MANOR The Glitz Issue 2018, Issue 30

The Region’s Premium Publication

Winter 2018 | Issue 30 | £4.50

Emma Rice As I see it

The RNLI Volunteer life-savers

Gift ideas All wrapped up

CULTURE FOOD SPACE ESCAPE SCHOOL PROPERTY

WIN a pair of

diamond* earrings

MANOR | Winter 2018

1

2

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

3

MAGNIFICENT NEW HOME WITH SUPERB SOUTHERLY VIEWS OVER THE CAMEL VALLEY

NR WADEBRIDGE, NORTH CORNWALL

Wadebridge – 3; Rock – 8.5; Polzeath – 9.5 (all distances approximate and in miles) Magnificent four-bedroomed detached house enjoying complete tranquillity with glorious south facing views over the Camel valley, yet within easy access of the renowned ‘Seven bays’. Beautifully appointed and architect designed, where contemporary meets traditional. Includes a detached cottage (requiring complete renovation) with outbuildings and large barn. Excess of 24 acres of grounds. 3402 sq ft. EPC=B Offers in excess of £2,000,000 Freehold 4

MANOR | Winter 2018

Savills Cornwall

Tim May tim.may@savills.com

01872 243200

MAGICAL SMALL ESTATE WITH STUNNING VIEWS TO DARTMOOR

CHAGFORD, DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Moretonhampstead about 4 miles, Chagford about 4 miles, A30 about 10 miles, Exeter about 16 miles (via A30) One of Dartmoor’s most attractive houses situated in the middle of its own land with outstanding views to Dartmoor.

Separate 3 bedroom cottage with adjoining office. Equestrian facilities including an all weather arena, beautiful landscaped gardens surrounded by paddocks and woodland. In all about 37 acres. EPC: E

Guide Price: £3,500,000

Savills Exeter

Edward Tallack edward.tallack@savills.com

01392 455755

MANOR | Winter 2018

5

BEAUTIFUL MANOR HOUSE BOASTING PANORAMIC COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS

CALLINGTON, CORNWALL

Callington – 2; Launceston – 12; Looe – 15 (all distances approximate and in miles) Stunning C13 Manor house (non listed) and small estate with flexible annexe accommodation, enjoying superb countryside and Lynher valley views with commercial offices and agricultural outbuildings. Set in over 45 acres of grounds including a well-stocked lake and large pond. The estate adjoins the unspoilt Cadson Bury, an Iron Age hill-fort.

Guide £1,750,000 Freehold 6

MANOR | Winter 2018

Savills Cornwall

Tim May tim.may@savills.com

01872 243200

CHARACTERFUL FARMHOUSE SET IN AN ELEVATED RURAL POSITION

DRAYTON, SOUTH SOMERSET

Curry Rivel about 2 miles, Langport about 3.1 miles, Taunton about 12 miles (M5 Motorway & London Paddington from under 2 hours), A303 at Podimore Roundabout about 10 miles

Savills Taunton

A spacious and private rural smallholding, ring-fenced by about 13 acres of its own land and enjoying far-reaching views in all directions. 5 reception rooms, games room, 3 bedroom suites, 4 further bedrooms and bathroom. Extensive outbuildings and garaging, indoor swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, fully equipped gym and all weather tennis court. EPC: F

01823 785441

Guide Price: £1,250,000

Chris Clifford cclifford@savills.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

7

DIAMONDS ON ICE

www.michaelspiers.co.uk THE SOUTH WEST’S LEADING RETAILER OF FINE JEWELLERY AND WATCHES, INCLUDING:

8

MANOR | Winter 2018

Follow us on:

Contents

Winter 2018

40

22

PHOTO: NIGEL MILLARD

82 42

Regulars 15 TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Correspondence from across the divide

40

AS I SEE IT...

Theatre director Emma Rice

Gift Guide 30 IT’S THE GIVING...

Special gift ideas for her, him, the home and the kids

Style & Beauty 16 TRENDS All that glitters and winter florals

20

SPARKLE TIME How to steal the show this Christmas

22

CITY BREEZE

Features 42 LATTER-DAY HEROES The RNLI

48

LILAC-TINTED SPECTACLES Singer, songwriter and producer Stephen Duffy

A special Next style shoot shot by Remy Whiting

38

MY FEEL-GOOD REGIME Farmer and entrepreneur Michael Dart

82

THE STYLE SHOOT Photographed by Simon Powell

Photostory 50 SEA, SALT AND SOLITUDE Images by Chris Hewitt

MANOR | Winter 2018

9

PHOTO: EVOKE PICTURES BRISTOL PHOTOGRAPHY

64

107 108

Culture 64 CLASS ASS Wonky Donkey illustrator Katz Cowley

68

IF YOU BUILD IT... intoBodmin

72

SOUTH WEST MUST SEES...

What’s on around the region...

76

THE EXHIBITION SPACE A guide to the region’s art galleries and exhibitions

78

126

WORTH MAKING THE TRIP FOR...

Cultural highlights from the metropolis and beyond

81

WORTH STAYING IN FOR...

Quality time on your sofa

Food 96 DEVOURING THE NORTH

Space 114 HEALTHY HABITATS Gale & Snowden architects

120 SHOPPING FOR SPACE Amber delight

A foodie tour via app

100 THE FOOD HALL Fine produce from around the region

102 BITES Festive food news and more from across the peninsula

111 THE TABLE PROWLER ...dines out at The Cornish Barn, Penzance and Los Lobos, London

10

MANOR | Winter 2018

Escape 126 MALDIVES? YES, CAN DO Kandooma Resort

132 GLAM ROCK Gara Rock, East Portlemouth, Devon

Winter 2018

MANOR school 137 NEWS IN BRIEF News from schools around the region

140 BOREDOM BUSTERS Simple games for all ages

Property 144 PROPERTY OF NOTE

144

Gurrow Point, Dittisham, South Devon

149 THE RELOCATOR Focus on Exeter, Devon

154 SNAPSHOT COMPARATIVE A selection of properties in the South West and one near London with space for entertaining

Back Page 162 PRIZE DRAW Win ethically sourced diamond earrings worth £1,470

MANOR | Winter 2018

11

is brought to you by PUBLISHING EDITOR

Imogen Clements

imogen@manormagazine.co.uk

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Jane Fitzgerald

jane@manormagazine.co.uk

FEATURES EDITOR

Fiona McGowan

features@manormagazine.co.uk

ARTS EDITOR

Belinda Dillon belinda@manormagazine.co.uk

FOOD EDITOR

Anna Turns

anna@manormagazine.co.uk

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Amy Tidy

amy@manormagazine.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES

Jeni Smith

jeni@manormagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Elouise Abbot Claire Wheatcroft Alex Green DESIGN

Eleanor Cashman Guy Cracknell

THE COVER Skirt, Markus Lupfer, £800; top, Zara, £15.99; shoes, Zara, £69.99 Photographer: Simon Powell Stylist: Mimi Stott Make-up: Sophie Moore Hair: Yoke Salon Model: Gabrielle Sanchez at Storm © MANOR Publishing Ltd, 2018.

MANOR Magazine is published by Manor Publishing Ltd. Registered office: MANOR Publishing Ltd, 12 Mannamead Road, Plymouth, Devon PL4 7AA. Registered in England No. 09264104 info@manormagazine.co.uk. Printed by Wyndeham Roche Ltd.

12

MANOR | Winter 2018

Welcome to The Glitz Issue of MANOR. Our final in the year.

“Already?” you gasp. Time really does fly. It has been a fantastic year – we’ve featured over the course of 2018 exclusive interviews with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, UK designer Sir Kenneth Grange, and Game of Thrones star Michelle Fairley.

We’ve covered features as inspirational as one Cornish nurse’s attempt to help the people of Yezidi fleeing Islamic State to one man’s mission to raise awareness of ocean plastic by swimming the length of the Channel. We’ve showcased the region’s awardwinning architecture, and stunning photography, from Nik Strangelove’s Rear View portraits to Matt Burtwell’s Cornwall from Above, plus just some of the many incredible initiatives, art and work that is going on in the South West.

Indeed, with each issue of MANOR there is a sense of “follow that!”, and, with this issue, I’m glad to say we do. We have secured an interview with Emma Rice, the renowned and highly regarded theatre director, known for breaking the mould with her productions to universal acclaim among critics. Director now of her own theatre company, Wise Children, and previously artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe, Emma opens up about her career and why she feels the need to push the boundaries when it comes to live theatre.

We also feature the RNLI, a frankly incredible network of unsung heroes – volunteers throughout the country who drop everything, come the call, to go and rescue those in trouble at sea, risking their own lives in the process. There are 4,966 volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew throughout the periphery of the UK and we interview two of them – the civil engineer and business owner, Dan Shannon, at Sennen Cove station and the founder of clothing brand Finisterre, Tom Kay, at St Agnes station – to find out more about this unique and quite phenomenal charity.

The sea, of course, features a lot in MANOR South West. Much of what we show is the wonder, leisure and the aspirational side of coastal life, but there is, of course, a gritty side. Numerous individuals work hard to make a living on the coast, none more so than the fishermen and women of Cornwall. Photographer Chris Hewitt, on behalf of The Fishermen’s Mission, has put together a portraiture study that beautifully captures these people, of all ages, from all walks of life, striving (sometimes in horrendous conditions) to put fresh fish and seafood on our plates, as a trade.

We have an interview with Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy, who discusses his pop career, starting as a founder member of Duran Duran then solo; a lavish fashion shoot at one of the most elegantly evocative hotels in the South West, and, it being this time of year, gift and entertainment inspiration aplenty. Plus, I should add, there is the chance to win a pair of KinetIQue* earrings worth almost £1,500 on the back page. What better gift?

It is, we hope you agree, a fine MANOR issue to end a sparkling year – packed again with fantastic content delivered by a superb team of journalists and photographers, all wrapped up and presented expertly by our designers, Guy and Eleanor, who rarely get a mention, but are of course integral to MANOR being the coffee-table, award-winning magazine it is.

As a publisher, there’s an immense satisfaction to receiving each issue, delivering what we do at MANOR, but also some regret that not everyone gets to see it, each issue having a finite life before the next is out. Then, I remember that ALL back copies of MANOR are available to read at manormagazine.co.uk/issue-archive indefinitely.

But, to read it off high quality, tangible print (the best way, I would argue), and ensure you don’t miss an issue, then of course you should subscribe (manormagazine.co.uk/subscribe) Another possible gift idea..?

Wishing you all a wonderful end to this year and we look forward to seeing you in the next.

Imogen Clements FOUNDER & PUBLISHING EDITOR @ManorMagazine

@manormagazine

Sign up to the MANOR newsletter to receive special offers and see what’s coming up at manormagazine.co.uk/newsletter Subscribe to MANOR for a year for just £30. Visit manormagazine.co.uk/subscribe

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 Publishing 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 | Winter 2018

13

C’est extraordinaire!

Expertly gathered together at our showroom in Exeter, is a truly international collection of the ďŹ nest stoves and range cookers, including a touch of je ne sais quoi from the renowned French stove manufacturer, Focus Fireplaces. Appliances designed to transform homes and inspire wonderful culinary creations.

Experience and explore live, working models from La Cornue, ESSE, Wolf and Sub-Zero. To whet your appetite, visit us in store and online or call to book a personalised appointment.

FINE STOVES & COOKERS Telephone 01392 797679 www.hearthandcook.com 14 MANOR | Winter 2018 Showroom: 14 Oaktree Place, Manaton Close, Matford, Exeter EX2 8WA. Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Saturdays 10am to 4pm or by appointment.

TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Sweetness...

Darling...

I have learned something new. It is the ‘ship name’. No, I don’t mean matters maritime; we are talking young person’s speak. I learnt it from a young person, and frankly I believe it to be imperative that we old(er) people keep up with young person’s speak for the very obvious reason of remaining aware of what is going on.

The ship name is when two names (arising from two people seeing one another) become one.

Like Brangelina – Brad and Angelina (alas now defunct), or Kimye – Kim Kardashian and Kanye West (of course)! Or Bennifer – Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, hmm… also no more, but it was fun while it lasted. Apparently, the common parlance when a couple who’ve been in a relationship split is ‘ah yes, that ship has sailed’. Fun, hey? Who needs marriage when you can have a ship name? What would ours be, sweetie? Town Mouse Country Mouse… Perhaps, let’s not go there.

Anyhow, onto vaguely more important matters. I have decided that for Christmas I want to be granted the gift of tidiness. It’s something, you see, I wasn’t born with and at my ripe old age, just looking around me now as I write, I believe it to be something that can’t be learnt. How is it done?

Where does one put everything? I marvel at people’s homes that are tidy and, indeed, people’s desks, and I wish to be like them. It would make life easier and I could live in one of the Elle Decoration-type minimalist houses I so covet. Please send an elf, who can declutter my life, my head and all surfaces.

That is what I want for Christmas.

It is because you are a country dweller and I am a town dweller. I think, statistically, that makes us tidier than you.

Every country house I’ve ever seen is full of clutter. It’s something to do with muddy boots, I’ve decided… that ol’ ‘broken windows’ analogy. ‘Broken windows’ is the theory that if someone passes a house with a broken window, or two, they’ll feel more inclined to vandalise it. So if there is a little bit of – shall we say – shabbiness, why not go the whole hog?

And it’s difficult living in the country or by the sea, trailing in all that mud and sand, not to open the door to mess then go hurtling down the slippery slope. That’s my theory.

As for ship names, can that possibly be so? What do we call Harry and Meghan – Meghog, Harmeg? Or Charles and Camilla – Charcam? I’m not sure, sweetie, that it works for everyone, but it’s fun (and I agree, vitally important) to keep up with the vernacular. Next, they will be inventing emojis we don’t understand. It’s a youth conspiracy to take back control and reap revenge for the lifelong student loans and immense mortgages we’ve shackled them with. Keep your ear to the ground. We, the long in the tooth, need you.

As for me, for Christmas I would like to be French. Specifically, Parisian. Sophisticated, never committing faux pas in an attempt to get a laugh, never noticeably tipsy and always slim. A Parisian merely nibbles at food, don’t they darling, rather than eat it. They are the equivalent to a decluttered house, all minimalist and sleek.

Rubbish at karaoke, though. Take it way too seriously. Scratch that. I’ll stay British.

WHAT’S COOL IN THE COUNTRY?

WHAT’S HOT IN THE SMOKE?

Wise Children, after a packed season at London’s Old Vic, shows at The Bristol Old Vic in January as part of a UK tour. Emma Rice applies her highly acclaimed, bold and uniquely entertaining approach to Angela Carter’s story of twin chorus girls turning 75.

23 January – 16 February.

The Coal Office - the 17,500 sq ft home to designer Tom Dixon’s latest ‘experiments, innovations and collaborations’. Eat food by chef Assaf Granit in the restaurant there; browse Dixon lighting, furniture and haberdashery for sale in retail; and marvel at the manufacturing and craftmanship of one of the UK’s leading contemporary designers, on view in The Factory.

Christmas Food and Craft weekend at Buckfast Abbey at the beginning of December. With free entry and parking, there will be over 60 stalls, workshops, children’s activities, mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and carol singing.

1-2 December.

Christmas at Kew returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, on 22 November. Lit up with more than one million lights, the milelong trail through the gardens is simply magical. Until 5 January.

The Pendeen Silver Band will be performing at The Minack Theatre on Sunday 16 December.

Sparkling wine specialist Grays & Feather have recently opened their first bar and restaurant in Covent Garden. Bringing together sparkling wines from across the globe and expertly matching them with dishes, whilst educating guests about the bubbles.

MANOR | Winter 2018

15

All that glitters

Necklace Marks and Spencer, £19.50

It’s party time, and with silver being the strong metallic this season, contrast it with black to truly shine. Anything, though, with a bit of sparkle will suit: jumpsuits, slip dresses and skirts. Dial up the glitz with jewellery, shoes and accessories. Dazzle as much as you dare! Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Antonio Marras AW18

Dress Debenhams, £55

Jumpsuit, Marks and Spencer, £55

Dress Zara, £39.99

Earrings Oasis, £12

Bag, Zara, £49.99

Shoes Marks and Spencer, £55

16

MANOR | Winter 2018

Jacket, Topshop, £149

Top, Debenhams, £69

Jumpsuit, Oasis, £55

Erdem AW18

trends

Earrings Next, £10

Shirt, Zara, £49.99

Skirt, Debenhams, £55

Shirt, Zara, £69.99

Necklace, Debenhams, £12 Top, Zara, £25.99 Dress, Oasis, £49 Shirt, Zara, £39.99 Shoes, Whistles, £145 Bag, Mango, £35.99

Shoes, Marks and Spencer, £35 MANOR | Winter 2018

17

Winter florals Blouse, Hobbs, £189

Erdem AW18

Opulent and lavish, and a no less rich alternative to sequins during the festive celebrations. Jewelled in tone, florals come in bold, intricate and feminine varieties. Pair with metallic shoes and statement jewellery or a little fake fur to ooze refined glamour.

Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Jacket, Zara, £69.99

Dress, Zara, £99.99

Jumpsuit, Whistles, £329

Cami top, Zara, £29.99

Earrings, Mango, £15.99 Bag, Dune, £85 18

Necklace, Topshop, £16

MANOR | Winter 2018

Dress, Next, £68

Culottes Wallis, £30

Shoes, Zara, £29.99

Jumpsuit, Oasis, £70

Erdem AW18

trends

Brooch, Accessorize, £8

Dress Monsoon, £180

Dress, Jigsaw, £299

Earrings, Mango, £12.99

Jacket, Monsoon, £120 Dress, Whistles, £179 Earrings, Oliver Bonas, £24

Shoes, Zara, £29.99 Dress, Whistles, £299

Bag, Dune, £65 Jacket, Zara, £99.99 MANOR | Winter 2018

19

beauty

Sparkle time Make-up artist Elouise Abbott advises on how to steal the show this Christmas.

I

t’s once again that wonderful time of the year. Christmas party season is well and truly upon us. For a lover of all things beauty, this is absolute heaven. Sequins and glitter in abundance, there is no such thing as too shiny (in my humble opinion). However, as popular as shiny is, sophisticated and simple classic make-up is never out of season. So whether your style is super glam or classic chic, check out my favourite, fabulous, seasonal beauty steals.

Glam or chic, looking and feeling your best is all down to preparation. I love to get ready with a face mask to brighten and hydrate my skin. This is going to create the perfect base for any make-up application. There is nothing like a sheet mask to brighten the skin. 111 Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask is infused with skin-brightening ingredients such as 24-carat gold, Damask rose extract and silk amino acids, all working together to hydrate and exfoliate – leaving a smoother, more even complexion. It really is a wonderful quick fix for all skin types.

Nothing says glam more than glitter and a smoky eye.

Team with a full-coverage foundation and you are set to party.

Strong make-up deserves a full base and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Foundation won’t disappoint. This is a full-coverage foundation that has incredible staying power whilst remaining lightweight. With light-reflecting properties, this foundation is flattering for all skin types.

I am forever in search of the holy grail of eye palettes and I think I might have just found it.

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette of Pops in Supersonic Girl is just stunning. This eyeshadow quad of warm peach and rich red tones take inspiration from meteor showers and brings them to your eyes, adding a warm sparkle that will enhance all eye shapes and skin tones.

If you are feeling a little braver, then take on the classic dark smoky eye with Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Rock Chick with its silvery greys and charcoals. A dark smoky eye needs a good eyeliner. The bareMinerals Round the Clock Intense Cream-Glide Eyeliner in Midnight is it. It is smooth to apply, stays all night and blends like a dream. For an intense smoky eye, I always apply liner to the waterline both upper and lower, 20

MANOR | Winter 2018

making sure to fill in between the lashes.

For glitter, look no further than Illamasqua Jewel Vinyl in Heavy Metal. Easy to apply, the glitter particles are suspended in a highperformance balm, so no mess.

Classic chic is all about effortless simplicity.

Focus on the skin, keeping coverage light and radiant. A BB Cream has all the benefits of a moisturiser with a hint of colour to even out the skin tone. Bobbi Brown BB Cream is wonderful and has an SPF of 35 for added skin protection.

If you don’t wear a lot of make-up, then a good mascara goes a long way. Diorshow Lash Extension Effect Volume Mascara in pro black adds length and volume without clumping or flaking.

If you have lighter hair and find black a little harsh, opt for brown mascara as this can be much more flattering.

Laura Mercier Prime, Set & Glow Trio Makeup Gift Set contains three iconic Laura Mercier products that my kit is never without. The Laura Mercier Translucent setting powder is soft, silky and sets make-up beautifully without looking and feeling heavy – ideal for all skin types. The illuminating primer can be used all over the face to add a hit of radiance or mixed with your foundation for a dewy glow. Use the fan brush to delicately finish with a sweep of matt radiance powder along the top of the cheekbones and arch of the brow for a natural sun-kissed look.

Choosing a lip colour can be tricky but there are some iconic shades that just suit us all. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk is a classic nude lipstick and made for everyone.

But where would classic chic and Christmas be without a touch of Hollywood and red lipstick!

MAC Russian Red lipstick is the shade that delivers just that. A true red, this shade suits most skin tones, though it may be a good idea to get colour-matched for red lipstick. There is always a red lipstick to suit, but it is essential to get the correct undertone. Some reds have an orange undertone that works well with warm and olive skin tones; those with a blue undertone tend to work better with cooler (pink/fair) skin tones. elouise@manormagazine.co.uk

To book your style refresh, complete hair makeover or gorgeous new colour call 01392 256999

2 Bampfylde Lane, Princesshay, Exeter, Devon EX1 1GQ Email: exeter@sakshair.co.uk | www.saks.co.uk/exeter

MANOR | Winter 2018

21

A style shoot in association with Next Retail took us to Exeter’s rooftops to blow away the cobwebs. True to its name, the terrace of penthouse Cathedral View provided panoramic views across the South West’s cathedral city, rich in autumnal colours and extending as far as the coast.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY REMY WHITING STYLED BY MIMI STOTT MAKE-UP: FIONA MILLER HAIR: YOKE SALON MODEL: CLEA MARTIN FROM STORM

Check belted wrap coat, £85; black roll neck sweater, £18; black denim leggings, £25

22

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

23

Camel belted coat, £78

24

MANOR | Winter 2018

Pink/cream belted pencil skirt, £35; white gum sole lace up trainers, £35; sweater, stylist’s own

MANOR | Winter 2018

25

Camel belted coat, £78; pewter metallic v-neck sweater, £24; rust brushed capri trousers, £30; tan classic lace-up trainers, £28;

26

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

27

With a twist

Touch Design Group, elevating interiors with the unique and the unusual

Staircase. Designed, made and installed by Touch Design Group.

Photo by George Fielding (georgefielding.co.uk) 28 MANOR | Winter 2018

touchdesigngroup.com | Telephone: 01392 364269 | Exeter, Devon Kitchen Interiors | Furniture | Media Rooms | Dressing Rooms | Interior Doors | Staircases MANOR | Winter 2018

29

There really isn’t any better feeling than seeing friends, family and loved ones light up on receiving a gift you’ve chosen specially for them. Here are a few ideas that will ensure smiles all round on the big day.

For the home lover

30

Teal glass bauble, £12 Jo Downs jodowns.com

Handmade hobnail glass jug (available in seven different colours), £86.50 Rue des Fontenelles ruedesfontenelles.co.uk

Gold rabbit coin bank, £45 Jo & Co Home joandcohome.com

Ramblers Roll portable picnic blanket, £78 Moorswood moorswood.com

Parlane ceramic jug, £31.95 The Grey Lurcher facebook.com/thegreylurcher

Canopy of Light by Louise Fairchild, oil on canvas, 100 x 100cm, £3,000 Fineart@ Lympstone Manor fineartat.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

For the home lover

Wall clock, £30 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Tic tac toe, £35 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Pom pom throw £69 Marks and Spencer marksandspencer.com

Cushion, £35 Amara amara.com

Glass vase, £35 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Garden Glory indoor watering can, £55 Amara amara.com

Condiment set, £32 Debenhams debenhams.com

Sara Miller tray, £21 Amara amara.com

Nespresso by Sage Creatista, £499.95 John Lewis johnlewis.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

31

For her

32

Ed Wilson Topaz Thorn Ring (18ct gold and topaz), £1,700 New Craftsman Gallery newcraftsmanstives.com

Sterling silver with turquoise and slate grey leather bracelet and ring Bracelet: £495.

