Marshwood+ July 2021

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© Sam Brown Photograph by Robin Mills

The best from West Dorset, South Somerset and East Devon

No. 268 July 2021

COVER STORY Robin Mills met Sam Brown in West Dorset

’C

© Sam Brown Photograph by Robin Mills

oming to live here in Dorset 6 years ago has just been fantastic. I teach ukulele 2 days a week in Oxfordshire, usually arriving home on a Thursday night around midnight. I get out of the car, and before I even think about going indoors I stand outside the house and enjoy the peace—just the sounds of the countryside at night. And I love that there’s no light pollution.

I was born in Stratford in east London, where my Dad comes from. My Mum, Vicki, came from Liverpool. At the age of 17, in the late ‘50s; she was with a group called the Vernons Girls, as a singer and dancer. They came to perform in London, and despite being strictly chaperoned all the time she met my Dad, the singer and guitarist Joe Brown, and they married. I was born in 1964, and we continued living in Essex until 1977. I have a brother, Pete, to whom I’m very close; although together we can be a bit frightening. If you met my Dad you’d know why, and if you met my Nan you’d know why even more. She was 6ft 1in and looked like John Wayne in True Grit, but she was a lovely East End lady, and ran a pub there.

In 1977 we moved to a village in Oxfordshire, and Nan came to live in a cottage nearby. My Dad still lives in the area. Mum became a session singer, doing backing vocals for people like T Rex, David Bowie and many other well known acts; she was very good at it, became quite successful and that’s really how I got into music. At the age of 13 I was writing songs, and learning classical piano. My Mum and Dad’s involvement in the music scene of the day meant that our house was always a party house; however they both came from traditional working class backgrounds, and Dad’s rather Victorian attitude to bringing up children meant he could be pretty harsh at times. Given that it was the Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 3

Sam Brown

© Sam Brown Photograph by Robin Mills

late ‘60s/early ‘70s, our house was always full of—for want of a better expression—“creative people”, so life could be a bit bonkers. My Mum was lovely, very beautiful, but very sadly she died of cancer when she was 50. Dad could be a little distant at times but was and still is great fun. Pete, my brother, also very musical, became a sound engineer, and sings and plays guitar.

I started doing backing vocals with my Mum when I was 13 or 14; in fact that was when I started singing professionally. By the time I was 17 I had moved to London and rented my own flat. I loved working—I had a cleaning job, I was waitressing, and singing session work and backing vocals; it was the 4 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

busy life in some ways I’ve always craved, and I began to write more and more songs. In 1986 I signed a record deal with A&M Records, eventually releasing the album Stop. I also had a publishing deal, which manages the publication and collection of royalties for the song writing; the record deal is about recording, PR and selling of the records. Never having been a seeker of celebrity, I found the publishing deal the more dignified of the two, and in fact I’m still with the same publisher.

Stop took a while to achieve success, perhaps not sounding like the other music of the day.

However, initially it took off in Holland, made No1 there, then after popularity spread to Spain, Belgium and Germany it started to get

airtime on British radio and became a big hit here, eventually selling two and a half million copies. The next three years involved travelling the world doing PR, just me and my manager, doing photo sessions and interviews. It was fun, but I really didn’t enjoy not doing any music. I worked on the second album, April Moon, before my Mum was ill with cancer, and then after she died I brought out the third album, 43 Minutes. It was a devastating time for me, and I became disillusioned with producing music under the control of a record company.

What I loved the most was playing live and writing songs. 43 Minutes was a concept album, an expression of how things were for me at the time, and still sells; I have retrieved the

© Sam Brown Photograph by Robin Mills

rights back from A&M, so I market it myself.

In 1993 I became pregnant with my daughter Vicky, and bought a house in Scotland, where my ex-husband and I built a recording studio. In ’94 I went on a world tour with Pink Floyd for a year, taking Vicky, aged 7 months, with me. A year later my son Mohan was born. I’d known David Gilmour through my parents, sang on their album of that time, Division Bell, and have worked with them over several years. David was one of the musicians who lived not far from us in Oxfordshire, along with George Harrison, Alvin Lee from 10 Years After, and Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople; it became a bit of a rock star neck of the woods, being close to London, but importantly for a touring musician, it’s in the centre of the country with good connections. Before they were famous, the Beatles supported my Dad at the Cavern in Liverpool, and being Liverpudlian, my Mum had also met them through her work. In those early days, musicians would meet up in each other’s houses, sit around with a drink and play guitars, and George Harrison and Dad became close friends, sharing a great interest in the ukulele— George had a collection of hundreds. And when Dad remarried, George was his best man. I knew George, had done some backing vocals for him, and when he was very ill, Jools Holland and I went to see him in Italy

to put together a song called Horse to the Water on an album Jools was making. After he died, in 2001, Olivia Harrison asked Jools and me to perform it at the Concert for George tribute concert, at the Albert Hall, exactly a year after his death. It was for me, and everyone who was involved in that concert, the most incredible experience. Most of the musicians there that night were people I’ve worked with many times over the years, and although I don’t know them as friends they were so lovely to me. The Hall had an amazing atmosphere that night, with incense burning and gorgeous silk drapes everywhere, making the space perfect for the Indian and western musical celebration that followed. I will never forget that night.

I toured with Jools Holland for 15 years, commuting from Scotland, and bringing up two young children. I worked too hard, eventually suffering a nervous breakdown, and my marriage fell apart. I was doing voice training, trying to look after my voice, but during a tour with my Dad in 2006 I was having big problems, finding I couldn’t hit the notes or sing in tune, and by 2007 I had to stop working. I still don’t know what exactly went wrong. Luckily I had some royalty income from the song writing, but I had to do whatever I could to earn money, because I had a massive mortgage, two houses and two children. I started teaching

ukulele, and it soon went mad, going from nine people in my living room to 20 people in a shed, to hiring a hall, all in about six months. I love teaching, and my performing career has taught me how to keep an audience’s attention. And I love my students, who have had such a variety of interesting lives—some have been coming for 10 years.

We’ve performed in various places, including Paris, but mostly we just have a laugh. I teach three clubs in Oxfordshire, but I have two clubs here in Dorset; one quite big group is in Sherborne, of 30-odd people. As a beginner, you have to learn quite a lot to start with, but being part of a group makes it a comfortable and fun way to learn. The other group is in Dorchester, at Tom Brown’s pub. All my groups have been continuing on Zoom this last year, but soon we hope to be back together. And now I have 2 online clubs in London, and one in Western Australia!

I’ve almost become too busy through lockdown. It’s lovely to be in Dorset, and it’s helped me to start writing songs again, although it’s a different process now, because before I would use my voice. So the music now, which I’m writing with a friend, is a little like 80s electronica, a genre I knew nothing about, and in time I will be quietly making a record. I’m loving it—something I’ll never let go of.

