shows for commercial clients, and devised and performed the woodland shows – not to mention running the Hullabaloo family area at Port Eliot Festival, Cornwall’s exceptionally popular literary event. Behind all the graft, the spectacle and drama, Ollie and Angelina have a deeply embedded social conscience. Their focus is on bringing the arts to the masses. “We wanted to support emerging talent and aspiration in Cornwall,” says Ollie, so in 2005 they launched the Twenty Five project at Port Eliot to create a platform and development opportunities for young artists. The wild cabaret tent presented different acts throughout the day and was not only popular with the audiences, but helped provide confidence and advice to the under 25s who were performing – sometimes for the first time. Inclusiveness is a key part of Rogue Theatre – keeping the ticket prices low for the woodland events, giving people the opportunity to buy a ticket for those who could not afford one, and using crowdfunding to improve the audience environment. In the last year, the team has developed Rogue Kitchen, a magical woodland experience where the audience participates in building fires, chopping vegetables, foraging and making bread, stew and volcano cakes on the fire before watching a Rogue performance while eating the fruits of their labours, the aromatic woodsmoke turning sunbeams an unearthly blue in the background. But, Ollie says, there is a serious social message: “There are people who use food banks but will only choose products, rather than produce, because they don’t know what to do with

A capitvated audience at the Port Eliot Festival

a potato, or how to cook rice. We want to develop a model that entices and engages people in the community in a creative way.” As a couple, Ollie and Angelina manage to combine passion for their art with passion for equality and conveying meaning to their audience: “Our whole thing,” says Ollie, “is making theatre accessible to people who don’t normally take part in the arts… it’s theatre for the people.” Their attitude towards the talented Rogue Theatre team is commendably egalitarian. Clearly demarking their roles – Ollie is the writer, Angelina is the director – helps them to avoid conflict: “You have to be professional; you can’t be having an argument in front of a roomfull of people.” And they expect and incorporate feedback from the performers every step of the way. Everyone mucks in, too: after storms, the actors help to re-erect destroyed marquees, or put on wellies and dig trenches at the side of flooded roads to enable the audience to reach Tehidy, or scrub pots for hours after a Rogue Kitchen event. Even the portaloos are cleaned by members of the company… The stories – wild and magical as they are – are all imbued with this sense of equality. “From our point of view, everyone is equal,” says Ollie. “We recognize the complexity of people with understanding and tolerance.” The family shows in Tehidy woods and at Hullabaloo at Port Eliot are not specifically written with children in mind. “The journeys that an adult might go on can be quite profound, because the metaphors within the story can be interpreted at a deeper level from what is actually going on at face value for the children,” Ollie explains, warming to the theme of Rogue Theatre’s philosophy. He explains that his stories lend themselves well to a pagan interpretation. “For me, the idea of many gods serves the complex human condition far better then the idea of one god, and of good and bad and right and wrong.” Lest all this sounds a little worthy, the whole ethos of magic and wonder is always tempered with spadefuls of humour. Wild, mad, hilarious, and an art form all of its own – Rogue Theatre delves into the past, squirts in social commentary and invites the audience to participate in stirring the experience. roguetheatre.co.uk

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Falmouth Sound, Vol.1. Artwork by Samuel Stacpoole

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culture

Turn it Taking the DIY aesthetic to the next level, independent record labels across the South West are contributing to a thriving music scene – and making their mark on the national and international stage, writes Stuart Crewes

n a sweaty underground punk-rock club for the record launch of a new band, I was resting my ears in the interval between the jangly onslaught, when one guitarist casually dropped an off hand melodic hook that I recognised from a Velvet Underground outtake album. I listened to the rest of their garage-rock set with heightened interest and found evidence of an intelligent plundering of the 20th century’s finest songwriting. The Black Tambourines were clearly ones to watch. What was galling was that these guys were less than half my age, and then I found out that they were from Falmouth... “The Falmouth scene has erupted... it’s like a fountain of talent,” says Carlton Sandercock, the boss of Cornwall-based record label Easy Action. “Certainly the fact that Falmouth is a University town, not a city, has a great influence, but also it’s a great town – it’s on the sea, surrounded by countryside. There is a great feeling about the place. It’s quite exceptional from a creative point of view.“ Originally from Cornwall, Carlton spent 15 years in the music business in London before returning and setting up Easy Action in 2004. He cites the Rough Trade label – which championed The Smiths and Cabaret Voltaire to fame and fortune – as one model of encouragement and perseverance he likes to emulate, but believes that the South West is where it’s at in terms of opportunities in the industry.

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The Falmouth scene has erupted... it’s like a fountain of talent

PHOTO: CAROLINA FARUOLO

The Black Tambourines

Bird by Bangers. Designed by Jonathan Minto

“I truly believe the London scene has been choked by councils shutting down venues and making the city a place for affluent people to be entertained in. I was there in the late 70s to early 80s and you could rent a flat in Notting Hill Gate and still go out and have a good time. You didn’t have a lot of money in your pocket but it was fun, seeing bands in Camden and what have you – you can’t do that now. It’s difficult for London bands now, I think it’s all happening regionally.” Carlton has a perceptive appreciation of talent and the best way to encourage it: his label specialises in releasing live and archive recordings of big names to fund the upcoming acts. “You make a load of money off Iggy Pop and use that to fund the new Red Cords EP!” I first encountered naked-punk trio The Red Cords on their tour promoting the Falmouth Sound LP, alongside fellow Falmouthians Lost Dawn and The Black Tambourines. “The Falmouth Sound album came about when I saw these bands all jamming in their studio, Troubadour, which is the town’s old fish factory,” says Carlton. “I thought, this is one unholy racket, it’s superb, and I knew we had to release this noise onto the world.” It was, by his own admission, a crazy venture: to press a vinyl-only release for three relatively obscure bands and to send them on the road, but his faith was rewarded and they’ve broken even on the venture. And Carlton’s passion has certainly fuelled the development of the erupting scene by putting out albums by all three of those bands. “That’s the key factor: you’ve just got to really want to do it and be turned on by what they’re doing. Otherwise it’s a waste of f***ing time, y’know?” The Black Tambourines have also released music with Bristol and London-based indie label Art Is

Hard Records, which specialises in odd formats. Coowner David West is clear about the role of a record label in supporting regional bands. “Bands who are from London and Bristol tend to know the people to get them press and gigs. In the South West, where it’s all so spread out, you don’t get that so much. As a label we strive to get them more widely known. One of our early releases, Dry Route to Devon, was a map of the South West featuring a compilation of bands, with QR codes where each band was based that took you to a web page all about them and where you could listen to their song.” The Black Tambourines’ singer and guitarist Sam Stacpoole is very open about how the quartet’s symbiotic relationship with Art Is Hard developed “I think it was really good for us: we were both learning, we’d only just started being a band and they’d started their label. They really kickstarted us and taught us a lot about the record industry, while they grew up with us.” A large part of that growing up was learning that localism and regional flavour are all very well, but need to be placed in a wider context. David found that their vision of championing the local scene needed a broader base. “When we first started out we wanted to stick to a principle of only working with bands from the South West, but we quickly realised that wouldn’t sustain us.” For musicians, being in a community or scene can be as much about what you do as where you do it. Andrew Horne, who plays with punk band Bangers and runs Specialist Subject Records in Exeter, makes a great case in point. He started his label while studying in Leeds, as a means to releasing his own and friends’ music. Taking direct influence from Washington DC-based Dischord Records – the daddy of the DIY-

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culture

Scratch if Off by The Red Cords. Designed by David West

Art is Hard’s Dry Route to Devon map. Designed by David West

punk aesthetic – Andrew makes a conscious effort to adhere to the ethos of the scene, while releasing music recorded from Portsmouth to New York. “It’s part of the community that surrounds punk rock music: everyone’s helping each other out as much as possible. We collaborate with US or European labels to create the best team possible to work on a release, so we’ll do the PR for the UK and others take care of different parts of the world. I’ve always been of the mindset that I want to push these bands as far as possible and we’ll do everything we can to get them played on national radio or featured in big magazines, because that’s what they want. Some bands will be staunchly DIY and be like, ‘we never want to be written about in NME’. But the bands we work with are ambitious and we’re ambitious for them. We’ll push them as far as we can without stepping over any moral boundaries.”

At Andrew’s local, the Cavern Club in Exeter, Pippa Wragg and her partner David share the same punk ethos: “I guess it’s a place where people can see cool bands from all around the world, which has a massive influence on the local scene – more, actually, than putting on local bands. It’s good to give bands the opportunity to play, but what’s even better is enabling them to see and meet the brilliant people who are doing it better, and to feel part of the same thing that those people are part of. That’s crucial.” It was at The Cavern that I first encountered The Black Tambourines, the gig that opened my ears. Falmouth may well be erupting, but it’s a mindset that’s spreading across the region and beyond. Stuart Crewes is the presenter of Downstream and producer of the Culture & Review Programme, both on Phonic FM (106.8 in the Exeter area, phonic.fm everywhere else).

• Easy Action are due to release Cornwall Calling, an album featuring 23 bands from the county, with £1 from each sale going to the RNLI. There will be singles from Falmouth bands The Spankees and The Isabelles released this autumn too. easyaction.co.uk • The Black Tambourines are touring the country all summer and headlining at Falmouth Pavilions in October. Their album Freedom comes out on Easy Action in September. theblacktambourines.tumblr.com • Art Is Hard Records will be five in August and are holding a party with 25+ bands over three venues in Bristol. artishardrecords.tumblr.com • Specialist Subject Records have new albums out from Bangers in August, Sam Russo and Above Them in September. specialistsubjectrecords.co.uk • The Cavern Club are championing Skeleton Frames, who have a release coming out soon (on Art Is Hard), and also urge us to catch Shit Present (“hugely watchable,” says Pippa), featuring Nick who used to be in The Computers, with Iola from Great Cynics, Tom from Gnarwolves and Ben from Ok Pilot. exetercavern.com

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South West must sees...

Detail of Tyger, Tyger!

Wind-up merchant

Rodney Peppé has been crafting handmade toys and automata since the 1970s and is the author of more than 80 children’s books. His model vehicles were crafted from recycled materials for his series of Mice books and he’s particularly well known for Huxley Pig. Rodney’s toys, models and artwork will be displayed alongside a selection of working automata from Falmouth’s collection. Until 12 September at Falmouth Art Gallery. falmouthartgallery.com

Norse by norse west Inviting visitors to take a journey into the Viking world and explore the truth behind the popular myth of the bloodthirsty raiders, the Viking Voyagers exhibition offers the opportunity to get up close to rare antiquities on loan from the British Museum, National Museum of Ireland, National Museum of Denmark and Manx National Heritage. Raiding and trading, navigation and seamanship, Viking beliefs and rituals and Cnut’s empire of the sea are all explored alongside the history of Vikings in Cornwall. Plus there’s the chance to have a nose around a Viking boatyard complete with a 6m Viking boat and hands-on weapons and tools. Until 22 February 2017 at National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth. nmmc.co.uk

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culture

PHOTO: JAMES MILLAR

Gina Parr’s Spatial History 2

Caberet star Tricity Vogue

The dark half Since August is Edinburgh Festival month, the Bike Shed Theatre is usually ‘dark’, but for the second year running the first fortnight has been turned over to an eclectic programme of music, gaming and alternative entertainments. During the day you can catch matinée performances of Granny Eyeball, a riotously anarchic family show suitable for ages 6 and up. There’ll be a crafting day, a 12-hour film festival challenge and you should get your glad rags pressed and your fingers prepped for the Vintage Variety day on Sunday 16 August, which will feature cabaret star Tricity Vogue’s Songs for Swinging Ukeleles, plus the chance to learn to play a tune yourself.

Going coastal Salcombe Contemporary Arts Fair presents a selection of work by local artists in this beautiful waterside town. On display will be pieces by Exmouth-based artist Gina Parr, whose work explores notions of space, atmosphere, time and memory. 4 - 5 August, 10am-9pm, at Cliff House, Salcombe. cliffhousesalcombe.co.uk, ginaparr.com

1 - 16 August at Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter. bikeshedtheatre.co.uk

Folking lovely The charming East Devon coastal resort of Sidmouth has hosted a folk festival during the first week of August every year since 1955. With more than 700 diverse events, there really is something for everyone, including major league concerts and small intimate sessions, ceilidh dancing and lively roots parties, family entertainment and youth-centred masterclasses, social dance and formal displays. Be sure to catch those gorgeous Cornish shantymen, The Fisherman’s Friends, on Friday 31 July. 31 July - 7 August, Sidmouth. sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk

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culture

Kort af Kornvelli by Kristjana S Williams

Kernow cartography

‘Art & the Map of Cornwall’ is a group show of contemporary illustrated maps and original pieces over vintage maps featuring commissioned work by Kai & Sunny, Ben Allen, Luella Bartley, William Blanchard, Stephen Bliss, Kristjana S Williams, Natasha Chambers, Emily Carew Woodard, Stewy and many more. Head to the launch event on Saturday 8 August from 6pm – all welcome. 8 August – 8 October at POP Café Gallery, Wadebridge. popcafegallery.co uk

Joint enterprise Exploring friendship, commitment and the power of shared environmental concerns, ‘Confluence’ is a group exhibition of the work of Peter Randall-Page, Susan Derges, Sally Vergette, Marcus Vergette, and Amy Shelton, who will show a light box from part of her ongoing ‘Honeyscribe’ project, which aims to communicate the plight of pollinating insects through artistic practice. Until 2 September at Green Hill Arts, Moretonhampstead. greenhillarts.org

Comfrey - Detail of Florilegium’ by Amy Shelton

Big film There’s another great line-up for Exeter Phoenix’s Big Screen in the Park this year. Journey into space with Interstellar on 15 August, and enjoy a blast from the past with Ghostbusters on 16 August. 12 - 16 August in Northernhay Gardens, Exeter. See exeterphoenix.org.uk for full listings.

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Worth making the trip for...