Ring: £95 Naomi Davies naomidaviesjewellery.co.uk

Organic Opalite Necklace, six vibrant blue and white opalites set in an organic crescent of silver on a 16 inch chain adjustable to 18 inch, £120 Mayne Gallery maynegallery.co.uk

Stargazer Galaxy rhodium plated sterling silver drop earrings, £62 Kit Heath kitheath.com

Rolex Date, £3,150 Mortimers mortimersjewellers.co.uk

Kurt Jackson ‘Pilchards’ earrings, made from shipwrecked Cornish tin, £75 Jackson Foundation jacksonfoundationgallery.com

Heart padlock ring in sterling silver and 9ct gold with inlaid burgundy leather, £169 Naomi Davies Jewellery naomidaviesjewellery.co.uk

18ct yellow and white gold three stone ring with 0.85ct emerald and 0.97ct diamond, £5,750 Klimek Jewellers klimekjewellers.co.uk

18ct white gold cornflower sapphire and diamond pendant, £3,995 Mortimers mortimersjewellers.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

For her

Talia 1.00ct total carat weight in 18ct white and rose gold, £2,420 KinetIQue kinetique.co.uk

Fairtrade leather tote bag (handmade in India), £65 RAMM rammuseum.org.uk/shop

18ct rose gold bangle, £1,950 Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

Sterling silver daisy cluster bracelet, £68.95 Silver Origins silverorigins.com

Spa Gift Voucher, various prices Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall gaiaboringdon.co.uk

Monsoon Serene Star zip pouch, £29 Drake Circus drakecircus.com

18ct white gold necklace, £2,450 Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

Lulu Guinness suitcase, £265 Amara amara.com

White Stuff sparkly hoop drop earrings, £12.50 Drake Circus drakecircus.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

33

For him

34

9ct yellow gold Cornish shield barlink cufflinks, £450 Klimek Jewellers klimekjewellers.co.uk

RolexDatejust 36, £6,950 Mortimers mortimersjewellers.co.uk

Dressing gown, £39.50 Marks and Spencer marksandspencer.com

Tudor Black Bay Dark manufacture calibre 41mm PVD steel case and bracelet, £3,200 Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

Muswell boots, £90 John Lewis johnlewis.com

S’well drinks bottle, £35 Amara amara.com

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II camera, £379.99 Selfridges selfridges.com

TAG Heuer limited edition Muhammad Ali, £2,650 Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

9ct yellow gold enamel and diamond cufflinks, £1,650 Mortimers mortimersjewellers.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

For the gastronome

Christmas Red, with hints of blackcurrant, redcurrant and plum, £14.95 Polgoon polgoon.com

Sea Salt Caramel Truffles packed in boxes of 12, £14 Chocolarder chocolarder.com

Salcombe Gin School Experience, from £100 Salcombe Distilling Co. salcombegin.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

35

For the kids

36

Big Brother tooth fairy, £24.50 Jo & Co Home joandcohome.com

World floor puzzle, £15 Wild & Wolf wildandwolf.com

Slipper boots, £8 Marks and Spencer marksandspencer.com

S’well rainbow bottle, £20 Amara amara.com

Rocking reindeer, £275 Bobby Rabbit bobbyrabbit.co.uk

Retro rocket medium helmet, £28 Selfridges selfridges.com

Petit Collage backpack, £30 Wild & Wolf wildandwolf.com

Nutcracker doll, £18 Marks and Spencer marksandspencer.com

Jolly Snowman, £8 Hotel Chocolat hotelchocolat.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

For the kids

Hat, £12.50 White Stuff whitestuff.com

Dog paper clips, £5.50 Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com

DJECO magnetic fishing set, £15 Selfridges selfridges.com

Constellation lamp, £15 Debenhams debenhams.com

Wooden xylophone, £20 Bobby Rabbit bobbyrabbit.co.uk

Parka jacket, £42 Next next.com

Bloomingville bear rug, £35 Amara amara.com

Alphabet wall hanging, £29 Bobby Rabbit bobbyrabbit.co.uk

Bloomingville bed bumper, £65 Amara amara.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

37

Topsham

My feel-good regime

PHOTO: MATT AUSTIN

Michael Dart is a director at Darts Farm, a nationally award-winning farm shop based in Topsham, on the outskirts of Exeter. A lifestyle shopping experience with a working farm at its heart, Darts Farm is known for the high quality of its South West produce and is home to a selection of hand-picked specialist retailers. Darts Farm remains a family business run by the three Dart brothers: the retail looked after

by Michael and James, and the farm headed up by Paul. Michael lives in Topsham with his partner Adel and their six children.

We live and work in a stunning place. It’s easy to forget

we live on a working farm, as big as the retail business is.

You can walk the farm tracks, to the bird hide, through the vegetables and through the sunflower fields. Only 100 yards up the hill, you can be looking over the Exe Estuary, which has guaranteed feel-good factor.

On a day off, my favourite place to go to is the Turf Locks.

It’s a family-run business where they make great, fresh food and serve all our favourite ciders and ales. We’ve got a little boat. We’ll head down to Exmouth, jump on the boat, go down the river, breathe in the fresh air, and every time marvel at the sheer natural beauty of the place. You’re never complacent because it doesn’t matter how many times you do it, it’s always a different day: winter, summer, warm, cold, wet, dry, low tide, high tide, cloudy, sunny, and always equally stunning.

The Exe Estuary, where we live, is a protected sanctuary for birds. It boasts the most amazing array of birdlife

and it borders our farm. The River Clyst running off the estuary runs along the boundary of the farm and it’s a specially protected area. We’re proud to have the RSPB here – they have their hide and have helped us 38

MANOR | Winter 2018

develop a wetland and our own bird hide too. You can see rare birds and wild fowl and those wonderful starling murmurations. It all happens on the River Exe. If you’re into wildlife and conservation, you could spend all day here, all week even, mesmerised.

I’m disciplined with treats these days, but we still go to the Bridge Inn – our favourite pub in the world. It’s on

the banks of the River Clyst, on the edge of Topsham.

It’s got our farm on one side, Topsham on the other. We can be at the pub, stood outdoors looking over the river at our cattle and drinking locally brewed beer that’s been in the same family for four generations, some 125 years.

The pub is run by The Sheffers family. It’s an original pub that’s not been ruined.

We have rediscovered exercise. As kids, the three of

us were sports-mad and then gradually it dropped away as priorities changed. We were building a business, spending what time we had left on family and friends.

Life was good but we put on weight and at a certain age you realise you’re not as fit as you were. Snow skiing with my kids in Morzine, France, I realised that having taught them how to ski, I couldn’t keep up with them.

I knew then that if I want to be doing this when I’m 70, I was going to have to do something about it now. We enrolled with personal trainer Tom Johnson, who’s trained with the fittest of the fittest, the Exeter Chiefs, and for the last year, two mornings a week, Jim and I have trained with him. It’s made a huge difference to how we both feel.

Down there you’ve got St Ives, another favourite place of ours. It’s got the history, the culture, the restaurants. We’ll catch the train from St Erth to St Ives and head to Porthminster Beach and the café there for a meal – great service, a good spot, and a great swim! Then we’ll do the walk to Godrevy lighthouse, stopping by the National Trust café to get a hot chocolate.

I love to paddle board. I’ll paddle across the river, from

Topsham to the Turf Locks on a paddle board. But also up the canal and across to The Passage House – another pub, which is a lovely trip. I was on my paddle board heading up the canal and I honestly thought (and not flippantly), ‘This is world class - where else could you do something like this?’. We’ve been around the world, all over the place, and to have something like this on your doorstep that is free – yeah OK, you need to buy a paddle board, but it’s otherwise free – and you’re out there with the birds, with a friend or loved ones. It’s phenomenal – scenic and tranquil.

We love to surf in Cornwall at Gwithian. I think it’s fair to

say we’re more body boarders than surfers, because that way we catch more waves. We’ll body board and BBQ. We have a Big Green Egg which we’ll take down there in the summer.

I suppose that the common demoninator to all we love is healthy outdoor. It could be mountains, river or sea,

but will generally involve family, friends, food and laughter, just as it always has. We’re family people – it goes back to mum and dad. As kids we all went to Dartmoor and to the coasts, and history repeats itself.

We’ve done with our kids what our mum and dad did with us.

Finally, there’s work. I enjoy my work, working with

suppliers who love what they do and have been with Darts Farm for decades, and discovering new blood.

It’s genuinely a blurred line for me – I can’t work out whether work is pleasure or pleasure is work. I enjoy the business, and as brothers we all feel the same, working to our strengths in complementary aspects of the farm. We’re lucky.

Add a Little Designer Detail to Your Festivities this Christmas beautiful fused glass interior pieces, handmade at our cornwall studio. bespoke design service available. galleries at st ives, padstow, fowey, tintagel and launceston in cornwall, ripley in surrey and twickenham. or buy online at www.jodowns.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

39

PHOTO:© GUARDIAN NEWS & MEDIA LTD, 2018

40

MANOR | Winter 2018

As I see it...

Emma Rice spent 20 years as director at innovative Cornish theatre company Kneehigh, bringing its plays to a national and international stage. In 2015, she became Artistic Director at Shakespeare’s Globe, where she wowed audiences and critics alike with her powerful productions. After two seasons, when asked to change her style of production, she resigned and set up her own theatre company, Wise Children, whose eponymous first play is about to go on tour after a season at The Old Vic. Interview by Fiona McGowan.

Although I started out as an actor, I don’t feel the urge to act any more. The truth of it is, I’m a better director. But because of

my personal experience, I understand actors. As a young actor, you have that feeling: ‘I wish somebody could see what I was capable of.’ And I get that. Once I’ve cast somebody, I never judge them again. I think it is my responsibility to reveal them to be the most brilliant people that they are.

I joined Kneehigh in 1994. I remember it like people

remember wedding anniversaries, the day I first got on the train to Cornwall. It changed my life. I fell in love with the company and with the county, and I went on to have the best two decades of friendship, artistry, creation and development.

Still almost all of my friends live there, so a bit of me is always in Cornwall.

The Cornish people support the arts with their feet. I’ve never felt that community before or since. I think there’s something really special about the Cornish arts scene, and almost because of its lack of infrastructure, you can make anything happen. If you want to put on a show in a clay pit in St Austell, you probably can. If you’ve got idea and you’ve got the will, the Cornish won’t block you. Kneehigh and [another Cornish theatre company] Wild Works have done extraordinary things, which might not have been possible in other parts of the country. I take that spirit with me wherever I go: just assume it’s possible until somebody tells you that you can’t. And then ignore them for a while and just keep going.

I didn’t feel any resistance to my style of directing when I started at The Globe. The first year was all preparation, and during that

time, not only did I say I was going to use lights and sound, but the board agreed to it and paid for it. Once the shows happened, the response from the audience was overwhelmingly ecstatic.

It was some of the most electrifying experiences of my career.

There were a couple of people saying, ‘This isn’t what The Globe is about’, but I didn’t really listen too hard, because I thought, there’ll always be a few people who don’t like it. Look at the masses of people who are loving it.

I think, in their defence – and this is obviously two years down the line; I’m much calmer now – The Globe has never really

been super-clear about whether it’s a theatre or a research project. I think I polarised that debate. What I did, to their eyes, was so extreme. They had to flush out ‘what are we, and what do we stand for’?

I love these big plays. I felt that they needed to be relevant,

because The Globe is such a popular venue…. You have 500 people standing for three hours – you HAVE to entertain them. I see Shakespeare as the original populist, so I just thought we had to make the most exhilarating, exciting theatre. It was emotional. There was no big plan; there was certainly no plan to upset people. I was delighted with everything we made. It was just a bad mix. There was no doubt in my mind that I needed to get out. The one thing that isn’t for swaying is your vision. And your freedom.

Wise Children has been great. Because it started in the wake

of The Globe, my spirits and reserves were quite low at the beginning. It felt like hard work, but it kept me going. Having a plan that you completely believe in, and always asking the questions – What’s the best way of doing this? What’s the best impact? What’s the best theatre? – pulls me through the dark times. It’s wonderful to be, on a really profound level, in charge. It’s exciting, I sleep well, I work hard and I have great joy in my life.

I think we should stop seeing funding and benefits as handouts and see it as investment in people and artists. My reputation

and experience are based entirely on government funding: all the free education I received, all the housing and unemployment benefits. When the government starts taking away subsidies, those of us at the top can adapt and find different business models, but constant cuts will mean that diversity will be affected – people from different social backgrounds, and the diversity of the art that we create. Everyone will be forced to become more mainstream and commercial. Thanks to the support and the benefits I received, I’ve been able to pay it back many hundreds of times over.

As one finds oneself marvellously middle-aged, the personal is political. Your politics become the stories that you want to tell

and the way that you use your power. I say, in a very Harry Potter way – you use your powers for good. So, you have to start thinking politically. And that is thrilling. Wise Children is a big, mixed company that is very truthful, but hopeful.

It’s like a community on stage, and I think something really progressive and exciting is happening in the space between the show and the audience. I do feel hopeful that tiny shifts will create some momentum.

Wise Children will be at the Bristol Old Vic from 23 January 16 February 2019. wisechildren.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

41

PHOTO: NIGEL MILLARD

Tamar Class Lizard slipway launch

42

MANOR | Winter 2018

feature

The RNLI is a lifeline for those in peril on our seas. Even in the most treacherous conditions, a rescue mission is never far away. Imogen Clements admires the extraordinary, selfless men and women who volunteer to do this.

I

t’s easy to be complacent about the sea as it stretches away from you into the horizon. Drowning at sea is something you assume will never happen to you. Yet there have been numerous stories of late of young, fit individuals succumbing to the waves: friends swimming together off Camber Sands; adults running to the aid of young surfers in trouble at Mawgan Porth; brothers in their twenties swept off the rocks while fishing near Padstow.

In 2017, some 109 individuals lost their lives on the UK coastline. Of these, 18 were from the South West coast, down from as many as 33 in 2016. Over half of those killed had not intended to enter the water but tripped, fell or were swept off their feet by a rogue wave, and every one of the South West fatalities was a man.

Indeed, of the total 109 lost to sea throughout the UK, 99 were men.

Often, it’s cold water shock that drowns. UK sea temperature is around 12˚C, even in summer. Plunging suddenly into the sea can cause cold water shock, by which the blood vessels restrict rapidly, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. The shock of the cold causes gasps for breath. Breathing rates quicken rapidly, as does the natural response to swim to safety. Panic sets in; frantic swimming to no avail while gasping for breath expends energy, and risks water entering the lungs. It takes just half a pint of sea water on the lungs to start to drown a grown man.

The death toll of those lost at sea would undoubtedly be a lot higher were it not for the RNLI (the Royal National Lifeboat Institution). The RNLI is one of my earliest memories of a charity. On our annual family holiday to Cornwall, we’d visit the lifeboat station at St Ives and I remember forever pleading for a coin to drop into the money box that triggered a miniature lifeboat to hurtle down the slipway. As a charity, though, you don’t see or hear much of the RNLI – it’s not a prominent ribbon-wearing charity such as Cancer Research; it doesn’t seem to draw the attention that the RSPCA commands; and it has no Children in Need-style telethon, yet it is very much on the front line, saving lives around the perimeter of our island.

There are 238 lifeboat stations with more than 350 RNLI lifeboats serving the UK and Ireland (29 in the South West from Portishead to Weymouth including St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly). In 2017, the RNLI launched boats 8,436 times to go to the aid of 8,072 individuals. On average, they assist 22 people every day of the year. As a charity, how do they operate such an impressive UK-wide service that has state-of-the-art lifeboats launching daily, equipped with crews trained to save lives whenever the call comes in, night or day, all year round? It’s thanks to a massive, probably unique in the world, volunteer effort. Individuals – men, women, from all walks of life – volunteering to risk their own lives to save others at sea. Latter-day heroes.

MANOR | Winter 2018

43

As you sleep soundly in your bed on a stormy December night, there are, throughout the UK, 4,966 volunteer lifeboat crew members with pagers on their bedside table who are ready to jump up and race down to their local station, should it go off.

One such individual is Dan Shannon, a secondgeneration volunteer from Sennen Cove, whose father, Philip Shannon, was awarded an MBE for his services to the charity. Philip retired in 2014, after 50 years with the crew. At 69 years old, he is still a volunteer but now shore-based as a Lifeboat Operations Manager.

Judging by those I’ve spoken to for the purposes of this article, volunteers, it seems, remain so for years, lifetimes even. Dan, in his forties and married with two young children, has been a volunteer for 25 years. “It’s something I grew up with – my father was a coxswain and so it seemed a natural thing for me to do.”

He wears a pager at all times in Sennen Cove. At night it’s by his bed. “There’s no mistaking it – it has quite a high pitch, and when it sounds you jump up and race down to the station. There are 20 volunteers in Sennen Cove and we need six to crew the all-weather Tamar class lifeboat, and three to crew the smaller, D class lifeboat. If there’s someone in the water, as soon as the bare minimum to launch are there, we’re off – which can be within two to three minutes. If it’s a fishing trawler that needs towing in, in relatively calm conditions, launching within 15 minutes won’t make a huge difference. You never know what you’re dealing with until you arrive at the station.”

Has Dan saved lives? “It’s not something you think at the time. We once had a man overboard who’d fallen from his yacht, attached to his lifeline, but his wife wasn’t strong enough to haul him aboard. We got to him, but I had to get in the water as we couldn’t get close enough to jump deck without risking crushing him between the boats – I climbed onto the yacht and managed to haul him in. At the time it didn’t feel as dramatic as a life-save, but if we’d not been there, how much longer he’d have lasted in the water on the end of a rope that his wife was having problems hanging on to, we don’t know.”

I ask if being a volunteer always on call affects his family life. “It’s not constant, we probably get called out around 20 times across the course of a year. As a volunteer, you may be on holiday, away from the village for reasons of work or leisure, so you can’t always respond to the pager, but I’m second coxswain, which means when our full-time coxswain (effectively the boat’s skipper) is on annual leave, I’m required to be ready at all times – I can’t be looking after our two- and four-year-old or be too far from base. I need to be able to access the station quickly should the call come.

Why does he do it? “I love the adrenaline of it.

Not knowing what you’re dealing with. Knowing that it could be a life or death situation, and not knowing 44

MANOR | Winter 2018

Anywhere you are on the coast, you are within reach of a lifeboat. There aren’t many countries that have that kind of capability that are run almost entirely by volunteers.

feature

PHOTO: NIGEL MILLARD

Now: St Mary’s Severn class

...and then: St Mary’s Cox Matthew Lethbridge wearing a silver medal on his kapok lifejacket. He received the silver medal for service to SS Isabo in 1927

what sort of conditions you’ll face. There are times when conditions are such that the crew are all belted to their seats, with over-shoulder harnesses, in the wheel house below deck. Your number one priority is to keep the crew safe – members of crew falling overboard can’t help anyone.”

So, there’s the adrenaline rush, the tearing out of the station into unpredictable seas to go to the aid of a range of maritime crises, and some more mundane matters – towing in defective fishing trawlers may not sound so exciting but getting back to the station, to safety and a warm cuppa as the sun rises certainly gives you a unique start to the day. But there is also the community contingent, which shouldn’t be underestimated. The RNLI has been around almost 200 years, and throughout this time coastal communities have come together for the sole purpose of saving lives at sea. There are few endeavours more rewarding and more fundamentally binding for any community.

The RNLI was launched in 1824 by Sir William Hillary as the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck. The nature of sea rescue has, of course, evolved – shipwrecks are thankfully rare these days, given the highly sophisticated navigational and weather-monitoring equipment used by today’s seafarers. Yet the need to save life at sea never diminishes. The capacity of the RNLI with their highly robust lifeboats, faster and self-righting, making them quick to respond and almost impossible to capsize, has of course helped to save lives. But despite all the advances, the number of incidents doesn’t change.

New emergencies replace old. Where once it was only fishermen and ships in trouble, now it’s kayakers, coasteerers and stand-up paddle boarders as well as those leisure-sailing, who regularly need assistance.

Dan concurs: “It’s the summer where we get the majority of call outs, which goes counter to your instinct as the conditions are worse in winter. However, summer brings a massive increase in people on the water on holiday, sailing and partaking in a wide range of leisure activities, which can, inevitably, lead to some getting into trouble.”

Tom Kay has been a volunteer for the RNLI for 15 years. He’s stationed at St Agnes, close to his home and where his company’s HQ is based. Tom is the founder of the surf and leisurewear company Finisterre. He signed up to the RNLI when he moved to St Agnes from London and has been a volunteer throughout the building and growing of his now highly successful business. “It’s something I’m really proud of. It’s a fantastic organisation that responds to that first law of the sea – to help those in trouble – and has done so for 200 years. Anywhere you are on the coast, you are within reach of a lifeboat. There aren’t many countries that have that kind of capability that are run almost entirely by volunteers.”

MANOR | Winter 2018

45

PHOTO: MATT BURTWELL/ AERIALCORNWALL.COM

Now: RNLI Lizard crew members on the slipway with their Tamar Class boat

Tom is now one of the helms at his station who effectively captains the lifeboat and manages the rescue.

St Agnes operates a D class lifeboat – an inflatable inshore boat that carries the helm and two crew. Although it can’t launch in all weathers and can’t go as far as the Tamar, the D class is nifty and manoeuvrable in big surf conditions and can get closer to the shore, often close to cliffs, among rocks and even inside caves.

To illustrate, Tom recalls a recent incident. “We were called out to a woman who’d been coasteering.

She’d jumped into the sea and the force of hitting the water had cracked vertebrae in her back. She was in severe pain, had made it to shore when we got to her, but given the spinal nature of her injury we had to be extremely careful to harness and position her to minimise any risk of paralysis.”

Every situation is very different, and every station can face different conditions. Just as Sennen Cove contends with Land’s End, so St Agnes, Tom reveals, is one of the roughest stations in the country. “The surf can be half the size of a building and you have to punch out through that, sometimes in the middle of a cold night in January, to go to someone’s rescue. The adrenaline is charging and there’s nothing quite like it.

The RNLI has a unique heritage – men and women of all ages risking their lives to save lives. And all of them volunteers. There’s something incredibly powerful about being part of that.”

It is not just, of course, the lifeboat volunteers that power the RNLI but a whole network of time-givers 46

MANOR | Winter 2018

...and then: Newquay, Cornwall, self righting class ON 509 Admiral Sir George Back being towed on carriage by horses.

This picture was taken in 1933

Lifeboats launched into stormy seas in the dead of night to bring the stranded and stricken back to shore. It’s a service that’s very real, that’s about life or death.

feature

PHOTO: NIGEL MILLARD

Tom Kay, volunteer at St Agnes

PHOTO: NICHOLAS LEACH

...and the St Agnes D class

PHOTO: TIM STEVENS

that often make it the heart of small coastal communities.

Take Sennen Cove: as well as the 20 lifeboat volunteers equipped with their pagers, there is the station committee and the fundraising committee who number around 50. Then there are the spouses and families.

Sennen has a population of around 700, so that’s a big chunk of the community.

“We have doctors, teachers, builders, all ages, men and women on our crew,” reveals Tom. “There is,” he notes, “a certain romantic notion to it – lifeboats launched into stormy seas in the dead of night to bring the stranded and stricken back to shore. But it’s a service that’s very real, that’s about life or death.”

Few organisations can harness that degree of community spirit or provide people from all careers and walks of life with the opportunity to save lives in the most formidable of conditions. It is this that makes those involved with the RNLI passionate about it. And to the rest of us, it’s worth considering, as we drop off to sleep, cosy under warm duvets, or get pestered by children wanting to drop coins into boxes, that somewhere around the perimeter of the UK, pagers will sound and unpaid individuals will dash from their workplaces and their beds to take to the sea, not knowing what they will face. Just as they have for 200 years, and just as they will for the next, saving lives and binding communities. rnli.org

Dan, Philip and Jack Shannon, all RNLI volunteers

MANOR | Winter 2018

47

With a back catalogue spanning four decades, it’s hard to escape the influence of singer-songwriter-producer Stephen Duffy on an everchanging musical scene. Fiona McGowan enjoys the adventure.

‘H

eaven knows I’m not miserable now’, to bastardise a Morrissey line.

Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy has been part of so many music scenes in his lifetime, and throughout it all he was known as ‘that bloke who wrote miserable tunes’.

Today, he lives in a palatial Georgian house, set back from a tucked-away street in Falmouth with his wife and young daughter. And he couldn’t be happier.

This is a singer-songwriter-producer whose range and realm of work spans four decades. He has made 3,000 songs. He has been a solo artist and performed as part of a band that never quite smashed through the 48

MANOR | Winter 2018

ceiling of big-hit success. He co-wrote an album with Nigel Kennedy when he was at the height of his fame.

He co-wrote an album with Robbie Williams in 2004, when Robbie’s star was arguably at its very brightest.

He made a single with Alex James of Blur and Justin Welch of Elastica at the height of Britpop, and worked extensively with indie rock band Barenaked Ladies. And yet, he thinks, he will always be known as ‘Tin Tin who left Duran Duran’.