’

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UP FRONT Business and brand names have been a source of fascination for many of us over the years and whilst the bulk of names were based on something relevant to their products, such as Our Price Records, Opal Fruits, or Tie Rack, to name a few that no longer exist, there were many whose titles were more obscure. This month Etsy snapped up Depop for a reported $1.6bn. The founders of both businesses have said that their company names have no particular meaning. Robert Kalin, one of the founders of Etsy, is quoted as saying he ‘wanted a nonsense word’ because he wanted to build the brand from scratch. While Depop founder, Simon Beckerman, told Esquire magazine that the name ‘doesn’t really mean anything’. Today, those ‘meaningless’ names represent serious money in the bank for the owners of both companies. Other names like Zippo lighters for example came because the founder liked the word ‘zipper’, while ‘Google’ came about because of an accidental misspelling of the word googol. Researching the closed pubs and the new businesses in and around the Marshwood Vale recently, I was struck by the brightness of some of the new additions. Bar and restaurant names have changed from the likes of the Fisherman’s Arms and the Victoria Inn to Dorshi, Soulshine, Hoppiness, and Bowlcut. In the past, the names came from sources that included historic events, sports, trades, or animals—The Trafalgar, The Bat & Ball, The Mason’s Arms, or The Red Lion. The longest pub name is reported to be ‘The Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn’ in Stalybridge in Greater Manchester. The town also boasts the pub with the shortest name, ‘The Q Inn’. I love the newness and positivity of modern business names but the traditional side of me also likes a name that is easily understood. A pub I spent a lot of time in during my youth was called ‘The Hideout’.

It was a name inspired by the idea of a haven from the outside world, but also because when the public phone rang in the lounge bar, at least three people would turn around and in a loud whisper say: ‘I’m not here!’ If truth be told, in some cases they really hadn’t a clue where they were.

Fergus Byrne

Published Monthly and distributed by Marshwood Vale Ltd Lower Atrim, Bridport Dorset DT6 5PX For all Enquiries Tel: 01308 423031 info@marshwoodvale. com

THIS MONTH

3 12 16 24 28 30

Cover Story By Robin Mills Past, Present & Future - Mary Benger Event News and Courses News & Views Was your Grandparent a spy? By Martyn Allen Medically Deferred By Cecil Amor

32 32 34 36

House & Garden Vegetables in July By Ashley Wheeler July in the Garden By Russell Jordan Property Round Up By Helen Fisher

38 38 44 46 47

Food & Dining The Changing Face of Hospitality By Fergus Byrne Meringue Nougats By Lesley Waters Pigeon Salad with Sea Buckthorn By Mark Hix Handlining By Nick Fisher

48 48 50 53 54 55 56

57 58

Arts & Entertainment Hang on for Summer Events By Gay Pirrie Weir Galleries Young Lit Fix By Antonia Squire Summer History Reading By Bruce Harris Screen Time By Nic Jeune Keeping Memories Alive By Ninette Hartley Health & Beauty Services & Classified

“Is the glass half empty, half full, or twice as large as it needs to be?”

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Twitter @marshwoodvale

Editorial Director Fergus Byrne

Contributors

Deputy Editor

Martyn Allen Cecil Amor Seth Dellow Helen Fisher Nick Fisher Richard Gahagan Bruce Harris Ninette Hartley

Victoria Byrne

Design

People Magazines Ltd

Advertising

Fergus Byrne info@marshwoodvale.com

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Mark Hix Nic Jeune Russell Jordan Robin Mills Gay Pirrie Weir Antonia Squire Lesley Waters Ashley Wheeler

The views expressed in The Marshwood Vale Magazine and People Magazines are not necessarily those of the editorial team. Unless otherwise stated, Copyright of the entire magazine contents is strictly reserved on behalf of the Marshwood Vale Magazine and the authors.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of dates, event information and advertisements, events may be cancelled or event dates may be subject to alteration. Neither Marshwood Vale Ltd nor People Magazines Ltd can accept any responsibility for the accuracy of any information or claims made by advertisers included within this publication.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Trades descriptions act 1968. It is a criminal offence for anyone in the course of a trade or business to falsely describe goods they are offering. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. The legislation requires that items offered for sale by private vendors must be ‘as described’. Failure to observe this requirement may allow the purchaser to sue for damages.

Road Traffic Act. It is a criminal offence for anyone to sell a motor vehicle for use on the highway which is unroadworthy.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LAUGHING

SLAPSTICK Picnic is a new name on the open air summer tour circuit, but their provenance, from the creators of The HandleBards cycling troupes, promises lots of laughs and fun. The company is touring Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, with performances at Bridport’s Millennium Green on Wednesday 21st July, the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Wednesday 28th and Maumbury Rings at Dorchester on Thursday 29th. Slapstick Picnic takes a fantastically wild(e) trip through this classic comedy, ripping up the rule book and celebrating silliness. So prepare to witness the impossible—the entirety of Oscar Wilde’s classic play of manners, affairs and handbags being performed by just two rather dashing entertainers. Don’t forget to bring your own seats, picnic blankets and filled hampers to the proceedings, and wear attire suitable for the meteorological conditions. And pack those cucumber sandwiches, of course.

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Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 11

Past, Present and FUTURE Mary Benger talks to Seth Dellow

M

ary Benger describes gardening as ‘a hobby that just got a little bit out of control’. Talking to Seth Dellow, in an audio interview on the Marshwood Vale website, she remembers how, on the day that she and her husband John first came to view Burrow Farm it was in thick fog. It was a small farm with corrugated roof buildings and a bungalow made from timber and asbestos, but it wasn’t until the day she moved in that she realised how spectacular the views were. Today it is known as Burrow Hill Gardens, a popular and beautifully landscaped thirteen acre garden with superb views of the surrounding countryside.

‘I’ve always been keen on gardening and my father was a keen gardener’ explains Mary. ‘You don’t realise how much you’ve picked up in fact—names of various things. I was always encouraged to have my own garden and that sort of thing.’ Not long after they moved they had lunch with a neighbour who asked which one of them was the gardener.

They looked at each other in silence until Mary piped up, ‘Well it looks as though I’m going to be the gardener, doesn’t it’ she remembers ‘and that was the sort of start of it.’

Born in Kent and then moving to Surrey to a farm run by her brother, working hard came naturally. ‘I think that’s where I had very early learnings about working hard. As you can imagine, a brother ten years older than me didn’t hold back if I wasn’t putting my back into things.’

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Bill Lawson, photograph by Seth Dellow Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 13

She started around the outside of the house but gradually edged out into the field—‘just a couple of feet at a time’— until John got fed up with her taking so much of the field, so she decided to work on the old Roman clay pit. It was a bit of a waste land with brambles, nettles and bogland she recalls, but Mary set to work on it and ‘that was really the beginning of it’. The spot had old oak trees and a gnarled field Maple as well as violets, primroses and bluebells and Mary thought it a shame that nobody else got to enjoy it. ‘So I really expanded from that’.

Although the first priority was building up the dairy farm, Mary remembers being inspired by a visit to a garden that also had a nursery and a tea room. ‘That is, to my mind, a perfect day out’ she says. ‘So that was my aim from the very beginning.’

She recalls how her vision may not have been entirely shared by John in the early days. ‘It wasn’t his favourite idea’ she says. ‘In fact he thought the whole idea was rubbish, but he gradually came around to it.’