Classical reboot

PHOTO: DAVID STEWART

Oresteia, the first show in the Almeida’s sixmonth Greeks season, garnered plaudits aplenty, so anticipation is high for Bakkhai, Anne Carson’s new version of Euripides’s hedonistic, visceral tragedy exploring the eternal struggle between freedom and restraint, the rational and the irrational, man and god. Ben Whishaw (left) will be bringing his particular talent for intensity to the role of Dionysos alongside Bertie Carvel as Pentheus. 23 July - 19 September at Almeida Theatre, Islington. almeida.co.uk

Flower power Regarded as one of the defining photographers of the 20th century for his exceptional contribution to the medium through his intricate botanical photographs, Karl Blossfeldt (1865-1932) developed homemade cameras and lenses to allow him to magnify his subjects by up to 30 times. In doing so he revealed the underlying structures of nature, which until then remained unexplored. ‘Karl Blossfeldt: Art Forms in Nature’ is an exhibition from Hayward Gallery, Southbank, and is part of Bristol’s official Green Capital programme. Until 13 September at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. bristolmuseums.org.uk Part of ‘Wundergarten der Natur’,1932 © ESTATE OF KARL BLOSSFELDT, COURTESY HAYWARD TOURING

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culture

Laugh it up For all his quirky meanderings and eccentricity, Stuart Bowden tackles the big philosophical questions and human dilemmas with intelligence and warmth – and all while being very, very funny indeed. If his previous shows Before Us and She Was Probably Not A Robot are anything to go by, then Wilting in Reverse is likely to feature a strangely compelling story with live music, vigorous dance moves and a fair bit of profound (probably life-changing) body movement. 30 - 31 July, Battersea Arts Centre, London. bac.org.uk

Out of sight

Imagine a world where the Stephen Lawrence case and the Hillsborough disaster never made it to court… Since 2012, the government has made sweeping cuts to the provision of legal aid. In this new reality, in cases from civil law to immigration, the voices of both the innocent and the guilty are in danger of never being heard. Award-winning playwright Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s new play, The Invisible, examines how these cuts are driving ever-deeper cracks into the fabric of our society. John Waters, Beverly Hills John, 2012

Until 15 August at Bush Theatre, Shepherds Bush, London. bushtheatre.co.uk

Last chance to catch... Maverick filmmaker John Waters has always tickled the boundaries between brutality and humour, defamation and care, and his photographic work is no exception. ‘Beverly Hills John’ – Waters’s first exhibition in London – offers a fresh set of affectionate barbs aimed at the movie business and the cult of celebrity. Familiar faces and images are detourned and re-formed to create new meanings and interpretations, and all filtered through the artist’s particular brand of mischievous wit. If this exhibition whets your appetite, in September the British Film Institute will be hosting a month-long retrospective of the director’s films. Until 15 August at Sprüth Magers, London. spruethmagers.com

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn… For a guaranteed hit of solid gold nostalgia, head to Camden to catch the bona fide originators of rap – The Sugarhill Gang vs Melle Mel & The Furious Five. BOOM! 7 August at The Jazz Café, London. thejazzcafelondon.com

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Worth staying in for...

Something to get your teeth into... With the plethora of recent franchises in the cinema, as well as the myriad small screen incarnations, you could be forgiven for thinking that the vampire myth has been sucked completely dry. But here comes A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the debut from US-Iranian writer/filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour, which manages to be dryly humorous about the modern teenage malaise while also building an effectively creepy atmosphere with plenty of bite. Set in a fictional Iranian no man’s land known as Bad City – a sort of derelict industrial wasteland with a dash of Frank Miller’s Sin City – the film follows what happens when disenchanted James Dean-alike Arash (Arash Marandi) crosses the path of a silent, hijab-wearing vampire (Sheila Vand), who’s taking her pint of blood from the men who prey on her fellow women. Evocative of classic Westerns, but infused with David Lynch’s dystopian worldview, this is a very welcome addition to the vampire canon. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is released on DVD on 27 July.

With its intense monochrome palette and striking imagery, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night also draws on graphic novels for inspiration (Amirpour released a comic called Death Is The Answer when the film premiered at Sundance in 2014; a prequel of sorts, it features the beautifully nuanced artwork of Michael DeWeese). So here’s a couple of recommendations to while away some quality time on the sofa…

Persepolis

Fatherland

Marjane Satrapi’s brilliant memoir-incomic-strips about growing up in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution is moving, funny and strikingly honest. As the child of radical Marxists, Satrapi grew up in a household where the personal and the political were inextricably linked, and her accounts of daily life in Iran are eye-popping. Now in one volume, combining The Story of a Childhood and The Story of a Return, Persepolis is one of those rare books that invites and rewards repeated readings.

Politics are similarly under scrutiny in Nina Bunjevac’s astonishing graphic autobiography about terrorism, family and Serbia’s dark history. Beautifully drawn – using cross-hatching and pointillist techniques – the book charts her mother’s return (with Nina and sibling) to Yugoslavia from her adopted country of Canada on the orders of her husband Peter, a fanatical Serbian nationalist. Bunjevac isn’t afraid to peer into the deepest recesses of her family’s story, and to interrogate the circumstances that breed violence. A truly engrossing read.

Vintage, £8.99 paperback

Vintage, £16.99 hardback

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BeoPlay A2 ÂŁ299

WHEREVER SUMMER TAKES YOU! Powerful, portable and Bluetooth-enabled, BeoPlay A2 is the social speaker designed to travel with you all summer long. Bang & Olufsen of Exeter 30-31 Gandy Street, Exeter EX4 3LS Tel. 01392 424600 Visit our showroom to get your good summer vibes. | B&O PLAY by BANG & OLUFSEN MANOR | High Summer 2015

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…means hazy afternoons and flowers in abundance. Bees buzzing and honey-laden combs. It’s the least we can do to pay homage with florals to the pollen-heavy pulchritude that shades and surrounds us. STYLIST: MIMI STOTT PHOTOGRAPHER: TOM HARGREAVES

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Long printed dress, Zara, ÂŁ29.99

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Necklace, ÂŁ16, Divine, Chagford

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Belted playsuit, ASOS, £45; hat, Mango, £29.99

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Halterneck blouse, Zara, £19.99; floral kimono, Marks and Spencer, £25; ripped denim shorts, Zara, £19.99; ring, £6, Divine, Chagford

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Daisy bangle, £12, Divine, Chagford; sunglasses, Ralph Lauren, £84, John Lewis

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Food

Transforming lives in The Old Dairy Kitchen at Trill Farm | Meet the artisan fast food producers on board First Great Western trains | Bites, the latest news and events from Devon and Cornwall’s vibrant food scene | The Table Prowler

PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

Philleigh Way’s one-day cookery course (15 August and 14 October) specialises in Cornish favourites such as pasties, saffron buns, hog’s pudding and clotted cream for your cream tea! philleighway.co.uk

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Chris Onions pictured at Trill Farm

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food

Soul food

Chris Onions runs pioneering cookery schemes at Trill Farm. Anna Turns discovers how a closer connection to food transforms lives.

riving slowly down the long lane, attempting to out manoeuvre all the potholes, is all part of the Trill experience and on arrival at the remote farm near Axminster I enter another world. Here lies a special community cut off from the daily grind, where life and work is all about reconnecting - to the land, the seasons and to each other. Founded in 2008 by the visionary Romy Fraser OBE, the woman behind Neal’s Yard Remedies, Trill is a 300-acre organic farm and an educational centre with real heart. Every time I visit, I come away inspired, enthused and often with a fresh new perspective.

So when Hebridean chef Chris Onions, 32, took charge of what he now calls The Old Dairy Kitchen, I was intrigued to find out how he would translate the Trill ethos to his food, his menu and his cookery. His creative new proposition is called Flavour for Our Future, a pilot scheme providing training in healthy eating and nutrition for people who have come through rehabilitation for substance abuse. Every Tuesday and Thursday for ten weeks, four volunteers join Chris around the central workbench in the kitchen. “The guys are loving it,” Chris tells me. “This afternoon we are making a barbecue sauce made with rhubarb, so we will smoke red

When you taste food, you won’t just be tasting with your tongue, you taste it with all your senses and your whole soul in a way

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Amazing ingredients like stinging nettles are used at Trill

Kate and Ash run the market garden

onions, cook it down with rhubarb, vinegar, sugar and spices.” Chris believes in the power of food and its ability to connect people to nutrition and to the ability to grow produce, cook wholesome food and provide meals to share with others. “My idea behind this programme is that I can start to have people come into the kitchen who will eventually create their own working area around it, whether it is helping me to cook the dinner or working with the produce. There are so many opportunities for people in the kitchen and on the farm here, it’s exciting.” Chris linked up with the Exeter-based charity RISE (Recovery and Integration Service) to develop this pilot scheme earlier this year. “The first day was beautiful so I took them on a walk around the forest and we were on our hands and knees eating wood sorrel! They’ve shown a massive interest in medicinal plants and simple, natural remedies,” he says. “One lady is a photographer so she is documenting the whole course and writing up all the notes and recipes. So at the end of the course, we’re going to make up a book to present to RISE as a record of our time together.”

By the end of ten weeks, Chris believes they will be more self-sufficient and able to cook a menu for the Trill staff lunches themselves. It’s a two-way project and Chris finds it fulfilling too: “For me, doing this work makes me slow down. It’s about taking time with the food and it makes me see things differently. Teaching allows me to see the beauty through someone else’s eyes.” Forward-thinking Chris is no stranger to social care projects. He previously worked in Sweden on a care farm, offering care and training for people in need of some help as part of a social cooperative. This project provided him with a new vision and vital training on how cooking and the garden can be used for rehabilitation and practical learning. On moving back to the UK, he worked as chef and teacher at River Cottage and lodged nearby at Trill Farm, just at the time Romy’s plan for Trill was developing. Chris began work at Trill last autumn and at the beginning of 2015, Trill Common Enterprises came into being, whereby each part of the farm is run as an independent business in its own right. Chris heads up The Old Dairy Kitchen, providing daily staff lunches, running cookery

Chris believes in the power of food and its ability to connect people to nutrition and to the ability to grow produce, cook wholesome food and provide meals to share with others

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food courses, catering for events and creating his own special dining experiences too. “Each business is run by skilled people who are passionate in their field and care enormously for the land. They share the same values and we have a partnership agreement. Mutual respect is such a crucial part of it. It’s an exciting model that has not really been done before.” Here in East Devon, August is the best month for produce from the garden. “I look forward to the first tomatoes,” says Chris who only ever eats fruit and veg when it comes into season locally. “And I love the sweetness of peas and beans. I cook broad beans straight on the barbecue in their shells so they steam inside the pods. I want to fish for mackerel this summer too.” Growing up in Islay, Chris was always very enthused by produce. “I had a fishing boat when I was 14, and a chicken farm in my back garden when I was 15. I grew up surrounded by deliciousness!” Chris feels lucky to have such a huge diversity of ingredients available here. “There are so many producers doing fantastic things nearby, and on site Kate and Ash run the market garden whilst Jake Hancock heads up the organic beef and lamb production. We all share and use the land in a sustainable way.” Chris hosts monthly dinners in the Old Dairy Kitchen, celebrating the produce harvested at Trill and all the small-scale local producers in the region. “I offer an interactive dining experience in the garden or in the forest for example. When you taste food, you won’t just be tasting with your tongue, you taste it with all your senses and your whole soul in a way.”

The Old Dairy Kitchen

Romy Fraser founded Trill Farm in 2008

GET A TASTE OF TRILL 31 JULY Summer Party: A marine-themed summer evening party, with sea shanty music, al fresco eating, summer cocktails and an exhibition and talk on traditional working boats of Lyme Regis by Gail McGarva. £5. 2 AUGUST Summer BBQ cooking class: 9.30am - 4.30pm. £75 (includes BBQ feast for lunch). 01297 631113. 28 and 29 AUGUST Dinner in The Old Dairy: £30 for four courses, three snacks and a welcome drink. EVERY WEDNESDAY Open farm communal lunch: A seasonal celebration of Trill’s wild larder and organic gardens. 1pm, followed by a farm tour. £8/£4. Call 01297 631113 to book. trillfarm.co.uk

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Food on the

move

Anna Turns meets four producers serving their wares on the luxury Pullman carriage between Penzance and London Paddington. Illustration by Sara Nunan.

ritain’s only daily high-speed fine dining carriage is leading the way in putting local produce on the menu. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, over half of the ingredients served up on First Great Western’s (FGW) Pullman restaurant are now sourced from within just 15 miles from the track. Diners can snack on Salcombe-inspired Portlebay Popcorn, drink Knightor’s aromatic Trevannion, soft drinks from Luscombe Organics at Buckfastleigh and English tea grown on the plantation at Tregothnan by the deep sea creek of the River Fal near Truro. Since winning the contract to supply FGW, Tregothnan has had to increase its acreage and employ an additional six staff, showing the value of FGW’s commitment to supporting local communities. Chef Mitch Tonks has created the Pullman menu to showcase the best of this region’s produce, including the freshest seafood from Brixham fish market, fillet steak from Somerset, Westcountry cheese, burrata from Laverstoke Farms and Somerset quince jelly. “The menu is made up of dishes that I would like to eat on a journey, simple and full of pleasure and prepared and served by the great team on the Pullman services, it’s a unique and quality dining experience,” says Mitch. The menu includes Omelette Arnold Bennett made with eggs and smoked haddock from Somerset, whilst the Express

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Café range includes Cornish shortbread, Somerset cider and cheese from cows that graze the banks of Frenchman’s Creek. Once patronised by the likes of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, the Pullman menu combines the elegance of a bygone age with a locally sourced modern selection, so it’s possible to get a real taste for the surrounding landscape as the train speeds across the Westcountry. FGW’s Head of Customer Engagement, Jo Elliott, says: “What better way to support the communities we travel through than by helping local farmers and producers and serve up dishes cooked with their own ingredients.” The West Country is full of the finest ingredients on earth, so it’s inspiring to give passengers a taste of the landscape they are travelling through with products sourced from as close to the railway as possible.” So far almost 90 locally made products have replaced their mass-market counterparts on the FGW dining menu - up from 50 since it launched this initiative in November 2013. Customers are devouring 5,500 steaks, over a tonne of potatoes and 6,000 bottles of wine each year, plus artisan savoury biscuit supplier Popti is the latest to climb onboard, as winners of The Seed Fund 2015 FGW producer award.

food

Vintage truckles For 450 years, the Quicke family have been farming at Home Farm at Newton St Cyres near Exeter. Mary Quicke believes the secret behind the success of Quicke’s Traditional awardwinning clothbound cheeses is her herd of grassfed dairy cows. “On our 1,500 acre farm, graze a herd of 500 naturally outside on grass for up to 11 months of the year and you can taste the difference in our cheeses. We grow crops to feed the cows and we have a comprehensive Environmental Stewardship Scheme. Every truckle is handmade by one of nine skilled cheesemakers before being wrapped in muslin and carefully matured for anything up to 24 months. “As the largest British naturally matured traditional cheddar maker, we sell to wholesalers and the independent market and export to USA and Australia. We’re also proud to supply FGW with Quicke’s Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese from Home Farm, just a few miles from Exeter St David’s train station. “It is refreshing to see companies such as FGW making a commitment to procure their produce from regional suppliers located close to the train lines. The South West has a reputation for its incredible food and drink, so it is admirable that this rail operator supports the local economy and showcases the outstanding quality of products from the area.