Duran Duran. Formed at the suggestion of Stephen Duffy, just two weeks after he met Nick Rhodes and John Taylor at art college, the band quickly took over their lives

feature

Everyone in my family seemed to play the piano – by ear. Quite jazzy… There was a lot of music (and distracted them from their courses). It was 1979 and life in Birmingham was tough. Most people’s parents, says Stephen, worked on ‘the track’ – the production line at the car factories, or at the Tampax factory. He grew up in a working-class family in the Washwood Heath suburb of Birmingham. Music was strong in his veins… His granddad was a drummer in big bands in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Two of his cousins followed suit. His mum played The Beatles obsessively. His dad played the flute in the civil service orchestra. “Everyone in my family seemed to play the piano – by ear,” Stephen says diffidently, as though this was quite normal. “Quite jazzy… There was a lot of music,” he muses.

Talking to Stephen at his huge farmhouse table in his cavernous kitchen is like opening the door to an aural museum of music memorabilia – with a good dollop of social history thrown in. But more importantly – it is funny. Stephen peppers his anecdotes with dry asides with the deft art of a seasoned comedian. He is, above all, a lyricist. While he never thought of himself as a poet,

it was the lyrics that drew him in as much as the music.

He used to write down Beatles songs and take them into school and learn them in the toilets. This was in the 60s, he remembers: “when they took all the doors off the classrooms. They were experimenting…” he pauses, before adding, “they put all the doors back on, because they realised how noisy it was.” The times, he says, were very liberal: “I got to secondary school and I didn’t know what a division symbol was. They had showed it to me, but I hadn’t taken it in, because I spent more time reading books and looking through the Encyclopaedia Britannica. And doing crazy xylophone improvisation lessons…” Back then, for kids at Washwood Heath Comprehensive, the choices were limited: careers for boys mostly limited to becoming car makers or bin men – “and if you could read, you became a teacher.”

It was an inspiring form teacher at the end of the 70s who realised that, with the coming of Thatcher, the heady days of 60s liberalism in education were about to close down for good. “He told me, ‘I know you’re

1979

MANOR | Winter 2018

49

With Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran

There was Public Image and gritty stuff like that, and then there were all the Bowie fans, the New Romantics, the futurists.

We were in both camps – camp being the word for it.

50

MANOR | Winter 2018

pretending that you want to be a hairdresser just to wind people up, but if I were you, I’d go to art college, because all of this is going to go. This free education.

You have to take this opportunity, because people like you won’t get this again.’” The prescience of this teacher meant that Stephen’s career path took off into the world of music – albeit in a tangential way.

Stephen’s musical career seems to have been more about careening through it rather than a straightforward journey. Listening to him talk, you realise that he has long been so hooked on the integrity of the music he produced that he wouldn’t swim with the flow. He wants to call his book – which will be a magnum opus, if this interview is anything to go by – What was the f**k was I thinking?. And it makes sense. The Durans came out of an era of post-punk music: “There was Public Image and gritty stuff like that, and then there were all the Bowie fans, the New Romantics, the futurists,” he explains, “We were in both camps – camp being the word for it,” he adds with a wry smile, adjusting his cravat and flicking his hair out of his eyes. But when Duran Duran’s

feature

I’ve found a lot of anger and disappointment that I couldn’t keep out of the songs on this album. Although, personally, I feel happier and more positive than ever. musical direction started to slide more towards electropop in the style of Japan, Stephen decided that it was not for him. “This was the unfortunate thing – not unfortunate for them, because they went on to make lots of money and be very successful,” he says – and he has clearly had plenty of time to analyse this critical moment.

“I left and joined this band, TV Eye – we became Five Believers. The singer from TV Eye became the singer in Duran Duran. After a week of that, we should have said ‘this is a horrendous mistake’, because he was terrible in Duran and I was terrible in TV Eye. I think it would have been more interesting to have stayed with Duran and had that battle musically.” But they were young and had no idea of what the future might hold for their nascent bands.

After producing a couple of solo electronic hits, Stephen turned to his musical roots – creating a folky pop band called The Lilac Time, whose lyrics veered between love ballads and social commentary. The Lilac Time was formed in 1986, and “people were saying: what a crazy left turn this is. But, in fact, that was me doing what I wanted to do all along.” The band made no chart hits, but toured a lot and released albums through record label Fontana…

Like many bands that didn’t hit the mainstream, its fans were (and still are) die-hard enthusiasts. Stephen’s talent, musical integrity and his reputation for being “quite a depressing songwriter” got him noticed by plenty of artists – at one point, when working in LA, he was asked to write with Madonna. “Foolishly, I didn’t take them up on the offer,” he says, because “it would have got in the way of other things I wanted to do”. I suspect this might be another ‘what the f**k was I thinking?’ moment.

Throughout his years flitting through the recent history of popular music, he has lived through many different social environments: he moved from a grand pad in Mulholland to a fag smoke-filled flat above a pub in Borough Market, from a squat in Archway to a house near Hampstead Heath, and from a cottage in Malvern to his current luxurious home in Falmouth. He is one of the rare musicians to maintain a social commentary even as he progressed through to financial comfort – and went from tortured, depressed artist to contented family man. His latest album (to be released in 2019) he describes as being very ‘now’. The first song he wrote, March to the Docks, has the line ‘Stop changing the locks on our lives’ – which, he says, “seemed to mean something more after the vote to leave the EU. Now with added pathos,” he adds, ruefully.

“I didn’t realise that the 60s was the high-water mark of the advances you could make as a working-class

person, before having aspirations became something sneered at or lied about,” he says with feeling. “Starting in the 80s, they began to take back all the progress. Until now we’re almost back where we started, with only winning the pools or being a successful sportsperson being the way out of the zero-hour, zero-pay prison.

I’ve found a lot of anger and disappointment that I couldn’t keep out of the songs on this album. Although, personally, I feel happier and more positive than ever.”

While Stephen and his singer wife Clare Worrall are living their contented life in a bucolic backstreet of Falmouth, it is clear that he will never stop writing about his passion for a society that he sees on the brink of some sort of collapse. “I love being part of the community in Falmouth,” he enthuses. “I think of what Joni Mitchell wrote: ‘Reading the news and it sure looks bad. / They won’t give peace a chance. That was just a dream some of us had.’ I listen to the radio and it all sounds so bad, so depressing, and then my daughter runs in and smiles and laughs, and it is of the essence – you join in with the laughter and try and make the world better however you can.” It is this infectious optimism that tints his latest album with positivity for the human connection – and the heartfelt sense that love will somehow prevail.

Release dates for Return To Us and The Lilac Time performances at thelilactime.com and Instagram @thelilactime.

MANOR | Winter 2018

51

Sea, Salt and Solitude This edition’s Photostory showcases a selection of images from a special portraiture project by photographer Chris Hewitt on behalf of The Fishermen’s Mission.

“The most time I spent with any one subject was about three minutes. It’s a tough game photographing busy people who don’t particularly want to be photographed. I shot outside in all weathers in the hope of creating images that give the viewer a sense of atmosphere, time and place. 1,472 images later, edited down to 200, illustrating 140 narratives, we have a stunning document that we are very proud of. Mission accomplished.

“Being Cornish, I’m happy to have been a part of something that helps an industry so entrenched in our coastal way of life. These people risk a lot to earn a living, at the same time as putting fresh fish on our dinner plates.”

Sea, Salt and Solitude is priced at £25 and is available from The Fishermen’s Mission website fishermensmission.org.uk

52

MANOR | Winter 2018

photostory

The Millie G leaves Padstow Harbour for sea

MANOR | Winter 2018

53

Adam ‘Buck’ Beckett enjoying a break from filling the boat with diesel

Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac Fish Cellars

54

MANOR | Winter 2018

photostory

Jason Nicholas landing his catch from his boat Levan Mor

MANOR | Winter 2018

55

Trevor Beare, Port Isaac Fish Cellars

56

MANOR | Winter 2018

photostory

Charlie Luke on car park duty, Padstow Harbour

MANOR | Winter 2018

57

‘The Bass Boys’ landing their catch on Padstow Harbour. (Left to right) Duncan Randall, Bryan Robinson and Ed Schliffke

58

MANOR | Winter 2018

photostory

Tom Brown repairing his pots, Port Isaac Fish Cellars

MANOR | Winter 2018

59

Sam Hamilton with his punt, Newquay harbour

60

MANOR | Winter 2018

photostory

‘Chefs crib time 2018’. Paul Ainsworth and some of his team.

CHRIS HEWITT After 13 years working as a stage manager taking theatre productions on world tours, Chris moved back to Cornwall in 2012 and decided to make use of his photographic degree.

His work tends to be landscape, fine art reproduction and product photography, but he works across a broad range of photography sectors when needed, including documentary work commissioned for events and weddings, as well as for causes like this one, for The Fishermen’s Mission.

Kevin Lance and Lauren Payton prepping gear, Padstow harbour

Chris will be opening a new photography and printing studio in January 2019.

Based in Rock, North Cornwall, the space will be used to shoot products and portraiture, to teach drone and stills photography coupled with computer skills and workflows.

It will also be available fully equipped for other professionals to hire. chrishewittphotography.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

61

62

MANOR | Winter 2018

Culture Katz Cowley | intoBodmin , Cornwall South West must sees | The Exhibition Space | Worth making the trip for | Staying in

Thrushes and rowan berries, Jenny Seddon Jenny’s screenprint is on sale as part of the Devon Guild Christmas exhibition MAKE 2018 (see page 70), 17 November – 6 January at Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9AF. crafts.org.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

63

PHOTO: ALEX GREEN

The Wonky Donkey sketches

64

MANOR | Winter 2018

culture

PHOTO: ALEX GREEN

A sketch from one of Katz’s journals

Illustrator Katz Cowley found international success with her first picture book The Wonky Donkey.

As it tops the bestseller lists across the globe for the second time in a decade, she reflects on the process of creating her lovable characters. Words by Alex Green.

I

follow a narrow country road until it meets a winding stream on the outskirts of Totnes. It leads me to the home and workplace of the illustrator Katz Cowley. Surrounded by endless rolling hills and with Dartmoor on the horizon, there’s a sense of an otherworldly beauty in this valley.

Katz appears through an open window and is dressed in various shades of green. She guides me upstairs to her apartment and welcomes me inside.

“It’s a creative station at the moment,” she explains.

The room is filled with an intriguing collection of objects, from old hand tools to musical instruments that are being transformed into something new for a forthcoming 3D exhibition.

On the wall I notice the prototype of the cover art for an Australian album of children’s songs by Woody’s World, called Good Morning Kids, which she illustrated after the success of The Wonky Donkey. This is why I’m here after all, to find out how this spirited character with three legs, one eye and a flatulence issue came into being.

Thanks to a viral video of a Scottish granny who is unable to stop laughing while reading the book to her grandson earlier this year, it’s been reprinted worldwide almost 10 years on from its original release. A whopping 500,000 copies have been printed in America and 40,000 copies in the UK, to name just two countries that have taken Wonky into their hearts, homes and bookshelves once more.

MANOR | Winter 2018

65

PHOTO: VIOLA DE

Katz’s ‘creative journaling’

The story was based on a song written by Craig Smith and inspired by a joke he’d heard: ‘What do you call a donkey with three legs? A wonky donkey’.

“I was friends with Craig and this song won an award,” explains Katz, “so he approached the publisher to turn it into a book. They loved it, so Craig became the author and asked me to do the illustrations.”

A few months later, Katz signed the contract to illustrate the book. “I was really nervous as I’d never done anything like this before. It’s not just being able to draw a nice donkey. I had to show I could draw the character from different angles and be consistent.”

Katz pulls out some early sketches of Wonky she had drawn, rather fittingly, in a converted stable in New Zealand. The sketchbook is dated 27 November 2008.

Underneath is a reminder: ‘9 characters, 24 pages’ and the notes ‘How to look like a real ass’.

We look at the first background sketches, which were about getting a sense of Wonky and how a donkey is structured. All of the ideas that came through were from the words of the song. The spunky donkey, the false leg and what it was going to look like.

“My first thought was to have a roller skate. It would be funny to imagine him walking around with one set of wheels.”

She played around with different ideas in her sketch book. Is it going to wear a trainer? Will there be hinges to attach? “But then when I talk about this process with 66

MANOR | Winter 2018

kids, we think about how he would walk if he had a sink plunger for a leg and being stuck to the ground.”

By April 2009, the sketches were complete. Six months later the book was published and by Christmas that year it had gone through seven reprints to become the number one bestseller in New Zealand and Australia.

It even pipped the global success of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to the top spot for a time.

Not bad for the girl from southeast London who, as Katz says herself, had failed her exams at an academic school. She went on to study illustration in Newcastle, which she describes as ‘damaging’ because her tutor didn’t like her work, which was based on the Aesop’s Fables The Hare and the Tortoise and The Cat and the Old Rat. “My tutor slated it!” she says with the knowing look of someone who’s moved beyond this point in her life.

Despite - or because - of these setbacks, Katz followed her own path and went travelling. It was her intention to be away for six months to a year. It ended up being 16 years, mostly in New Zealand thanks to the success of The Wonky Donkey, which launched her career as an illustrator.

Other books followed, including Willbee the Bumblebee, a character that started life on the first page of The Wonky Donkey. Life was good. Then disaster struck.

She was working on the illustrations for the book All I want for Christmas when she was caught up in the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. It destroyed her home, and the life she had known crumbled around her too.

culture

PHOTO: VIOLA DE

Katz at home

I love finding the magic in the mundane. Even dressing colourfully on a grey day. Just seeing potential in things and in people

“I was literally working on the first few pages of the book and on page three it mentions a catastrophe. And then the earthquake happened.”

Katz still feels the book’s unfinished but in the trauma of the earthquake the publisher asked her to send them what she had.

“There’s a lot of me in it. There are coded things like the name of my partner at the time. I lost my cousin and his name is in there. All these secret things…”

It occurs to me that these animal characters, her ‘book babies’ as she fondly refers to them, really do have something of Katz in them. In the face of adversity, they seem to carry on regardless.

When she’s not working on a book or exhibition, Katz busies herself with what she calls ‘creative journaling’, expressing her thoughts and feelings in her sketch books.

“How many moments in our lives have we lived and we don’t know what’s coming next? Something happens and we haven’t planned it. That for me is the same thing as journaling. It’s like when we really open ourselves up and we don’t know what’s going to come through, that’s when the biggest magic happens.

“I love finding the magic in the mundane. Even dressing colourfully on a grey day. Or seeing Tom’s tool stall in Totnes. A lot of the things in this room have come from him. Just seeing potential in things and in people.”

Katz believes strongly in her ‘innersense’, a term she has coined to describe a childlike innocence that we often lose as adults.

“I saw these measuring tools at the market in Totnes and just thought, ‘Oh, it’s like a mother and child. And I knew that they had to have faces, so I sculpted them according to how it felt. It’s like a quiet listening and it’s the same for my workshops.”

It was her impulses that led her to Devon, which she adores, especially the woodland landscapes such as Wistman’s Wood on Dartmoor, which she describes as having a New Zealand spirit. The woodland theme and the myths and fantasy stories we associate with it feature strongly in her illustration work.

I ask what she hopes people will take from her work.

“It’s my greatest wish to know that people might walk away from an exhibition or a workshop feeling enlivened, inspired and like they want to get their raw materials out.” katzcowley.com wonkydonkeybook.com Katz Cowley is currently working on a new children’s book and giving inspirational talks and ‘embodied drawing and creative self-expression’ workshops.

MANOR | Winter 2018

67

If you build it… …they will come. That’s what Fin Irwin, founder and creative director of intoBodmin, is hoping for with his plans to bring fresh arts and culture experiences to his hometown. Words by Belinda Dillon.

PHOTO: FLEUR CHURCHILL

This Is The Kit performing at the St Petroc’s Sessions

68

MANOR | Winter 2018

culture

I

first met Fin Irwin at a quirky, basement cocktail bar in Exeter in 2010. A graduate of the University’s celebrated Drama department, he was keen to create something different for theatre makers and audiences in the city. Using some money from a family inheritance, and in collaboration with his business partner David Lockwood, he took a slightly dampsmelling former Chinese restaurant and turned it into a creative hub that was unlike anything else – a place that would champion new writing made locally and beyond, that would attract theatre companies with national and international profiles, and put on great live music and DJ nights. It was also the first venue in the city to serve interesting cocktails. The Bike Shed Theatre transformed the theatre scene, and although now sadly closed, it remains a turning point in Exeter’s cultural ecology.

Fin and The Bike Shed parted company in 2013, and he went on to programme The House at Plymouth University as well as making work with theatre companies Nuts & Volts, Common Players and Beaford Arts. But it’s since moving back to live on his parents’ farm on the edge of Cardinham Woods – he married in 2015, and he and wife Hannah now have a son, Jowan (2), and a month’s old daughter, Edie – that he’s really got his teeth into a project that plays to all his strengths: thinking big, making connections, and getting the right people all to pull on the same rope.

“I grew up in Bodmin, and when I moved back I realised that very little had changed – there was still not much for me to do and no places to meet other people of a similar age with similar cultural inclinations,” says Fin. “I got involved with a campaign to save a public building to create an arts centre. When the Council sold it to a cinema chain instead, this meant there was still no provision

locally for people to access wider culture and the arts, so I felt I needed to do something to address that.”

Ever the creative connector, Fin looked around and saw proactive people running great heritage assets – the steam railway, jail, and regimental museum, for instance – and they were all trying to offer creative activities alongside catering for tourists. Although supportive and keen to get involved, everyone was busy with their own organisations, so Fin took matters into his own hands and created a Community Interest Company, intoBodmin, with the intention of putting on events and creating cultural opportunities. The flagship project will be focussed on The Old Library, which Fin is trying to raise funds to buy within five years.

“The public library was built 120 years ago by John Passmore Edwards as a community space for the people of Bodmin, so it seemed natural to try and take that on, to turn it into something with community and art equally at its core,” says Fin. That taking on a building ‘seemed natural’ says all you need to know about Fin and his passion to bring arts and culture to his community – and it’s at the heart of what intoBodmin is about.

“We’ve got a mantra: culture equals community equals pride equals growth,” says Fin. “I haven’t always been that proud to be from Bodmin – there’s a historic stigma in Bodmin, in Cornwall and nationally from when the county psychiatric hospital was here, the jail, the county courts... That’s a hard one to shake. But it’s in a great location, has fantastic history and heritage – it’s got huge potential. I know that arts and cultural events bring people together, and that’s what Bodmin needs: things that we can collectively be proud of. It might not be ‘our town’ to begin with, it might be this event or

I know that arts and cultural events bring people together, and that’s what Bodmin needs: things that we can collectively be proud of.

Fin Irwin

MANOR | Winter 2018

69

A Dickensian Christmas, Ha-Hum-Ah Theatre

that building, but slowly things will shift and we’ll see people being engaged more with the town as a whole.

That’s the plan.”

Grand plans have to start somewhere, and often it’s about using the assets you have, which for Bodmin includes St Petroc’s, a beautiful 15th-century church, the second-largest in Cornwall. With no fixed pews, it offers a flexible space, and is overseen by proactive new rector Paul Holley. Having arrived in Bodmin via Salford and Switzerland, Paul understands the value of culture, and keen to support intoBodmin’s aspirations, he suggested the church as a venue for music concerts. In autumn 2017, The St Petroc’s Sessions began, kick-starting a programme of intoBodmin events.

A small folk event attracted only 40 attendees, but the next gig, indie folk outfit This is the Kit in January 2018, filled the church with 400 people, 26% of which 70

MANOR | Winter 2018

came from outside Cornwall. Fairport Convention drew a similar crowd. A small film festival called Bodmin in Motion saw screenings of pre-recorded theatre in unusual places, including The Railway Children inside a Bodmin & Wenford Steam Railway carriage, and Maxine Peake’s Hamlet in the old psychiatric hospital chapel. Most recently, The Old Library opened its doors to host a Fun Palace event, part of a national campaign that harnesses arts, science, craft, tech, digital, heritage and sports activities as a catalyst for community engagement. An introductory programme of live theatre – which is where Fin started, after all – has been a harder sell, but then, people don’t know they want something until it’s on offer.

“Audiences have never had a theatre in the town, or a small cultural venue,” says Fin. “It’s similar to when we started The Bike Shed, we’re trying to create that ecology, so people can say, ‘I’ll go out tonight and see

culture some theatre, and I can walk there’… that’s a challenge.

Here we’re really pushing the boundaries of people’s experience.”

But if anyone is up to the challenge, it’s Fin, although even he can’t do it alone. The time spent forging those initial relationships and getting the ball rolling were financed by an R&D grant from Arts Council England (ACE). Now, more ACE funding, and support from Cornwall Council has allowed him to expand the team to include a venue manager, Marion, fresh from the Eden Project, and Sophie, intoBodmin’s marketing manager.

Still, a great deal of work and time is given voluntarily: “as always, there’s a lot of passion that goes into this, but it’s certainly worth it,” says Fin. And that’s the thing about the arts – it’s often down to the passionate individuals, and, to be honest, the ones who have a bit of security behind them, to make the innovative happen. It’s a sad state of affairs, but that’s how it is across the arts sector, especially in places outside the South East and the big urban centres.

“With every venture I’ve put in countless hours for free,” says Fin. “With The Bike Shed, I was lucky to have part-time work as an associate lecturer at Exeter College, which meant I made enough money to live but had enough free time to make things happen. With intoBodmin, I was essentially living back with my parents, and Hannah’s job paid our bills. For innovative things to happen, you need people who take risks. Those kinds of people have to be driven and ambitious and absolutely believe in what they want to achieve, and having a bit of background security is the catalyst to take that leap of faith.

“I think we need more support to help create new leaders,” Fin continues. “There’s an element of what I’m doing that is around personality, confidence and selfbelief, which you can’t teach. But skills in networking, articulating a vision, building support from the surrounding community, forming a board and getting funding, are all things I’ve taught myself since leaving Uni, which others could definitely benefit from learning.

In the last two years in Bodmin, I’ve met lots of people who are keen to see change, but few who have the time, skills and/or confidence to make it happen. I’m hoping that the success of intoBodmin might inspire others…”

Word is definitely getting out about what intoBodmin is doing, not least because of The Old Library campaign, but also the Sessions, the theatre, the lively cultural offers… they’re all making people talk positively about the town, which is just as well, because last year Bodmin had the lowest satisfaction levels on the Council’s annual survey. The work is also looking to address regional inequality, and the fact that places like Bodmin can easily get forgotten. “There are some good reasons why West Cornwall typically receives more financial support – there’s a university, a big art gallery, a denser population which can support things in

different towns more easily. We’re keen that intoBodmin isn’t just about the town centre; the hinterland is really important. That’s the reason that the festive show, A Dickensian Christmas, will go out on tour on Fridays, to Launceston, Boscastle, Callington, and Fowey. We’re trying to create a ‘hub and spoke’ model. Maybe people from those towns wouldn’t travel Bodmin now, but if we take interesting work made here out to them, perhaps in future they might.”

Fin knows that arts and culture is a long game, but that the benefits are myriad, and it’s about more than just putting on fun events – it’s about building a sense of community. “We’re already starting to see it here,” says Fin. “People who’ve been to a few events start saying hello to each other. Around The Old Library we’re building a community of people who are keen to see it work, and they’ll go off and set up their own projects and find their own communities, and be proud of what they’re doing and their town. From that you start to see growth from an economic, wellbeing and social point of view. People will be happier and will support each other a bit more, more independent traders will come here – we’ve seen it with places like the Tobacco Factory in Bristol’s Bedminster.

People will be drawn to Bodmin, and it’ll be a more vibrant, nicer and safer place to live. A lot of what I’m thinking about in 10 or 15 years’ time, when Jowan and Edie are growing up here. For me it was, ‘I can’t wait to get out,’ for them I want it to be, ‘I want to go and see the world but then return and bring some of that experience back to Bodmin.’ That’s the big ambition.”

And when someone is ambitious for you, it’s easier to be a bit more ambitious for yourself. At the end of November, as part of the traditional Christmas lights switch-on, intoBodmin will project a video mapping animation onto the town’s clock tower. “We’ve had a lantern procession at this event in previous years, but in building an ambitious proposition for the Arts Council bid, we decided to include something different. Still working with local artists, primary schools and Bodmin College and bringing in the international projection mapping company The Colour Project, we will create a real spectacle. It’s been a challenge to articulate the project because, again, it’s something we’ve not seen in the town before, but we know that on the first of December, everyone will be talking about how amazing that projection was. And next year we’ll go bigger! It’s about having the strength of vision, to go, ‘trust us!’ And hopefully, people will soon start to trust us...”

A Dickensian Christmas by Ha-Hum-Ah Theatre is at The Old Library and on tour, 27 November – 22 December. Tickets from £5.Bodmin Christmas Animation is on 30 November at the clock tower on Fore Street, starting at 6.15pm and then looping until 8.30pm. Information about all upcoming events and plans can be found at intobodmin.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

71

South West must sees...