Fully occupied with a milking dairy herd, John helped with moving heavy items etc, but as Mary tells Seth, ‘like a lot of farmers, they like to do things with machinery really, don’t they quite often’. She says they ‘don’t enjoy the fiddlyness of gardening perhaps.’ She remembers how if she needed the plough that would be alright ‘but if you actually had to pull weeds out that wasn’t his scene’.

Needing to make an access for the public Mary built a narrow walkway which expanded over the years. As the children grew up and she had more time the garden expanded even more. ‘Then of course when farming went into decline and the cows were going, that was my opportunity to really take in some of the fields’.

Gardens. When people could visit again she could see how much they enjoyed it, both for the pleasure of being outside as well as understanding the benefits of gardening.

‘People who haven’t tried it before suddenly find a terrific boost to their wellbeing by just being outside’ she says.

‘Whether it’s visiting other gardens or in their own garden or allotment or whatever size your garden is, you can get huge pleasure from it.’ She also points out how relaxing it is being in a garden—‘unless perhaps it’s your own and you tend to see what needs doing.’ But even if you’ve had a hard day in the garden weeding and planting she knows that ‘there’s always a sense of achievement.’

She mentions how tough it was last April and May when the gardens were looking so lovely but nobody was able to come and see them. She decided to sell plants online and deliver within a fifteen mile radius. ‘That went amazingly well and it kept us going.’ However, the great joy was to be able to ‘welcome visitors back again.’

Mary does have her favourites when it comes to plants but admits she is fickle. ‘It depends on the season’ she says. ‘If it’s the Spring I love the things that are flowering then. The Skimmia Kew Green has been a fabulous shrub round the

‘when farming went into decline and the cows were going, that was my opportunity to really take in some of the fields’ She developed what she likes to call the rose garden but says ‘there would be a lot more roses if it wasn’t for the deer which are constantly coming through.’ She sees that garden as a style she likes which is informal planting in a formal design.

After a visit to Chelsea Flower Show the year before the Millennium she bought a magnificent lead planter and began to think of a millennium garden. That was followed by a lake.

‘Gardens, of course, are sort of full of colour during the summer but when you come to September they can look a little bit tired and a bit past their best.’ She set out to create a garden that looked its best through September and October ‘before the autumn colour really started.’ She developed a mostly grasses garden which has been very popular. It features a sunken path through the middle ‘so the grasses are all taller than you are and you can’t sort of see out.’

The impact of Covid has been mixed at Burrow Farm

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‘Roses I would like, but the deer like them even more’ garden.’ It’s also popular with visitors ‘absolutely wonderful scent and the bees love it.’ She also cites euphorbias as another favourite, ‘with the sort of limey green flowers’.

Later on she likes the flowering cornices. ‘Roses I would like’ she says, ‘but the deer like them even more, so I have to limit those.’ She points to one that has been ‘nibbled right down—so disappointing.’ Much of the garden is colourthemed but the thing Mary doesn’t like is yellow and pink.

‘I just can’t marry those two together.’ She has placed things between those colours to ‘dilute’ their clashing.

Creating something so beautiful from ‘a waste land with brambles, nettles and bogland’ is an achievement that will be enjoyed by generations of visitors. Seth asked Mary what she thought her legacy would be. ‘Well you don’t think about that at the time you are doing it, but sometimes I do look around and think “Oh God everything that you can see I’ve planted”’.

Although she still decides on the placing of plants, Mary has help with planting now, ‘but for the first 50 years perhaps I planted every single thing that was here, and sometimes when you see these seemingly mature trees you think “my goodness I remember bringing that back in the car.”’

Seth describes it as ‘a permanent reminder of a creative individual whose love for the great outdoors continues to impress all who visit.’ At the same time Mary points to the great truth that every gardener knows. ‘It doesn’t matter what the weather is, you can always find something that needs doing.’

Seth Dellow’s full interview with Mary Benger is available to listen to on the Marshwood Vale Magazine website.

Visit www.marshwoodvale.com.

Seth Dellow is a University of Exeter student reading History & Politics, with a keen interest in political history and public policy. He is also active in the local community, regularly volunteering and has won the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards twice. Seth enjoys interviewing people from a wide range of backgrounds. You can learn more about Seth at www.linkedin. com/in/sethdellow

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July

EVENT NEWS AND COURSES IS IT ON OR IS IT OFF? Whilst many events are outdoors or have been organised to take place within Covid restriction guidelines, others may be postponed or cancelled.

Where advised we have marked postponed events.

PLEASE ENSURE TO CONTACT ORGANISERS BEFORE MAKING PLANS. July 1

HOP (Help our Planet) talk no. 2. Citizen science can help our planet 7pm at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, tickets on-line from Theatre. Prof. Jenny Preece, (University of Maryland), a leading authority on Human Computer Interaction and Editor in Chief of the Citizen Science journal, explains how we can all, young and old, play a vital part in protecting the environment.

Jenny’s talk will be presented on screen and will be followed by a panel discussion with her on Zoom. Do join us for the second of our talks and help build the environmental networks in Dorset and Devon.

Anna Akhmatova Life and Work. A talk with readings by Graham Fawcett. Sladers Yard West Bay. 7.30pm. Tickets: £12.50 Reservations are welcome for light supper from 6pm. Anna Akhmatova is recognised as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Born 1889, hers was one of the most dramatic lives in the history of poetry. She lived through the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 when she was 16 and 28. Her ex-husband was executed by firing squad when she was 32. Stalin had her son repeatedly imprisoned as part of a campaign of persecution against her. She endured the bombardment prior to the Siege of Leningrad in 1941 with inspirational courage. Crowned Anna of the Russias, she never stopped writing poems of extraordinary economy and emotional integrity. Phone 01308 459511 to reserve a ticket now. Numbers will be limited.

July 2

Milborne Movies again! 7.30pm, at the Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX. Doors and bar open 7.00. Tickets cost £5, which includes a drink or an icecream (Contactless payment preferred) A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

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July 3

Martin Harley The David Hall, South Petherton (Covid restriction change to original programme: Martin Harley will now give two performances - at 6.30pm and 9pm - to a socially-distanced audience of 48 people at each sitting.) Following the success of the Roll With The Punches band tour across the UK and Europe, Martin Harley takes to the road for a run of intimate solo Acoustic shows. Slide guitar is always at the root of Martin’s sound, mirroring his whisky-soaked Northern breeze vocals. If success can be measured by a growing global demand to attend Martin’s dynamic live performances, then perhaps his touring schedule is proof of that. He has appeared at Edmonton, Vancouver, Canmore and Calgary Folk festivals in Canada; UK festivals Glastonbury, Bestival, Beautiful Days; numerous European and US tours and events including the AMAs, 16 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

The Bluebird in Nashville and Tønder in Denmark. Things are looking good for the wandering Bluesman. Tickets: £17.50/£16.50 concessions. Tickets can be purchased via the website www. thedavidhall.org.uk or from N&D News in South Petherton.