“Our signature cheese, Quicke’s Mature, is left to mature for 12 months, giving it a complexity balanced with buttery, brothy and savoury notes. I love to serve it with runner bean chutney. Quicke’s Vintage Cheddar is aged for 24 months and because the calcium has begun to crystallise, it has a good bite and great texture. We’ve just added to our trophy cabinet too, with one gold for our Vintage Cheddar and two silver awards for Quicke’s Mature and Extra Mature at this year’s Taste of the West product awards, plus Quicke’s Hard Goats’ Cheese just collected the coveted Best English Cheese prize at the British Cheese Awards, so we’re delighted!” quickes.co.uk

Savoury snacker Popti, the Cornish word for bakery, is the brainchild of Ali Beech, maker of artisanal savoury biscuits at her bakehouse in Bude. “As makers of fine biscuits since February this year, we only use five proper natural ingredients in our products – Cornish butter, flour, water plus Cornish seasalt or Cornish seaweed, for example. We’re proud not to use any additives or E numbers, so the biscuits taste as if you baked them at home. “In May we won the First Great Western producer award, so we are now working closely with FGW to develop the packaging for our dangerously more-ish savoury cheese nibble biscuits – they’ll be produced in a pouch that stays standing up on the tray tables whilst the train is moving and they can be resealed if customers take them off the train. Plus there are sweet Cornish-inspired biscotti in flavours like Whortleberry Pie in development too. “We really appreciate the effort they are making to use regional suppliers and it is wonderful to be able to tailor our production to their needs. We are currently busy sorting out the relevant local supplier accreditations and working hard to get our products on

FGW trains as soon as possible – it feels like the brakes are off and the train is moving fast now! “Popti is based at the Norton Barton artisan food village on top of a hill near Bude with idyllic views of the unspoilt countryside. The food village and farm shop deli are now open to the public so people can taste foods such as our crunchy, wafer-thin cheese biscuits, which partner perfectly with the charcuterie and cheeses made here, plus join the pop-up restaurant events too. It’s an exciting time for the food scene in this area − restaurants and food producers are really thriving.” popti.co.uk

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Thirst-quencher A family-owned business established in 1975 at a farm near Buckfastleigh, Luscombe Drinks uses fruits to get its flavours - no additives, synthetics or concentrates are used. Managing Director Gabriel David explains how the Devon countryside inspires recipe development at this artisan drinks company. “Luscombe is about using the very best fruit and making the very best drinks from raw ingredients. From planning with our growers and receiving the fruit to the way we press to get the juices, it’s all fanatically controlled by us – almost unique in the soft drinks world. Our drinks are multi award-winning, full flavoured and deliver an experience. Currently we provide Orange Juice, Devon Apple Juice, Sicilian Lemonade and Cranberry Crush to FGW. “We have recently added three stunning new drinks, the first in six years. Damascene Rose Bubbly and Madagascan Vanilla Soda, plus our Passionate Ginger Beer, which combines sweet passionfruit juice with the heat of ginger. We attribute our inspiring and beautiful location on the edge of Dartmoor as a factor that is instrumental in helping our team to continually produce innovative products and hope these new products will become monthly guests on the train services out of London. “Working with FGW is a fantastic way to fly both

the Luscombe and Devon flags and illustrate some of the world-class food and drink that Devon offers. The long-term relationship with a partner like this allows us to build on our expansion plans, which impacts job creation and sustainable food production. We receive comments from passengers who are delighted to be able to drink something original and artisan on the train to Devon or Cornwall.” luscombe.co.uk

Fine vines Producing handcrafted wines at Knightor Winery near St Austell, proprietor Adrian Derx is pushing the boundaries of what English wine can be. “Wine is about place, and the name Knightor evolved from ‘Crgh Tyr’, meaning wrinkled land. With vineyards in the Roseland and Whitsand Bay, we make still and sparkling wines at our winery in St Austell Bay. “One of our wines, Knightor Trevannion, has been included on the Pullman’s restaurant wine list since January this year. It came about initially through an introduction and tasting of the Knightor wines at the Dartmouth Food Festival with seafood chef Mitch Tonks and his sommelier Tim McLaughlin-Green. Both Tim and Mitch thought highly of the Knightor Trevannion and it went from there. “Since the first vines were planted in 2006, every year has seen a major advancement and we’re currently celebrating the release of our 2013 vintages. 2013 was a good year for English wine producers and the Trevannion is the richest and most aromatic wine in our range, with perfumed

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floral aromas reminiscent of rosewater and jasmine. It works well with seafood, as featured on Mitch’s Pullman menu.” knightor.com

food

Box, set and match

Grocery retail is in a perpetual state of rapid evolution. Once upon a time, our parents’ and grandparents’ generation would buy their groceries at local independent and specialist shops − butcher, baker, candlestick-maker… Then the supermarkets swept in and wiped them all out, offering the one-stop megashop experience. Now the independent specialist is thriving again, online, via the lucrative food box business. We quiz some of the best Westcountry retailers about trading groceries on the Cyber High Street. Illustration overleaf by Sara Nunan. PIPERS FARM Core trade? We sell the finest award-winning, slow-grown, purely grass-fed meat via mail order. Established? Pipers Farm was founded 25 years ago. We have been retailing mail-order meat since 2001. How did it all start? As farmers we became increasingly disillusioned with the supermarkets and the quality of product they were selling at the time. We knew we could do better without being beholden to supermarket demands. We needed to make the buying of high-quality meat really convenient. We have a wide range of exciting and delicious products to choose from and it’s delivered direct to you without you having go out and find it. How many boxes do you deliver? We deliver around 500 boxes a week. Where do you deliver to? We deliver UK-wide to a broad and regular customer base. Some of our oldest customers order from the Channel Islands, where we deliver once a month via ferry. What makes you special? Every piece of meat we sell we have grown ourselves. We now operate 25 small farms where we rear our native Red Ruby beef, Saddleback pigs, free-range chicken and Suffolk lamb. You can trust that every piece of meat you buy from us has been grown with consistency and care, all the way from animal husbandry to ensuring meat is hung to deliver the best result. We believe in slow-growing our meat to develop great texture and flavour, and in letting our livestock live a good, healthy life. Consistency in quality is the reason we have picked up so many awards over the years. pipersfarm.com

WING OF ST MAWES, THE CORNISH FISHMONGER Core trade? Fresh fish and shellfish from Cornwall, including lobsters and smoked fish. Established? Wing of St Mawes has been a fish merchant for more than 30 years and supplies many top restaurants throughout the county. The Cornish Fishmonger is the retail arm of that company, selling direct to domestic customers via an online shop. How did it all start? With the demise of the high street fishmonger, it was becoming increasingly hard for people to buy fresh fish, but also sell it. Supermarkets were becoming the only option and the selection there was limited and the fish not always fresh or locally sourced. With an increasing trend in home delivery, there was an obvious opportunity to include fresh fish in that offering. How many boxes do you deliver? On average we deliver more than 150 boxes every week. This quadruples during busy periods over Christmas and Easter. Where do you deliver to? We deliver all over the UK, especially in the Home Counties and London. What makes you special? Our online shop has more than 38 species of fish. It is landed in Cornwall, prepared and then dispatched within 24 hours, so it is always super fresh. We can even send live lobsters and crab. All the smoked fish is made with Rob Wing’s own cure and uses the best-quality fish, which is why it is award-winning. thecornishfishmonger.co.uk

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THE CHEESE SHED

DELIMANN (CREAM TEAS)

Core trade? We specialize in the online retail of Westcountry artisan cheese – more than 120 different types, plus gift boxes, hampers, and so forth.

Core trade? We specialize in artisan food, in particular afternoon cream teas by post.

Established? May 2006. How did it all start? I was doing completely different work and was looking for a change. When the idea came to me I approached the local deli in Bovey Tracey and they were keen, so we went into partnership. How many boxes do you deliver? We deliver around 500 boxes a week. Where do you deliver to? All over the UK. What makes you special? The Westcountry focus. We’re the equivalent of one of those great French or Italian cheese shops that just give you the cheese from their region. We work hard to make sure a lot of very rare and hardto-find cheeses from small producers are available to customers all over the country. Plus we have the genuinely unique ‘Cakebuilder’ – an online tool for designing cheese wedding cakes.

Established? 2012. How did it all start? We had a delicatessen and the online business was an offshoot from that. The cream tea was one of the ranges on offer and it just took off. How many boxes do you deliver? On average 100 a week, although this will vary wildly in accordance with season. It can rise to more than 1,000 a week. Where do you deliver to? All over the UK. We keep it limited to the UK as we need good reliable couriers because the freshness of our product is key. What makes you special? Our cream teas are of extremely high quality, with scones freshly baked and using locally produced ingredients. They are also beautifully packaged and make a wonderful gift. We don’t think anyone does it quite as well as we do! delimann.co.uk

thecheeseshed.com

SOUTH DEVON CHILLI FARM Core trade? Fresh chillies, sauces, preserves, dried chillies, chilli gifts and chilli chocolate. Established? 2003. How did it all start? Basically, growing chillies started as a hobby. We grew them first in a greenhouse and then moved onto a polytunnel and started selling them at farmers’ markets, but the volume we were growing meant we started thinking of products we could incorporate them into, and demand for these has grown and grown.

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How many boxes do you deliver? About 1,000 per month. Where do you deliver to? All over the UK and sometimes to Europe. What makes you special? We pick all fresh chillies to order and dispatch them the same day, so the customer receives maximum freshness. We also have a large number of chilli varieties available (about 40), many of which are hard to find in the UK. sdcf.co.uk

food

MELCHIOR CHOCOLATE

RIVERFORD ORGANIC

Core trade? We are an artisan chocolatier selling luxury homemade Swiss Chocolate via mail order.

Core trade? We’re best known for selling organic fruit and vegetable boxes, although we also sell organic meat, dairy products, bread and plenty of other kitchen staples!

Established? We have had a shop for 30 years but began selling mail order 20 years ago, well before e-commerce times. We would sell via brochure, phone and fax. How did it all start? I am Swiss and was always in search of good-quality chocolate for myself but could never find decent quality so I started to make it myself. At one point, we operated as a general grocer but as demand grew we began to specialize in chocolate. How many boxes do you deliver? On average approximately 50 a week, although this varies massively by season and in line with big occasions such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, and so forth. We probably deliver up to 2,000 boxes a year. Where do you deliver to? We deliver UK-wide to a broad and regular customer base. Some of our oldest customers order from the Channel Islands, where we deliver once a month via ferry. What makes you special? The chocolate we sell is always fresh. We use six varieties of beans and source only the very best from Venezuela and other regions in South America. My choice of beans is very select and a trade secret.

Established? The Riverford box scheme as we now know it was set up by Guy Watson in 1993. How did it all start? Guy Watson started growing organic vegetables in 1987 on three acres of land in Devon and delivering them locally to 30 friends out of a wheelbarrow. Guy wanted to offer a viable alternative to the supermarkets, to supply fresher fruit and veg that had been grown and harvested with both the environment and people in mind, hence he set up the Riverford box scheme. How many boxes do you deliver? We now deliver around 47,000 boxes a week. Where do you deliver to? We deliver all over England and in parts of South Wales from our four farms located around the country. What makes you special? Everything we sell is organic and we grow much of the vegetables ourselves, giving our customers a real connection with the farm. Everyone’s welcome to come and visit. riverford.co.uk

melchiorchocolates.co.uk

TRILL FARM - TRILL SEASONS BOXES Core trade? We deliver quarterly boxes filled with seasonal goods made by the diverse enterprises based on the farm. So, natural beauty products and soaps made using Trill herbs and flowers; delicious preserves, drinks, treats and snacks made using wild harvested seasonal ingredients from The Old Dairy Kitchen; wood products from Trill Carpentry Workshop; ceramics from our pottery and candles made using beeswax from our own hives. Established? We came to Trill eight years ago, and launched this box delivery in 2014. How did it all start? Many people who have visited us on courses said they wanted a way to stay in touch with Trill and be connected with the farm throughout the year – this box is a great way of doing that. We have been creating high-quality products for a number of years, but wanted a way to bring them all together. With the Trill Seasons Boxes, we can showcase the best seasonal products made by the individual enterprises based on the farm.

How many boxes do you deliver? The boxes go out on set dates in spring, summer, autumn and winter. We will send out about 100 this summer, and we think our maximum for each season would be 500 – that would be the limit of what our farm could produce. Where do you deliver to? All over mainland UK. What makes you special? We don’t just deliver a food hamper or veg box, we offer a snapshot of the season – from delicious edibles and must-have staples to beautifully and sustainably produced toiletries and crafts. The exact contents of each box won’t be known until we know what the weather is doing and what will be ready, so they are a fantastic surprise and make excellent gifts. trillfarm.co.uk/collections/farmshop

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Bites

Primrose Herd Redruth-based pork producers Sally and Bill Lugg have won national recognition at the Pig and Poultry Marketing Awards in London for producing great tasting pork backed up with attractive branding and website design. They also received 10 awards at the Taste of the West awards, including seven golds. Welfare is of utmost importance at Sally and Bill’s farm, which is home to a herd of 250 traditional breed pigs. “We take great care of our pigs,” she says, “allowing these traditional breeds time to develop slowly, resulting in fantastic marbling and a good meat to fat ratio.” Sally continues: “This is our best-ever year at the Taste of the West Awards and the second year our Smoked Back and Chorizo-style sausages have been awarded Gold.” Sally and Bill’s on-farm butchery is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. primroseherd.co.uk

Biosfood Woolacombe chef Noel Corston has founded a new project to explore the potential of sustainable gastronomy inside the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. He says: “we collaborate with professionals from various relevant sectors: chefs, scientists, academics, farmers, fishermen, foragers and hunters. My aim is to establish a strong sustainable gastronomic identity for this area of North Devon – a culinary blueprint of where we live – by communicating the story of food grown, produced and cooked in our specific geographical zone.” Noel’s new venture will deal with issues such as education, poverty, nutrition and food waste, as well as general health and well being. Follow @biosfood on Twitter or visit: biosfood.com, noelcorston.com

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food

Food fever at Scarlet Wines Scarlet Wines, a quirky wine shop and deli near St Ives, reintroduces its food offering as The Vineyard Table, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Owner Jon Keast explains why he wants to join the inventive Cornish food scene: “We took a fresh look at our food and decided to renew our focus around the regional styles and flavours that parallel our other great passion, which is wine of course.” Jon’s lovingly compiled list of over 300 wines reveals a fascination with maverick winemakers, off-beat regions and reinvented classics – all united by a common thread of quality, creativity and bold flavours. This is mirrored by the new, rustic style of The Vineyard Table menu inspired by sun-drenched Southern Europe and the colourful street cafes of Morocco and Lebanon. Scarlet Wines is open daily for breakfast and lunch, and dinner throughout the summer. scarlet-wines.co.uk

Great plates These colourful and eco-friendly Zuperzozial plates cost £9 from the new Salcombe-based Devon Beach Company, ideal for beach picnics this summer. Plus they are made from bamboo fibre and corn powder so they are 100% biodegradable. devonbeachcompany.com

Silver service

Late summer feasts

The Horn of Plenty, near Gulworthy, has won a Silver Award in the Small Hotel of the Year category at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015 ceremony. Owner Julie Leivers is delighted with the win: “When we took over The Horn of Plenty as corporate escapees just five years ago, we couldn’t have dreamt of winning such a prestigious award. A huge big thanks to each and every member of our hardworking team.”