New beginning Start the new year with a reminder of the wealth of creative talent in the region with a visit to the South West Academy Exhibition. Featuring work from established artists such as Alan Cotton and Ray Balkwill, the show also celebrates new academicians, including Annie Ward, Jan Phethean, Matt Hoile and Isabel Coulton. A much-needed injection of colour and energy in the darkest days of winter…

12 January – 9 February at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell Street, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com Columbidiae by Jan Phethean

Objects of desire

Until 6 January at Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9AF. crafts.org.uk

72

MANOR | Winter 2018

PHOTO: PAUL MOUNSER

The festive season brings with it the Devon Guild Christmas selling exhibition, MAKE 2018. Filled to the brim with seasonal contemporary craft, the Jubilee Gallery hosts work by designermakers from across the UK. With a variety of materials and prices, it’s always a great opportunity to find individual gifts that will keep people talking long after the turkey is a distant memory.

From ceramics and textiles to prints and glass, there’s something for everyone, and you can also snap up some intriguing jewellery and automata made by Esther Smith, who is inspired by the landscape and wildlife surrounding her Cornish workshop. Her jewellery is handcrafted in silver while the automata combine silver, copper and brass with touches of enamel and recycled tin to add colour; reclaimed wood gives the work a base. Esther uses traditional hand-crafting techniques to achieve a three-dimensional picture, and some pieces combine automata and jewellery in one. Additional activities during the exhibition include a Christmas Celebration Day on Saturday 1 December (10am-4pm) with free festivities, promotions, mulled wine and food tastings. On Saturday 15 December (10am-12.30pm and 1.30-4pm), Jenny Amon will demonstrate the coiling technique used to create her ceramic candlesticks.

Esther Smith’s automata ‘Mystery at Elginshill’

culture

Sing out sister Hard on the heels of a coast-to-coast US tour that saw her play 37 shows in seven weeks, queen of the folk scene Sarah McQuaid is back on home turf, and she isn’t slowing down. With a battery of new instruments (including electric guitar, piano and drums), she’s now in the midst of a 25-show UK tour to promote her fifth solo album, If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous. Produced by guitar legend Michael Chapman, it has been getting rave reviews across the US and Europe. Catch her in the South West in the run-up to Christmas.

On 1 December for South Devon Music at Dolphin Hotel, Bovey Tracey, Devon; and 2 December at Old Bakery Studios in Truro, Cornwall. For full gig details and tickets, visit sarahmcquaid.com/tour

perfectly

handpicked gifts

All purchases support the museum.

www.rammuseum.org.uk/shop Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3RX

MANOR | Winter 2018

73

The young and the restless Presented across both Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange, ‘Many & Beautiful Things’ is concerned with that time in youth when anything is possible, and life is a rush for new experiences. Featuring photography and moving image work by internationally recognised artists, mid-career artists, and young emerging artists, many still at art school, the show captures lives on the cusp of change. Dutch photographer Rineke Dijkstra’s photographic series Olivier Silva, The Foreign Legion are portraits of a young soldier’s transition from boy to man over three years as he trains for the Foreign Legion.

London-based Melanie Manchot filmed her daughter for one minute each month from the age of 11 to 18; her changing relationship to the camera and to the world is presented in an installation of nine monitors. American Joseph Szabo’s photographs of high school students in the 1970s and 80s are portraits of the universal teenager.

Curated by Blair Todd, the exhibition also presents new and recent work by regional artists, including a library of coming-of-age novels compiled by Penzance writer Callum Mitchell, a video memorial to her son

by Penzance artist Lucy Willow, and photographic portraits of Camborne and Redruth residents by Young People Cornwall. ‘Fragment24a’, an exhibition within an exhibition, is a three-strand response to ‘Many & Beautiful Things’ by The Collaborators, the gallery’s collective of emerging artists aged 30 and under.

Running concurrent to the main show, it includes a mixed media exhibition reflecting their interests and concerns; two billboard prints of still images capturing the essence of what it’s like to be young; plus an Instagram takeover.

Until 5 January at Newlyn Art Gallery, New Road, Newlyn TR18 5PZ, and The Exchange, Princes Street, Penzance TR18 2NL. newlynartgallery.co.uk

Scarlet by Rosie Kliskey, part of ‘Fragment24a’

Coast in The Corner The Corner Gallery of the Penwith Gallery will be exhibiting Wilhelmina Barns-Graham for the second year running with a body of work entitled ‘Cornish Coasts’. The Corner Gallery area of the Penwith Gallery houses regular displays of archival material and artwork that celebrate founding members and artists related to the Penwith Society of Arts. This second exhibition of work by Scottish and St Ives artist Barns-Graham picks up from the theme of the first display last year: ‘1940s St Ives’. The Cornish coast both in and beyond St Ives was a continual source of inspiration for Barns-Graham from the 1940s onwards, with earlier pieces tied to specific places depicting harbours and coastal buildings, and later works looking to the sea for inspiration to deliver greater abstraction in her work.

Until September 2019 at The Penwith Gallery, Back Rd West, St Ives TR26 1NL. penwithgallery.com

74

MANOR | Winter 2018

Shallow Water Porthgwarra, 1989.

Gouache on paper

culture

Within the skin As a subject for artists across the centuries, the nude figure continues to fascinate and compel. As part of the Royal Cornwall Museum’s Bicentenary celebrations, ‘Life Studies’ brings together Old Master drawings selected from their permanent collection by the painter and draughtsman Nicholas C Williams, as well as a number of drawings by Williams himself.

From his studio, a former lifeboat station in North Cornwall, Williams has drawn and painted exclusively from life for over 30 years. The drawings in the exhibition date from the 17th century to those made by Williams this year. They range from preparatory studies and imaginary scenes (informed by working from life) to finished drawings, and include works by Guercino, Anthony van Dyck, Théodore Géricault and John Singer Sargent.

Until 23 December at the Royal Cornwall Museum, 25 River Street, Truro TR1 2SJ. £5.50 (the cost of a Museum day pass). royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk

Reclining Female Nude With Blue, 2016. Graphite on toned paper with watercolour, 27.8 x 35.1 cm, Nicholas C Williams. Collection of the Royal Cornwall Museum

Killing me roughly Exeter has always been a hotbed for music fans who revel in the intimate gig vibe. The tiny Cavern has been championing indie, punk and rock since 1991, and the Phoenix has hosted some of the most personal performances I’ve experienced, including from Joan as Police Woman and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Now there’s a thoroughly experimental newbie on the block in the form of Music is Murder, a bi-monthly live event, which takes you so far off the musical beaten track that you might just need a compass to find your way back. Next up are Plymouth’s Oddstep Deployment Unit, as well as Bristol-based Burden, and home-grown Exeter outfit Adrenalin Ghosts. There are also sets from house DJs Antisocial Services and Infected Senses Soundsystem. Expect sonic explosions that will outwit your ears, visuals to mess with your mind, and an aesthetic that’s so far underground you’ll be wanting a canary to make sure it’s safe… A perfect antidote to the pre-festive banalities.

From 7.30pm on 25 November at The Workshop, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS. £2 on the door.

Killaninjatrip performing at Music is Murder in October 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

75

The Exhibition Space NEW CRAFTSMAN GALLERY

WHITE MOOSE

24 Fore Street , St. Ives TR26 1HE | 01736 795652 newcraftsmanstives.com

Trinity Street, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 8HX | 01271 379872 whitemoose.co.uk

Throughout the Christmas season and into the New Year, New Craftsman Gallery will be exhibiting new work by leading painters, printmakers and sculptors, alongside a varied range of contemporary British craft, including ceramics, glass, wood and jewellery.

MAGI

Adrian Mitchell, Washed Beech Vessel

Group Exhibition, 23 November 2018 – 5 January 2019 For the season of giving we are focusing our winter exhibition on four artist makers who produce high quality works with sumptuous finishes: contemporary process painter Tim Bailey, ceramicist Bruce Chivers, jewellery maker Charmian Harris and textile weaver Jenny Wilkinson.

Large Platter by Bruce Chivers

ART WORLD GALLERY

MAYNE GALLERY

62 Church Street | Falmouth TR11 3DS 01326 219323 artworldltd.com

14 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1NY | 01548 853848 maynegallery.co.uk

Après la Lecture, David Jamin, 100 x 73cm, acrylic on canvas

David Jamin French artist represented

by Art World Gallery for more that 16 years in the UK. This painting is a perfect example of the strong expressive style that David Jamin is known for.

The alchemy, process and unpredictability of working in glass is what possesses one of our latest discoveries, Toni Fairhead; Gold Awardwinning artist at the 3rd International Glass Design & Creation Exhibition in China.

Rime Panel Toni Fairhead

Toni combines copper textiles and the pâte de verre process in her stunning, deeply personal works, on show in the Mayne 5x5 exhibition, running until 12 December.

An intensely moving collection and one that, like all great art, connects to us all.

HOST GALLERIES

PENWITH GALLERY

12 Whimple Street, Plymouth, PL1 2DH | 01752 241234 hostgalleries.co.uk

Back Road West, St.Ives, Cornwall TR26 1NL 01736 795579 penwithgallery.com

Christmas Exhibition Sat 8 - Mon 24 December

A rare opportunity to see a stunning collection of original paintings and limited edition prints by Breon O’Casey, all nine of them for sale. On view until April 2019.

‘Mixed Artist Show’ Showcasing a selection from our portfolio of over 60 artists, many you may not have seen before, including: Leanne Christie, Hue Folk Amy Louise, Edward Waite, Andrei Protsouk, Ben Jeffery, Christ Bell, Chris DeRubeis, Jean Picton, Danny Abrahams, Mark Grieves, Leigh Lambert, Paul James, Marc Todd, Danielle D, Sarakh Graham, Alison Johnson, Dale Bowen Lyrical Splendour by Leanne Christie

76

MANOR | Winter 2018

Bird in Oval, Breon O’Casey.

Limited edition print 8/15

culture

THE SUMMERHOUSE GALLERY

TREGONY GALLERY

Market Place, Marazion, Cornwall TR17 0AR 01736 711 400 | summerhousegallery.co.uk

58 Fore Street, Tregony, Truro TR2 5RW | 01872 530505 tregonygallery.co.uk

The Summerhouse Gallery is a beautiful, welcoming space showcasing the very best of Cornish art.

“The artist run Tregony Gallery…the outcome, as ever with this gallery, is something very far indeed from the ‘tourist tat’ that once used to pass for ‘art’ in many smaller Cornish galleries.”

Galleries Magazine

Located only a stone’s throw away from the wonderful St Michaels Mount. We aim to create the perfect place to discover paintings, jewellery, sculpture and glass in a relaxed manner.

Mira 2 by Kate Richardson

‘Luminous Ground (two)’ until 15 December 2018

To find a bit of magic this festive season, pay us a visit and discover a beautiful, one of a kind gift for someone special, we also offer a bespoke gift wrapping service.

RAMM

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3RX | 01392 265858 | exeter.gov.uk/RAMM

Women Artists: 8 December 2018 to 19 May 2019

From Barbara Hepworth’s hospital drawings to suffragette artist Olive Wharry’s views of Exeter after the blitz, Victorian children’s illustrator Kate Greenaway and Ann Lee’s 18th-century studies of birds and insects.

Shalimar 2

by Gillian Ayres

FINEART@ Lympstone Manor

Courtlands Lane, Exmouth EX8 3NZ | 01395 202040 | fineartat.com 3 December 2018 - 4 March 2019 A contemporary look at British Landscape, featuring new works by Barry Wilson, John Brenton, Louise Fairchild, Stewart Edmondson and Mark Poprawski.

Alteration, Mark Poprawski, oil on canvas, 120 x 120cm

Winter/18 Group Show until 20 December 2018 Jason Bowyer, Rose, oil on canvas, 51 x 51 cm.

WHITE SPACE ART

72 Fore Street, Totnes TQ9 5RU | 01803 864088 | whitespaceart.com

The Little Picture Show 24 November 24 December An exhibition of smaller paintings, little gems to give to loved ones at Christmas, or to appeal to collectors with limited wall space. Many on a wintry theme.

Robin, oil on board, Sarah Bowman

WHITEWATER GALLERY 1a The Parade, Polzeath PL27 6SR | 01208 869301 whitewatergallery.co.uk Throughout the Christmas season, an exhibition showcasing the skill and beauty inherent in three of the arts’ most refined disciplines – photography, glasswork and silversmithing - from photographer Nick Reader, glass artist David Pascoe and jeweller Marsha Drew.

Focus, collodion wet plate photo by Nick Reader

To advertise your gallery, exhibition, show or event here please email advertising@manormagazine.co.uk or call 07887 556447

MANOR | Winter 2018

77

Worth making the trip for...

Join the club Grace Gelder (an alumna of Dartington College of Arts in its Totnes days) is a freelance photographer and educator whose practice explores interpersonal relationships, dynamics and the intersection of photography and other disciplines. ‘When women gather…’ draws upon different definitions of gathering – from assembling for a specific purpose, to collecting from disparate sources – and features images from Gelder’s archive amassed over 11 years of working on projects, personal and professional, that depict female-identified people in small and large groups.

Expanding the potential of the exhibition and drawing on Gelder’s practice as a workshop facilitator – itself a form of gathering – the public programme of talks, workshops and performances provides a collective space for everyone to unravel what happens when women gather…

Until 31 January at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL. conwayhall.org.uk

The Prom

PHOTO: MARSEL VAN OOSTEN

Animal magic The acclaimed ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ exhibition – developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London – is back at Bristol’s M Shed with 100 stunning images. Launching in 1965 when it attracted 361 entries, today the competition receives nearly 50,000 entries from 96 countries. From breathtaking animal portraits and dramatic landscapes, to bizarre species and endangered habitats, this exhibition showcases the most arresting and spectacular images of our natural world. The competition celebrates biodiversity, promotes conservation and champions ethical photography.

If the selection in Bristol whets your appetite, the main exhibition runs until 30 June at the Natural History Museum.

Until 24 February at M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, Bristol BS1 4RN. Tickets £6 (£5), under 16s free. bristolmuseums.org.uk/m-shed/

78

MANOR | Winter 2018

culture

PHOTO: QUENTIN BLAKE

Oil paint on hardboard, c1950s

Figuratively speaking Portrayal of the body and gesture is the foundation of Quentin Blake’s consummate genius as a book illustrator and graphic artist. His lifelong, private practice as a figurative artist has run alongside his world-renowned illustration work but has, until now, remained hidden. ‘100 Figures: The Unseen Art of Quentin Blake’ features large-scale oil paintings, drawings and prints created between 1950 and 2000, none of which have been exhibited before. This remarkable body of work reveals his experimentation with materials, a more sculptural treatment of form and sensuous use of broad strokes.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 128-page book published by Tate in association with House of Illustration.

Until 27 January at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4BH. One ticket gives admission to all three galleries (£8.25). houseofillustration.org.uk

Roll up, roll up This year marks 250 years since the world’s first-ever 42ft circus ring was laid down on an abandoned patch of land in Waterloo by the ‘father of the modern circus’, Philip Astley.

So it’s fitting that just along the river, Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall plays host to the European première of Circus 1903, a family spectacular created by the producers of the world’s biggest magic show, ‘The Illusionists’, and the award-winning puppeteers who created War Horse.

The American contemporary circus company recreates the thrills and spills of turn-of-the-century entertainment using acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, trapeze and high wire performers alongside elephants imagined by the award-winning puppetry team. The Golden Age of Circus is back in town.

19 December – 5 January at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. £25-£102.50. southbankcentre.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

79

PHOTO: DAVID JENSEN

Get your skates on It’s that time again, when Somerset House creates a magical ice-skating experience in central London, at the same time easing the annual FOMO created by all those photos on Facebook of people enjoying a proper winter elsewhere in the world. And once again, they’re making the late-night sessions a real grown-up experience with Skate Lates, a series of late-night takeovers from the hottest names on the contemporary music scene. The specially curated line-up of DJs and artists brings nightlife like no other to the capital’s spectacular ice-rink, forming the ultimate open-air party destination for music lovers. Headliners include DJ Emily Rawson with Rock The Belles, Peckham-based radio station Balamii and Tottenham-based club Five Miles.

Until 13 January at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA. Tickets from £17. somersethouse.org.uk/skate

Come together Tregony Gallery near Truro, Cornwall will be heading east early in the new year to partner with Nyne Gallery to exhibit ‘Assemble’.

‘Assemble’ brings together an impressive group of artists with a wide range in styles, including members of collective The London Group, Slade School of Fine Art, Royal College of Art and Royal Drawing School, alongside Cornish artists Mark Dunford, Dana Finch, Kay Vinson, John Brenton, and Judi Green. Present will also be work by ceramicists Bridget Macklin and Claire Ireland.

There will be a series of artist talks over two Saturdays - 12 and 19 January - and a publication to accompany the exhibition.

9-22 January at The Nyne Gallery, 10 Portland Road, Holland Park, W11 4LA. info@tregonygallery.com for tickets. tregonygallery.co.uk Gethin Evans , Madrid Couple 2, oil on linen , 125 x 120 cm

80

MANOR | Winter 2018

culture Worth staying in for...

Ship shape If you’re looking for something to strip your ears of bejingled seasonal sounds, then fresh vinyl release Bristol Fashion could be right up your strasse: a collaboration between Exeterbased avant-garde free jazz trio Capri-Batterie and writer/ stand-up comedian Stewart Lee, it’s a noise art assemblage of spontaneous sounds and meta-level riffing that will leave you gobsmacked, foot-jiggling and giggling in equal measure.

The union began in March 2018, when Lee was performing Content Provider at Exeter Northcott Theatre; CapriBatterie (Tim Sayer on trumpet and electronics, Kordian Tetkov on drums and percussion, and Matt Lord on bass and saxophone) invited him to improvise in response to their playing, and during a lunchtime gig in a workshop room at Exeter Phoenix, ears melted and jaws hit the floor.

Roll on to October, and Lee and the band spent an hour in a Bristol studio, and the result, if you’re lucky, will now be in your hot little hands. It’s a riot of chopped up rhythms, honking refrains and pure experimentation that coalesces around Lee’s characteristically side-winding narratives. If this album doesn’t become a cult classic, I’ll eat my saxophone. And if you can catch them live – they’ve just sold out London’s premiere avant-garde jazz hotspot Café Oto – you’d be crazy not to.

Bristol Fashion is available on vinyl via Dirter Promotions for £15, dirterpromotions.com. See also capri-batterie.com, stewartlee.co.uk

Tales of the gritty Once January rolls around, you’ll be looking for a nice big coat, and who wears one better than Idris Elba in Luther? No one, that’s who. Back for a much-vaunted fifth series on the BBC just as the new year dawns, Elba’s John Luther will be stalking the grime-laden streets of London looking for more rules to break, faces to rearrange and still harbouring a blood-red candle for the psychopath with a heart, Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), who’d give Killing Eve’s Villanelle a run for her money any day. To get you up to speed – because, let’s face it, it’s been a while – settle down with the full box sets on iPlayer, and give yourself a well-deserved measure of bleakness to counteract the double Bailey’s on ice.

All four series of Luther are available now on BBC iPlayer.

MANOR | Winter 2018

81

For this issue’s Style Shoot, we chose a suitably magical backdrop in The Glazebrook Hotel, Devon. Walk across this hotel’s threshold and be lost for the entirety of your stay in a wonderland of clever decoration and refined opulence. Worth dressing up for.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON POWELL STYLED BY MIMI STOTT MAKE-UP: SOPHIE MOORE HAIR: YOKE SALON MODEL: GABRIELLE SANCHEZ FROM STORM 82

MANOR | Winter 2018

Evie flower and deer sequin dress, Markus Lupfer; necklace, stylist’s own

MANOR | Winter 2018

83

Amelie printed floral silk dress, Markus Lupfer, £620; shoes, Zara, £69.99

84

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

85

Charlie sequin flower and deer skirt, Markus Lupfer, £800; top, Zara, £15.99; shoes, Zara, £69.99; necklace, stylists own

86

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

87

Dress, Warehouse, £46; belt, Mango, £29.99; beret, Zara, £15.99

88

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

89

Dress, Zara, £39.99

90

MANOR | Winter 2018

Jumpsuit, Zara, £49.99; shoes, Zara, £49.99; earrings, Zara, £15.99

MANOR | Winter 2018

91

Dress, Zara, £89.99; shoes, Zara, £49.99; earrings, Mango, £12.99; necklace, stylists own

92

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

93

94

MANOR | Winter 2018

Food On the trail of North Devon’s best food and drink Bites, the latest news and events from across the region MANOR’s festive hamper | Signature Dish | Our guide to Christmas tipples The Table Prowler

Festive ice cream wreath: Six dairy-free ice creams, all made with coconut cream, are available from Cornwall’s Coconuts Naturally coconutsnaturally.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

95

The Mason’s Arms

96

MANOR | Winter 2018

food

Anna Turns goes on a foodie tour of North Devon, with a new app as her guide.

H

eading ‘up north’ with the whole family, I have downloaded the new North Devon food and drink trail app onto my phone and we’re ready to eat our way around this often-overlooked region. Driving along the North Devon link road and up towards the coast, our first pitstop is Braunton and, with two hungry children in the back, we’re all glad to get out of the car. This small village certainly has its fair share of trendy shops and we’re spoilt for choice with where to grab a morning coffee. Wild Thyme looks perfect, with specialist coffee and so many delicious cakes and brunch dishes on offer. The lightly toasted fruit loaf with plenty of butter is an extra treat and the sandwiches are of the doorstep variety. We dive into the Museum of British Surfing for a quick potted history of how this sport has evolved over the decades and then, after a look around town, the little ones are hungry for lunch. Looking at the app, we have plenty of choices – At One bistro, Riverside restaurant which cooks up many

ingredients home grown by the Charlesworth family, Stoned for wood-fired pizzas, and Squires fish and chips, which apparently Rick Stein raves about. So we head there for takeaway and find a sunny picnic table. Perfectly cooked cod and chips – no grease in sight.

Time to head to the beach, and again we’re not short of options. We have a quick potter around Woolacombe (for a grown-up meal, I’d book a table at Noel Corston’s wonderful NC@EX34), and then move on to Ilfracombe, which is fast becoming a rather unlikely hub for fantastic foodie start-ups. After walking down through to the charming 19th-century Tunnels Beach (it’s chilly so we’re not brave enough to swim in the tidal pool) and back up to town, we’re pleased to see the distinctive red and white vintage Hocking’s ice cream van – well known for serving some of the West Country’s best vanilla ice cream since 1936, it’s hard to resist even on a cold day (although we were also tempted by the authentic Italian gelato at Joey’s by the harbour).

Woolacombe view

MANOR | Winter 2018

97

The Proper Marmalade Shop

Thomas Carr working with Lundy Crab in The Olive Room kitchen

Ilfracombe has its fair share of brilliant food shops – The Proper Marmalade Company offers some surprising takes on the traditional breakfast preserve. From clementine and ginger or orange and bergamot ‘proper’ marmalades to gin and tonic or blood orange and black pepper ‘improper’ marmalades, each jar is 100 per cent handmade. Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium is another award-winning specialist – their chocolate museum illustrates how real chocolate is sourced and crafted into anything from chocolate animals to sophisticated handrolled chocolate ganache truffles. There are also lots of delicious foodie gifts on the shelves at The Deli, curated by chef owner Lisa O’Connor – plus its café has a play 98

MANOR | Winter 2018

Wild Thyme

area so we enjoy a reviving coffee pitstop before visiting Ilfracombe’s small but perfectly formed aquarium down by the pier.

Rumour has it, Damien Hirst is closing down his restaurant, The Quay, just around the corner, but there’s plenty more on Ilfracombe’s menu to attract serious foodies and I can’t resist browsing the app to see what else is on offer. Top of my wish list is Thomas Carr at The Olive Room, which has retained its Michelin star for the third year running for its Modern European dishes with a focus on locally sourced seafood. His newest venture, Thomas Carr Seafood & Grill is also listed as recommended in the 2019 Michelin Guide.

food The Antidote is another great addition to town, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand award too. The Relish Bar & Bistro is a strong choice for seafood platters; the owners of Relish also run Sunfish Cuisine, delivering luxury seafood picnic hampers in the Ilfracombe area.

On Ilfracombe’s promenade, The Naked Cake tea and coffee house is known locally for its range of cakes and bakes made on-site by owner Kim. Over in the town centre, FIX is a trendy coffee shop serving up plenty of snacks and a good brunch, while quesadillas and the leather armchairs are a tempting prospect in the rustic, industrial-styled Annie and the Flint coffee house.

Homeward bound, we pull over in Barnstaple, and log on to the app to find a family-friendly restaurant nearby. Top of the list is Them Apples, a new restaurant that claims to only use the best local, seasonal produce.

So we wander down Maiden Street past the less enticing takeaways and find the family-run Them Apples just next to its sister restaurant Jalapenos, a lively Mexican haunt.

The blackboard on the wall shows a map of the area and lists the produce – trout from Muddiford, fish and cheese sourced from Butchers Row in Barnstaple, meat from Heal Farm in South Molton, local eggs and bread baked in-house. While the décor is a little bland and could do with a stronger identity, the food on the autumn menu lives up to its promises. Exmoor burgers for the kids are delicious (with handcut chips, homemade tomato ketchup and freshly baked burger buns), and the roasted butternut squash risotto and roasted pork loin steak (served with spicy sag aloo, onion bhaji and mint yoghurt) were devoured pretty quickly too. It’s a shame this level of provenance isn’t commonplace in all restaurants.