July 3 - 4

Three of East Devon’s finest gardens will be open to the public on July 3-4, 13:00 to 17:00, in aid of Hospiscare: Southwood Farm (Cotleigh, EX14 9HU), Little Ash Bungalow (Fenny Bridges, EX14 3BL) and Prospect House (Lyme Road, Axminster, EX13 5BH). Teas and cakes will be available at Southwood Farm and Prospect House. Weekend ticket for the 3 gardens £12 or £5 for each garden individually. Children free admission, dogs on lead welcome. For further info contact Peter Wadeley on 07814 693856.

July 4

East Devon Ramblers 8 mile leisurely walk. Uplyme. Telephone: 01297-443836 Open Gardens at Barcroft Hall 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm. With the generous permission of the owners, people can visit one of the most spectacular and photogenic gardens in the area.

Enjoy tea on the raised terrace, with its beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. Wander around the ponds and lakes, admiring the varied water plants and wildlife. Amble among the vines and fruit and a wealth of native and exotic tree shrubs.

Children can play on the board lawns and grassy slopes. Entry: £6.

Wheelchair users and children up to 16 years: £2. Good disabled parking and access to terrace. A 10-minute walk from the centre of South Petherton.

Old Herbaceous 6pm Produced by Kick in the Head, Written

by Alfred Shaughnessy, Directed by Simon Downing. With Giles Shenton as Herbert Pinnegar. Described as “Downton Abbey with gardening tips”, Old Herbaceous is the humorous love story of a single-minded yet gentle man with a passion for plants and is a charming one-man play which has entranced sell-out audiences all around the country over the last four years. As Old Herbaceous, renowned actor Giles Shenton truly lives the part of the legendary Head Gardener, Herbert Pinnegar, inviting you to feel included in a private chat from a bygone, comforting age. Keeping you engrossed, amused and emotionally engaged from start to finish, Old Herbaceous will leave you with a feeling that, perhaps, all’s right with the world. Please bring something to sit on and your own refreshments. Tickets: £10 / £9 Concessions. At Barcroft Hall, North Street, South Petherton.

July 4-11

Exhibition at SomArton gallery. A collection of landscapes and harbour scenes in various media painted during lockdown by Lyndon Richards and Susan Hudson. 1 West Street, Somerton from 9.30 to 5.00 daily.

July 5

Hawkchurch Film Nights, in association with Devon Moviola, presents ‘ Little Women’ (cert. U, 135 mins), a new all-star adaption of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel following the lives of four sisters in 19th century America, with Saoirse Ronan, Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, Florence Pugh and Emma Watson. Tickets are £5 and are available in advance only from Chris at csma95@gmail.com or leave a message on 01297 678176. Two performances, allocated seating, social distancing and full Covid-19 counter-measures will be in place. Hawkchurch Village Hall, EX13 5XW. Performances at 4.45pm (doors 4.30pm) and 7.45pm (doors 7.30pm).

July 9

Wildlife in a quarry: David Boag, photographer and wildlife expert based in Somerset, will give a presentation to Lyme Regis u3a members at 11am: please see www.lymeregisu3a.org for details of this event and membership of the learning co-operative.

July 9 - 10

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Tincelton Events. Classical with Melissa Phelps (cello) & Caroline Palmer (piano): This cannot be moved outside and so is rescheduled to Fri 3 & Sat 5 September. Doors open at the normal times of 7.30, first music 8pm.

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July 10

Macbeth (The Handlebards) 7pm, Maumbury Rings DT1 1QN www.dorchesterarts.org.uk/whatson Ticket price: £14 / £12 members & concessions / £44 family (max. 2 adults, 2 under 18s) Running time: 1hr 40 mins inc interval. The Handlebards have been pedalling to Maumbury Rings for several years with their bicycle-powered, environmentally sustainable brand of Shakespeare and this year is no exception. Forget the tears and tragedy - join the all-female troupe for a frantic, delirious and fullof beans interpretation of Macbeth like you’ve never seen before.

Fiesta Flamenca The David Hall South Petherton 7:30 pm. A night of passionate rhythms of Flamenco music. The intense sounds of hand clapping, foot stomping, singing and exquisite guitar playing will transport you for one night to Andalucia – the heart of Flamenco. Dancers Aneta Skut and Victoria Clifford will be joined on this occasion by the finest Flamenco musicians in the South-West – Cuffy Cuthbertson (guitar), Jaime Cantera (vocals/ percussion) and Kostka Garcia (vocals/percussion). Tickets: £15.

(Limited to a maximum of 50 people).

EVENTS IN AUGUST

Live or Online send your June event details to info@marshwoodvale.com by July 12th.

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July

EVENT NEWS AND COURSES Lyme Regis Farmers’ Market 9am-4pm Our monthly artisan market is a fantastic selection of producers, growers and makers from a 30-mile radius of Lyme Regis. The Shelters, Marine Parade, Lyme Regis. DT7 3JE www.lrdt.co.uk/lymeregisfarmersmarket

July 11

East Devon Ramblers 9.3 miles moderate walk. Charmouth.

Telephone 07719-380-718 NGS Garden Open, Broomhill, Rampisham DT2 0PT, 2pm5pm. Plants for sale, homemade teas, dogs welcome.

Singing Bowl Soundbath 8-9.30 pm The Avalon Community Centre, 1 King St, Glastonbury BA6 9JX £15 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Numbers restricted to ensure social distancing, so please book firmly in advance–no ‘on the spot’ admissions. Covid-secure venue operating hand sanitiser, track and trace, etc. 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

July 13

Exhibition On Screen - Cezanne Bridport Arts Centre 7:30PM Exclusive access to the first-ever exhibition devoted to the portraits of Cézanne. Narrated by Emmy Award winning actor Brian Cox. A revealing film about a man dubbed ‘the father of us all’ by Matisse and Picasso. Exhibition on Screen is thrilled to bring back one of its most successful films ever, offering a unique and fascinating exploration of the life and times of Paul Cézanne.

Box Office: 01308 427183

July 14

East Devon Ramblers 8 miles leisurely walk. Bridport.

Telephone 07885 951863

July 15

Bridport & District Gardening Club Nancy Stevens will present a Zoom presentation on “The Exceedingly Curious Tale of a Curious Herbal” 7.30pm Telephone : 01308 459469

July 16

HMS Pinafore (Opera Anywhere). 7pm, Nothe Fort, Weymouth DT4 8UF www.dorchesterarts.org.uk/whatson. Ticket price: £17/£15 members & concs/ £56 family ticket (max. 2 adults & 2 under 18s).

East Devon Ramblers 5 miles moderate walk. Blackdown Hills.

Telephone 01460-220636 Artificial Intelligence: Leigh Edwards from Exeter will give a presentation to members of Lyme Regis u3a SciTec Group at 10am: please see www.lymeregisu3a.org for details of this event and membership of the Group.

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July 17

Starcrazy. Performed by Miracle Theatre Company and brought to Devon through Villages in Action, rural touring scheme.

Outdoor, socially distanced theatre in a beautiful wildflower meadow. Written and directed by Bill Scott with original music by Tom Adams. October 1957: the world lives in fear of nuclear war, Russia has launched Sputnik 1, UFOs are cropping up everywhere, MI5 is on high alert and Stanley is building something in his garden shed. He may live in suburbia but, in his mind, Stanley is voyaging through outer space. He hopes to make contact with other life forms. His neighbour, Gwen, thinks he should be exploring the unknown much closer to home… A cosmic comedy about obsession and the rekindling of love, hope and possibility.