Get online at 7pm on 2 August to grab highly sought-after tickets to The Hidden Hut’s outdoor feast nights at Porthcurnick Beach on the Roseland Peninsula. • 6 August 7pm: Paella Picnic £11 • 18 August 7pm: Wood-roasted Chicken £15 • 28 August 7pm: Burger Night £13 Similar in style to a catered picnic, bring along your own plates, cutlery and alcoholic drinks. hiddenhut.co.uk

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Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year David Griffen and his winning shot (left)

Guy Harrop’s photo of a Clovelly herring fisherman pulling in nets was commended in the Food Off The Press category (left) and his image of a crab fisherman stacking crab pots before winter in Clovelly was commended in the Bring Home The Harvest category (above)

Flavoursome food photography Two top Westcountry food photographers have won prestigious international awards at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2015 awards. Bodmin-based food photographer David Griffen won the top prize of £5,000, whilst North Devon food photographer Guy Harrop was highly commended for one image and commended for four other photos – the fourth year running he has been recognised at these worldwide awards. This year’s competition attracted almost 6,500 images from 56 countries and the judges included food critic Jay Rayner, chef Michel Roux Jnr and chef Valentine Warner. Describing David’s shot of a Malaysian street food vendor taken in Kuala Lumpur, Jay Rayner says: “The composition is fantastic. The billowing of the smoke from the smoker on one side. The billowing of the smoke from the guy’s cigarette on the other. He’s smoking two things at once - and one of them is himself.” David is thrilled with his win: “I have a passion for both food and photography and could not imagine doing anything else. My work is influenced by the plough-to-plate aspect; I love to shoot the produce and processes as much as the finished dish.” He continues, “Travel is key to refreshing my

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perspective, I find it invigorating and it inspires me to push the work along when I return to my Cornwall kitchen studio. I was shooting in Kuala Lumpur this January specifically for the competition, so I am quite relieved a shot made it through.” Guy Harrop’s image, titled ‘In Charge’, was awarded highly commended in the Philip Harben Award for Food In Action category, in memory of the UK’s first TV chef. Guy’s image of top chef Neil Haydock directing staff in the kitchen was taken at Zachry’s restaurant, Watergate Bay during a Trencherman’s Guide launch. Guy was also commended for four other photographs, including his shots of a crab fisherman in Clovelly stacking pots and pulling in nets. Guy explains why he loves food photography and cooking: “They create such great opportunities for striking images. I am very lucky to have worked with such amazing producers, chefs and restaurants across the South West. The food in the Westcountry is fabulous and some of our food is the best in the country.” davidgriffen.co.uk guyharrop.com

food

DON’T MISS... 25 JULY Marldon Apple Pie Fair 12pm. The Village Green, Marldon, TQ3 1SL. 01803 559755. 2 AUGUST Dartmouth Crab Festival Street party along the embankment celebrating South Devon crab. therockfish.co.uk

14 - 16 AUGUST FlavourFest Plymouth More than 100 regional food and drink producers line Armada Way for the South West’s largest free food and drink festival. The Piaza, Armada Way, Plymouth.

15 - 16 AUGUST River Cottage Summer Fair Enjoy top notch seasonal food and peek behind the scenes. 10am-4pm. £12.50. rivercottage.net

21 - 23 AUGUST St Ives Summer Beer and Cider Festival Over 50 real ales and 20 ciders to try. 5pm Friday until 11pm Sunday. 31 AUGUST Newlyn Fish Festival 9am-5pm. £5. Celebrate all things fishy in Britain’s premier fishing port. newlynfishfestival.org.uk

Signature dish Wine and dine in style at the new Anchorstone at Sharpham Vineyard café on the Sharpham Estate overlooking the River Dart. Owners Clare Harvey and her daughter Jasmine, along with Will Froude, bring a bounty of knowledge and experience with them, built up from the last twelve years of running their highly successful first venture, the Anchorstone at Dittisham, just downstream. Will says: “We are thrilled to be able to champion Sharpham products on our menu, as we have done since the early days in Dittisham. We feel privileged to be able to put our brand alongside theirs.” The menu changes daily at the Anchorstone at Sharpham Vineyard, showcasing local produce including lamb from Will and Jasmine’s smallholding and the freshest seafood. anchorstoneatsharphamvineyard.co.uk

Recipe: Mussels with Thai flavours. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 1kg local, live, rope-grown mussels • 1 can of coconut milk/coconut cream • 4 banana shallots • Small piece of fresh ginger • 1 red bird’s eye chilli • 2 sticks of fresh lemongrass • 10 fresh lime leaves • 2 limes • 1 red chilli (optional) • 2 tablespoons fish sauce

1. Wash and de-beard mussels under cold tap making sure all mussels are firmly closed, discard any that remain open. 2. Take the lemongrass’ remove outer leaves and rip these in half set to one side with lime leaves. Finely slice shallots, peeled fresh ginger, bird’s eye chilli and the heart of the lemongrass sticks. 3. In a saucepan add a small amount of vegetable oil, add sliced ingredients once oil is hot being careful not to colour these too much. Add the can of coconut milk and fish sauce. Place lid on. Once the liquid is starting to simmer add lime leaves, lemongrass leaves and mussels, stir the ingredients together and place the lid back on. 4. Check the mussels after three minutes − they should now have opened. If they have not, quickly place the lid back on the pan, not letting the steam escape, and check again. Discard any unopened ones. 5. Serve mussels in a warm bowl garnished with lime and finely sliced red chilli.

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The Table Prowler Bao, Soho I have to admit being very excited the day I visited Bao, the latest critically acclaimed, ‘must try’ Taiwanese steamed bun joint in London’s Soho. I tried to disguise my ogling of the dashing Times food critique, sat in prime window position, as I feverishly poured over hashtags to see what #foodporn we’d be consuming. This day was unquestionably and perhaps quintessentially HYPED. Bao is achingly on trend. Obviously, one orders by scratching numbers onto menu cards with disposable pencils. Obviously, the interior is sleek and lined with raw timber. Obviously, you’re crammed onto benches with coats hung above your food. Obviously, darling, there are highly instagrammable desserts and, obviously, you have to arrive at 11.30am in order to make the first lunchtime sitting. But because it’s hyped, nobody cares. Obviously. Bao’s menu consists of small plate starters, mains of steamed buns filled with a variety of meat and veg fillings, and, then, a dessert bun. The aubergine with wonton crisp is a really special starter, although the century egg (an egg typically

preserved in clay and salt) sounded more interesting than it tasted. The turnip greens with salted egg was virtuous, if a little bland, but we managed to chomp away at it. The main attraction is the Bao. Arguably the most popular is the pork, consisting of a massive chunk of juicy pig, topped with peanuts and coriander. There’s also a crumbed and fried daikon number: not unlike a pan-Asian chip buttie, it’s carb-loaded and satisfying, dressed with crispy pickle and lathered with a zingy coriander dressing – a must-try. As is the sweet, creamy peanut milk. So if you’re in London and want to try a decent value (we spent £40 on lunch with no booze), delicious steamy pillow of comfort, venture into the West End and try Bao. Be prepared to queue, though – this place has serious hype. baolondon.com Food 8 | Service 7 | Location 8 | Ambience 7

Gurnard’s Head, Cornwall Namesake of a fish-shaped rocky headland on the nearby coast, the Gurnard’s Head is a small inn and a favoured stop for walkers in the far southwest Cornish parish of Zennor. The geographical Gurnard’s Head is named Ynyal (desolate one) in Cornish, aptly so, as the unspoilt landscape of this isolated hamlet is notable for its picturesque emptiness, of land and of sea. Gurnard’s Head has a gastropub-style restaurant and a cosy bar; dogs are welcome and many guests stay over in the seven-room inn. The bar staff were extremely welcoming on the night we arrived, seating us before our booked time and suggesting with a nod that we order before the large gathering who’d just been sat opposite. The bar is well stocked and, when we visited, kept by friendly locals. The atmosphere is a little ramshackle, although we found this gave a certain edge of authenticity, if not a contrast to some of the region’s more upmarket establishments. The food we tasted was well put together, wholesome and, for the most part, sourced from a

handful of local suppliers. Fresh squid, still creamy and certainly not chewy, braised in a red-wine tomato sauce. A salad of walnuts and panna cotta was solid. The duck was delicious, perfectly moist and served with a deliciously fruity accompaniment. We found the desserts a little on the simple side, although the wine selection sang. The Gurnard’s Head does what it says on the tin. It’s honest local fare served in a deliberately rougharound-the-edges environment, in a stellar location. Those who think they’re paying for 5-star dining (an understandable misconception, mains are up to £17.50), might be disappointed. I’d happily go again, perhaps for a weekend away, to truly step back into the pace of this divine part of the southwest. gurnardshead.co.uk Food 7 | Service 8 | Location 9 | Ambience 6

Jared Green (@EdibleJared)

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As I see it...

TRILL FARM Food for the soul DEER PARK HOTEL Treetop luxury CARPENTER OAK Framed perfection

Michael Caines

at work in Gidleigh Park

Cornwall’s Rogue Theatre

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Properties featured; High Tide Porthtowan (top), Pednolver (centre), The Haven (bottom)

0844 800 2813 www.cornishgems.com

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Escape

Unique accommodation at the Deer Park Hotel | Where the adventurous mood takes you

The Tree House, Deer Park Hotel, Weston, Devon

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By Jove, really rather

splendid!

Big on quality and attention to detail, and brimming with a certain Gatsby-inspired charm, the rejuvenated Deer Park Country House Hotel scores high across the board. Imogen Clements is impressed.

had no preconceptions about Deer Park as I made my way through Honiton, and was therefore fully prepared to be disappointed, if only because disappointment is my default response on arrival at a hotel. I invariably turn up with such high expectations that something about the room, the grounds or the reception on arrival dampens my ardour to such an extent that the next few hours are spent negotiating a change of room or, in extreme cases, a change of hotel. The Deer Park Hotel in Weston did not disappoint. The long, tree-lined drive (always a good sign) started to raise expectations, and as the house came into view – an elegant Georgian mansion with some glorious vintage cars parked out front – I began to slip into Gatsby mode. We were greeted by Emma, the receptionist – warm and friendly, not flustered, distracted or guest-weary like so many receptionists clearly are – who offered to show us to our room. We were taken

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escape back out through the front door and along a path that cut through the lawn into a copse. The room was nothing short of splendid. I choose my adjectives carefully, as ‘spiffing’ is very much the tone that this country hotel has adopted, in keeping with the tweeds and breeches theme. But, back to the room… The room is a treehouse – a sizeable suite with a beautiful bathroom lit by thin turret windows and with a balcony that looks out over a pristine view, all built within the branches of an ancient oak. It is set about 100 yards from the main house and when occupied a sign is planted in the lawn asking other hotel guests to give the area a wide berth to allow occupants complete privacy. “Initially we found that main hotel guests thought it was a look-out,” explains Emma, “and would wander onto the balcony to check out the view when the occupants were in residence, so we began to put the sign up.” I’ve never stayed in a treehouse at a hotel before. This was unique and pretty impressive. “We have several USPs at this hotel,” managing director Mark Godfrey tells me later. “There is the Treehouse, the Al-Fresco Dining area with clay oven, the Walled Garden and the Summer House. And more are planned for early 2016 – building a three-bedroom self-catering cottage and a Motor House for the range of vintage cars [of which there are five], above which there will be two further suites.” Mark came on board in 2012 as a consultant to the main shareholder, Nigel Ray. The hotel had been struggling under previous ownership for some time and Mark proposed some sweeping changes, which revolved around making The Deer Park a destination hotel for weddings. A year later, he became MD and began the process of realizing those changes. “In 2012, the hotel was doing just 24 weddings a year,” says Mark. “Weddings are a key revenue generator for any hotel and we needed to raise that figure. We set about refurbishing the hotel, and the key goal behind everything we did was to ‘melt brides’ hearts’. As such we created an Italian Garden employing the services of Sam Westcott; the AlFresco clay oven can deliver meals of pulled pork, slow-cooked lamb or luxurious pizzas; we have a secret Walled Garden within which are places to eat or take aperitifs; and there is the Summerhouse set back through the woods with a hawthorn-lined flat lawn in front of it and a wild flower meadow alongside it, perfect for hosting summer weddings. En route to the summerhouse is a 40ft wisteria archway. Plus, of course, we have the Tree House.” The refurbishment of The Deer Park has cost £2.2m to date, with a further £1m to go on the selfcatering cottage, the Motor Home and suites. The focus of ‘melting brides’ hearts’ is an ingenious one, and not just commercially: The Deer

We set about refurbishing the hotel, and the key goal behind everything we did was to ‘melt brides’ hearts’.