I’d argue that North Devon has just as much to offer as Padstow and Dartmouth – it’s just a little more geographically spread out so you need to know where to look. But no doubt about it, the North Devon Food and Drink Trail app is a great tool to navigate your way around menus, markets, delis and more.

Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium

TRY A TRAIL Thatched pub trail: After a brisk wintry walk, hunker down in one of Devon’s best traditional pubs with a pint and a hearty meal. Highlights include the Duke of York at Iddesleigh and the 17th century Rams Head coaching inn in Dolton.

Seafood lovers trail: Located on opposite banks of the Taw and Torridge rivers, Appledore and Instow have some of the best catches of the day, whether it’s delicacies from the Glorious Oyster pop-up, a crab sandwich from the Coffee Cabin, a picnic hamper from Johns Deli, or deluxe platters of lobster, prawns and crabs from Mor Shellfish T Eat just along the coast at Mortehoe.

Winter food trail: Centred around South Molton, the gateway to Exmoor, this trail starts at the pannier market on a Thursday or Saturday. Highlights also include sampling the Taw Valley Tasty at The Cheese Larder, a traditional cream tea at the Corn Dolly Tea Room and a visit to the Quince Honey Farm. Book a table at The Grove Inn in Kings Nympton or spoil yourselves at the Michelin-starred The Masons Arms in Knowstone just off the A361 North Devon link road.

Download the app or find out more at northdevonfoodtrail.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

99

food

The Food Hall ETHERINGTON’S FARM SHOP

POLGOON VINEYARD & ORCHARD

Wheal Rose, Scorrier TR16 5DF | 01209 899 203 etherington-meats.co.uk

Rose Hill, Penzance TR20 3TE | 01736 333 946

Get Christmas delivered to your door with Etherington’s Festive Feast Box.

Fairy lights and fizz at Polgoon

£110.00 including postage.

This Christmas pop to the Polgoon Vineyard Shop to select the perfect wine to accompany your festive celebrations.

Perhaps create a bespoke Christmas hamper of Cornish wine and locallysourced treats? Or select from the wide range of celebratory sparkling wines such as the award-winning Seyval Blanc Sparkling Brut 2014. And, if you’re looking for an fternoon of festive fun, visit the vineyard with friends or colleagues for a winter wine tour and tasting with homemade mince pies and mulled wine.

Booking essential: polgoon.com. Trees from prize-winning, local grower, Ladydowns Christmas Trees, will also be available at the vineyard from 1 December.

CHOCOLARDER

SALCOMBE GIN

Unit 1, Viaduct Works, Frog Hill, Truro, TR3 7JW 01872 857071 | chocolarder.com

Voyager Series ‘Guiding Star’

Filled with delicious West Country meat, from the all-important turkey to pigs-in-blankets, our Feast Box has everything you need to make this Christmas a mouthwatering experience.

01548 288180 | salcombegin.com

Back this Christmas is our signature seasonal Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh dark chocolate bar, accompanied by our brand new fiery Gingerbread milk chocolate.

This exceptional sloe & damson gin has been aged in an 80 year old cask that previously held Niepoort’s famous 1997 Colheita 20-year old tawny port. Uniquely, no sugar has been added and the classic autumnal fruit flavours are accentuated with rose petals, bitter almonds and sweet orange peel.

It is rich yet beautifully balanced on the palate. £65

THE PADSTOW COFFEE COMPANY

WING THE CORNISH FISHMONGER

Chocolarder are committed to making the finest quality, small-batch chocolate from Bean to Bar. Ethically sourcing ingredients directly and wrapping it all up in sustainable, plastic free packaging.

18 Duke Street, Padstow | 01841 705004 padstowcoffee.co.uk Coffee Heaven - for the coffee lover in your life!

An exclusive range of luxury, hand roasted coffees using only the finest quality 100% Arabica beans, expertly blended and roasted to ensure the perfect cup.

Home to the most extensive collection of coffee brewing equipment in Cornwall with lots of great gift ideas featured on the website.

St Mawes, Cornwall | 01726 862489 thecornishfishmonger.co.uk

Nothing says Christmas luxury quite like a freshly caught Cornish lobster. With a beautifully delicate, subtle sweet flavour, a lobster is the ultimate seafood centrepiece.

To advertise your food and drink produce, shop, deli, winery, distillery, café, restaurant or food event here please email advertising@manormagazine.co.uk or call 07887 556447 100

MANOR | Winter 2018

MANOR | Winter 2018

101

Curtain’s up

bristololdvic.org.uk/1766

Wild meat only Pupils from Westminster School in London came to Devon to learn how to forage and to skin rabbits when they recently took part in a ‘field to table’ cookery course with Root Camp UK. The group of 15-year-old boys took a break from academic life to plant and harvest, explore medicinal herbs, and cook on an open fire and in the kitchen at the 19th century Selgars Mill, near Cullompton. Everything they ate was cooked entirely from scratch by the boys according to what was in season.

Root Camp UK is a charity that runs residential field-to-table cookery schools for young people in the UK. Its aim is to encourage healthy eating in young people from all backgrounds by teaching kitchen skills and working with produce at its source. Half the time is spent in the kitchen, the other half is spent enjoying other food-related activities – from farming and fishing to woodcarving and making cheese.

Charity founder and CEO Cassia Kidron says: “I want young people to cook for themselves, to learn more 102

MANOR | Winter 2018

about the processes of the field-to-plate journey, to talk about how their consumer choices make an impact on the environment, and to value and enjoy good ingredients and eating fantastic meals together.” She adds: “This particular course is wild meat only and while no one has to skin a rabbit, from experience on our previous courses most choose to. Even my vegan son did!” rootcamp.co.uk/courses

PHOTO: EVOKE PICTURES BRISTOL PHOTOGRAPHY

Head chef Coco Barone recently opened 1766 Bar & Kitchen as part of Bristol Old Vic’s much-anticipated redevelopment. Housed in the newly transformed foyer of the historic theatre, the new restaurant is set against the backdrop of the original theatre façade dating back to 1766, also revealed for the very first time as part of the opening.

Coco Barone believes that chefs should allow the ingredients to be the star of the show. Both the pre-theatre menu and dinner menu also showcase Coco’s ethos, with stars of the plate including Hereford sirloin steak, crisp confit duck leg, smoked haddock pappardelle, or a veggie-hit of Thai chickpea, lentil and spinach cake. “In Italy, mealtimes are about bringing people together around the table to share both great food and conversation. This is what 1766 will be all about. I believe in allowing the main ingredient in a dish to take the limelight, but I do enjoy adding playful, creative twists to dishes and I hope the people of Bristol and beyond enjoy these,” says Coco.

food

A truckle with a tale to tell Quicke’s Oak Smoked Clothbound Cheddar can bring a true taste of Devon to this year’s Christmas festivities (200g £4.75, 500g £11.10, 1.5kg £30).

Beginning with the grass out on the pastures of Home Farm, an unadulterated Devon diet for Quicke’s world-famous hybrid cows, their milk is then combined with natural rennet, heritage starters and Cornish Sea Salt to create the cheese’s unique flavour profile.

Wrapped in cloth and matured for up to 12 months, the farm’s unique microflora impacts upon its taste, texture and appearance as the cheese slowly comes of age. Venturing around the farm more than most, this cheese is finally cold smoked using oak chips from trees grown in the ancient woodlands of the estate, which have been dried for many months in an old barn nestled in the farm’s winding lanes. quickes.co.uk

Drink your way around Cornwall Cornwall’s first ‘plough to bottle’ distillery has teamed up with Cornwall’s first wine tour provider to offer The Cornish Drinks Experience, a day savouring the Duchy’s finest gin, wine and beer. Escorted by Kate McBurnie (pictured) of Cornish Wine Tours, the day includes a visit to Colwith Farm Distillery – the first facility in Cornwall to produce gin and vodka from scratch on one site, from potatoes grown on the fifth-generation family farm – for a tour and tasting at the new distillery. Next up is a visit to award-winning Trevibban Mill vineyard near Padstow to sample four of their wines accompanied by a delicious combination of charcuterie and cheese.

The tour finishes at the Padstow Brewing Company, home of the only Head Brewster (female brewer) in Cornwall for a tasting flight of six beers.

The tour runs on 15 December 2018 and includes pick-up and drop-off in Padstow. Spaces are limited to 13 per event, from £85 per person. cornishwinetours.com/the-cornish-drinks-experience

Get set for Christmas at Darts Farm

PHOTO: MATT AUSTIN

Darts Farm near Topsham celebrates the festive season this year with a new Christmas Skills Night on 19 December. Come away with brilliant, practical ideas for everything from stuffing the turkey, right through to the art of last-minute flower arrangements, choosing and serving cheese and selecting which wines to serve with what. This thriving family business, which started as a farm shop hut over 40 years ago and still revolves around the family farm, is currently celebrating its 25th year and was recently crowned the Westcountry’s ‘Best South West Farm Shop’ in the Taste of the West Awards 2018. Michael Dart, one of three Dart brothers who run the business together, says: “Here at Darts Farm we never do things by halves, and Christmas is no exception. We spend much time planning how we can make the season special and memorable for our customers, and the team gets incredibly excited as the season approaches.” dartsfarm.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

103

Festive Storm, the perfect Christmas tipple A festive cocktail combining Luscombe’s fiery Hot Ginger Beer and Havana Club’s smooth Especial rum INGREDIENTS

• • • • • •

100ml Luscombe Hot Ginger Beer 50ml Havana Club Especial 15ml lime juice 5ml cinnamon syrup Slice of lime Ice cubes

METHOD

Fill your glass ¾ full with ice. Add the Havana Club Especial, freshly squeezed lime juice, cinnamon syrup and Hot Ginger Beer. Stir and enjoy.

Organic opening Already known nationally for its organic food box delivery scheme, Eversfield has evolved into an online emporium of some of the finest foods produced in this region, including its own Roam & Relish charcuterie range. Mark Bury, who grew up in Yelverton and left the city life in 2002 to pursue his dream of farming just a few miles from Tavistock, comments: “The shop is a natural development of our vision. When we arrived at Ellacott [the family farm in Bratton Clovelly] we spent two backbreaking years bringing the land – which had been intensively farmed – back to fertility.

For me and my family, organic means the best for our own health, the animals we keep and the health of our soil and wildlife. Our arrival in Tavistock is a natural development for Eversfield.”

From the outset, the environmental footprint of the shop is being kept to a minimum – customers are encouraged to bring their own containers for deli counter products, plastic carrier bags and disposable coffee cups are nowhere to be seen (customers can bring their own

reusable ones) and milk is sold in glass bottles that can be brought back in empty to be returned to Ivy House Dairy.

“Christmas is a really important time for us – our organic hams and turkeys are popular – and we are looking forward to the chance of meeting our customers in person,” adds Mark.

Eversfield Organic recently opened its first farm shop, deli and café at 2 West Street, Tavistock. eversfieldorganic.co.uk

Festive pizza Pizza is on the festive menu at Bayards Kitchen at Dartington, with a Christmas special topped with turkey stuffing and pigs in blankets.

Christmas party nights take place on 30 November, 7, 14 and 21 December, with plenty of pizzas to choose from. Tuck into two courses for £14.95 – this includes a welcome drink of mulled wine or cider (non-alcoholic drink available), a pizza of your choice, mince pies and Devon clotted cream. bayardskitchen.co.uk

104

MANOR | Winter 2018

food

Master menu Lympstone Manor hosted its inaugural Protégé Dinner event to celebrate the talented chefs who have trained under renowned British chef Michael Caines during their formative years. Each of the eight selected protégés, who now run their own kitchens, joined Michael from across the UK and Ireland to create a collaborative eightcourse tasting menu in his Michelin-starred kitchen.

Dishes included wild River Exe fish with Exton saffron and estuary sea herbs from Tom Williams-Hawkes at the Salutation Inn, Topsham, plus Exmoor venison with celeriac, cavolo nero and blackberry from Liam Finnegan at The Castle, Taunton.

Michael Caines MBE (centre) was joined by eight of his protégés for a special dining experience

Weekly round-ups from Riverford Every week for more than 25 years, organic farmer, entrepreneur and vegetable enthusiast Guy SinghWatson has distilled his ruminations on ethical food, farming and business into a missive to Riverford’s 50,000 veg box customers.

In his new book, Vegetables, Soil & Hope, a selection of these newsletters chronicle a quarter century of the highs and lows of farming organically and growing an ethical business from a handful of customers in Devon to 50,000 a week nationwide. The short pieces challenge the food on your plate, help you empathise with those who produce it, and celebrate our expanding vegetable world, while embracing everything from artichokes to cardoons.

As Guy explains: “This book was mostly written in the fields, in my head while working. By the time I get my boots off it is relatively easy to organise my thoughts into weekly newsletters. My world is vegetables, soil, farming and cooking; I try to stick to what I know best,

but often my frustration with conventional business and its abuse and denigration of humanity and the environment spills onto the page. If any of its contents leads anyone to reconsider the nature of good farming or business, I will be happy.”

Illustrated by Guardian Weekend magazine artists Berger&Wyse, topics range from unscrupulous agricultural chemical giants, overproduction and overconsumption of meat, and the unethical business practices of supermarkets, to more positive and enlightening pieces about the preciousness of soil and Riverford’s move to employee ownership.

Vegetables, Soil & Hope (£9.99) is available to buy via riverford.co.uk.

Padstow Christmas Festival

PHOTO: ADAM SARGENT

Running from 6 to 9 December, Padstow Christmas Festival is one of the largest of its kind in the country. Culinary trio Rick Stein, Paul Ainsworth and Nathan Outlaw headline alongside a host of gastronomic A-listers, including Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Phil Vickery, Jack Stein, Brian Turner, Angela Hartnett, Tom Parker Bowles, Matthew Fort, Reza Mahammad, and Channel 4’s Million Pound Menu judge, Atul Kochhar. The two chef stages will feature more than 60 cookery demonstrations, food forums, themed workshops and chef Q&As. New to the event this year is a Wine Theatre, housed in a marquee on Padstow’s North Quay, with literary talks, tutored food and wine pairings, and meet-the-winemaker banquets. Padstow also plays host to more than 100 stalls in its Christmas market, packed with artisan crafts and artwork, and locally produced food and drink.

The free festival opens at midday on 6 December by Nathan Outlaw and also features live music, a lantern parade, Santa’s grotto and a huge fireworks display over the harbour. padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

105

MANOR’s festive foodie hamper

PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

Pipers Farm Pipers Farm’s Properly Free Range Bronze Turkey is the crowning glory of any festive table, feeding the whole family and more with succulent, seasonal and nutritious meat, which has been slow-reared and free to roam. Once the birds reach natural maturity at around five or six months old (double the time given to mature industrially reared birds), they are slaughtered, dry-plucked and hung for two weeks to develop a wonderful texture and depth of flavour. Pipers Farm’s Properly Free Range Bronze Turkey (£13.95/kg), available from 5kg to 11kg, is available to order at pipersfarm.com.

Dairy-free choc Dorset-based Chococo’s new Festive Vegan Collection (£11) showcases nine celebratory dark chocolates including Tawny Port & Fig, Marzipan, Crystallised Ginger, Date & Cognac and Mulled Wine. chococo.co.uk

Christmas Tide In Salcombe Brewery’s limited-edition yuletide ale, Christmas Tide, the crystal, chocolate and wheat malts bring warmth and body – ideal for a winter’s day. The plethora of hops build on the chocolatey malt base and add a bittersweet finish (£20 for 8 x 500ml, £9.50 for presentation pack of 3 x 500ml). salcombebrewery.com

Figgy pudding Husband and wife team, Richard and Joanne Evans, make all their traditional Figgy’s in Devon Christmas Puddings in small batches in their artisan bakery near Exeter using an old family recipe. They steam them in Mason Cash ceramic bowls and wrap them in cotton pudding cloth, before maturing them for several months in their basins – the cloth allows the puddings to breathe and the rich, wonderful flavours to develop. Ten-year-old Somerset Cider Brandy from the Somerset Distillery as well as CAMRA award-winning Port Stout from Devonbased Hanlons Brewery are used in generous proportions. Richard and Joanne even make their own breadcrumbs by hand, from bread made at the bakery next door. £11.95 for a pudding for 2-3 people, £16.95 for 4-6 people and £22.95 for 8-10 people. figgys.co.uk

106

MANOR | Winter 2018

Milking it Black Cow now comes in 5cl miniature bottles, available from Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. Stylish Black Cow hi-ball or rocks drinking glasses (£26 for 6) are also now available from blackcow.co.uk.

food

Fudging it

Champion rum Lyme Bay Winery’s new flagship product, Jack Ratt Lugger Rum, has been crowned a winner at the Taste of the West Awards. With its distinctive bottle shape and full profile of complex spices, Devon’s first spiced rum is now stocked in 150 Waitrose stores nationwide (70cl £38.50). lymebaywinery.co.uk

Buttermilk has launched a new Cornish fudge Advent Calendar (400g, £14.99). Each one of the 25 helpings comes in a home-compostable wrapper and the fudge has been handmade in-house by craft confectioners using traditional methods. Now located on the edge of Bodmin Moor, the team can still be found using traditional copper pans over open flames, blending ingredients and ensuring the best texture and taste. Available from Waitrose, National Trust shops, Amazon, Moonpig, Debenhams plus selected independent retailers.

Buttermilk has also joined forces with Pinkster Gin to create crumbly fudge flavoured with gin-soaked raspberries (150g sharing box, £3.99, is exclusively available at Waitrose). buttermilk.co.uk

12 Ciders of Christmas Bristol Cider Shop’s festive hamper contains a box of award-winning ciders – all sourced from within 50 miles of Bristol and all made from pure pressed apple or pear juice on traditional cider farms. Founded

by Pete Snowman, Bristol Cider Shop – recently named Independent Cider Retailer of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2018 – is one of the only dedicated cider shops in the country and only sells ‘real’ West Country ciders. £35 (plus £10 postage). bristolcidershop.co.uk

Tastes like paradise Cornwall-based ice cream entrepreneur Cecily Mills launched her dairy-free Coconuts Naturally range three years ago. Made with coconut cream, it’s the UK’s only organic, dairy-free ice cream that doesn’t contain nuts or soya. Coconuts are also highly nutritious, rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Each 500ml pot in the Coconuts Naturally range of six flavours (Coconut Caramel, Rum & Raisin, Raw Chocolate, Mint Choc Chip, Creamy Coconut, and Sumptuous Strawberry) contains the equivalent of two and a half coconuts, and all are sweetened with unrefined coconut sugar only.

Coconuts Naturally is available online from Ocado, in Morrisons stores in the South West, and in around 200 independent shops across the country. coconutsnaturally.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

107

Signature Dish Best-ever pavlova base, and four ways to dress it Bristol-based Genevieve Taylor is a food stylist and author of five books including How to Eat Outside.

She writes regularly for Olive and Sainsbury’s magazines, is the co-chair of the Guild of Food Writers and has co-presented Radio 4’s The Food Programme. “Meringues, either individual or one big one for a pavlova, are a fantastic way to smugly get every last drop of heat from your oven. You do need a really cool oven for this to work, so I tend to make meringues first thing in the morning after a big cooking session the previous day,” says Genevieve. “A little tip for egg white separation – you cannot get even a molecule of egg yolk in your whites when you make meringues, as they will refuse to foam up. I separate my eggs into individual glasses, so if I do mess up and break one yolk I don’t ruin the whole batch.”

The Ultimate Wood-Fired Oven Cookbook by Genevieve Taylor (Quadrille, £15). Photography: Jason Ingram.

Makes one large pavlova base, serving about six INGREDIENTS

• • • • • •

200g caster sugar 3 large egg whites 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp vanilla extract 300ml double cream

METHOD

• A couple of tablespoons of Marsala • Slices of ripe fig • Shavings of dark chocolate

Weigh the sugar in a heatproof bowl – metal or ceramic – and slide it into the warm oven (100–110°C/210–225°F).

Leave it to heat through for 15 minutes. Once the sugar is hot, put the egg whites into the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk to stiff peaks, then add a third of the sugar and whisk for another minute or so. Add the remaining sugar, a third at a time, whisking well after each addition. Finally, add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and give the meringue a final good whisk.

Spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet, levelling it out with the back of a spoon so it’s about the size of a dinner plate. Make the edge one centimetre or so higher than the middle, and swirl to create a few artful peaks.

Set the tray on a cooling rack to raise it up so it doesn’t sit directly on the oven base, then slide it into the cool oven and shut the door tight. Leave to gently bake for about 3 hours, checking every hour. The meringue is ready when you can very gently lift it from the surface of the paper, although it will still be delicate and crack if you are heavy-handed.

Allow to cool completely before topping. See below for a few ideas. For each topping, start with a layer of whipped cream – simply whisk 300ml of double cream to soft billowy peaks and spoon and swirl it across the cooked meringue base. Then top with your favourite fresh fruit, or try one these ideas:

You also need a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

For the nutty rum banoffee topping

For the nutty rum banoffee topping

• • • •

2 or 3 sliced ripe bananas 4 tbsp caramel sauce A couple of teaspoons of rum (or boiling water) A handful of toasted chopped pecans

For the rhubarb and custard topping

• Roasted or poached rhubarb • A generous drizzle of fresh vanilla custard • A handful of toasted almonds For the lemon curd and raspberries topping

• A few generous spoons of lemon curd • A couple of generous handfuls of raspberries • A handful of toasted almonds For the Marsala cream, figs and chocolate topping

Scatter two or three sliced ripe bananas over the cream.

Beat four tablespoons of caramel sauce with a couple of teaspoons of rum (or boiling water if you prefer) in a small bowl until you can drizzle it (try a jar of dulce de 108

MANOR | Winter 2018

food

leche, or caramelised condensed milk). Drizzle the sauce over the bananas and scatter over a handful of toasted chopped pecans.

Scatter on a couple of generous handfuls of raspberries.

Again, a scatter of toasted nuts adds a lovely crunch – hazelnuts, pecans, almonds are all great.

For the rhubarb and custard topping

For the Marsala cream, figs and chocolate topping

Rhubarb and custard – top with a pile of roasted or poached rhubarb and a generous drizzle of fresh vanilla custard. Scatter over a few toasted almonds too, if you like.

Add a couple of tablespoons of Marsala to the cream just before you whip it, then top with slices of ripe fig.

Use a potato peeler to generously shave dark chocolate all over the top.

For the lemon curd and raspberries topping

Add a few generous spoons of lemon curd in little dollops over the top of the cream, swirling it in with the spoon.

MANOR | Winter 2018

109

The MANOR guide to Christmas tipples When it comes to wine, a good haul of bottles from your local merchant – carefully chosen with the help of some honest advice if you need it – can help make Christmas all the more special. Jon Keast of Scarlet Wines near Hayle shares his recommendations.

Domaine Roblin Sancerre, £19.50

trickiest wines of all to get right.

The whites are from Chardonnay and the reds from Pinot Noir. The best guide to quality is the name of the producer rather than the micro zone the wine comes from, but you must get advice and you must spend a decent sum or you will be disappointed. When the wine is good, there is nothing better in the world: buttery, complex, creamy whites and multi-layered, complex, delicate reds with the odd mushroomy twang to keep your interest until the very last drop.

My family tradition calls for Champagne on Christmas morning.

Les Héritiers Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc, £22 Amiot-Servelle Chambolle-Musigny, £65

Personally, these days I usually opt for English Sparkling Wine from one of Devon or Cornwall’s own vineyards. Every bit as good and local too.

By Christmas Day evening, fatigue may have set in, the palate is a little jaded and a disagreeable hangover lurks nearby. I find that something

Christmas Eve has to be one of the best times of the year. That

delicious moment when everyone is home and you can start the party. I like a crisp, well chilled white wine, something refreshing like Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé.

These are from Sauvignon Blanc grown in the upper reaches of France’s Loire valley. They lack the pungent fruitiness of New Zealand Sauvignon but replace it with a tight, stony crispness that is impossible to beat.

Trevibban Mill Brut, £30

Burgundy is the absolute classic at Christmas lunch. These are the 110

MANOR | Winter 2018

sweet does the job, ideally sweet and fizzy. So a nice Moscato d’Asti is perfect; this is low alcohol with a delicious grapey fresh taste and a lick

of comforting sugar. For something stronger and sweeter, go for vintage port, ideally with a couple of decades of age. This is another absolute classic, rich and full and, if well aged, it tastes a bit like Christmas cake.