7pm at Goren Farm, the show site opens at 6:00pm. Adult£14.00 Child/student £8.00 Family£40.00 – plus a 50p booking fee and must be pre booked through www.villagesinaction.co.uk

July 17 - 18

Netherbury Open Gardens - (1pm-5pm) The idyllic village of Netherbury, with a river running through it, a 14th-century Church and views of the Dorset hills, makes the perfect backdrop to these beautiful gardens. Entry tickets (£7.50) are valid for both days so the gardens can be enjoyed at your leisure. All proceeds go to local charities. The village prides itself on the quality of the homemade lunches, teas and delicious cakes to refresh our visitors. Plant stalls and a tombola make this a great day out. Netherbury (DT6 5LR) is south of Beaminster and north of Bridport, between the A3066 and B3162 and signed from both.

July 18

Singing Bowl Soundbath 2-4pm Bridport Unitarians, 49 East St, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3J £15 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body.

Numbers restricted to ensure social distancing, so please book firmly in advance–no ‘on the spot’ admissions. Covid-secure venue operating hand sanitiser, track and trace, etc.01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

July 19 - 23

Creativity For Life (Level 1) intensive 5 day course - The Chapel in the Garden, Bridport. 9.30am - 4.30pm. ‘Serious play’ with art materials & group discussions. Small closed group. Successful course at London’s Central St. Martins’ College for 20+ years.

Suitable for artists & designers as well as beginners wanting to explore + develop creativity and self expression further. Great if you are looking to find or change creative direction, feeling creatively stuck etc. Fun and challenging. Contact M. Caddick (MA DipAT) asap to discuss the course & to book a place 07557 275275.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 19

July

EVENT NEWS AND COURSES email m.caddick@gmx.net “In 10 weeks I learnt more about my own creative processes than in 6 years at art school.” “A deeply enriching experience.” (Next level 1 courses: Bridport 5-13 October.

New venue: School of Art and Wellbeing, Honiton 13-17 August)

July 21

Colyton & District Garden Society – we hope to resume our programme with our AGM on Wednesday 21 July. If Government restrictions allow, this will be held in Colyford Memorial Hall at 7.30pm and we will follow all necessary safety guidance. Please see local posters for final details nearer the time. Talks for the remainder of the year include: Maggie Haworth, medical herbalist; Todd Gray, garden historian; Peter Cantrill, nurseryman; and Chris Trimmer from the National Trust. For information, Sue Price on 01297 552362.

Slapstick Picnic: The Importance of Being Earnest Millennium Green, at Bridport Arts Centre 7pm. From the creators of The HandleBards comes a fantastically wild(e) new production, ripping up the recipe book and celebrating silliness.

With Slapstick Picnic, you can have your cake and eat it. This is an outdoor production, so please bring your own chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather! Tickets from bridport-arts.com or Box office: 01308 427183.

July 23

Classic Concert Creating Carmen Bridport Arts Centre. 11:30 CarmenCo is an ensemble comprising: Emily Andrews, flautist/ mezzo. David Massey & Francisco Correa, guitars. Exploiting the rich texture of 2 guitars with or without flute or voice, as well as their skills in arranging, they perform vibrant, visual, varied programmes, perform all their music from memory and can move around and dance while playing. In 2019 CarmenCo won a generous Arts Council England grant to develop and tour a new concert-play “Creating Carmen”, using their music and arrangements of music, and adding two actors, lighting, director and script writer. Tickets from bridport-arts.com or Box office: 01308 427183.

July 24

MAJU glamping Axminster 3-Course Rustic Forest Feast Cooked Over Fire - Hosted by Pit & Platemusic. https://www. exploretock.com/majuglamping.

David Mynne presents Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales at Powerstock hut and school. Performances start at 2pm and 6pm. Adults: £10 Under 18: £6 (Suitable for 12+). Box Office: www.artsreach.co.uk or 01308 485730 Acoustic Night The David Hall, South Petherton 7:30 pm.

Petherton Arts Trust is encouraging more local performers of all genres to come to The David Hall and perform on a professional stage. All types of performance welcome – The David Hall has

20 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

had music, comedy, poetry, dance…. Everyone has the opportunity to deliver for 10 – 15 minutes with full PA and lighting. If you would like to attend Acoustic Night as a performer or audience member please e-mail Chris Watts at folk@chriswatts.org or call 07715501157. Payment is on the door.

Community Car Boot Plus 9am to 1pm. Car Boot sale plus outdoor Jazz Cafe, Church cake produce & plant stall, posh tombola, clothes and charity stalls. St Swithuns Church Grounds North Allington Bridport. Contact Revd Lorna Johnson 07501408221 (Car boot pitches to rent £10, charity stalls free)

July 25

Powerstock Open Gardens All day 11am – 6 pm. Tickets £5 (Accompanied children free). Teas, Plants, Produce (In aid of Powerstock Church Clock Repair.)

East Devon Ramblers 10 miles moderate walk. Bickleigh Mill.

Telephone 01395-579607 Plastic free Picnic on Bridport Millennium Green (outside Bridport Council Offices DT6 3JP ). Can you meet the Plastic free picnic challenge? Join the Plastic Free Bridport team from 1pm - 4pm for an afternoon of live musical entertainment for all ages and tastes. Bring along a plastic free picnic and enjoy an afternoon of laid back and lively entertainment. Entrance free but any single use plastic spotted will incur a penalty entrance fee! More details see Plastic free Bridport Facebook page.

Singing Bowl Soundbath 2pm-4pm Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA £15 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Numbers restricted to ensure social distancing, so please book firmly in advance–no ‘on the spot’ admissions. Covid-secure venue operating hand sanitiser, track and trace, etc. 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com Bride Valley & Beyond at St John’s Church West Bay .Join us for an entertaining evening of music and readings celebrating the history, landscape and life of our wonderful West Dorset Coast. Local musicians will be performing in aid of West Bay Discovery Centre and St John’s Church. Starts at 7 pm, Pre booked tickets only. Tickets £8 are available online from Bridport Tourist Information Centre https://bridportandwestbay.co.uk/ or call 01308 424901 or from West Bay Discovery Centre. Further details http://www.westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk/ Wedding Fayre The David Hall, South Petherton 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. The David Hall will be holding its first Wedding Fayre. Any traders wishing to participate should contact the Wedding Team by phoning 07835 949619 or emailing Atthedavidhallweddings@ gmail.com. Visitors to the Fayre will be welcome from 10am to 4pm. Entry is free and refreshments will be available.