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Park has 104 weddings booked for this year, four times what it had in 2012, but in creating suites and spaces and planting gardens beautiful enough to melt brides’ hearts, you melt everyone else’s as a consequence. Hence the hotel, despite putting on so many weddings, still attracts a high number of corporate and leisure guests mid-week, and their needs haven’t been overlooked. “We are set in grounds spanning 80 acres, including three miles of the River Otter, so we offer corporate leadership and team-bonding events to companies ranging from Flybe to Waitrose, but also country hotel breaks for friends and couples looking for a getaway,” says Mark. “Plus, we welcome dogs and offer ‘doggy breaks’ complete with an ‘a la bark’ menu plus a pamper hut equipped with dog treats and towels to dry pets down after a wet walk.” The man has thought of everything. However, we were yet to eat, and if there’s one thing that can let a hotel down it’s the quality of the food... But yet again, we were not disappointed – in fact, we were blown away by the quality of our meal, created by the team headed up by Andrew Storey. My companion, who is the most discerning guest you could chose to dine with, would look closely at his plate, prod and pull apart the food a little before subjecting it to his highly refined palate, and I would await the response. By Jove (pertinent choice of exclamation), he loved it. Every course. To start we had ham hock with apple salad and Otter Ale pickled onions (him), seared scallops, spiced cauliflower with Lapsang raisin vinaigrette (me), followed by roast rump of grass-fed lamb, smoked aubergine, wild garlic potato and roast shallot (him), and fillet of stone bass, Borlotti beans, baby courgette and curried clam velouté (me). The flavour combinations were excellent: partner was particularly impressed with how well smoked aubergine went with the lamb, and I am a big fan of texture as well as flavour in a meal, and the meaty flesh of the bass combined with the soft bite of clam, and the nuttier texture of the Borlotti beans hit the spot. We retired to our little house in the tree happily sated, lit the log-burner and settled down for the night. Yes, it has a log-burner, quite safe I had been

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The Tree House is luxuriously appointed

assured, as this treehouse is made by luxury hideaway specialists Blue Forest, who know how to incorporate such features so they are risk-free. The following morning, having opened wide our French doors onto the spectacular view, we walked the grounds and took breakfast in the main hotel’s dining room, which looks out onto the Italian garden and has walls lined with art by Margaret Loxton and Janice Silvia Brock. My partner, still somewhat incredulous at the quality of the food we’d had the night before, decided to put The Deer Park’s kitchen to, in his mind, the ultimate test: he ordered Eggs Benedict, the one dish that hotels and restaurants invariably get wrong, usually because they shortcut the Hollandaise or short-change you on the ham. It arrived and after the usual scrutiny, he sampled the goods. The eyebrows peaked and a look of pleasure crept across his face, and I knew the Eggs Benedict had passed with flying colours. This, I’m told, was due to the delicious and homemade Hollandaise (apparently a rarity these days), and high-quality ham. Setting, room, service and food… there are wow factors in abundance at this rejuvenated country house hotel. Certainly for us, The Deer Park had hit the mark in all areas, and two highly discerning guests left similarly rejuvenated, our hearts melted. deerparkcountryhotel.co.uk blueforest.com

escape

Where the mood takes you Get active and away from it all on adventure breaks with a difference.

Sailing by

Yurt and yoga

Rock up

Ride like a cowboy

Brixham sailing trawler Pilgrim offers a range of holidays afloat, including Bunk and Breakfast sailings from Falmouth (one night and two half-day sails) and cruises – the shorter trips are around the Cornwall and Devon coastlines and the longer to the Scilly Isles, Brittany or Normandy. The lovingly restored 1895 traditional wooden gaff-rigged sailing trawler combines comfort below decks – sleeping up to 10 people – with great hands-on sailing opportunities. After a day’s sailing, the boat will arrive in port or anchor up (favouring quieter and more secluded spots), allowing time to explore the area before dinner. As Pilgrim runs as a non-profit-making venture, it is very good value. pilgrimofbrixham.co.uk

If you fancy some outdoor adventure and feel climbing might be your sport, Spirit of Adventure runs two- or three-day climbing courses on Dartmoor. No previous experience is needed: qualified and enthusiastic instructors teach the basic skills, including rope management, belaying and equipment selection. This is a very practical course with plenty of time spent actually climbing. Feel the thrill as you ‘top out’ on your first route. All equipment, including rock-climbing boots, is provided. Perfect for a large group holiday as Spirit of Adventure has its own well-equipped bunkhouses. We’re talking dorms, mugs of tea and roaring fires – what better after a day battling the elements? spirit-of-adventure.com

Get back to nature and recharge with a healthy long weekend of yoga, nourishing food, luxury camping and the opportunity to totally relax and revitalize on the south coast of Cornwall. Shine Yoga runs yoga retreats at Tremeer Farm, Lanteglos-by-Fowey. Stay in a Mongolian-style yurt with woodburning stove and firepit, and soak in a wood-fired hot tub before a nutritious supper cooked over an open fire under the stars. In the morning, energizing Vinyasa Flow classes are taught by Jennifer Austin while evenings classes incorporate more restorative yin, meditation and hatha styles to relax, recharge and revitalize. shineyogauk.com

Liberty Trails runs two-day Western Riding holidays on Dartmoor for experienced riders. This is a chance to explore the magnificent landscapes and varied terrain with an experienced guide. Ride Western on an American quarter horse – small, fast horses bred for racing and rodeos – bred on Dartmoor. Rides are led by sheep and cattle farmer Phil Heard and former endurance rider – and Liberty Trails founder – Elaine Prior. There may even be the opportunity to join in on an exhilarating cattle drive when farmers on horseback drive the cattle from their farms on the edges of Dartmoor up onto the high moor for the summer grazing period. After a hard day’s riding, adventurers stay at country sporting hotel The Arundell Arms in Lifton. liberty-trails.com

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DREAMS COME TRUE Picture beautiful gardens with blossoming flowerbeds and manicured lawns. With a backdrop overlooking the stunning Tamar Valley. Where natural beauty complements luxury comfort. This is no dream, simply a room with a view. Fine food combined with high quality service. No small detail has been left untouched. Let us bring your dream into our reality. Stay in a room with a view this Summer from just £215 per night for dinner, bed and breakfast for two.

Close yet still a world away The Horn of Plenty Country House Hotel & Restaurant, Gulworthy, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8JD

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Summer Weddings at Buckland Tout Saints

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Space

Carpenter Oak | Sunbeam Jackie | Shopping for space The Batman’s Summerhouse | Designer’s Q&A | Jayson Lilley

Show Barn, Carpenter Oak Framing Yard, South Hams, Devon

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Internationally renowned for the quality and high design of its timber-framed structures, Carpenter Oak continues to hand-craft beautiful buildings in the same South Devon yard where it started 20 years ago. By Harriet Mellor.

ou don’t have to be a design guru to appreciate the artisan beauty of a Carpenter Oak building. The company’s trademark timber-framed, glazed buildings are dotted around the UK, particularly its South West homeland. These structures – largely in green oak, sometimes in Douglas Fir – combine the contemporary with the traditional, blending into the landscape. It’s an awesome aesthetic in contrast to a sea of ubiquitous barn conversions, bland extensions and cheap bolt-on conservatories.

PHOTO: VAN ELLEN & SHERYN

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Another factor gives Carpenter Oak a unique edge is that their buildings are made by hand in the good old-fashioned way, using proper chisels and planes, with measurements marked on wood by lead pencil. And all produced to a rock soundtrack pounding through the speakers in a sprawling workshops in South Devon – a rural dot on the map halfway between Totnes and Dartmouth. “Everything is made here, it’s a big jigsaw of components,” says director Stuart Voaden, who doesn’t do hard sell – he doesn’t have to – but whose

space pride in the enterprise is evident in every sentence. “The brains are in the concept and design, followed by skilled carpentry – from trees to sawmill to carpentry yard to site, there’s no industrial processing, heating or gluing, just the timber we use. It’s all about simplicity – low tech with high skills.” Buying the real deal – rather than cheaper, more clumsy imitations – is an investment and worth the wait. Obviously there are huge financial variations according to the client’s budget, but prices start at around £150,000 for a complete new build. “Quality counts and you are investing in an asset,” says Stuart. “Many houses are built for 50-100 years but these are built for 500 years easily. They could last forever if well maintained.” But should you ever wish to repurpose your building, your conscience and carbon footprint would be clear: “it’s all completely recyclable – you could reuse the timber to build a boat!” remarks Stuart. When the frames actually arrive on site it’s a moment of visual glory that’s comparatively brief compared to the production process. The team erects the structure into previously laid foundations, holding it all together with super-strong wooden pegs, often cheered on by the client. And that client enthusiasm is global: a Japanese businessman obsessed with all things British commissioned a Carpenter Oak-style English Tea House on a mountain; an enormous swimming pool in St Petersburg, Russia, is covered by one of the company’s biggest frames ever. A client doesn’t have to have a complete newbuild – there are many ways of adding Carpenter Oak to enhance a home. “A good chunk of our work is also extensions, conservatories, roof trusses, barn conversions, glazed walkways, balconies, porches,

All the giant buildings are made by hand in the good old-fashioned way, using proper chisels and planes, with measurements marked on wood by lead pencil.

Show home, Kingskerswell

Extension on River Dart house

Seagull House interior

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Seagull House

Many houses are built for 50-100 years but these are built for 500 years easily. They could last forever if they are maintained.

shelters – not just the big ticket items,” says Stuart. “They can be added to an existing house or building. Or you can add one or two bays, which can become an integral part of the house.” In August, Carpenter Oak is celebrating 20 years since a handful of talented but slightly hippy chippies started off on the same site, but back then it was a field full of old chicken sheds. Now there are also satellite yards in Cornwall, Scotland and Wiltshire, where the company has geographical demand. The founding director, architect Roderick James, had what was quite a radical and oldfashioned concept, considering the man-made era they were in. As a director of the Centre for Alternative Technology since the 1970s, his idea – in collaboration with historic timber conservationist Charley Brentnall – was to revive a level of craftsmanship that had largely been relegated to the history books: wooden building architecture. In addition, the interior spaces were to be fun, quirky, light and – when possible – without square-shaped/ four-walled rooms. The first Carpenter Oak template was Roderick’s own home, Seagull House, which he designed and built on the river Dart near Dittisham. The company leapt from rural obscurity to reaping national awards and recognition for the resurgence in oak-framed buildings after being featured in the first two series of Channel 4’s Grand Designs, and by cherry-picking two trade shows: the House and Gardens Show at Olympia and the Country Living Fair in Islington. Stuart explains the extraordinary lengths prospective clients and architectural devotees would – and still do – go to in order to see for themselves the Carpenter Oak magic: “People would see us at the exhibitions, on Grand Designs or read something in a magazine and make the trip from Up Country to come and see Roderick. It was almost like a pilgrimage – you’d have to work really hard to navigate the spiders’ web of lanes, and then find the

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creek, in order to have an audience with Roderick and talk about your dream self-build house.” Before he started working there in 1999, Stuart was also one of those remote admirers who’d hung on to a magazine featuring Seagull House, before embarking on an extreme change in location and career. “I was aged 38 and had worked for BMW for many years with woodworking as a hobby,” he explains. “I had what some people might call a ‘midlife crisis’ and went on this crazy adventure, starting here as a trainee carpenter. I became competent enough, but my skills are in management and organisation, which is where I am now.” Alternative paths and origins are pretty typical of current Carpenter Oak staff, meaning that, as well as passion, they all bring other skills and experience to their company. “The strength of Carpenter Oak is in the quality of its people,” says Stuart. “It may be a cliché, but it’s absolutely true that an eclectic mix of interesting people choose to do this work.” Apart from their skills, these ‘Eco Oakys’ all have a common thread: “If you went around everyone here they’d be into surfing, motorbikes, cycling; everyone’s into music or is an actual musician. People joke about our ‘gentlemen carpenters’, with their Guardian and listening to Radio 4, but it’s part of the artisan thing without being at all pretentious.” “All of us could earn more money doing other things, but there’s more to it. It’s a progressive, environmental and social business. There’s a sense of family and leaving a legacy of great work, something that we’re proud of.” Stuart comments that the happy company creativity and vibe means low staff turnover, as new people join but they rarely want to leave. “There are a lot of guys here who came to Devon single in their mid-to-late 20s who are now in their late 30 and early 40s with young families.” And even the EU contingent choose permanence: “We’ve got a German and a French carpenter who both came here for temporary work 10 and 20 years

space ago and never left,” says Stuart. “They are both master carpenters now but will not leave here and Devon.” Roderick James stepped back from and was bought out of Carpenter Oak in 2006 to concentrate on his own timber-frame specialist architecture practice, Roderick James Architects LLP, but the nature of that work means that both companies collaborate on about 50% of Carpenter Oak projects. “We also enjoy strong working relationships with a range of architects” Stuart is keen to point out, “for example van Ellen and Sheryn with whom we won the Build It Awards 2014 for West Yard Farm”. Two other directors, Adam Milton and Paul Kirkup, remain from the original gang of four – although they have long since graduated from trainee carpenters to managing director and frame design director, respectively – and the company is now a busy hub of almost 40 employees. Apart from Stuart, finance director Lee Manning is the ‘newby’, starting in 2003. August’s anniversary will be marked in fitting style with a big party – camping, music and food, with a guest list including everyone from clients and suppliers to ex-employees. They’ve reached this milestone without external investment and will likely stay that way. “It’s all self generated, with the profits going back into the infrastructure,” says Stuart. “With three of us directors into our 50s, our next thoughts are investigating how to pass the company on. We’re looking at employeeownership and models of shared progressive businesses, such as co-operatives like John Lewis.” One area that won’t be changing, however, is the

ethos that lies at the company’s heart. “The important thing, when we’re building, is to fully involve and engage our client in a bespoke creative design process,” says Stuart. “Carpenter Oak is a journey, standing together, exploring what’s possible. “The starting point is a shared love with the client for the use of wood in architecture and a shared desire to commission something beautiful that will last for generations to come.”

There’s a sense of family and leaving a legacy of great work, something that we’re proud of.