GD Vajra Moscato d’Asti, £20 Quinta do Infantado 2011, £58

Head out for that Boxing Day walk, get some air, chase the dog or children about and you will be ready for one of life’s true pleasures – the Boxing Day left-overs lunch. What

to drink? This is a chance to go off-piste, so top quality of course, but less trad. I’d love a rich complex, full bodied white from South Africa. For red, a lovely gentle, spicy Rhone wine, so Gigondas, Lirac or everyone’s Dad’s favourite, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Miles Mossop Saskia, £18 Domaine Gallety Côtes du Vivarais, £25 Scarlet Wines, The Old Forge, Lelant. scarlet-wines.co.uk

food

The Table Prowler The Cornish Barn in The Artist Residence Hotel, Penzance The Artist Residence is a quirky hotel on Chapel Street in Penzance. Like most venues in Penzance, parking is a bit of a business – you can either spend hours driving around the narrow streets looking for a slot in which to scrape your car, or use one of the municipal car parks and walk. Fine if the weather’s fine (which it was) and if you have sensible shoes (which I didn’t). The ambience in the hotel restaurant is warm and inviting. Shabby-chic styling means you can dress up or dress down and still feel completely at ease. There are always plenty of people to give the place a lively vibe – and a good cross section of Penzance locals and discerning visitors descend here.

The menu is equally inviting: modern European with a gastro-pubby vibe. Starters include duck breast with carrot purée and pickled fennel in a pistachio crumb; scallops in a sweet chilli sauce; and roast beets with feta. All priced between £7.50 and £10, which is fairly high-end for a Penzance eatery, but not painfully steep. My friend went for the charred hispi cabbage with whipped cream and dill, which was not quite what she expected. It was a big wedge of a chargrilled cabbage head, liberally smeared with dillinfused cream. It could have been redeemed by the taste, but unfortunately it was fairly bland. I chose the prawns from the

specials board. My four extra-large prawns arrived promptly enough, and they were pretty good, if simply dressed in lemon and a buttery sauce. I went full-on gastro-pub fare for my main with a beer-can chicken. It was served on a wobblyedged chopping board (I’m not the biggest fan of the ‘funkyplate-alternative’ option), but the big chunks of sticky, juicy chicken oozing with rich, tangy flavour more than made up for the dodgy plating aesthetic. Accompanied simply by some red coleslaw, which was blessedly home-made, a couple of condiments and some lamb’s lettuce, it was a hearty, if not spectacular, dish. My friend chose the sweet potato gnocchi with smoked tomato, basil and mascarpone. It was tasty enough, but not the biggest portion.

The staff? Friendly and hip, as you would expect in this cool hotel. And the place has the massive advantage of having an excellent bar just across the corridor where we met more friends for post-prandial drinks – relaxed atmosphere, nice big, friendly tables and attentive, sparkly bar staff made it a great place to spend an evening.

Food 7 | Service 8 | Ambience 8 | Location 8 | Value 6 thecornishbarn.co.uk

Los Lobos, Frith Street, London Where once upon a time Soho was all about pubs, now it’s all about tapas bars. Which can’t be a bad thing. Eating stems the flow of alcohol and makes for better and more coherent conversation. And tapas make for an easy, relaxed way to dine. Those Spaniards know a thing or two. The big tapas entrant to Soho was of course Barrafina on Dean Street, which does rather refined tapas – pretty pricey but highly sought after, and always resulting in a queue for bar stools. Los Lobos, I would argue, is more authentic. It has a range of seating options, not just around the bar, and the food is the sort of classic tapas you’d get in perhaps Zone 2 of Madrid where, unlike Zone 1, Spaniards outnumber the tourists. We were seated inside on stools but in our own little booth, which made it a bit more personal. The menu is heavy on pork and seafood. This was a quick midweek lunch before heading back to work. We chose Padrón peppers; broken eggs and sobrasada; croquetas; and black rice with prawns and alioli. The Padrón peppers were a great start, fried to perfection with just the right sprinkling of sea salt. This place is known for its croquetas and they didn’t disappoint: crisp of crumb and fresh from the fryer, they were packed with a delicious mix

of ham, chorizo and smoked bacon in warm béchamel.

Rice cooked in squid ink gives it that wonderful ocean flavour and, laid on top, the prawns were large and fleshy, chargrilled (a la plancha) with a good dose of garlic butter.

Broken eggs and sobrasada is like the Spanish equivalent to bacon and eggs: cured sausage fried with tomatoes and potatoes all topped with fried egg, that wills you to prick it to release a lovely runny yolk over proceedings – a fantastic combination very well done. The wine, one glass, it being a school day but a special occasion, was the house red, which was a very drinkable Tempranillo. In all, we felt transported to Spain – for three reasons: the food was not pristinely presented but so tasty; the wine, whilst house, was good quality; and the service was extremely friendly. What’s more, there was no queue around the corner but a seat straight away. Like I said, authentic tapas – only the British queue. For two, with a glass of wine each, the meal came to £60.

Food 9 | Service 9 | Ambience 8 | Location:8 | Value 8 lobostapas.co.uk/soho/

MANOR | Winter 2018

111

A magical starts at Bernaville Nurseries (

W

hether you’re looking for the finest plants, furniture, fresh foods, clothing or ideas for your home and garden, you’ll find them along with inspirational gift ideas and festive accessories at Bernaville. Come and explore our nursery and welcome the festive season in with style!

Call 01392 851326 • www.bernaville.co.uk 112 Winter FIND U S OMANOR N T H| E A 32018 77 JUST OUTSIDE EXETER

Bernaville Nurseries FA M I LY R U N S I N C E 1 9 5 7

Space Gale & Snowden | Shopping for space

PHOTO: GALE & SNOWDEN

Interior, Sherwood House, Devon. See page 114 Gale & Snowden: ecodesign.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2018

113

PHOTO: GALE & SNOWDEN

South elevation of Sherwood House, Devon

As a Devon-based, award-winning RIBA practice, Gale & Snowden has been championing low environmental impact in building and landscape design since 1992. Fiona McGowan hears how the healthy revolution is gaining ground.

I

magine living in a house that is so well insulated that it hardly needs to be heated. That is so well ventilated that its very walls breathe. That never gets condensation, or mould, or excess dust. Whose very fabric is built from simple materials with no toxic chemicals, no plastics.

Imagine a house that is designed to keep electrical currents away from you as you sleep. Now imagine that this house looks like any other home, and costs only marginally more to build than your average Barratt-box new build. Does that sound appealing? Of course it does.

114

MANOR | Winter 2018

This is the premise of a movement of construction design called Building Biology. These days, energy efficiency is the buzzword for any new build, and the government has introduced strict assessment systems to ensure that anyone who buys or rents a house can see the energy efficiency of their home before they decide to live in it. Building standards are now way better than they ever were in terms of insulation and environmental design. But, says David Gale, co-founder of Exeter-based architectural practice Gale & Snowden,

space modern buildings are actually becoming more toxic to live in. Building regulations do not give much attention to the materials that are being used in builds and refits.

While we may not realise the harm these things are doing to us, there will no doubt be fallout in years to come. “We knew that asbestos was dangerous to health as far back as 1900,” says David, “but it was only banned from use in 1999.” The problem is, of course, that many of the damaging effects of our surroundings are not immediately obvious. Where the cause and effect aren’t right in our faces, we are particularly good at looking away. “It is an unfortunate trait of human beings – we tend to wait until disaster happens before we do anything,” says David. Whether it’s seatbelts, smoking or fire regulations – all of them required years of medical evidence and major crises before anything was put into legislation.

Gale & Snowden is one of the few practices in the UK which is trying to change our very habitats before a crisis happens. It’s an uphill battle.

David grew up on the North Devon coast – living in Barnstaple, his family had a holiday cottage in the coastal hamlet of Bucks Mills. He was imbued with the nature around this place – a deep, steep wooded chine whose rushing stream gives out into a small, stony beach. He was drawn towards Marine Biology and started out on a Biological Sciences degree, but quickly discovered that the ‘chemistry for industry’-orientated course wasn’t for him. He wanted to blend arts with science… and shifted into architecture. But this again didn’t satisfy his interest in nature: “After going through the seven-year course of architecture,” he says, “the penny dropped and I realised I’d done the wrong thing. I should have remained a biologist. Because these architects were doing things that were polluting the environment and being totally unhealthy for people.”

Working in architecture, he soon realised that most building developments were driven by money and resulted in “a lot of faceless, not very nice buildings made mostly of plastic”. In 1990, he had a short, but eyeopening, stint with a firm based in Colchester, where he met (practice co-founder) Ian Snowden, and where “we were doing the first timber-framed vapour-permeable buildings in the Finnish style, where you are allowing moisture to migrate through natural materials and using recycled newspaper for insulation”. While the use of natural materials is becoming much more mainstream today, this was pioneering stuff at the time, and the firm failed to succeed: “It was all social housing. But Margaret Thatcher pulled the plug on social housing and suddenly we didn’t have any work.” Ian and David were made redundant, and David retreated to Devon, disheartened.

Before hunkering down in the cottage at Bucks Mills, he did a permaculture course. Permaculture, explains David, is the process of designing the natural environment for people to be part of. It is beautiful in its simplicity. It’s about making all our inputs and outputs part of the environment around us. And no, that doesn’t mean making a Ray Mears-style lean-to in the woods and pooing in little holes around your clearing. The idea is to build homes and grow food and use the resources in a way that is part of an ecosystem. Turning his back on the world of architecture for a time, David dedicated his time to making the family cottage a permaculture system of its own. “I became a hermit,” he admits. “I was catching my own fish. I was planting my own food. I was growing a woodland garden – it’s now one of the oldest forest gardens in the country. I renovated my own building and did all the landscaping myself.” There’s nothing like cutting your teeth on the sharp end of building design.

Today, says David, Gale & Snowden acts as much a healthy building consultancy as an architecture firm.

PHOTO: GALE & SNOWDEN

Sedum roof, Sherwood House, Devon

MANOR | Winter 2018

115

PHOTO: GALE & SNOWDEN

Interior first floor, Sherwood House, Devon.

The staff of nine are all trained in eco-builds: most of them are Passivhaus-certified and have done the Building Biology course. They work with landscape architects and a species consultant who is also a permaculture expert. “We never wanted to be an architect’s practice,” says David, “We wanted to be more of a permaculture consulting practice, which is much more broad ranging.

But we do more architecture, because I think it’s easier for people to know what we do.” And because most of the income for the practice comes from the architecture.

Since Ian Snowden and David joined forces in 1992, their projects have been as wide ranging as you

would expect from such passionate proponents in the field of eco-builds and healthy housing. One of their first clients employed them to create an entire permaculture system at his stately home in Surrey – an inspiring scheme in which all of the natural waste from the house was re-routed back into the landscape, so that grey water went through a system of ponds and reedbeds to provide nutrients for freshwater mussels and edible plants, before being filtered back into the house and reused. Other clients have employed the team to retro-design their homes to make them non-toxic and eco-friendly, with Passivhaus designs to enable even old

PHOTO: CLIVE BOURSNELL

Entrance, Torrington Bluecoat CE Primary School, Great Torrington, Devon

116

MANOR | Winter 2018

space

Clients have employed the team to retro-design their homes to make them nontoxic and eco-friendly.

PHOTO: CLIVE BOURSNELL

Oak Meadow Housing, Devon and Cornwall Housing, Devon

listed buildings to cost a fraction to heat and provide ultra-natural comfort.

While private clients are vital not just for income – and for providing the wow factor in a portfolio – you get the sense that it is the social side of things that holds the greatest pull for the practice. Over the years, Gale & Snowden has designed village halls, leisure facilities and schools all with the Passivhaus and Building Biology principles. It’s all about natural light, low waste, high insulation, materials that allow a structure to breathe, and some very cunning physics to do with balancing out the mass of the fabric to the space and the amount of energy that can be reused within the building to make them self-heating and self-cooling.

Recently, Gale & Snowden has been working with Bournemouth Town Council to build social housing that makes use of big, aerated clay blocks. The buildings do not need any insulation, says David: “There’s no actual insulation other than the holes in the clay and this allows

a vapour-permeable structure – because it’s a natural material, moisture can migrate through them.” The blocks absorb moisture to prevent the inside from becoming too humid, and release moisture when the internal atmosphere is too dry. There are recently completed projects with Bristol City Council and Exeter City Council to build social housing. The latest scheme is to build a state-ofthe-art Passivhaus leisure centre in Exeter. Working in collaboration with AFLS+P Architects, the designers of the 2012 London Olympic pool complex, and ARUP, Gale & Snowden has been commissioned to make this the world’s first healthy building leisure centre. “The building should use 70 per cent less energy than a normal leisure centre. And 50 per cent less water,” attests David.

As with so many architects, it is their home which showcases their best design principles. David and wife Maria’s house in Bucks Mills is no exception. The original thick-walled, centuries-old cottage sits right next to a rocky, overgrown cliff. An extension, a MANOR | Winter 2018

117

It’s all about natural light, low waste, high insulation, materials that allow a structure to breathe, and some very cunning physics…

South elevation of St Sidwell’s Point Passivhaus leisure centre, Exeter – artist impression

Central atrium, St Sidwell’s Point Passivhaus leisure centre, Exeter – artist impression

PHOTO: CLIVE BOURSNELL

Duchy Square, Centre for Creativity, Princetown

118

MANOR | Winter 2018

garage/home office, massive cliff-like retaining walls and a new summer-house space look as though they have been carved into – and carved out of – the cliff.

The walls are indeed made from pieces of rock that have been broken off the cliff and put together in the style of a dry-stone wall. Chickens putter about in the yard, which will soon be home to fruit trees, vegetables and edible plants. The walls of the new-builds contain tiny water pipes which thread through the plaster boards, feeding hot water from the heated water tank, which in turn is heated by the Aga. David explains in scientific detail about the benefits of heated walls and floor versus the convection heat from radiators. In simplistic terms, convection heat circulates in the room in a constant stream of heat, which creates warm and cold patches. It also causes dust to circulate. Heating the walls and floors prevents condensation from forming (no mass of cold surfaces) and creates a uniform ambient heat. This makes the room feel warmer, which means you don’t have to turn the heating up so high. The bedrooms have been designed so that electrical currents can be completely switched off at night – negating the effects of electro-magnetic radiation which affect our cells as they regenerate during sleep. The bathroom has a natural ventilation system that involves some sort of flappy valve that expands and shrinks according to the amount of heat and moisture generated.

space In the courtyard garden (paved with stone from the cliff, of course) is an outdoor kitchen with a Big Green Egg cooker/smoker/barbecue, sheltered beneath a great oak atrium – whose structure is held together, Amish style, with wooden pegs and clever physics. David and his colleagues (“We all work as one team at Gale & Snowden, and I never want to take the credit for everyone else’s hard work”) are clearly ardent enthusiasts about every element of healthy building construction. To such a degree that David has funded and runs the only Building Biology course in the UK. While it is an online course, he offers seminars and practical sessions looking at healthy buildings the Gale & Snowden team have constructed. They encourage all their clients to take the course, so that they understand exactly why this type of construction is so vital – not just for the future of the planet, but for the long-term health of the residents. With local councillors and social housing developers invited to the courses, it seems as though the message is filtering through – certainly in the West Country.

Improving the way we live on the Earth is always going to be a fight, especially in our use-it-now-sod-theconsequences Western lifestyles. It is the likes of Gale & Snowden that are part of a quiet revolution which might just make a difference to our future as a species.

Gale & Snowden: ecodesign.co.uk

Experience life on the North Cornish coast with a stylish self-catering home as your base

RO C K I D A Y MER B AY I POL ZEAT H I PORT IS AAC C o a s t a l s p a ces in b rea th ta kin g p la ces l a t i t ude 50.c o .uk | 01208 869090

MANOR | Winter 2018

119

Star garland, Cox & Cox, £25

Amber delight

Garland, Orange Tree @ Darts Farm, £17.99

On dark cosy nights, rich amber tones add ‘open fire’ warmth to a room. Combine textures with lanterns, wood, throws and candles to create a Nordic-inspired festive aura. This colour trend, whilst keeping the richness, breaks free of the usual green and exudes modern sophistication that works well beyond the season. Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Feather wreath, John Lewis, £6

Baubles, Amara, set of two, £18

Floor lamp, Abode Living, £95

Cushion, Laura Ashley, £60

Amara

Cushion, Audenza, £24

Glasses, Debenhams, set of two, £28 Dining chair, Cult Furniture, £109

Fern, Marks and Spencer, £39.50 Paddywax candle, Paperchase, £15

120

MANOR | Winter 2018

space

Bauble, John Lewis, £6

Bauble, John Lewis, £7.50

Bauble, Amara, £12

Wreath, Gisela Graham London, £33

Lantern, Debenhams, £30 Throw, Debenhams, £115

Amara Pre-lit branches, B&Q, £23

Bella Freud Candle, Amara, £48 Glass, Amara, £14

Large table top tree, Gisela Graham London, £18

Star decoration, B&Q, £10

Lit wire tree, Cox & Cox, £14.50

Bronte wingback chair, Cult Furniture, £249

MANOR | Winter 2018

121

Make it Monochromatic Looking ahead to 2019, industry experts Amos Lighting + Home are following all of the latest trends so that you can too. Back in style, the dramatic and sophisticated monochromatic colour scheme is perfect for creating a space unique to you. A monochromatic colour scheme is created when tints and shades of one colour family are used throughout an interior design, whether on your walls, in the fabrics you choose or even your lighting! This type of colour scheme creates a calm and uncluttered environment, whilst taking the worry of matching colours out of the picture. Choose your favourite colour and spread the love! Shop the collection in store and online. .

Sputnik Pendant by David Hunt, £890

Dozza Mirror, £160

Sputnik Pendant

by David Hunt, £890

Chatterley Pendant

by Lyngard, £350 Digby Table Lamp, £80 Haddon 4 Seater Sofa by Content by Terence Conran, £1429

Tropics Rug, £168

Vidro Table Lamp

by David Hunt, £190

122

MANOR | Winter 2018

Kensington Nest

by Content by Terence Conran, £349

promotional feature

Nostalgia Pendants

by Studio Italia, from £265

Nostalgia Pendant by Studio Italia, from £265

Aplomb Pendant

by Foscarini, £329

Stanley Pendant

by Original BTC, £335

Moon Pendant

by Greypants, £185 Fin 7 Light Pendant

by Original BTC, £1135

Natural Interiors

Create a relaxed, close-to-nature feel by incorporating natural materials into your home.

Regardless of space or size, natural elements will always assist in creating an interesting and inviting interior. Create your own indoor sanctuary with our favourite picks from the leaders in light, Amos Lighting + Home. From the smooth tactility of marble stone to the authentic and calming colour palettes of wood, concrete and linen, the trend of ‘bringing the outside in’ encourages a relaxing ambiance and increased wellbeing in the home.

Convolution Table Lamp by Stuart Lamble, £95

Cross Floor Lamp, £177

Skorpio Dining Table by Cattelan Italia, from £3600

Chelsea Nest

by Content by Terence Conran, £349

amoslighting.co.uk TOPSHAM | EXETER | ONLINE

MANOR | Winter 2018

123

124

MANOR | Winter 2018

Escape Kandooma, The Maldives | Gara Rock, Devon

Kandooma, The Maldives. See page 126 maldives.holidayinnresorts.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

125

Maldives? Yes, can do

126

MANOR | Winter 2018

escape Nestled in the marvel of the Maldives, it’s easy to see why Holiday Inn’s Kandooma resort has become such a firm favourite of Imogen Clements. Best-kept secret no longer.

O

K, I’ll admit it. As journalists we get to go to some incredible places for the purposes of reviewing them on your behalf. But, here’s the thing, this one I have been to on holiday with my family twice in the last 18 months and, all being well, I plan to go again next year, with friends, who are keen also to experience the resort.

So, this comes to you not merely as work, but also from the perspective of a true aficionada. What is this place, I hear you ask… well, it’s the Maldives (as you’ll have guessed from the pictures), courtesy of Holiday Inn. Holiday Inn. It’s a strong brand, but generally one that conjures up images of quality budget hotels located in busy cities. It does not immediately convey luxury.

Holiday Inn in the Maldives, however: think again.

It seems Holiday Inn, the American brand founded originally as motels in the 1950s, has a number of strings to its bow. Today, as part of the British-owned InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), it is one of the largest hotel chains in the world and has divisions including that which comprises the high-rise full-service hotels that we in the UK are familiar with, but also Holiday Inn Resorts, located in high-leisure tourism destinations around the world, one being the Maldives.

There is a reason that this archipelago of 1,200 islands (of which 200 are inhabited) to the south west of the Indian subcontinent has the draw it does. There is no other place like it – the colour of the sea is vivid turquoise, the islands lush havens of bird and bat life, the waters warm and teeming with rainbow shoals of the most beautiful fish. There are turtles, sting rays, whale sharks and manta rays visible with a mask and snorkel, and, even when it rains (which of course it has to, to be as lush as it is) the rain is warm, a drench rather than a misty cold relentless shower, so predominant in Blighty.

The Maldives is, understandably, most people’s idea of paradise, and the only way we could afford to ship the family there to experience it repeatedly is thanks to Holiday Inn. It’s not just a cost issue; there is the convenience factor. The Maldives often requires sea planes and lengthy connections at additional expense. Holiday Inn operates a shuttle service straight from Male airport to the resort on a speedboat that takes just 40 minutes. The boat is waiting for you at the jetty directly behind arrivals.

The scenic speedboat journey, after a long haul flight, fills everyone with anticipation and, on arrival, the final destination doesn’t disappoint. Holiday Inn Resort’s Kandooma Maldives comprises 160 lodges on an island small enough such that everyone has a sea view and easy access to gently lapping waves a mere stroll from your MANOR | Winter 2018

127

128

MANOR | Winter 2018

escape room. You can, as I did, get out of bed and take a dip before breakfast, so much as stretch.

There are several types of accommodation – including the beach view villas with French windows leading off the bedroom to a covered outdoor terrace with sofa and hammock. Some of these are semidetached and are inter-connecting. There are the two-storey beach houses whose terraces are situated beneath the bedroom, and there are the two-floored, two-bedroom family beach houses in which each of the first floor bedrooms has an en suite and balconies, and on the ground floor, there are spacious indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Finally, of course, there are the overwater villas – that classic Maldivian accommodation on struts above the water, each with its own private sun deck and partially submerged hammock to lounge on.

All the accommodation is light and airy, the beds are firm king-size doubles or spacious twins dressed in what feels like the highest quality cotton linen, and rooms are equipped with tea/coffee facilities and minibars stocked high with any snack or drink – prosecco, wines, spirits, beers – you could wish for. All the accommodation is a stroll from the resort’s hub, where the large Kandooma Café serves wide buffet spreads of almost every type of world cuisine through breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here there is food to cater to all tastes and to those looking for culinary adventure – curry and dosas for breakfast, anyone? Every day offers a fresh array and there are numerous stations where food of every cultural variety is cooked to order.

There is also the pool bar serving pizzas, salads and steaks direct to table and a grass-covered beach bar on the sand serving drinks and bar snacks. The layout and aesthetics of the resort are such that you can eat under cover on one the spacious terraces that looks out over the pool onto pristine views of bright blue waters. Kids can go and take a dip, play on the swings or at table

football or table tennis while you finish your meal, and the service is impeccable, with your preferred table laid on demand, drinks brought and plates cleared without so much as a wave to a waiter.

As well as slick functionality, Kandooma offers a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences to etch on the memory. You can go on daily snorkelling excursions, take a trip to Turtle Point, whose name doesn’t disappoint (we saw six), snorkel among whale sharks and manta rays or take a cruise at sunset. Sunsets this close to the equator are like no other – our second day there ended with a sky of blood reds, oranges and yellows, rays biblically fanning from the setting sun. It was a spectacle to which no camera can do justice. You had to be there.

There is a Maldivian night with dinner comprising a broad range of native dishes and during which staff dressed in traditional Maldivian dress sing, drum and dance around the fire pit, inviting guests to join in. But the major highlight for me was The Kitchen. The Kitchen is the fine-dining restaurant on the island that serves the most incredible spread of fresh seafood: sashimi, sushi, lobster, salads, wok stir-fries – a veritable feast, beautifully prepared and spread out enticingly throughout a candlelit restaurant. The dining experience is interactive; the chefs cook the fish in front of you. There is an extensive cocktail menu, a DJ plays a set of ambient vibes while you dine, and the restaurant opens fully one side onto moonlit waves lapping the shore just metres from our feet. It was a dining experience I won’t forget.

Kandooma offers all the swoon and luxury you expect from the Maldives, but without an ounce of pretension.

We met families, couples, groups of friends – Australian, Thai, Chinese, South African, German, Italian and British (several of whom were Cornish) – all enjoying the place equally, and the resort has just been crowned Indian Ocean’s Leading MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences

You can go on daily snorkelling excursions, take a trip to Turtle Point, snorkel with whale sharks and manta rays or take a cruise at sunset. Sunsets this close to the equator are like no other – our second day there ended with a sky of blood reds, oranges and yellows, rays biblically fanning from the setting sun.