July

EVENT NEWS AND COURSES

Starcrazy at Goren Farm, Stockland—a cosmic comedy about obsession and the rekindling of love, hope and possibility

July 26 - 30

Creativity For Like (level 2) intensive 5 day course - The Chapel in the Garden, Bridport. 9.30am - 4.30pm. ‘Serious play’ with art materials combined with group discussions, enquiry and reflective practice. While level 1 develops and establishes a way of working, level 2 builds on this and the workshops are more influenced by the participants’ interests, feedback and requests. Participants become more creatively independent with each course level. Small closed group. Suitable only if you have attended Creativity for Life course part 1 (formerly Creative Process and self-expression) in Bridport or London. Contact Mary Caddick to discuss the course & to book a place. 07557 275275 m.caddick@gmx.net (Next level 1 courses: Bridport 5-13 October. New venue: School of Art and Wellbeing, Honiton 13-17 August)

July 27

Bridport and District u3a presents a talk by John Hope entitled Time Through The Ages, online via Zoom at 2pm. Bridport and District u3a is an organisation for people who want to undertake learning for its own sake, with like minded people, in a social setting. There is no minimum age, but you should be no longer in, or seeking, full time employment or raising a family. Many of our groups moved online last year, but we are starting to meet face-toface again as government advice allows. We continue to run our full programme of scheduled monthly talks, currently using Zoom.

22 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Please visit our website for specific details and contact information www.bridportu3a.org.uk, or email membership@bridportu3a.org. uk

July 28

East Devon Ramblers 8.5 miles moderate walk. Chard.

Telephone 01395-260114

July 29

The Importance of Being Earnest (Slapstick Picnic) 7pm, Maumbury Rings DT1 1QN www.dorchesterarts.org.uk/whatson.

Ticket price: £14 / £12 members & concessions / £44 family (max. 2 adults, 2 under 18s) Running time: 1hr 40mins inc interval From the creators of The HandleBards comes a fantastically wild(e) new production, ripping up the rule book and celebrating silliness. We ask that you prepare to witness the impossible - the entirety of Oscar Wilde’s classic play of manners, affairs and handbags being performed by just two rather dashing entertainers.

Don’t forget to bring your own seats, picnic blankets and filled hampers to the proceedings, and wear attire suitable for the meteorological conditions.

July 29 - August 3

Art Exhibition - an eclectic mix of acrylics and watercolours at

The Bomb Shelter in Beer EX12 3EG Daily 10am 4pm - Sunday 11am - 3pm Contact - eupchurch22@ yahoo.co.uk

July 30

East Devon Ramblers 5 miles moderate walk.

Aylesbeare common. Telephone 07812-433184.

Mr Tea and the Minions The David Hall, South Pethetton 8:00 pm. United by a love of tea, energetic dancing, cheeky riffs, silly hats, and cake, Mr Tea and the Minions have been unleashing their colourful explosion of musical mayhem on unsuspecting audiences since 2013. Their raucous Ska Folk blended with full-fat Balkan beats and a squeeze of tangy Dub has made them party-starting festival favourites – and has inspired frenzied dancing all over the UK (and on a number of forays into continental Europe), with almost 100 festival appearances including Glastonbury, Boomtown, WOMAD, Secret Garden Party, Shambala, Belladrum, Wilderness, Nozstock, and Goulash Disko, to name just a few. Tickets: £16/£15 Concessions.

Tickets can be purchased via the website www. thedavidhall.org.uk or from N&D News in South Petherton.

July 31

MAJU glamping Axminster 3-Course Rustic Forest Feast Cooked Over Fire - Hosted by Feast Alba. https://www.exploretock.com/majuglamping.

Creative Crafters Fair at Monks Yard from 10 – 4.30.

Local Creative Crafters are holding a fair to showcase the beautiful handmade work they have produced during the Covid restrictions. Free entrance, and parking plus a great welcome.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 23

News&Views

CHARD Retailer to create 43 new jobs

One of the UK’s largest family-run retailers, Home Bargains is creating 43 new jobs in the Chard community with its store on Boden Street. In total, the store will employ 49 team members, including some staff and management who will be transferring from local stores. It will also be donating £2,000 to local charity, Chard WATCH, a community interest company that reaches out and engages with isolated adults needing to connect with others in their community. The 13,207 sq ft store, which formerly housed Lidl, will offer shoppers a range of products, including homewares, health and beauty essentials, sweets, snacks and drinks, as well as fresh and frozen food.

LYME REGIS Tribute to Museum Trustee

Tributes have been paid to a Trustee of Lyme Regis Museum after the announcement of his death following an alleged assault in London.

Paul Mason, a trustee for more than two years, made valuable contributions to the governance of the museum and played an active part in marking the museum’s centenary. He had been in International Banking for nearly 20 years. An announcement on the museum’s website said: ‘His wisdom, knowledge and good humour will be much missed by all at the museum.’

24 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

BEAMINSTER Development plans submitted

A plan for 100 new homes on the Beaminster to Broadwindsor road has been submitted to Dorset Council planners. A mix of affordable houses as well as 1,2,3 and 4 bedroom properties in mixed layouts and styles has been proposed by Cavanna Homes.

Set within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, access to the site will be from a new roundabout opposite the entrance to Buglers, agricultural equipment suppliers.

CARTGATE Award for Information Centre

The South Somerset Visitor Information Centre near Martock has won Silver at the recent South West England Tourism Excellence Awards 2020/2021. Bev Stapp, team supervisor for the centre said ‘The Tourism Team is extremely proud to win this prestigious accolade for South Somerset, up against the entire South West region. After a particularly difficult year we are really looking forward to promoting this outstanding area and supporting our local businesses. We anticipate a very busy season ahead and look forward to welcoming visitors.’ The Centre is at Cartgate Picnic Site just off the A303 / A3088 roundabout and is open daily 9am until 3.30pm between April and October.

WEST DORSET New land for DWT

Wilder Dorset - panorama © Dorset Wildlife Trust

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s acquisition of a large area of land south-east of Bere Regis will be used to help tackle the climate and ecological crises. The site, which measures 170 hectares—the size of around 230 football pitches—will showcase sustainable change in land use. Dorset Wildlife Trust aims to restore the site to a place where wildlife can flourish and people can connect with nature. More at: www. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/WilderDorset.

Climate Conversations in East Devon

Photographer Mike Perry highlighting degradation of ecosystems on land and in our oceans

T

helma Hulbert Gallery (THG) and East Devon District Council are launching their climate campaign, Climate Conversations, with a new programme of events.

The Climate Conversations programme opened with a major new multi-site exhibition of the work of artist Mike Perry at THG in Honiton, and Ocean in Exmouth and offers a packed roadshow of Climate Conversations activities and events this summer from THG’s Creative Cabin.

To mark the launch, exhibiting artist Mike Perry led a captivating Q&A session from the Creative Cabin in the THG garden. The artist shared his research and discussed his practice through works in his exhibition, highlighting degradation of ecosystems on land and in our oceans.

The programme continues with ‘Mike Perry in Conversation’ on 1 July in Exmouth. It promises to be an insightful discussion between artist, Mike Perry, and guest speaker Ben Borthwick, reflecting on the themes in Perry’s current exhibition: Mike Perry Land/Sea. Mike Perry’s work engages with pressing environmental issues, in particular the tension between human interventions in the natural environment, and the fragility of the planet’s ecosystems. His work has been included in The Black and White Room at The Royal Academy of Arts, curated by artist Cornelia Parker. Mike Perry has also exhibited at the Venice Biennale and in 2015, received a Creative Wales Award from the Arts Council of Wales.