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PHOTO: KATE MOUNT

PHOTO: TIM MERCER

The Pink Gin Parasol is 2.5 metres diameter based around a vintage Laura Ashley print with a broad woven ribbon and pink tasselling

Charlie with parasol covers

PHOTO: CHARLIE NAPIER

Parasols

Daybed

Sunny delights From a 12th century granary in Cornwall, Charlie and Katy Napier produce a range of luxury, handmade outdoor furniture. Words by Kate Mount.

here’s no telling when inspiration will strike… Take the case of Charlie and Katy Napier’s summery Sunbeam Jackie business, for example. They were watching Cobra Verde, the last film German director Werner Herzog made with his brilliant but famously volatile actor friend, Klaus Kinski, when they saw, passing across the parched landscape of Dahomey, imaginary princes carried on gorgeous palanquins shaded with decorative fabric parasols. They were already wondering how they might combine their creative skills, and somehow made the connecting spark between Herzog’s 1987 reconstruction of a West African despot’s partying, the Jumping Jack Flash antics of Kinski’s ‘green cobra’ outlaw, and the English summer music festival circuit. Parts of Cobra Verde had been shot in Ghana,

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where palanquin-making is an important ceremonial art. Charlie spoke to a very helpful Ghanaian embassy about how he might translate the necessary craft skills, but on reflection, at the time, making litters for porters to carry across the English countryside seemed like a step too far. The parasol idea stuck, though, and they put together a prototype of their own by adapting the ribs and struts from a fisherman’s umbrella. They emailed pictures to the production designer Misty Buckley, then and now creative director of various areas at the Glastonbury Festival, and she immediately ordered ten for the artists’ warm-up area at the 2011 festival. “It was Argos umbrella to finished product in six weeks,” Charlie says, a breakneck schedule made possible by production designers on Tyneside who helped them assemble the metal skeletons, a fabric

space The nomadic summer furniture idea is re-emerging in two new projects, and the original Sunbeam Jackie impulse – to make an English equivalent of the decorated palanquins still paraded at Ghanaian royal festivals – is evident in both. This first is their response to Bruce Lepere’s question. “We’ve designed and prototyped a chair from scratch. We’ve called it the Champagne Chair,” Charlie says. “It’s based on the old folding military campaign chairs. It was launched in Liberty’s in April this year along with our parasols and cushions.” The result is that Sunbeam Jackie’s work can now be bought and seen in Liberty’s famous fourth floor wood-lined atrium. The other development is a daybed, not quite so portable as a palanquin, but as full of romantic, underneath-the-sunshade promise. Charlie and Katy choose to live in Cornwall for the lifestyle it offers them alongside an increasingly fruitful creative enterprise network. Charlie is a surfer who will go wherever the waves are but whose ‘go-to’ spot is Godrevy to the east of St Ives. Katy loves the beaches at Prussia Cove and Porthcurno – and they both value the space and the independent spirit one finds in Cornwall. As Charlie says of the hidden valleys and open moors and coast of West Penwith, “Cornwall gets under one’s skin.” Favourite places to eat? “We go and pretend to be holiday makers in St Ives, or we drag the barbecue down to the beach.” Among the Cornwall craftsman they most admire is the steam-bent furniture and lighting designer Tom Raffield, based in Helston. Another Falmouth graduate, he was co-founder of the award-winning collective design company Sixixis before he went into business on his own. tomraffield.com sunbeamjackie.com Email: info@sunbeamjackie.com Phone: +44 (0)7590 019835

PHOTO: KATE MOUNT

supplier at a vintage fair in York who found them African textiles, and a Newcastle seamstress. Next on the scene was Josie da Bank, wife of Rob da Bank, and creative director of the family Bestival business. She spotted Charlie and Katy’s parasols at Glastonbury and ordered more for their annual Isle of Wight event. Designers Guild buyer Mark Homewood was also impressed, and so the couple’s Sunbeam Jackie business was properly born – christened with the nickname of a family friend. Charlie met Katy in Cornwall in 2007. They were both in Falmouth at the time working for the Art Department on an EU-funded feature film called Dressing Granite. Originally from Bath, Charlie did a Fine Art degree at Falmouth and then moved to Newcastle for his Masters. Born in Oxford, Katy was at Brighton studying Fine Art and went on to complete an MA in Scenography at St. Martin’s. When they launched Sunbeam Jackie they were living together in Newcastle, but as the various parts of parasol production became scattered across the country they decided to bring the business to Charlie’s much loved Cornwall and to work with local craftspeople instead. They are now based deep in the countryside of the Tregonning and Trewaras Mining District - a UNESCO World Heritage site - with their sons Sylvester and Bruno and another baby on the way. Their workshop is a 12th century granary, set in five acres of pasture and oak woodland. “It was still knee deep in grain when we took it over,” Charlie says. Each parasol is unique and made from unusual and rare material. They continue to source vintage fabric made between the 19th century and the 1940s and mix it with more contemporary prints. Katy makes the aesthetic decisions and decides which fabrics work together. Their commitment to Cornish manufacture is about sustainability and a long-term investment in local expertise and labour. The stainless steel components are designed by a CAD technician at Falmouth, a marine craftsman in the town does the welding, and the timber components are produced at Skinner’s Bottom near Porthtowan. The parasols are sewn for them by another art school graduate, the kite maker Martin Lester, cocreator of the Bristol Kite Festival, who is now based in Wadebridge. For Charlie and Katy the fortunate chance encounters continue. Earlier this year they were in London and happened to meet Liberty’s oriental rug buyer, Bruce Lepere, at an open day for would-be suppliers. “Bruce said he didn’t need to see the parasols,” Charlie says. “He’d already seen them on our website and placed an order there and then. But then he asked me, ‘Can you do chairs?’.” So the Cobra Verde story begins to turn full circle.

Katy and Bruno, Charlie and Sylvester

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Find your fusion Interiors have turned eclectic, presenting a range of influences that combine to create a look that’s both global and individual, regardless of how far you’ve travelled. Marks and Spencer

Pendant lamp, Java, £99 Cushions, Marks and Spencer

£19.50

£22

£25

£29.50

Chair, Marks and Spencer, £749

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Conran side table, Marks and Spencer, £199

Metal tile, Marks and Spencer, £25

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John Lewis

Tom Raffield shade, John Lewis, £165

Cushions, John Lewis, £15

Slate table mats, John Lewis Day Birgir and Mikkelsen hammered vase

Tom Dixon shade, John Lewis, £285

Samarang petite sofa, John Lewis, £750

Nkuku bowl, John Lewis, £20

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The Batmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summerhouse

Miranda Gardiner found herself owner of a rather bedraggled and dark timber-clad summerhouse built in the 1940s. Four years on, influenced by the Finnish side of her family, she has transformed it into a Scandi summerhouse on the banks of the River Avon.

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PHOTO: MIRANDA GARDINER

he Batman’s Summerhouse, a vintage wooden cabin in South Devon, is named after a local ‘batman’, a ‘soldier-servant’ (not necessarily a man, as there were also ‘batwomen’) to an officer in the military. It was built beside the river in the 1940s near Woodleigh. Sadly for us, he wasn’t a caped crusader (though the previous owner was called Robin). We recently restored the cabin as a relaxing holiday retreat with a definite Scandinavian vibe. For many years I have spent holidays in family and friends’ cabins in Scandinavia – Finland in particular. Favourites are my sister-in-law’s collection of summerhouses, which stand beside a pike-filled lake near Tampere, where there’s a wood-fired sauna and jetty for jumping off, and swimming in the lake. Another family member has a summerhouse in their garden, which her parents move into during the summer months, while their three grown-up daughters stay in the main house. It has a family bathroom with three loos side by side, and a sauna the size of a large family kitchen, containing a bath and multi-levelled sauna for different temperature experiences. This February we went as a family to Lapland, where we stayed in a silvery wooden cabin in a beautiful village called Äkäslompolo. It was made from whole tree trunks and had a reindeer antler chandelier over the dining table. Then, about four years ago, we discovered our summerhouse by the river in South Devon, deep in the English native woodland of the Avon valley; home to dippers, wagtails, buzzards, otters, deer, hares and the greater horseshoe bat, we set about making it as light as we could and making the most of the sublime views onto the river. Previously, the summerhouse had been almost hidden behind a bank of overgrown shrubs, which meant that the interior was dark and the main feature, the river, wasn’t even visible. Now, the far end of the summerhouse is a glass area – perfect for morning

PHOTO: SØREN DESIGN

We spend balmy midsummer evenings together, eating outside with the sound of the river babbling its way seawards.

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PHOTO: SØREN DESIGN

Deer antlers on exterior of the Summerhouse

A midsummer feast PHOTOS: JAMES BOWDEN

coffee, with a snugly sofa, piles of books and an uninterrupted view of the River Avon, on its course to the sea at Bantham and Bigbury-on-Sea.

Finnish summerhouse broom made of birch, which is perfect for a quick holiday spruce-up of crumbs under the table. Again from SØREN are two 1950s nesting side tables with deep blue tops, now used bedside in the snug sleeping platform under the eaves.

Outside Fortunately for us, the summerhouse retained the original wide exterior weatherboarding from the 1940s and its distinctive scalloped eaves. It also, mysteriously, has two ‘ghost doors’ that are no longer used, but perhaps hint at a previous occupant. The timber, stained a silvery shade of grey, sits quietly in the riverside setting and lush garden with foxgloves, jasmine, mint and roses around it. A pair of impressive bleached deer antlers, by locally based company SØREN, greet you on arrival, adding a cool decorative element to the exterior. Guests like to use them as coat hooks –just like they do in Finland. Inside The interior of the summerhouse is now light and airy, with full-height windows, exposed grey beams, oak flooring, white walls with tongue and groove panelling. It is furnished with an eclectic mix of locally sourced and pre-loved mid-century pieces, such as a teak coffee table, sheepskin rugs, pure woollen blankets, original artworks and a unique

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Midsummer Every June, the summerhouse closes down to guests and hosts my extended Finnish family: brother Dexter, sister-in-law Leena and their two boys, Oskari and Harold, from Helsinki. Sometimes we even get a visit from Mumi and Ukki, the Finnish grandma and granddad. It is the one time in the year when we also get to enjoy the summerhouse, so we spend balmy midsummer evenings together, eating outside with the sound of the river babbling its way seawards. We often have the type of supper we might have on holiday in Scandinavia, a simple meal of fish, potatoes and a salad, although I normally make a more English summer dessert such as a damp elderflower cake, or Eton Mess. The Batman’s Summerhouse can be rented through Canopy & Stars, canopyandstars.co.uk

SEVEN WAYS TO GET THE LOOK... By Rebecca Russell and Michelle McQuinn Farrand of SØREN ALL PHOTOS: SØREN DESIGN

1 A statement sideboard – such as a Danish rosewood one or the Austin Suite Teak Sideboard by SØREN: “a classic piece from the 60s that was made in London.” 2 Natural materials – finishes and colours: sheepskin rugs, and reindeer hides and goatskins thrown over chairs; neatly stacked log piles just as you see in a Finnish forest; exterior weatherboarding, shades of grey, taupe, midnight blue and chalky white; and crumpled natural bed linen. 3 Lighting – old enamel Benjamin lights or Danish lights by Poulsen.

4 A vintage Butterfly or Wishbone Chair by Hans Wegner or a Knoll Hardoy Sling Chair in suede from 1938. 5 A little bit industrial –SØREN sells lab bottles and robust filing cabinets that have been stripped and oiled to develop an exquisite patina. You can also find this look at Industry, an inspirational interior design shop in Dublin; Harvest and Co., an industrial-style interiors shop in Amsterdam; and the interior of All Saints, London. 6 Finnish designers – Marimekko for textiles and Iittala for glassware. 5

7 Flowers –blossom branches, cow parsley and red dogwood stalks in a jar. Industry: industrydesign.ie Harvest & Company: harvestandcompany.com Poulsen: louispoulsen.com Marimekko: marimekko.com Iittala: iittala.com

SØREN SØREN was formed in 2014 by two busy mums, Rebecca Russell and Michelle McQuinn Farrand, who were drawn together by a love of Danish design and mid-century furniture. Their business was quite literally formed over two different kitchen tables – one grey and one white – in their respective homes. The furniture they seek to redefine are those pieces “that our parents and grandparents would have had in their post-war homes and were often given as wedding gifts for the newly married couple, to help them set up home: teak sideboards, coffee tables with tapered legs and extending dining tables.” Each piece is unique and the antithesis of throw-away, mass-produced furniture. Michelle sees them as “classic pieces to mix and match – heirlooms such as sideboards that can be handed down.” These pieces have already stood the test of time as they were so well made – no glueing here – and well looked-after, with a weekly polish, that they have already served generations as a stylish and practical backdrop to their unfolding family life. Hopefully SØREN can give this furniture back to a new audience and in turn become part of the domestic landscape of a new generation. SØREN are part of the pop-up at STARK, 87 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, until the end of August. sorendesign.co.uk

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Q&A Emma Sims-Hilditch is the founder and design director of Sims Hilditch, a boutique interior design practice based near Bath that specialises in luxury residential and commercial properties. What are you currently working on? A Grade II Listed manor house near Cheltenham that has been in the same family for three generations. It was bought by the grandparents, sold by the parents and then recently brought back into the family when the son purchased it. We are doing a full refurbishment to refresh this beautiful home and restore it to its full glory. The current interior styling is quite dark and heavy, with lots of purples and reds, so we’ll be transforming it totally into a light-filled space.

What are your sources of inspiration? I love travelling and am particularly inspired by hotel design. I find inspiration for interior architecture from visiting historic buildings; in particular I love the Georgian period for its joinery and beautiful proportions. I have always been inspired by the design work of Michele Bonan, an Italian designer who does very chic hotels in Florence, Capri and Rome. And last but not least, Axel Vervoordt for his understated but eminently chic interiors.

What are your favourite materials? I love natural fibres, in particular wools and linens, using cotton velvets for a smarter scheme. For cabinetry and furniture, you can’t beat wood, stone and marble – natural materials have an innate quality and timelessness; they bring texture and depth to a scheme.

What are the current trends out there? Navy and off-white linen fabrics with Slaked Lime tonal paint colours from Little Greene.

Who are your go-to suppliers? GP&J Baker, Mark Alexander, de Le Cuona… We love to buy antiques from Tetbury to add interest and character to a scheme. For cabinetry, we work with British craftsmen to make bespoke pieces but also love the excellent attention to detail and quality furniture from Neptune. We often source from abroad, and get inspired in particular by Belgian interiors. I love Vaughan Design for smart and glamorous lighting. What has been your most satisfying project? We did a project for a family with eight children, and it was wonderful to see the whole family so happy in their new home! It was a manor house set in beautiful grounds, with three cottages that we converted into guest suites. We enjoyed the collaborative design process, which involved trips abroad for sourcing. Most challenging project? A fast turn-around project in which we had three months to fully design and furnish an eight bedroom-bathroom manor house in the Cotswolds. As part of the project we designed a dramatic bespoke kitchen with a 3m island encompassing a zinc worktop.

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What do you lean towards? Understated elegance and soft colours that don’t shout out ‘look at me!’ In terms of what I veer away from, I prefer not to overdo the shiny finishes. I always choose honed marble, matt surfaces – against a subtle backdrop you need just a hint of light-reflecting materials for an understated yet glamorous look. simshilditch.com

Emma Sims-Hilditch

workSpace Jayson Lilley is a contemporary British artist best known for painting urban scenes and iconic architecture of the UK. Lilley was born in Plymouth and grew up in the small coastal village of Wembury. Incorporating the practices of painting and printmaking, Lilley’s work predominately portrays scenes around London, where he lived and worked for many years after graduating from the University for the Creative Arts in 1999. He paints every day, occasionally obscure places and buildings, as well as cows (a hark back to his childhood in the country). His work is highly distinctive and famous for its intensity of colour. Photos by Jayson Lilley or courtesy of The Smithson Gallery.

Spray paints – no nozzles

You need to remove the nozzles otherwise they dry up. I tend to use one nozzle that I’ll move from colour to colour to paint but I get through an awful lot of nozzles. They clog up and have to be discarded. I use Liquidex Spray Paint and Montana Acrylics.

Pluto

I bought him from a secondhand shop on Garrett Lane in London. He’d been on top of an ice cream van. It was at a time when I set up my first studio in London – Wimbledon Arch Studio. I was drawn to him for his colour.

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Leather Chesterfield sofa

When I was growing up, my parents had a leather Chesterfield sofa, so I spent a lot of time on it as a child and teenager watching TV. When I got my studio I deliberately went looking for a replica.