MANOR | Winter 2018

129

As a region highly vulnerable to rising sea levels, the Maldives has one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints and the very latest technology is adopted to mitigate it further.

and exhibitions) Hotel at the 2018 World Travel Awards.

People come for many reasons but a big draw is the surf. Kandooma boasts easy access to some of the best waves in this part of the world, indeed globally, and this alone entices families (including ours) and nonfamilies from across the globe. There is surf to satisfy the most proficient of surfers breaking directly onto the island, but also trips several times a day to other great spots in the vicinity. This aspect of the offering just adds to the positive vibe of the resort. There’s a healthy camaraderie among surfers and therefore a natural air of friendliness about the place.

There are, though, no widows on this holiday. The children are catered for by the giant pools as well as the kids’ club, Kandoo Kids. The mums (if not surfing) can happily spend most of the day lounging, regularly mesmerised by the view as they look up from their book, or should they feel exercise-envy triggered by surf-crazy partners, there is yoga, a fully equipped air-conditioned gym and, most vital, the spa, where they can receive one of the best massages imaginable, and I do not exaggerate.

Kandooma’s signature massage is the COMO Shambhala massage and my therapist Agunga was phenomenally skilled at delivering it, easing every last ounce of tension from my body, scalp to toe.

With luxury usually comes carbon footprint, but this nation of island resorts doesn’t take their prized setting for granted. As a region highly vulnerable to rising sea 130

MANOR | Winter 2018

escape levels, the Maldives has one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints and the very latest technology is adopted to mitigate it further. Technologies that doubtless we will soon see adopted worldwide.

By way of example, Kandooma Maldives is host to the world’s first pilot project to harness electricity from waves. Officially launched in March 2018, the project is the brainchild of Professor Tsumoru Shintake of The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, the Ministry of Environment and Energy of the Republic of Maldives, and Kokyo Tatemono Company Limited of Tokyo and involves testing prototype Wave Energy Converter units. Wave energy is the most suitable form of renewable energy for the Maldives in that wave power, unlike solar, provides a continuous 24-hour stream of energy, which reduces the requirement for large, expensive energy storage systems.

To regenerate the coral reef, Kandooma’s resident marine biologists carry out regular ‘reefscaping’ – in which coral frames are embedded with healthy coral along the reef line, which many guests like to participate in; rain water is harvested to use in the guest laundry, saving approximately 50 tonnes of water per month during the rainy season; and the desalination plant on Kandooma produces on average 15,500 litres

of drinking water each month. This fills glass bottles for the rooms and restaurants. The bottling plant is estimated to reduce the need for plastic bottles on the island by as much as 100,000 per month. Only the boat carries plastic water bottles and that’s for safety reasons.

There is much to admire on Kandooma, from the eco-credentials, to the diligence, efficiency and the friendliness of staff, to the sheer, eye-popping panoramic beauty. It is a place that is planned, orientated and managed throughout to ensure you get the most out of your time in this special place and leave happy in the knowledge that a re-mortgage is not required. It is for this reason that we’ll be back, and with friends next time. Places as lovely as this need to be shared.

Stay at Holiday Inn Kandooma Maldives currently from c£123 per night (room only rate: standard double/garden view); prices vary through the year. British Airways operate direct flights from London Gatwick to Velana International Airport (Malé) for £605 return (economy). Sri Lankan Airlines and Qatar Airways also operate flights from Heathrow to Malé, with one connection. A 40-minute transit by speedboat will then whisk you across to Kandooma. maldives.holidayinnresorts.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

131

Newly opened in August after an extensive rebuild, Gara Rock in East Portlemouth, near Salcombe, offers a cosy welcome to weary walkers on the Coast Path as well as lashings of luxury for guests wanting to get away from it all. Words by Belinda Dillon.

132

MANOR | Winter 2018

escape

F

The journey here is part of the adventure, the escape. I want people to feel that they can walk in the door, hand over their car keys, and let us do the rest.

or anyone coming from further afield than the immediate locale, the journey to Gara Rock is likely to be a circuitous one. The lanes are banked with high hedges that loom, albeit beautifully, like the walls of a labyrinth, allowing no sense of which direction you’re heading in, and the sat nav spins you through more turns than tango night on Strictly. But once you hit the road to the hotel, the vista opens up before you, and oh my goodness, all that sky and sea and undulating landscape…

“The journey here is part of the adventure, the escape,” says general manager Don Van Staden. “I want people to feel that they can walk in the door, hand over their car keys, and let us do the rest. People relax as soon as they step inside.”

Don and I are chatting in the main lounge area, a long, open space filled with comfy sofas and armchairs plump with cushions and draped with cosy throws, the mix of textures demanding that I casually stroke everything within arm’s reach. Floor to ceiling glass brings in the majesty of the dramatic coastline, sheep dotting the fields that tumble down to the sea. I’m reminded of safari lodges in Africa, that same sense of the remote, of being in an environment that persists in spite of us. And with no mobile phone signal, you simply have to give in to it.

And it is spectacularly easy to give in to Gara since its refurb. Originally a row of coastguards’ cottages built in the mid-19th century – this treacherous stretch of South Devon was renowned for shipwrecks and smuggling (a hoard of lost gold was hauled ashore in 1996) – the site first became a hotel in the 1920s. Weathering the rest of the 20th century and beyond, it was demolished in 2006 and a new hotel begun but left unfinished in 2013, just operating a restaurant serving the myriad Coast Path walkers. In 2017, British holiday company Aria Resorts came to the rescue – and what a difference a multimillion pound investment makes: Gara Rock now boasts exquisite loft rooms, suites, cottages and apartments, all with gardens or balconies that grab as much of that view as glass and architecture will allow.

Inside, the décor – created by London-based House Nine Design – sidesteps the usual clichés of nautical style, and instead echoes the beauty of the surrounding landscape with muted greens and greys, recycled wood and sisal, panelled walls, and copious rugs to soften it all up; pops of colour evoke the buttery warmth of gorse flowers, the orange and crimson glow of sunsets. When I arrive on a perfectly crisp, sunny Tuesday after half term, the place is buzzing with wrapped-up walkers and their dogs, families playing board games, and lunchtime diners, inside and out, lapping up the modern but easygoing menu created by chef Lewis Glanvill. As well as the plethora of local, quality produce to draw on, there’s much to be foraged in the few metres right outside their door, and the team make the most of nature’s bounty – MANOR | Winter 2018

133

escape

including creating their own cordials – as well as what they cultivate in their kitchen garden (home-grown figs for breakfast? Yes please!).

What’s absolutely clear is that everyone feels welcome at Gara, from those who use it as a starting point for excursions, to visitors over on the ferry from Salcombe, to ramblers stopping for a well-earned break.

But it also manages to balance that accessibility with an alluring exclusivity, so resident guests can enjoy the buzzy atmosphere then take themselves off to enjoy the splendid spa with pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, plus an outside deck looking down to the private cove.

A treatment room specialises in Elemis, ideal for muscles 134

MANOR | Winter 2018

tired from yomping across fields. A plush cinema room seats 12 in green velvet armchairs, with three screenings a day (I was sorely tempted by Top Gun at 9pm, but a glass of Pinot Noir by the log fire in the lounge won out), but you can book it for a private viewing with a film of your choice from the selection.

Red wine and fire in the lounge notwithstanding, I was delighted just to hang out in my loft suite, where I could lie on the king-size bed (best night’s sleep of the year so far, by the way) and marvel at the sunset through the French doors; with the advent of inky night, I wrapped up and ventured onto the balcony to gawp at a sky bursting with stars and smudged with Milky Way.

The existing offer is already high-end – my suite had a roll-top bath and wood burner – but from the new year the luxury will expand to include a penthouse that sleeps six, and little hidden boltholes in the hills around.

They’ve really got this premium escape lark nailed.

But ultimately, it’s the inclusive atmosphere at Gara that adds the extra gilding. Although formally titled the ‘food and beverages manager’, John Taylor is more like a charming host – stepping in to offer tea when you look like you’re flagging, and on hand with local knowledge when you’re scouting for something to do (he grew up in the village and returned to live two years ago). Beth, who works in guest services and made sure I had everything I needed, lives across the way, and they’re her father’s sheep you can see on the hillside.

“We put our staff at the top of the food chain,” says Don. “Our ethos is to support local employment and the community, which in turn supports us. For many young people around here, this is their first experience of the workplace, and we want it to be a good introduction.”

This ideology runs to other businesses in the area, too: far from being in competition with the nearby Pig’s Nose Inn in East Prawle and the Millbrook Inn in South Pool, the three businesses are creating a community of mutual support and a food and drink offer on this side of the water. And it’s high time that Salcombe got a run for its money…

Over breakfast – exemplary Eggs Benedict, for the record – I’m musing on whether to wander down to the little cove or venture further afield. In the manner of the best host, John says he can arrange for the house Land Rover to drop me along the coast, so I need only walk back – a perk available to all resident guests. For next summer, Don tells me, there are plans to organise sundowner picnics – driving guests to the perfect spot for al fresco snacking with a little pop-up bar for sunset G&Ts – as well as mini festivals focused around food, music, and good company. “We want to create memories,” says Don. Aware of time slipping away, I potter only as far as the beach, where the sea is mildly lively against an increasingly greying sky. I make a note to return in summer, when the sun is blazing, for the full Med effect that this part of South Devon conjures when the planets are aligned just right – ideal weather, too, for a swim in the clifftop outdoor pool. But you know what, winter is here, and I bet Gara Rock pulls out all the stops when the sky is bruised, the sea whipping up white horses, and the wind blowing a hooley. Like sitting by the fire with a hot toddy – they’re just about to launch their winter drinks menu – while outside the elements rage. Yes, please. I’d like a memory of that.

Room prices start at £210 per night.

Gara Rock, East Portlemouth, Devon TQ8 8FA. gararock.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

135

INTO THE SIXTH FORM

Open Evening

Wednesday 23 January 5.30-8pm • Learn about life in the Sixth Form • Discuss A Level programmes • Find out about five free places

www.exeterschool.org.uk 01392 273679 | @ExeterSchoolUK

An independent day school for boys and girls aged 7 - 18

TS-Open-Events-2018-2019_130mm x 200mm_Layout 1 08/11/2018 11:00 Page 1

Boys & Girls Nursery to Year 6 TRURO PREP SCHOOL

open morning Prep School Open Morning Saturday 9 March 2019 10am to 12noon

A Proper Childhood

truroschool.com 136

MANOR | Winter 2018

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

Morpurgo opens Chagford’s new primary school

PHOTO: STUART CLARKE/THE MOORLANDER

Michael Morpurgo OBE

PHOTO: IMOGEN CLEMENTS

CHAGFORD SAW ITS NEW primary school officially opened by Michael Morpurgo OBE. Chagford, with a population of approximately 1,500, has one primary school which was designated funding for a replacement following the government’s assessment of its condition. Building commenced in 2017 and was completed in the summer to allow the children to return to a new school this autumn term.

Children, teachers, staff and community members gathered in the school’s hall where, having been introduced to them by head teacher Liz Wiseman, Michael read everyone a story in which he recalled his time as a child of six, chosen to play Owl in the school play, The Owl and the Pussycat. Children, teachers and school staff were transfixed then reduced to hysterics as the master story-teller transported them all back to his own early school days and revealed the stage fright he had suffered as Owl due to a crush he had on his leading lady, Pussycat. They managed to salvage the performance in their own way much to the audience’s delight. The Chagford School attendees were sworn to secrecy by Michael as it is a story he plans to publish in the coming year!

Michael then cut the cake with the help of a Year 2 pupil, Millie Goodhand, and cut the ribbon along with Liz Wiseman and Year 6 pupils, Henry Hassell and Leotie Howard Vallely. The school was blessed by Robert Atwell, Bishop of Exeter, and the adults enjoyed tea, cake and a tour, while the children returned to their classrooms having had a very special encounter with one of the country’s best children’s authors.

Liz Wiseman told of the excitement felt by the pupils, staff and teachers with their new school.

“Chagford School has always benefited from its special Dartmoor setting and its fantastic team of teachers and staff, but now, with our new school, we are able to deliver the broadest curriculum to the very highest standard in the most inspirational of environments.”

Chagford’s new primary school

MANOR | Winter 2018

137

Stover ski team win gold at British Indoor Championships THROUGHOUT THE AUTUMN TERM, there are three key ski races for the Stover team, including two rounds of the British Indoor Schools Competition (held at Milton Keynes) and the Devon Schools Championship (held on their own slope). Racers from the Prep School included a number of first-time participants and an allgirls team competing in different age groups. The girls’ team finished just outside the medals but Emily Sell, Emily Gaffney and Madi Cooper Thompson all made the top 20, and Rosie Arnold broke into the top 10 and scored points for Stover.

Jack Cox led from the front and won both his age group and the overall race for the boys, with his brother Fraser coming a strong second. However, Harrison Ball, who only started racing a couple of seasons ago, was the ‘find of the day’ and finished 11th. Together with Hudson Cooper Thompson, the boys won a superb team gold.

For the Senior School, Elliot Edwards, an established and strong racer in his own right but making his school debut, threatened to break into the points until he skied out on his second run.

The heroine of the day was Kate Watt, who picked up racing 18 months ago. During training before the race, she clipped a gate and took a nasty fall but on race day Kate charged down the hill and finished several seconds quicker than last year. The team have a very enthusiastic cohort of 20 new pupils who have joined the club this year and, as their skill level starts to improve, are ones to watch.

Cricket legend Marcus Trescothick visits Shebbear College SHEBBEAR COLLEGE were delighted to welcome cricket legend Marcus Trescothick MBE and his team to their school recently, during his charity cycle ride from Keynsham to St Austell to raise money and awareness for Children’s Hospice South West.

Marcus plays first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club and represented England in 76 Test matches and 123 One Day Internationals, standing in as Test and ODI Captain on several occasions. During his charity ride stop-off, Marcus delivered a coaching session to some U12 and U13 cricketers. Many other cricket fans, including pupils and staff, took the opportunity to drop in for a selfie and an autograph. Following this, the school provided lunch before Marcus and his team cycled on. Shebbear College would like to thank Marcus for giving their pupils the opportunity to benefit from

his professional guidance as well as raising funds for Children’s Hospice South West.

Eight free places on offer at Exeter School EXETER SCHOOL is offering eight free places to children from the local community. Three of its Foundation Bursaries, funded from alumni legacies and gifts, are on offer for entry into Year 7. There are also three full bursaries for the Sixth Form funded from the St John’s Hospital Educational Foundation grant. Two further free places, The George Williams Bursaries, to study the Sciences in the Sixth Form, have also been made possible by a generous bequest and continuing donations from the estate of a prominent deceased Old Exonian.

Families interested in making the most of this 138

MANOR | Winter 2018

opportunity are encouraged to visit the school at the ‘Into the Sixth Form’ Open Evening on Wednesday 23 January, 5.30-8pm, or book an appointment to meet the headmaster. Places are on offer to pupils who pass the entrance examinations, which are held in January 2019, and whose parents could not afford to send their child to Exeter School without financial assistance.

Exeter School has always provided a significant number of means-tested bursaries for those in need of support, and these will continue to be provided and at the same level as before.

school

Exeter Cathedral School pupil’s connection to World War One MARTHA PILL, AGED 5, is proud to unveil her family’s first-class connection with World War One, through a set of commemorative postage stamps.

To commemorate the signing of the Armistice treaty on 11 November 1918, Jersey Post collated historical photographs of local people who had significantly contributed to the war effort and produced a selection of commemorative stamps entitled Armistice and Remembrance. Martha’s great grandfather, Corporal Robert Leonard Norman, a Despatch Rider in the Royal Engineers Signals Service, and great, great aunt, Madeleine Norman, who served as a nurse, were both featured in the commemorative stamp set. Martha commented: “It’s fun to see pictures of my family on these stamps.” Martha was excited to share the stamps with her classmates, giving them a chance to understand her family’s connection with Jersey in the wartime. The collection used original wartime photographs from the Jersey Museum, La Société Jersiaise, Victoria College Book of Remembrance and from family members’ personal collections. Each photograph was carefully restored and colourised by Russian historical colourist, Olga Shirnina, known for her colouring of early Soviet photography. The set of stamps was officially unveiled by Jersey Post on 4 August 2018 and is now on sale across Jersey.

MANOR | Winter 2018

139

Boredom busters When the kids begin to flag over the festive season, here are a few simple games from Professor Ruth Merttens to give their brains a fun workout.

Giggling dinosaurs (4-7 years)

Eat, walk, look... (7-11 years)

Preparation: Write clearly or type (lower case) and print out a list of animals. Do the same for some –ing words. Suggested animals: dog, cat, shark, mouse, horse, dragon, dinosaur, wolf. Suggested –ing words: hopping, jumping, singing, shouting, clapping, giggling, yelling, peeing…

Preparation: cut up a large cereal box to make small cards – you need 24. Write these words on the plain side of 6 of the cards: eat, walk, look, say, run, rest.

To play • Have a list each.

• Each choose an item from your list. E.g.

Sam chooses ‘shark’, Mum chooses ‘yelling’.

• Each draw this animal doing the action!

Write both words beside it.

• Repeat to get other wacky combinations.

To play • Spread out the cards face down • Take turns to turn over 2 cards. Read them.

• If they match, i.e. mean approximately the same thing, you can keep them.

• If they don’t, turn them back over face down.

• Play until all the pairs are collected. Who has most?

Charades (teenage)

Comic strip days (4-7 years)

This is a Victorian parlour game and it is still very popular!

It is a great evening game, with snacks and drinks and the more players the better. The game has certain conventions for number of words, sounds like and so on – these are easily found online.

Preparation: you need several ‘comic strips’ like this one.

To play • Everyone writes three or four book, film or TV programme titles on separate pieces of paper. Each piece of paper is folded so you can’t see the writing.

• Place all the folded papers in a hat.

• Players take it in turns to take a piece of paper. They open it and read the title.

• They have to mime the title – no speaking!

• They first indicate if it is a film, book or TV programme by miming using a cine camera, opening a book or drawing a square in the air to represent a TV. • Then they hold up the number of fingers required to indicate the number of words in the title, e.g. six fingers for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

• Then they either mime each word or mime the whole thing.

• The other players can shout out guesses as soon as they think of them.

• Once the title has been guessed, someone else has a turn.

• Continue playing till the hat is empty.

140

With your child: write synonyms for each of these words on three cards. E.g. for eat: you could write ‘gobble’, ‘munch’, ‘scoff’.

MANOR | Winter 2018

Each space should be about 100cm square. Also pencils and crayons.

To play • Take a comic strip each.

• You are each going to create a comic strip of either a terrible or a wonderful day! Discuss which day each of you will do – it doesn’t need to be the same day!

• Think about how to draw the day in 4 pictures.

• Each picture should have one or two speech bubbles.

This activity is really good for helping your child to develop the narrative skills needed to tell a story.

school Letter formation (4-7 years)

Triangle of syllables (7-11 years)

Preparation: some thick paper, a paint ‘tray’ (can be a plate) with powder or other fairly thick paint. A variety of items to write with, e.g. the handle end of a wooden spoon, an old toothbrush, a small piece of sponge, cotton wool…

Preparation: you need paper and felt tips.

There are four groups of letters • Long ladder letters – we go down and off in another direction: i, j, l, t, u, y • Bouncing ball letters – we go down and retrace upwards: b, h, k, m, n, p, r • Curly caterpillar letters – we go anti-clockwise round: a, c, d, e, g, o, q, f, s • Zigzag letters – we zigzag from top then down: v, w, x, z

Fruit App–le Ban–an–a L o – g a n – b e r r– y Rasp–berr–ies–and–cream Man–go–and–pine–app–le

To play • Use the paint and the different implements to form each group of letters. The focus is on the formation.

• Stress the sound of each letter as you form it.

• Do one group the first time. On another occasion do another group.

To play • A triangle is made up of layers.

• Each layer has one more syllable than the layer above it.

• Triangles always have a ‘theme’ – the one illustrated is fruit. But you could have ‘space’ or ‘under-sea’ or ‘football’, etc.

• Create a triangle each. You must try to get six layers! How many syllables in the bottom layer?

• Whose is the best? Repeat with different themes.

Car challenge (teenage)

Next door numbers (young primary)

You need someone to play with on a car journey!

To play • Look at a car number plate.

• You have to think of a word that has the same letters as the last 3 letters on the plate in the same order.

• E.g. you could have SWOOP for the first car and GRATE for the second car.

• Score 7 points for getting a word BUT take off 1 point for each letter between the car number plate letters. So SWOOP scores 7 – 2 as there are 2 letters between the W and P. GRATE scores 6 as there is only 1 letter between R and T. It doesn’t matter how many letters are after or before the car number letters! It is the letters in between which count.

• If your partner got SWIPE for the first car, they would score 6 and beat you!

• Keep playing – who wins each round? Who thinks of the best words?

• • • • • •

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…

MANOR | Winter 2018

141

Prime Waterfront & Country House

SO U TH H AMS’ L EAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

An imposing country house close to the sea - Churston Ferrers

Guide price

£1,500,000

A stunning detached 1920’s country house with detached 1 bedroom annexe, workshop and garages, backing on to Churston Golf Course.

Completely refurbished and extended by its current owners to an extremely high standard throughout to provide spacious family accommodation. EPC Rating C.

Totnes 8 miles, Exeter 26 miles, Plymouth 30 miles

hotel 5/6 Bedrooms bathtub 5/6 Bathrooms furniture 4 Reception Rooms Web Ref: PWC160055

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

Totnes office: 01803 847979

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

marchandpetit.co.uk 142

MANOR | Winter 2018

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

Property Property of note: Gurrow Point, Dittisham, South Devon The Relocator: Exeter | Snapshot comparative

Gurrow Point, South Devon. On the market with Savills. See page 144 savills.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

143

Feast your eyes on the enchanting Gurrow Point and you’ll be forgiven for thinking that dreams really can come true. Words by Imogen Clements.

144

MANOR | Winter 2018

property of note

I

f you’re a romantic, like me, you’ll have dreamt of living in a large rambling English estate: the sort that gets immortalised in the novels of Du Maurier (Manderley) or Waugh (Brideshead). You’ll have imagined lounging in the drawing room, dressing for dinner and checking the pristine view from your balcony before sweeping elegantly down the impressive staircase to greet friends arriving for the weekend. But houses like this are fictional, right? Homes so rich in character and prized by their location can’t possibly exist beyond the realms of fervent imaginations.

Or can they? Well, very occasionally they do. Gurrow Point, in Dittisham, South Devon, is the kind of house that inspires classics. Located on its own peninsular on the River Dart, it sits within almost 80 acres of its own land and boasts dreamlike panoramic views over a wide stretch of the Dart and the surrounding South Hams countryside.

It is on the market, a fact that won’t have gone unnoticed by admirers near and far and Sarah-Jane Bingham-Chick of Savills concurs: “It is simply one of the standout houses of the South West – an iconic property known by many in the region, from those who’ve lived in this part of Devon all their lives to those who’ve more recently relocated to the South Hams drawn by the beauty of the region, who would happily sell again to acquire it, and anyone who sails by it on the river.” Gurrow Point is coveted by anyone who sets eyes on it, and no wonder.

“The house very much complements its unique and breathtaking location. It’s not ostentatious in any way, but elegantly refined,” comments Sarah-Jane. Indeed, to walk through it there is a homely sophistication about the property, where every room is well proportioned, bright and airy, with décor and fittings subtly oriented to the aspect each room offers. “The result is warm and welcoming and there is an easy flow from room to room.”

The approach immediately transports you into the realms of escapist fiction. You drive through wroughtiron gates, down a poplar-lined avenue which curves around to a gravel parking area in front of the house.

Tastefully landscaped gardens fall away from the house in formal tiers. The beds, lawns, stone walls and odd water feature add to the refined leisure of the place. The gardens, I’m told, have been tended by the same gardener for decades and it’s clear that their approach is at one with the house – to honour, not detract from, the location it enjoys. There is a terrace with an al fresco dining area,

It is simply one of the standout houses of the South West – an iconic property known by many in the region.

MANOR | Winter 2018

145

The Cottage

146

MANOR | Winter 2018

a croquet lawn with panoramic views of the river, plus a boules court. There is also a tennis court and pavilion.

Perfect for entertaining those weekend guests. Within the house’s 80 acres there is also an area of land that’s available for hire – and has been popular with events and wedding planners.

For leisure on a personal level, Gurrow Point offers plenty of variety. It runs right down to the foreshore – it takes just minutes to walk from the house to the water.

There are two jetties and two slipways. At six knots, the speed limit for this stretch of the river, you can be in Dartmouth in 20 minutes. With its wonderful array of shops, delis, galleries and highly-rated restaurants on the water, Dartmouth is itself a highly desirable location.