Ben Borthwick is Head of Creative Programme at KARST Creative Arts Space, Plymouth and an independent curator and writer.

The first in a series of Climate Conversations events will take place in Sidmouth on 18 July co-hosted by THG and Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub (SCCH) THG’s Creative Cabin and SCCH’s hub at the Shed in the Fisherman’s yard in Sidmouth will host a talk and book signing with writer, broadcaster and marine biologist Helen Scales. The July event will include art activities, including

a pot making demo with Dave French from East Devon Withy Pots, as well as music, a bar and fish baps from Sidmouth Trawlers.

Climate Conversations brings together local activists and project groups, with academics and artists specialising in these fields. This inspiring programme of talks and art activities will take place in towns across East Devon including Honiton, Axminster, Exmouth and Sidmouth throughout the summer. They will reflect on four key themes: Nature, Food, Energy, Reduce/Reuse/Recycle.

The Creative Cabin will be also out and about delivering outdoor activities and workshops to schools, colleges and community/family groups across East Devon and in the THG garden.

East Devon District Councillor Denise Bickley, Assistant Portfolio Holder Climate Action and Emergency Response commented: ‘I am so delighted with this exhibition and the partnership work we at East Devon District Council are doing with SCCH, among others. Strengthening the ties between our wonderful local organisations makes the climate emergency message so much more effective. I hope that many meaningful conversations will be able to take place inspired by this work and the resources that have been produced alongside it.

‘I can certainly confirm that it inspired some very interesting discussions when I was lucky enough to attend the opening of Mike Perry’s thought-provoking photography exhibition and listen to him talk, at the beautiful Ocean building in Exmouth.’

Climate Conversations has been developed against the context of East Devon District Council’s commitment to Devon’s Climate Change Emergency declaration and Exeter University’s declaration of an environment and climate emergency. Climate Conversations is funded by East Devon District Council and Art Council England.

For more information and booking details for Climate Conversations activities and events including Art Dayz family art activities visit https://thelmahulbert.com/ Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 25

Tithe Barns in East Devon Local author reveals Devon’s history of tithe barns in latest book

D

evon’s selection of secluded tithe barns comes to light in a new book released this year. Joseph Rogers who has spent much of his life in Seaton, has been travelling the nation unearthing some of the history associated with these vast, ageing buildings. Tithe Barns were built during the medieval period to store tithes, a tax paid to the church in the form of one-tenth of a farmer’s produce, and were still in use well into the 18th century.

Unlike neighbouring Dorset and Somerset who have a considerable number of medieval barns remaining, Devon’s examples are harder to find, particularly when many across the UK that are called tithe barns, were never proven to have stored tithes at all. The 800-year old ‘Spanish Barn’ at Torre Abbey provided a starting point, along with the abbey barn at Buckland Abbey near Tavistock which both have connections to Sir Francis Drake but other hidden examples appeared elsewhere on Joe’s travels.

The Grange at Broadhembury was originally a grange serving nearby Dunkeswell Abbey and the barn, now referred to as the tithe barn, was built in the 14th century as part of this grange.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s, the Grange and Broadhembury were sold off by the crown and the current mansion was built in the 16th century.

In December 1945, an article was published by the Devon & Exeter Gazette giving more details about the history of the barn. It was apparently used by the ‘Home Guard’ of Napoleon’s time and rifle racks from this era were known to have been pulled down in 1815, for reasons unknown. The main story in the newspaper article of 1945 was a celebration ‘Stand Down’ dinner for D Company of the Seaton Battalion of the Home Guard which was held on 8th December 1945 to mark the

end of the war. The host was company commander Major H.E.B. Gundry, who lived at The Grange at the time. As well as hosting the dinner, the tithe barn played a crucial part in the war effort, employing locals in the manufacture of camouflage nets for military helmets and cargo trucks. Indeed this element of localised contribution to the war effort remains an important part of Broadhembury’s history and this was expanded on in some detail for the December / January 2020 issue of the Broadhembury Parish Magazine, published 75 years to the month that the stand down dinner took place.

Tithes were also important to coastal settlements at Beer and Seaton, where at one time fish was paid “to men of cloth”.

Both settlements at one stage came under the jurisdiction of Sherborne Abbey and even today a building, since converted to a home, bears the name ‘Tithe Barn’ at Courtbarton Hill, though the origins of this are unknown.

On 17th January 1831 the 17th century ‘tithing barn’ at Colaton Raleigh was reportedly destroyed by fire along with corn and machinery inside. At the time it belonged to a H Cutler. Today, this building still remains having had amendments made to it in the 19th century according to Historic England (presumably as a result of the fire). It is now a rather nice home tucked away and shielded by the thatch-roofed wall around it.

Tithe Barns by Joseph Rogers, from Amberley Books, is available from high street and independent retailers.

The Grange at Broadhembury from an 1829 engraving 26 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Was Your Grandparent A Wartime Spy ?

F

ew people are aware of the Second World War ‘guerrilla units’, colloquially known as the ‘Home Guard Commandos’ or the ‘Village Demolition Squad’, that were hidden around the countryside to hinder a German invasion in 1940. Even fewer know of the other branch of what is now commonly referred to as Churchill’s Secret (or Underground) Army.

Born out of the pre-war Special Intelligence Service (SIS) / MI6, and MI-R (Military Intelligence - Research), the organisation was officially known as ‘GHQ Auxiliary Units’. It consisted of two distinct branches, unaware of the other’s existence. Members were sworn to secrecy through the Official Secrets Act (normally after they had agreed to do ‘something a bit dangerous’!). Their nearest and dearest were completely unaware of their involvement.

The guerrilla branch, or ‘Operational Patrols’, consisted of cells of 6 to 8 civilian men in reserved occupations, that would delay the enemy by disrupting re-supply routes upon invasion. They had Home Guard uniforms to aid deception but were not actually part of the Home Guard.

They had access to large amounts of explosives along with other weapons and were very highly trained. In the

unit identification, armaments and direction of vehicles and large troop movements etc. Coded information was to be relayed via messengers and runners through a series of dead-letter drops. This was by such methods as being left in hollow gate-bolts, in Oxo tins in tree stumps (as used in Wool, Dorset), and even in split tennis balls. Ultimately the information was to be passed along the network to another civilian with a secret wireless. These wireless sets were hidden in all sorts of places; in chicken sheds, pub attics, barns, in a bunker under an outdoor privy (as used in east Devon), and even under a church altar (in Monmouthshire), depending on the operator’s livelihood.

Indeed, it was the people that could move around the local area without raising suspicion that would be most useful, such as postmen, nurses, vets, school teachers, publicans and even teenagers. R.A.F. widows seem to be a popular choice for runners in Dorset. Like the Operational Patrols, the Special Duties members would have been recruited by Intelligence Officers. They would have been vetted, enrolled if suitable, and subsequently trained.

This pattern was replicated the length of the country.

For each Special Duties network with a wireless, there

In the Marshwood Vale area there were Special Duties operations near Hawkchurch (Fishpond’s Bottom) in a chicken shed event of invasion, they would have left their homes and families without saying a word, and descended into their concealed underground bunkers, coming out at night to attack strategic enemy targets. When they were stood down in November 1944 there had been upwards of 600 Patrols and 4000+ men involved the length of the country.