Plimsolls

These are my studio shoes. I get through a lot of clothes in the studio. In fact, I can’t even enter the studio in anything I don’t want to ruin. I’m currently running out of old things and looking in my wardrobe for clothes I can destroy. I wipe my brushes on my jeans so the jeans soon crisp up to cardboard and need to be discarded. The painting above my feet is a work in progress, tape still in place, of the old Arsenal Football Ground in Highbury. This was a commission from a guy in New York. Each painting begins with a massive thought process. A painting always starts as photos. I stand in one spot and will repeatedly take loads of them, up to 200 sometimes. Then I go home and pick out the most interesting elements from the photographs I took. I find the backdrop that I want, then start choosing interesting people that walked in and out of frame that day. So the people in the finished painting never existed together in one photo. The spray on the wall is me getting the flow going prior to spraying onto canvas, or wood (which I’m increasingly using these days). When painting I hang the work and spray onto the wall, rather than onto an easel, so there’s always a big white patch where the painting was.

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Squeegees for screen-printing

I’m predominantly a painter, but the way I paint lends itself very well to screen-printing because I paint in layers. My paintings take a long time to complete so I love print for exactly the opposite reasons. As demand for my work has increased, so I turned to screen-printing more. I adore the speed and instant image-creating that it gives me.

The cow

I have probably painted about 200 of these over the years. I don’t paint any other animal but the cow. I like cows. I think it stems from my childhood in the country.

Palette

I’m drawn to all colours, as is clear from my palette – anything that’s bright. In general, everything I see I ‘heighten’. So if I see a red, I’ll make it really red. I inject colour into everything.

Scalpel

It’s my key tool – I’d be lost without my scalpel. I draw with it, creating stencils directly onto canvas. I cover the canvas with Framer’s Tape, then draw with the scalpel, cutting the tape. I then spray the stencils with spray paint. Where finer work is required, I use a paint brush. I get through a lot of tape, about 4,000 50m rolls a year!

Two works from Lilley’s recent exhibition at the Oxo Tower Gallery, London

Variations, 2015 Jayson Lilley is represented by The Smithson Gallery in London and Bristol. For more information email info@smithsongallery.co.uk or visit smithsongallery.co.uk

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For teachers and parents of children studying in the South West Schools news in brief

SCHOOL CHEMISTS TAKE RUNNERS-UP PRIZE IN NATIONAL COMPETITION A TEAM OF talented chemists from Blundell’s School, Tiverton, represented the Western region at a national chemistry competition – and were awarded the runners up prize. Natalie Cotton, Bethany Squires and Chris Hamilton (all Year 12) were taking part in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s National Schools’ Analyst Competition final, having qualified earlier this year by winning the regional round against some stiff competition from Exeter School, Kingswood in Bath and

Natalie Cotton, Bethany Squires and Chris Hamilton

Cheltenham Ladies’ College. The final was held at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen where the Blundell’s trio finished in second place ahead of a pool of 20 other schools, all of whom had won their respective regional competitions. The winning team came from Ruthin School representing the North West Region.

Founder of STEMettes delivers inspirational send off as Guest Speaker ANNE-MARIE Imafidon, the founder and head of STEMettes, delivered an inspirational presentation to outgoing sixth-form students at Teignmouth’s Trinity School as part of its Speech Day and Prize Giving celebrations on 2 July. STEMettes was set up to help combat the lack of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields, and aims to inspire the next generation by showing them the amazing women already in STEM via a series of panel events, hackathons, exhibitions, and mentoring schemes. Anne-Marie initially attracted attention for her astonishing childhood academic achievements, passing GCSEs in Mathematics & ICT at the age of 10; she holds the record for the youngest girl ever to be awarded an A-level in computing, which she passed aged 11. In her adult life she was one of the youngest to be awarded a Masters degree in Mathematics and Computer Science by the University of Oxford, aged 20. Recently featured on the Evening Standard’s list of ‘25 under 25s’, and The Guardian’s ‘Top 10 women in tech you need to know’, she was also named the UK IT Industry & British Computer Society’s Young IT Professional of the Year in 2013, Red Magazine’s ‘Woman to Watch’ 2014, and won a Points of Light award from the UK Prime Minister in October 2014.

AUTUMN OPENING WEST BUCKLAND School in North Devon will open its new study centre and sixth-form boarding house (below) when pupils return in September. The new buildings have transformed the campus and promise to provide some of the best facilities to be found in any school in the South West. For Years 7-13 there is a library, classroom, study areas and IT resources and, for sixth-formers, a study area along with further IT resources, a classroom and higher education area. Sixth-form boarders will move into their new boardinglodgings with 70 en suite single rooms and a variety of social spaces. Headmaster John Vick says: “This development demonstrates our continued commitment to provide all of our students with the best facilities and learning opportunities.”

(From left to right) Head of Prep Rachel Eaton Jones with Anne-Marie Imafidon, Headmaster Mr Tim Waters and Mrs Waters

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The numbers game In Help Your Child at Home, Professor Ruth Merttens provides parents with advice on how they can assist their children’s learning. In the first part of the series, she offers tips on helping young primary school children with mathematics.

t s a salutary statistic that the single biggest factor in a child’s educational success is the home. As a mum with six children myself, I am never sure if I am comforted or appalled by this thought. Speaking also as a primary teacher, I am fond of saying that parenting, like teaching, is both absolutely impossible and totally necessary. In both cases, performance, no matter how hard we try, is riddled with guilt at the knowledge that it might be done so much better… However, we all press on, and I think we must content ourselves with the knowledge that ‘good enough’ really IS good enough! There are three main ways in which parents can not only help their children with maths, they can make a big difference. And none of them are rocket science. MATHS CHATTER Talking about maths really does help. As children start school and begin to learn maths they also start to use their newly acquired skills outside the classroom. All children will try to make connections between the things they are learning to do at school and the mathematics they meet in their everyday lives. It is at this stage that parents can be at their most influential. • Counting – take every opportunity to count together! Doing up buttons, climbing stairs, counting how many steps to the post office, etc.

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•

Every time you count, you make a connection between school and home. With older children, count in steps: e.g. of 10, of 5, of 2 or, as a challenge, of 3. . Reading numbers – with children of 4, 5 and 6 years old, focus on 2-digit numbers rather than rushing them ahead to larger numbers. Read house numbers, stressing the ‘tens’ and ‘ones’, fifty-two, that should really be ‘five’ty-two’ shouldn’t it? Matching numbers to fingers – Before tea, say ‘show me seven’ so they show you 7 fingers. See how quick they can get at showing you all the numbers up to 10 on their fingers – can they do zero? Which different ways can they show you 8? Etc. Recognising dice and domino arrays – Children need to recognise small quantities without counting – that is, to say ‘six!’ without counting the dots on a dice when they have rolled a 6. Use these arrays when putting raisins or small treats on a plate. Time – Recognising the o’clock times on digital and analogue clocks gives a good basis for beginning to tell the time. But more important, actually, is helping children to understand that time CAN be measured. Talk about the sequence of their day – first we do this, then we go here, etc. Also the sequence of their week – after one sleep, after two sleeps, etc.

GAMES AND FUN ACTIVITIES My granddad, a barrow boy in the East End, claimed that a misspent youth playing cards, dominoes and backgammon had made him good with numbers, and he was not far wrong! Playing games, throwing dice, playing dominoes, as well as track games or card games, all help children’s numeracy in very practical ways.

Domino squares

Take four dominoes and arrange these in a square. The rule is that the ends of each pair of touching dominoes must match

How much is your hand worth? Draw round your hand on a piece of paper.

Add up the numbers to find the ‘total’ of your domino square! Challenges: What is the lowest total you can get? What is the highest total? Can you get an odd number total? Why/why not? Can you get a total of 18? Of 24?

Cover your hand with 1p coins. How much is it worth? Cover it with 2p coins… Will it be worth twice as much? How about with 5p coins? What about 10ps? And 20ps?

Race to 21!

Next door numbers

Take turns First person says either 1, 2 or 3. Second person can add either 1, 2 or 3 and say the total.

Try to make a number by adding ‘next door numbers’. e.g. 7 can be made adding 3 + 4 10 can be made adding 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 Try to make all the numbers up to 20 in this way. Which ones cannot be made? Do you see a pattern? Explore this…

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school LEARNING BY HEART It is a sad fact that most children in our society today no longer routinely memorise as part of their daily lives. I admit to being ancient but when I first came to school, I probably knew at least a dozen nursery rhymes and probably ten or so prayers. This was not because I was particularly clever or holy (I was neither) but because everyone did. Similarly, at age 15, I knew by heart all my friend’s phone numbers. This was because I used to run home from school and ring them all up before my parents got in from work. Contrast this with the fact that none of us – least of all today’s 15 year olds – have memorised more than one or two mobile numbers! We simply do not need to. Memory is like any other faculty – ‘use it or lose it’ applies in spades. It is impossible to do well in maths unless one has learned all the required number facts. Perhaps surprising to most parents, I am not particularly talking here about the times tables facts (many of these are actually easy to work out rapidly if one is quick and confident). The number facts which are required on a daily basis in maths, by children younger and older, are the bonds to 10 and all their derivatives – so 5 + 5, 4 + 6, 3 + 7, 2 + 8, 1 + 9 and 0 + 10; as well as the pairs of numbers that make all the numbers up to 10. Children need to know that 7 is 3 + 4 or 5 + 2 or 6 + 1… We never want children to have to calculate 7 + 2 – they should know it is 9. If children know that 6 + 4 = 10, they also know that 24 + 6 is 30 and, later, that 240 + 60 = 300 or £5.40 + 60p is £6. These bonds are simply essential if children are to develop arithmetic fluency. Below are the lists of the relevant bonds and a few ideas for quick practice!

0+5=5 1+4=5 2+3=5

0+6=6 1+5=6 2+4=6 3+3=6

0+7=7 1+6=7 2+5=7 3+4=7

0+8=8 1+7=8 2+6=8 3+5=8 4+4=8

0+9=9 1+8=9 2+7=9 3+6=9 4+5=9

0 + 10 = 10 1 + 9 = 10 2 + 8 = 10 3 + 7 = 10 4 + 6 = 10 5 + 5 = 10

• Make up a ‘silly’ chant with a rhyme or near rhyme to be shouted! ‘One and nine – MINE!’ ‘Six and four – FLOOR!’ ‘Eight and two – POO!’ • As you walk, each have a target number, e.g. mum has 8 and Sam has 10. Anyone who finds a door number (or car) where the two digits add to make their target gets a point. One with the most points gets a chocolate! • Throw a dice or turn over a card from a pack. First person to say the pair to make 10 (or 9, or 8…) gets a raisin or takes the card. • Put six coins in a mug. Guess the numbers of heads and tails. Tip them out. Were you right? Get a coin if so! Repeat. Try 7 coins, or 8… • Use the track below. Each have a counter. Take turns to play. Spin a coin – heads move 1 space, tails move 2 spaces. Look at the number where you land. Say a pair to make that number, e.g. land on 7, say ‘three and four’. If you say a wrong pair, move back one.

HELP YOUR CHILD AT HOME PART TWO The next part of Ruth Merttens’ exclusive MANOR school series, Help Your Child at Home, will focus on maths for older children.

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Property

The Bulletin | Property of note: Chapel Point House Snapshot comparative

The road leading to Chapel Point â&#x2C6;&#x2019; see Property of Note on page 156

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MODBURY, South Devon

â&#x2013; Guide

Price ÂŁ895,000

Spectacular historic Grade II listed 5 bedroom house with wonderful original features. Grounds extend to approximately 2 acres including a paddock with stable and an immaculate grass tennis court/croquet lawn. No EPC required. JSA Savills, Exeter Historic building | set in approximately 1.78 acres | country living within a market town For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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property

Salcombe, South Devon

The Bulletin Is hiring a property finder worth it? Imogen Clements, who has trooped around hundreds of houses in search of The One, investigates.

roperty finders are considered by many to be an expensive luxury that’s not warranted. After all, don’t they do just what you plan to? View properties that meet your criteria with a view to buying one? Is anyone else really equipped to determine what meets your personal taste? An additional cost on top of the already extortionate cost of buying a property? Patrick May has been a property finder across the South West since he set up Qwest in 2009. He was an estate agent before he became a property search consultant – an important factor, he tells me, because in the 23 years he spent as an agent (for Stags and Strutt & Parker) he would view 200-300 houses a year. “It gives you an extremely good grounding and broad knowledge base, in that I’m able to assess properties quickly in terms of value, but then also judge their resale potential,” he says. “The future sale price of property used not to matter so much, but now it does.” It is not, however, just the vast property knowledge that makes him good at his job, he claims, but also an acute interest in people. This is vital, he stresses, because property finding is all about matching the right property to the individual. There are, he tells me, three types of individual that tend to employ his services: The international client: “Generally looking at the higher end of the market where there isn’t so much stock and yet have very precise requirements. They are likely to be based across the Atlantic and will not want to make wasted journeys.” The London/SE client – who invariably needs to move for work reasons or is looking for a second home: “They use me because they are busy people with careers who simply can’t get down to view the properties themselves.” Finally, there are the movers within the area – usually downsizing for family reasons, such as divorce or bereavement: “It’s likely that they have been in the same house for some time and are therefore unfamiliar with the property market and need help and guidance. They are often looking for a change of scene.” A multitude of individuals, all with varying needs, both practical and emotional. “It’s important to like people,” says Patrick, “and get to know them properly. I always ask to meet them in their current home, as that’s generally a good guide as to what kind of property will appeal and what kind

of people they are. Also, it puts them at ease and helps to build up a rapport. This relationship is built on trust. The finder is more likely to succeed if they know the buyer well and can make a judgment on their behalf, and they trust him to. My clients often become friends.” Surely, I insist, anyone these days can property-search extensively and effectively themselves via the internet? “They will when they have a moment,” says Patrick, “but I do it as a job. Plus, the internet doesn’t reveal everything about an area that you’ll know if you’re on the ground. I’ll know the amenities, what kind of pub is nearby, if there are noisy farms or main roads, and I can enquire among past clients who know the area well about all its hidden quirks and foibles.” So the finder takes the grind out of researching and viewing, speeding up the hunt considerably, and adds that little bit extra on-the-ground knowledge, which you probably wouldn’t find out until after you’d moved in. However, the ultimate benefit – and certainly the cost benefit for many – is the fact that having found the house, the service doesn’t end. Patrick will negotiate the best price for the property and secure it, acting solely in the interests of the purchaser. There is none of that scary bartering or having to deal with threats from competing buyers. He soaks up that side of things, and that, for many, is worth paying for. It can take Patrick an average of nine months to find a property, depending on the brief, for which period the fee is £850. The acquisition – or ‘success fee’, as he likes to call it – is not so clear-cut: it depends on the complexity of the brief, but he will reveal that his commission is in the same region as that charged by estate agents. Patrick is generally searching for between five and seven properties at any one time. One happy customer pretty much sums up why his business continues to grow: “Dear Patrick, the properties you presented, together with your honest and professional assessment, meant that we didn’t waste time on unnecessary viewings. Most importantly, your negotiating skills have resulted in achieving a purchase price that in our opinion probably covers your fees. We think we are quite good negotiators but we doubt we could have achieved the same result. Thank you. A and J Haynes.” qwest.co.uk