Throughout the house there is an air of calm sophistication – from the front door you walk into a double-height lobby with a prominent wooden staircase leading to a galleried landing which feels reminiscent of Gone with the Wind and from the landing lead all the principal bedrooms (Gurrow Point has five) including the master with its own balcony and river views from the bed. The current owners’ decoration of this room belies their love of the property in that all the soft furnishings carefully complement the delicately hand-painted panels on the fitted wardrobes that they found when they bought the house.

property of note Accessible from the landing too are staff quarters – a two-bedroom flat located above the house’s garage.

It has its own private entrance as well and would make the perfect nanny flat. There is also substantial ancillary accommodation in a separate three-bedroom cottage which the current owners would rent out as a holiday let. The cottage is spacious and picturesque, built in a similar style to the main house, with the living area leading to a large conservatory. It is set away from the main house, allowing both parties maximum privacy.

There is entertainment aplenty for all the family: a billiard room, sauna, and land and stabling for horses, set in stunning riding country. You can ride across acres of pasture, through woodland and, of course, down to the riverfront. As well as on foot and horseback, there is vehicular access to the water. One of Gurrow Point’s two slipways is accessed via a double five-bar gate and used for launching larger boats in high tide. But for those looking simply to potter on the water, there is a secluded wooden jetty from where you could take a boat or head up the river perhaps to The Seahorse in Dartmouth for dinner before cruising home under the stars.

There is little to fault Gurrow Point. It is the perfect family house with various potential income streams. But should the occupants need to get to London for work, this is straightforward too. The A38 is 12 miles north of the property and connects to the M5 at Exeter. Exeter, with its fast rail services and airport with two flights a day to the London City Airport, offers easy access to the capital and abroad.

Gurrow Point offers privacy without isolation. There are few homes that have a peninsular to themselves, on one of the South West’s most beautiful stretches of rivers, that are situated at the heart of their own 80 acres of land. Its village, Dittisham, is picturesque, with a population of around 500, and it has a village shop, post office and two popular pubs. It is just two miles north of Dartmouth and eight miles south of Totnes and popular with both locals and relocated working families who’ve come for the pristine location.

Needless to say, Gurrow Point, on the market for the first time in 10 years, will be a much sought-after property. If circumstance, and perhaps budget, don’t permit the buyer to be you, don’t be surprised to find a romantic classic entitled Gurrow Point on bookshelves some years from now, which you can sit back with, lose yourself in, and live in this unique house, in your imagination.

Gurrow Point is on the market with Savills Exeter.

Price on application. Tel: 01392 455 755 savills.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

147

Prime Waterfront & Country House

SO U TH H AMS’ L EAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

Guide price

Outstanding contemporary home with views - Near Kingsbridge Kingsbridge 1.5 miles, Salcombe 7.5 miles, Dartmouth 13 miles

hotel 4 Bedrooms bathtub 3 Bathrooms furniture 1 Reception Rooms

£1,000,000

An exceptionally designed property with wonderful estuary views and outstanding features throughout creating light and easy living.

Beautifully designed gardens, all set in a private village location.

EPC Rating D.

Web Ref: KIN180159

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

Kingsbridge office: 01548 857588

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

marchandpetit.co.uk 148

MANOR | Winter 2018

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

property

The Relocator tours the South West on your behalf to get an on-the-ground insight on hotspots in the region in order to assess their relocation potential. We do our research and talk to residents, businesses and estate agents to get the lowdown on‌

EXETER

Exeter Cathedral

Exeter, the cathedral city, with a population size of approximately 130,000, is known as the capital of Devon.

In recent years it has received a lot of corporate interest and inward investment (with retailers John Lewis and IKEA both moving in, together with a high number of developers) and according to a 2018 report by Irwin Mitchell it boasts the second highest employment growth in the UK. The report also reveals it to be one of the most affordable UK cities to live in, making it highly attractive to many. All this, along with the city’s proximity to coast and countryside, is making Exeter a serious consideration for younger families that once upon a time may have deemed Padstow it too inaccessible and limited in career Newquay Airport CORNWALL prospects.

M5

SOMERSET

Barnstaple

A361 A377

A303

Tiverton

DEVON

M5

A30

DORSET

Crediton Exeter Airport

Okehampton A30

Exeter Sidmouth Dartmoor

A380 A38

A385

Exmouth Dawlish Teignmouth

Torquay

Plymouth Dartmouth St Austell Truro St Ives

Falmouth

Penzance Sennen

MANOR | Winter 2018

149

AN ESTATE AGENT’S OPINION… Director of residential at Savills Exeter, Edward Tallack, has observed how many who opted for the country homes are moving to the city. “Exeter is appealing for many reasons, but many affluent families are now considering the city over a country home because it reduces the school run and frees up their time for so many other things.” With Exeter being so close to the coast and countryside, Edward explains there is less need for acres of land but instead a desire for just enough outdoor space to entertain guests. “You have everything else on your doorstep. If you want to go off sailing, you’re 20 minutes away; if you want to go riding, you’re 20 minutes away – how many cities offer that?

“Another advantage of Exeter,” points out Edward, “is its size. It’s small and has become a really attractive city. There’s a real buzz about the place. It’s come a long way from what it was 20 years ago.”

WHAT THE SMALL BUSINESS OPERATOR SAYS…

150

MANOR | Winter 2018

PHOTO: MATT AUSTIN

Now with five branches across the South West, Busby & Fox opened their Exeter store in March this year.

The brand has a unique mix of independent fashion labels, homewares, jewellery and flowers. Exeter wasn’t the first location for Busby & Fox as they chose to launch the store in Totnes. But, just as John Lewis, Ikea and Finisterre have moved into the city, so it became increasingly clear that Exeter was a key location for a Busby & Fox store and they began the task of finding the right spot. The company’s founder and creative director, Emma Vowles, explains, “We had been looking in Exeter for about two years before we managed to secure the location on Cathedral Yard. It was worth the wait. I think it’s the right location for us because we are just off the high street, surrounded by gorgeous period buildings and independent businesses, which gives it a great coffeeculture vibe.” With the current building works taking place to restore The Royal Clarence Hotel to its former glory, after the tragic fire in 2016, the area surrounding Busby & Fox is somewhat unsettled. However, Emma is positive about the future, convinced that the best is yet to come once the renovations have been completed. “I’m excited about the future. If people are finding us when we’re hidden by portakabins, scaffolding and builders, it bodes well for when the area has been fully restored, and confirms Exeter as the right call.”

Exeter is also home to the award-winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM), the largest museum and art gallery in the city. Its Museum Manager and Cultural Lead, Camilla Hampshire, confirms how the Exeter location contributes to the success of the museum. “Exeter has an easy mix of the historic and contemporary in the city centre. It has a confidence and strong sense of itself. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum is one of the places that ‘holds’ this distinctive

Busby & Fox

Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery

sense of identity: our collections document the rich history of our enterprising city. They help us understand who we are today as a community and as individuals.”

Camilla goes on to discuss how the collections and exhibitions are insightful of its setting. “Our global collections reflect Exeter and Devon’s history of connections around the world, showing this is nothing new. RAMM is part of the city’s vibrant cultural scene and a busy calendar of festivals, events, performance and exhibitions caters for a wide range of interests. It provides all of us who live, work or play in Exeter with a special quality of life and makes for the great vibe so appreciated by many city visitors.”

WHAT THE RESIDENT SAYS… Garden designer Rebecca Wells and her family moved to Exeter in 1987 from London, as a job became available in the area. They’ve not looked back. “With two young children when we arrived, we wanted a historical city which also had a vibrant cultural life and beautiful countryside nearby,” Rebecca explains. “It could have been another place – Norwich, for example – but the job came up in Exeter and we haven’t been disappointed.”

property There is also a high number of highly regarded independent schools. Exeter Cathedral School is a day and boarding prep school adjacent to the cathedral, and children make up a number of cathedral choirs. Exeter School is a day school for boys and girls aged 7-18 and The Maynard is a day school for girls aged 4-18.

Of course, another huge draw is Exeter University; the award-winning institution belongs to the Russell Group and has made several research breakthroughs in various fields.

TRAVEL AND GETTING AROUND

5 Pennsylvania Crescent, on the market with Savills for £1,095,000 and is currently under offer

Exeter is extremely well-connected, with good road, rail and air links. Exeter Airport operates flights to London, other major UK cities and international destinations.

Rail networks running to and from the region include Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and South Western Railway. There are two railway routes into London (Paddington and Waterloo) and a fast train to Paddington just over two hours. By car, the M5 links to Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham and all points along the M4 to London, and takes around three and a half hours to drive to London.

PROPERTY

The Quay

Now, with the children grown up, Rebecca and her husband have stayed within the city, although have moved a couple of times. “Exeter surprised me when we first moved here, but it was a lovely surprise. It’s now a place where I have lived the longest and we are very happy here.”

The only concern for Rebecca is the rapid rise of student accommodation being built. “The city is enriched, literally and figuratively, by the fantastic university here but there is the proliferation of student accommodation everywhere. Some of the buildings are quite imposing and it would be a shame to ruin the special character of the city if this continues.” Plus, of course, there is some concern among residents that prioritising student accommodation favours those unlikely to settle in the city and who desert it in the holidays.

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION Exeter offers a high standard of education for all ages.

As well as a network of highly rated state schools with good Ofsted ratings, there is the highly regarded Exeter College offering tertiary education to between 10,00012,000 students and was awarded an Outstanding rating from Ofsted in 2014.

Exeter covers a large radius, and, with many property types on the market, guide prices are fairly varied and depend on specific location, expectations of the property and, of course, the most dictating factor – budget. As an example of this sought-after hotspot, St Leonard’s has a range of property available. You could find a two- or three-bedroom terrace town house for around £300,000.

However, there are also Georgian mansions on the market for up to £2.5 million. St Leonard’s is around 10 minutes from the city centre.

The Relocator’s verdict…

It’s easy to see why Exeter is attracting the attention it is. A leisure city, there is lots to do: arts and culture within the city and outdoor pursuits in the surrounding coast or countryside.

With fast trains and an increasingly busy airport, connectivity is good for those who travel for work, whether it be to London, Manchester or abroad, plus it is considerably more affordable than places closer to London. Developers are taking note and there are significant housebuilding developments underway for all types of accommodation – luxury, family and student.

Over and above this though, there is a conscientious and healthy progressive attitude to this rapidly growing city. Initiatives including ‘Exeter Live Better’, (exeterlivebetter.com), an Exeter Council-led scheme designed to help acknowledge the city’s strengths and nurture business within it, and the sustainability-led ‘Exeter City Futures’ that looks at the transport and energy requirements to make Exeter a modern, efficient and environmentally friendly place to be, add another positive dimension to its appeal.

MANOR | Winter 2018

151

Prime Waterfront & Country House

SO U TH H AMS’ LEAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

Spacious home with flexible accommodation - Churston Ferrers

Guide price

£850,000

A modern family home situated in the sought after village of Churston Ferrers located just a short walk away from the beach with flexible accommodation, garden, garage, parking and annexe potential.

Private end of cul de sac location. EPC Rating C.

Totnes 8 miles, Exeter 26 miles, Plymouth 30 miles

hotel 5 Bedrooms bathtub 3 Bathrooms furniture 4 Reception Rooms Web Ref: TOT140120

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

Totnes office: 01803 847979

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

marchandpetit.co.uk 152

MANOR | Winter 2018

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

Prime Waterfront & Country House

SO U TH H AMS’ LEAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

Guide price

Walking distance to the beach - Wembury

£975,000

A picturesque period property, formerly the laundry cottage for Langdon Court, beautifully presented, character features, approximately 4000 sq ft, landscape gardens, paddock and stables.

Approximately 2.37 acres. EPC Rating D.

Wembury Beach 1 mile, Plymouth 4 miles, A38 7 miles

hotel 5 Bedrooms bathtub 3 Bathrooms furniture 4 Reception Rooms Web Ref: NEW180051

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

Newton Ferrers office: 01752 873311

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

marchandpetit.co.uk MANOR | Winter 2018

153

property

Snapshot comparative Properties in the South West and one near London that have amazing social spaces, perfect for entertaining guests over the festive period.

Southside, Aveton Gifford Guide Price: £795,000

Devon

A stylish, newly converted barn with four bedrooms.

Set in half an acre of grounds, Southside is located close to the south Devon coastline. Boasts a multifunctional, open-plan sitting room, dining area and kitchen, with its south-facing aspect and bi-fold doors, opening onto the lovely gardens. There is an impressive feature brick fireplace, dividing the room, while the vaulted ceilings create a sense of space. struttandparker.com

Cornwall

Mawnan Reach, near Falmouth Guide Price: £795,000 With up to three bedrooms and completed in 2015, Mawnan Reach is a contemporary and highly individual detached house, commanding spectacular panoramic views. The bright, open-plan main living space is arranged with distinct seating and dining areas, plus a bespoke kitchen. The room has a full-height glazed wall with two sets of sliding doors onto the double-width balcony, with steps to the garden below. savills.com

Devon

Marwell Cross Gardens, Kingsbridge Guide Price: £1,250,000 A beautifully presented 4/5-bedroom detached property, a short distance from the sea with a selfcontained 1/2-bedroom lodge and detached studio set in its own grounds. Marwell Cross Gardens has modern living areas with exposed beams, and the large windows and glazed doors let in masses of natural light. From the living room, doors open to a glasscovered veranda, serving as an additional seating area. marchandpetit.co.uk

Near London

Millbrook, Surrey Guide Price: £675,000 A fabulous two-bedroom boathouse with a pertinent waterside position. Comes with a bright and spacious living space comprising a sitting room in an open-plan arrangement with a dining room. The fully-glazed end walls draw the eye to riverside views, whilst French doors open on to a deck and mooring. The mainline station provides a fast and frequent service to London Waterloo. savills.com

154

MANOR | Winter 2018

COR NW ALL PR O PER TY SEARCH AND REL OCA T I ON SPECI A L I S T

Finding special homes for especially busy people It’s that time of year again, when everyone has Christmas on their mind but it will soon all be over and time to put the decorations away in the loft, so why not dust off your dreams while you are up there? If your new year’s resolutions include owning a dream home in Cornwall, then please get in touch and let’s start a conversation.

“Talking to Jayne for the first time, I got a distinct feeling that she would be able to help us, as she seemed to lock into what we thought we were looking for and, crucially, put us at ease. Her chatty and personable manner resonated, and her professionalism and grasp of our detail was impressive.”

MR & MRS S from TOOTING, LONDON

““It’s been such a pleasure to work with Jayne; she really is worth her weight in gold. I could not recommend her more highly.”

MISS L from BRIGHTON

Jayne Phillips-Choak 07882 037836 • livebesidethesea@gmail.com • livebesidethesea.com livebesidethesea

@livebesidethesea

MANOR | Winter 2018

155

Helford River, Cornwall An idyllic waterside setting with outstanding views across the Helford River. Currently arranged as main house & holiday home. 7 bedrooms & 5 bath/shower rooms in total. Private quay & jetty with small harbour. Creekside meadows extending to about 6 acres. First sale since 1951. EPC - F Offers over ÂŁ3m

156

MANOR | Winter 2018

Falmouth, Cornwall A very special Georgian house, once the home of the novelist Howard Spring, with 6/7 bedrooms plus a 2 bedroom cottage set in extensive walled gardens about 400 metres from Gyllyngvase beach, and a short walk from the town, harbour and yacht marina. EPC - D Guide price ÂŁ1.595m

MANOR | Winter 2018

157

Spend Christmas in your new Bovis Home and receive

£3,000 towards your Christmas festivities We’re adding to the excitement this Christmas by offering you £3,000 worth of John Lewis Vouchers for you to spend on your dream Christmas in your brand new Bovis Home.

Available for a limited time only on selected plots, don’t miss out

bovishomes.co.uk Photographs shows a typical Bovis Homes interior. 2018 Available on selected plots only and subject to completion on or before 19th December 2018. Offer cannot be used in conjunction 158 MANOR | Winter with any other offer or purchase assistance scheme. Vouchers will be issued on completion. For further details please see your development specific sales advisor.

Mildenhall Sherborne DT9 6BP Open daily 10am to 5pm

01935 578004

To advertise here please email advertising@manormagazine.co.uk or call 07887 556447 INTERIORS

A carefully curated selection of affordable gifts, cards, kitchen and homeware, alongside a selection of Cornish makers and designers

01208 812 333 cornwallrugcompany.com Unit 3 Trevanson Street Wadebridge PL27 7AW

4 High Street, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 2AB Tel: 01326 618240 FASHION

OSKA 18 Fore Street St Ives TR26 1AB T 01736 797219 Mon to Sat 10 am – 5.30 pm Sunday 11 am – 4.30 pm stives.oska.com

MANOR | Winter 2018

159

The Jewellery Box POLKADOT GALLERY 12 Martins Lane, Exeter EX1 1EY | 01392 276500 polkadotgallery.com Polkadot Gallery is passionate about contemporary jewellery and stocks the work of specially selected world-renowned and talented local makers. From beautiful gold and platinum rings containing exquisite diamonds, to jewellery incorporating wood, titanium, porcelain and textiles, they have something to delight every taste.

RADMORE’S OF TRURO Fine Antique and Modern Jewellers 1 Duke Street,Truro TR1 2QE | 01872 277217 | truro-jewellery.co.uk Fine antique and modern jewellers in the heart of Truro. Visit our exquisite shop and discover a reflection of our past heritage and beauty.

Gorgeous Modern Tiffany heart diamond pendant, set in platinum.

Est 2ct of Round brilliant cut diamonds. £3,700

ERIN COX JEWELLERY 14 Castle street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3PT 01392 660836 | erincox.co.uk From the heart of the city of Exeter, Erin Cox creates bespoke jewellery imbued with a timeless quality, inspired by the natural landscape, and the organic and molten fluidity of manipulating metal. Using carefully curated stones, and recycled or fair trade metals, Erin’s jewellery become pieces that tell a family story. Come and talk to us about your story, and let Erin create something for you.

MIRRI DAMER Contemporary Jewellery 8 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AB | 01326 619817 | mirridamer.com Mirri’s jewellery is celebrated and coveted for its timeless style and low-key luxury look.

SILVER ORIGINS 1 Fore Street St Ives TR26 1AB Market Place Marazion TR17 0AR silverorigins.com Contemporary simplicity and stunning design, inspired by the natural beauty of Cornwall.

Handcrafted in sterling silver, finished with delicate textures and exquisite semi- precious stones to enhance the spirit of each piece.

Beautifully gift boxed and exclusively designed in Cornwall. A unique collection available in stores or online.

KinetIQue Jewellery 1 Mansion House, Prince’s Street, Truro TR1 2RF 01208 592066 | kinetique.co.uk

Visit her shop in Falmouth to see a full range of her unique, contemporary designs, including bespoke engagement rings; all hand crafted on site from precious metals and set with gorgeous gemstones.

The amazing IQ Diamond, created by Cornwall’s award winning KinetIQue Jewellery, offers a socially responsible stone for today’s socially responsible buyer. See our luxury jewellery ranges and bespoke designs all backed by a lifetime guarantee.

160

MANOR | Winter 2018

CAROL ANNE

KLIMEK JEWELLERS 84 Lemon Street, Truro TR1 2QA | 01872 262888 klimekjewellers.co.uk Klimek Jewellers is a small family run business which prides itself on its expertise and customer service.

Boutique Jewellers An expertly curated selection of fine platinum and gold jewellery alongside highly coveted British and international sterling silver fashion brands.

29 November 2018 marks the 21st anniversary of our trading in Truro.

5/6 Holland Walk, Barnstaple EX31 1DW 01271 345786

To celebrate we are offering 21% discount on all stocked items from 19 November to 1 December.

51b St James Street, Taunton TA1 1JH 01823 330242 Bespoke Rubellite & Diamond ring in 18ct yellow & white gold, £6,250

BARRY ROWE FINE JEWELLERS 30a Molesworth Street, Wadebridge PL27 7DP 01208 815800 | barryrowefinejewellers.com

Barry Rowe Fine Jewellers, offer the highest standards in jewellery, watch, clock and antique repairs. Hatton Gardens trained and with over 30 years experience Barry Rowe also offers bespoke jewellery, individually crafted as well as a selection of beautiful second hand gold and diamond jewellery. Visit us in Wadebridge or our online store.

Newton Abbot TQ12 2PR | 07769 177222 naomidaviesjewellery.co.uk

Naomi is a silver and goldsmith creating unique pieces for men and women, often combining other materials such as marble and leather to create a timeless elegance with a rock ‘n’ roll edge. Stockists include The Devon Guild of Craftsmen and Jewel Street UK. Available for workshops and commissions.

Kit Heath

THE GREY LURCHER 4 High Street, Falmouth TR11 2AB | 01326 618240 facebook.com/thegreylurcher New to The Grey Lurcher Falmouth, just in time for Christmas, is Orelia Jewellery.

The brand combines contemporary and classic pieces, perfect for layering,these everyday pieces are crafted using spiritual charms, semi precious gems and Swarovski stones, the brand offers super quality at an accessible price.

EMILY NIXON

Naomi Davies Jewellery Bespoke jewellery design.

carolannejewellery.co.uk

Contemporary Jewellery Foundry Square Hayle, TR27 4HH 01736 887599 emilynixon.com Open Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Emily’s wedding, engagement and statement pieces combine glittering gemstones with a distinctive sea-worn finish. Hand crafted designs with a sculptural language entirely their own.

Visit the studio to try on pieces in the range or book an appointment to commission a bespoke design.

To advertise here please email advertising@manormagazine.co.uk or call 07887 556447

MANOR | Winter 2018

161

back page prize draw

an exquisite pair of KinetIQue diamond earrings worth £1,470

K

inetIQue Jewellery, in association with MANOR, are giving readers the chance to win a beautiful pair of diamond earrings. The name of the style, Elle, means ‘bright shining one’ in old Greek and the piece is a modern pair of round cut diamond stud earrings with a six-claw setting. Worth £1,470, each earring will have 0.5ct IQ diamond set in 18k white gold.

Each IQ diamond will be graded and certified by GRI Laboratories.

KinetIQue was established in 2011 and introduced

the first ever hybrid diamond. In 2016, it launched the new IQ diamond, the first lab-grown hybrid diamond to possess a pure diamond mantle. The IQ diamond is tougher, with the sparkle and fire of mined diamonds, but comes at a fraction of the price, allowing for bigger, brighter gems.

KinetIQue will be opening a new showroom in Truro in January 2019. kinetique.uk

HOW TO ENTER To enter the prize draw to win this exquisite pair of Elle earrings, go to manormagazine.co.uk/glitzbackpageprizedraw. The prize draw closes at midnight on 6 January 2019 and the winner will be informed within 48 hours by email.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS :The prize cannot be exchanged for a cash alternative; nor will any negotiations be entered into regarding an exchange of the prize. The winner will be notified as to how to claim their prize from KinetIQue on confirmation of acceptance of the prize. Full terms and conditions can be found at manormagazine.co.uk/glitzbackpageprizedraw

162

MANOR | Winter 2018

The new Touareg.

With £3,000 towards your finance deposit.

Available with Solutions PCP.* Leading edge technology meets elegantly assertive SUV styling and commanding off-road capabilities.

Available to test drive in our showroom today.

Heritage

Marshall

Murray

Dorchester: 01305 443153.

Barnstaple: 01271 355036.

Newton Abbot: 01752 643954.

www.heritage.volkswagen.co.uk

www.marshallbarnstaple.volkswagen.co.uk

www.murrayplymouth.volkswagen.co.uk

Yeovil: 01935 513182.

Taunton: 01823 230412.

Plymouth: 01626 251096.

www.heritage.volkswagen.co.uk

www.marshalltaunton.volkswagen.co.uk

www.murraynewtonabbot.volkswagen.co.uk

Inchcape Exeter: 01392 338204. www.inchcapeexeter.volkswagen.co.uk

Representative

3.3% APR

We are brokers and not lenders and can introduce you to a limited number of lenders, who may pay us for introducing you to them. *At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available until March 31st, 2019. Indemnities may be required. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication. Freepost Volkswagen Financial Services. This vehicle is a WLTP

(Worldwide Harmonised Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure) type approved vehicle. More information is available at www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/wltp. However, in line with Government guidance, to facilitate comparison between different models from different manufacturers and to accommodate the full transition to this new testing regime, we have displayed NEDC figures. These NEDC figures are the values for this vehicle used in registration and taxation documentation until further notice from the UK authorities. These NEDC figures have been derived from WLTP testing, and may not be equivalent to NEDC figures from NEDC testing, so comparisons may be unreliable. Fuel consumption and efficiency figures are provided for comparative purposes only and may not reflect ‘real world’ driving results. Choice of wheels and other options may affect fuel consumption and emissions data. Official fuel consumption figures for the new Touareg model range in mpg (litres/100km): urban 36.7(7.7); extra urban 47.9(5.9); combined 42.8(6.6). Combined CO2 emissions 173g/km. Excludes battery, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

MANOR | Winter 2018

163

Merry Christmas

164

MANOR | Winter 2018 87 Queen Street,

Exeter, EX4 3RP, Tel 01392 279994, Email websales@mortimersjewellers.co.uk