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savills.co.uk

1 GORGEOUS GRADE II LISTED FORMER RECTORY lizard village, helston Grade II listed ø 4 reception rooms ø 8 bedrooms ø 5 bathrooms ø former coach house with 2 en suite bedrooms ø additional staff/guest suite ø sheltered well stocked walled gardens ø swimming pool ø sheltered walled gardens ø orchard and vegetable garden ø 4,392 sq ft Guide £1.5 million Freehold

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Savills Cornwall Matthew Rowe mrowe@savills.com

01872 243 200

savills.co.uk

1 PERIOD HOUSE & HOLIDAY COTTAGES WITH SPECTACULAR WATERSIDE VIEWS weir quay, tamar estuary Spectacular views of the Tamar Estuary ø immaculately presented accommodation ø 5 bed main house ø 2 bed annexe ø 2 x detached 2 bed holiday cottages ø garage / workshop ø beautiful extensive gardens & grounds ø pasture paddock ø about 4.25 acres ø EPCs=D,D,E

Savills Exeter Richard Addington raddington@savills.com

01392 455 755

Price on application

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Chapel Point House offers all the wonder and seclusion of living on an island − secret paths leading down to private beaches and sea views from every aspect – without all the hullabaloo of getting on and off. Words by Imogen Clements.

hapel Point House sits on a rocky peninsular (Chapel Point) on the south Cornish coast near Portmellon, itself just south of the fishing village of Mevagissey and approximately seven miles from St Austell. The house shares the peninsular with two other houses, all spaced sufficiently to offer each privacy without isolation, and the Point is accessible down a long drive from Portmellon. “It is totally private,” reveals Richard Freeth, who has owned the property for 30 years. “When you’re there you can get away from it all, quite literally. Even the famous South West Coastal Path doesn’t venture onto Chapel Point but remains inland, so there is nothing to disturb your peace.” As you’d expect from a small hamlet on a rocky promontory in this part of Cornwall, the place is steeped in history. The hamlet of three houses was designed and built by the renowned Arts and Crafts architect, John Campbell, in the 1930s, using rock quarried from the point. Chapel Point House is the biggest of the three houses and the one he built for his own use. Campbell intended to build many more homes. He bought the site in 1932 and drew up a scheme to build as many as 20 houses, but completed only three before the outbreak of the war put a stop to all building.

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property of note

PHOTO: DRONESCOPE

After the war ended, Campbell returned to Mevagissey with his wife and son to see through his vision of a village of houses, but given the delay he was forced to re-submit his plans all over again. After months of updating and redrawing, he finally completed the first set of plans in August 1947 that were later described by a government official as ‘the most beautifully presented and the most painstakingly put together of any that I have seen’. Campbell walked alone along the coastline back home having delivered the drawings to the planning office. Despite being blind in one eye from a failed cataract operation and by then aged 70, Campbell was undaunted by the walk along the cliffs having done it many times. On this day, however, the sea mist was heavy and he lost his footing, slipped off the cliff and drowned in the sea below. Campbell’s plans were subsequently approved, but never carried out. The houses he did complete are unmistakably of his style. Chapel Point House, in particular, has beautifully ornate arts and crafts fireplaces, arches across rooms and doorways, and a magnificent oak barrel ceiling above the 34-foot Long Room at the core of the house. “I’ve spent a lot on the house over the years,” reveals Richard Freeth, “mainly on general maintenance and to the outside grounds. We have

improved the gardens and terraces such that there is always a quiet place to sit or entertain that’s protected from the sea breeze. I also built The Boathouse.” The stone-clad Boathouse, with its own power and water supplies, is to the north east of the main house, accessible down a flight of steps. It has a private concrete slipway that leads directly into the sea. “I was told by a neighbour, an ex-Colonel, that this was the only slipway he knew that lead directly into the sea – most lead into harbours or estuaries.” There is another smaller boathouse to the south east. This boathouse also has a private slipway, that leads onto Chapel Point House’s personal sandy beach. The beach and boathouse are located at the far south-east corner of a nine-acre field that provides perfect coastal grazing. There are many aspects of the house and its setting to stimulate and inspire. Chapel Point has featured in a Daphne du Maurier novel and, judging by a look online, has attracted the attention of numerous skilled photographers drawn to its beauty. “It was, in fact, the photo of a friend that attracted me to Chapel Point House in the first place. This led me to enquire about it. It was for sale and I couldn’t believe my luck. I leave now thirty years later with a heavy heart, but I’m 77 years old and we’re looking to buy a farm − I know, sounds mad at my age,

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property of note

It’s totally private. When you’re there you can get away from it all, quite literally.

PHOTO: DRONESCOPE

The Long Room

The Boathouse

but I’m a farmer born and bred before I started my recycling business. My son is too busy to take on the house and we want to be based close to the family in Wiltshire. I leave with a heavy heart. The place holds many memories of parties and great family times. My business was incredibly busy and stressful at times and I found Chapel Point the perfect therapy.” Asked what aspects of the house he’ll miss the most, he’s torn: “It really does have everything, but the master bedroom has conservatory doors that lead out onto a south-facing veranda. There is no better place in the world to have your breakfast!” 158

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Arts and crafts arches

Chapel Point House is Grade II listed, has five bedrooms, a private sandy beach, two boathouses with private slipways, and a nine-acre field of permanent pasture. St Austell is seven miles away with trains direct to London-Paddington, and Newquay Airport is 20 miles away operates daily flights to Gatwick. Chapel Point House is on the market with Knight Frank for £2.95m. knightfrank.co.uk

property

Snapshot comparative Exceptional waterfront properties on the market in Devon and Cornwall alongside a south bank apartment in the capital.

Cornwall

Custom House Hill, Fowey Guide price £1,650,000 A riverside masterpiece with direct water access and panoramic views up, down and across the beautiful Fowey estuary. This cleverly designed house is a gem set on the waterfront in the heart of the picturesque village of Fowey. The views of the river are sublime extending from Bodinnick right across the river to Polruan and can be seen from most rooms. savills.com

Devon

The Penthouse, Salcombe £1,450,000 The Penthouse is a luxury top floor apartment in one of the most sought-after waterfront developments in Salcombe, with breathtaking sea and estuary views. Three bedrooms and two-storeyed, the sitting room, dining room and kitchen on the lower floor all have spectacular views. The master bedroom on the upper floor boasts wall to ceiling windows, again facing towards the waterfront. The Penthouse has been fitted throughout to extremely high quality specifications. marchandpetit.co.uk

Kit’s House, Fowey Guide price £1,200,000

Cornwall

Kit’s House, a most attractive Georgian marine residence built in 1805, enjoys lovely views of the water and surrounding countryside from all principal rooms. The property has been adapted to comprise four individual but connecting holiday homes. Ample off-road parking is situated to the side of the house providing enough space for several cars and boat trailers. There is a floating pontoon allowing direct access to the water along the recently dredged creek. savills.com

London bolthole

Albion Riverside, Battersea SW11 £2,100,000 A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, spacious apartment with balcony overlooking the Thames, within the Albion Riverside landmark building designed by Foster and Co. Benefits from fantastic onsite facilities including a residents’ gym and swimming pool, underground parking and 24-hour concierge. struttandparker.com

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Fowey, Cornwall An immaculate and impressive waterfront home

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter christopher.bailey@knightfrank.com 01392 976832

Par 4 miles (London Paddington 3 hours 53 minutes), Newquay Airport 28 miles, Plymouth 40 miles, Exeter 76 miles (Distances and times approximate) Situated in a commanding waterfront position with uninterrupted views. Renovated to an exceptional standard, 7 bedrooms (2 en suite), 2 family bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, open plan kitchen/breakfast room, study, games room and cinema room. One bedroom detached annexe, 2 double garages, parking and terrace with hot tub. EPC: E

Guide Price ÂŁ1,800,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140459 160 MANOR | High Summer 2015

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Fowey, Cornwall A truly fabulous and breath-taking family home with rural views

KnightFrank.co.uk/Exeter christopher.bailey@knightfrank.com 01392 976832

Par 4 miles (London Paddington 3 hours 53 minutes), Exeter 73 miles (Distances and times approximate) An immaculate Victorian villa that has recently been extensively renovated, restored and extended. In a rural position within walking distance of Fowey. 4 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Detached annexe, cellars, double garage, gardens and field. EPC: E. About 6 acres.

Guide Price ÂŁ1,150,000 KnightFrank.co.uk/EXE140297

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

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Compton | Marldon

A charming Grade II Listed six bedroom house with a converted coach house in a stunning rural location Torquay 5 miles, Totnes 6 miles, Exeter 23 miles

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Guide Price: ÂŁ1,050,000

Entrance hall, Sitting room, Family room/ study, Dining room, Kitchen/breakfast room, Master bedroom, Five further bedrooms| Family shower room, Family bathroom| Annexe with further living spaces, Utility room| Downstairs shower room and WC| Gardens, Car port, Single storey outbuilding

St Issey | Cornwall

A refurbishment or development opportunity in a very sought after Camel Estuary location Padstow 4 miles, Rock 11 miles

P.O.A

Benuick is a hidden gem which offers buyers peace and tranquillity yet being close to both Padstow and Rock. It is the ideal house for those looking to be close to these sought after locations yet still retains privacy.

Exeter 01392 215631 Exeter@struttandparker.com 50 offices across England and Scotland, including 10 offices inSummer Central MANOR | High 2015 London 163

KINGSTON, South Devon

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Guide Price ÂŁ1,700,000

Outstanding character property with delightful estuary views in a truly idyllic and unspoilt setting and within walking distance to the spectacular Wonwell beach. Range of traditional stone barns and outbuildings with potential for conversion subject to PP. Landscaped grounds, paddock and apple orchard. An especially private setting. EPC Rating E. Wonderful secluded setting | estuary views | period features including mill wheel For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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KINGSWEAR, South Devon

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Price ÂŁ2,250,000

A rare opportunity to purchase an iconic Kingswear property with spectacular uninterrupted views over the River Dart and out to sea. Restored to impeccable standards the light and spacious accommodation is arranged over three floors. Landscaped level gardens with ample parking and a double garage. EPC Rating C. Stunning situation | magnificent river and sea views | superbly presented For further details please contact our Prime Waterfront & Country House Department on 01548 857588

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Wilkinson Grant & Company are moving to the Old City Library. We’ve finally outgrown our Exeter offices and are delighted to announce we’ll be moving to the beautifully located Old City Library in Castle Street from Monday 13th July. This prestigious, landmark building has been completely re-designed internally with our clients and customers very much in mind. Whatever your property needs we look forward to seeing you soon! Wilkinson Grant & Co. Old City Library, Castle Street, Exeter EX4 3PT TWITTER: @WILKINSONGRANT • FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK.COM/WILKINSONGRANT 166

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PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS

Call: 01392 427500

www.wilkinsongrant.co.uk

PROPERTY & ACQUISITION AGENTS

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BLACK BOOK

Recent Exeter University graduate and Ways With Words intern Rachel Alcock-Hodgson shares secret pages from her black book with MANOR.

or me, the Norfolk countryside, with its wide skies Suicide Wall and Demolition Route. We also spotted a and snappy sea breezes (read gales) will always be rock pipit protecting his nest. home. But having spent three years studying in Dartmoor is a great place for walks. One sunny Exeter, the South West has gently winkled its way into weekend, when walking with some of my housemates my heart. I am now paddling in the waters of Life After around Haytor, we discovered the beautiful Lord of the Degree, living in a house shared with 12 others. I edit a Rings-esque Becka Brook. It’s a mossy pocket sheltered magazine called Exetera – billed as ‘a lighter alternative for by trees, one of which has been climbed so much its bark Exeter University’, and I am working as an intern at the is polished. There’s a swinging swing and a rope swing Ways With Words Festival across the stream. We in Dartington. ran, paddled, swung and One of the pleasures climbed all at once! of my life is my commute. A favourite cycle ride The route that speeds me is Exeter to Dawlish and my bike from Exeter via Powderham, on to Totnes follows the Exe the cycle path from the estuary down to the sea, Quay in Exeter along the then heads along the coast estuary, past Turf Locks with nothing between (a pub well worth a visit) the train and the waves to Powderham and then but beach and footpath, on to the Anchor Inn at and then up the River Starcross (possibly stopping Teign. On one journey for delicious mussels) then With housemates at Becka Brook, Dartmoor I saw a circling buzzard to Dawlish. over Totnes station, herons Or, for Proper Exercise, fishing and cormorants I take the turn off the A379 diving. The birds appear to Powderham. The road so poised and composed down to Powderham church as they go about their has a great view of the business, I can’t help but be estuary. The exhilaration calmed. of pushing myself to cycle The train has given fast – the whoosh of tyres me the time and space to on tarmac, wind in my ears, Exe Estuary read – in particular Alice slip streaming seamlessly Oswald’s Dart and Weeds and Wildflowers. The humour and with a cycling buddy, and the consequent muscle ache – is perspicacity of both books is startling. Nature writer Kathleen such a satisfying feeling. Jamie is also a recent discovery. Her writing is clear, reflective, As part of my attempts to be as sustainable as I can be, allowing the domestic a very firm place in the natural, wild I have made a pledge not to buy new clothes. While I was world. I am also reading the RSPB Pocket Guide to British studying in Amsterdam last year, I bought my graduation Birds, to improve my identification skills. Not sure how well dress, a beautiful patterned silk tailored day dress. Buying it’s working… secondhand is such an adventure. I have found so many This last year I have been learning to climb, gems from the selection of shops on Sidwell Street and progressing to the point where I can now climb outside. the High Street. I also love to visit the fantastic vintage Recently I went to Cornwall with the University menswear shop on Fore Street, Hanger 124. Climbing Club. Climbing on sea cliffs for the first time was I look forward to going home to a pile of my mum’s magnificent. Being higher than anything I had climbed hand-me-downs; my woollen-wear collection would be before did feel more ‘consequential’, as climbers say. nothing without her. Though my next knitting project will Bosigran Ridge was my first, a long ridge that climbs be to knit myself a fisherman’s sweater with an authentic up out of the waves. Standing belaying my partner, I Cromer – a Norfolk seaside town – pattern. saw several choughs and a beautiful reddish bird of prey, Who knows where I will be come the end of summer, possibly a lesser kestrel. On Sunday we headed to Sennen but wherever it is, my climbing kit, bike, and at least a Cove, the waves booming behind us. My favourite route trunk of clothes and several shelves’ worth of books will be name was Banana Flake, more friendly all round than coming with me.

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