The other branch, a secret spy and radio network, or the ‘Special Duties’ branch, was also put in place to be active during the first few weeks of an invasion. This branch comprised around 1000 civilian male and female volunteers in 1940, and increased to around 3500 by mid-1944. In May 1940 when the Germans rapidly overran the Low Countries and France, the allied forces response was hampered by vast numbers of refugees clogging up the roads. In contrast to what happened on the Continent, Special Duties members were told to stay behind should invasion occur, and were trained to observe the enemy; to record 28 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

were perhaps twenty observers, messengers and runners.

The civilian wireless operators (in their ‘Outer’ networks) would transmit the information to an ‘Inner’ network that was staffed by ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) women seconded to the Royal Corps of Signals. These in turn would then transmit the information to Army Command to assess for any counter-attack.

Royal Signals engineers were responsible for wireless maintenance, replenishment of batteries and also installation of radio aerials. Initially the ATS operators were set-up in surface huts disguised as meteorological stations.

Hidden bunkers were dug nearby for them to disappear into should the Germans head their way, and from where they would continue to transmit while underground.

In the Marshwood Vale area there were Special Duties operations near Hawkchurch (Fishpond’s Bottom) in a chicken shed, at Lyme Regis (in an attic) near the junction

Airlie Abinda Campbell

Neither branch had supplies for more than a few weeks. This was their life expectancy should invasion occur of Clappentail Lane and the Sidmouth Road, and also in a dugout in Bridport somewhere north of Watton Hill. A little further afield there were also secret spies, messengers and runners in Axminster, Widworthy, Bewley Down (bunker under the outdoor privy), Buckland St.Mary and Puckington near Illminster.

As mentioned earlier, the two civilian branches of Auxiliary Units were not aware of each other’s existence, but there’s always an exception. In Kent, one Auxilier, George Gascoyne from the Lynsted Operational Patrol stumbled upon a secret hatch in the ground not unlike the one he had in his bunker. He prised the hatch open and descended the metal ladder only to be met by ATS lady Arlie Campbell, pointing her revolver at his head. They managed to convince each other that they were on the same side. Incredibly they ended up marrying. Their son, Jim, is one of CART’s researchers.

‘Auxiliary Units’ was a covert, clandestine organisation.

As such it did not officially exist and there would be no protection if a member was caught by the enemy. Also, it meant that there would be no future recognition, hence no

George and Airlie’s wedding

Bewley Down Special Duties Medora Eames

Kenneth and Dorothy Marsh of Edgarley Manor c 1965 operated secret wireless near Glastonbury, Somerset

Defence Medals like those issued to the Home Guard or Air Raid Precautions Wardens etc. Auxilier veterans were only allowed to march on Remembrance Day in London, for the first time in 2013.

Neither branch had supplies for more than a few weeks.

This was their life expectancy should invasion occur.

The Special Duties branch was stood down in July 1944, and a letter issued stating that ‘there can be no public recognition’. The Operational Patrols branch was stood down in November 1944 and a similar letter issued.

Most Auxiliers were true to their word and never spoke of what they were trained to do. Some, in later life, did speak of these events. C.A.R.T. (Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team) believes their legacy is worth preserving.

If secret wartime spies, messengers, runners, and radio operators rings any bells, please contact Martyn Allen from C.A.R.T. : cartmallen@gmail.com For further information about Auxiliary Units visit the CART website: www.staybehinds.com C.A.R.T. is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 29

Medically Deferred

By Cecil Amor

A

fter the second World War ended many service men and women were demobilised, so the armed forces were left somewhat thin. By 1949 peacetime conscription was introduced for all able-bodied men between 17 or 18 to 30 years of age, to serve in one of the armed services. Men could have their National Service deferred for approved apprenticeships and study. By joining the Merchant Navy for at least seven years, men could avoid the two year National Service. Conscription ended in 1963.

I began an engineering apprenticeship in 1945 and commenced studying part time for the Higher National Certificate in Electrical Engineering. Therefore I was deferred under both counts, until my apprenticeship ended at age 21, in 1950, when I joined an Electrical Design Office. I was still deferred for a further year to complete my HNC at Bristol College of Technology, then I was called to Salisbury for my entrance medical for National Service. After a brief examination I was told to sit in the waiting room and they would call me back later. This did not occur and the caretaker told me to go home and I would probably receive a letter.

A letter duly arrived from the Ministry, with the simple statement “You are medically deferred”. I immediately visited my Doctor, who told me I was perfectly fit, which surprised us both. A year passed with nothing more from the Ministry and I wrote to them, questioning my situation. I immediately received a reply, telling me to go to Salisbury for a second medical examination. On its conclusion I was told that I would be called up for military service, as Grade 2.

over perhaps two days, than my entrance tests at Salisbury and I was called in to the Senior Medical Officers office. He told me that I had passed, grade A1. (In a month, after being grade 2!) However, on my original form I had mentioned that I suffered from migraine attacks occasionally and the officer asked if this was true, or only an attempt to avoid call up.

When I told him it was true, he said I could not fly, as they were uncertain of the effects of high G forces, which might initiate an attack. He said otherwise you are absolutely A1. I then asked if this was the reason for my medical deferment and he referred to his papers and said there was nothing there which mentioned medical deferment. I also said that I had been given a card, stating that I was Grade 2 and received the same response and a look which questioned if I was OK mentally!

So I returned to Padgate and joined the “square bashing” contingent, sleeping in a room with some 20 others. One or two pointed out that we were all deferred apprentices and therefore several years older than the normal intake, hence we were segregated with a view to “breaking our wills”. In retrospect I doubt that we were treated differently from the others. At some point we were also asked if anyone would like to learn the Russian language, if they had a credit at School Certificate in English and at least one foreign language. This had been mentioned to me back in the Design Office as it was likely that Russian could be a technical language of the future.

So I volunteered to learn Russian.

The daily grind continued, until we were directed to a hangar

Frequently at least one colleague would step forward and tell us later that they had received a letter from their mother, or girlfriend, that a friend from the next street had crashed, and they should not risk their life.

I had previously opted for service in the Royal Air Force and was called up to the camp at Padgate, near Warrington, for basic training, in August 1952. I had for some years made and flown model aircraft, so I volunteered for aircrew. This meant I joined a “Fatigue Flight” of other volunteers and we commenced daily fatigues, one of which I recall was painting small pebbles white, with a small brush, surrounding a garden, or lawn. At intervals we were called back on parade, several times daily, and asked if anyone wished to withdraw their application for aircrew. Frequently at least one colleague would step forward and tell us later that they had received a letter from their mother, or girlfriend, that a friend from the next street had crashed, and they should not risk their life. However I persisted and was sent to RAF Hornchurch, the centre for Aircrew Medicals. I underwent much more searching tests,

30 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

for our “Job Interview”. We went in one at a time, into a small makeshift office, to be interviewed by a Flight Sergeant.

When I entered he said “You will go to RAF Melksham (the Electrical School) for a few weeks course of familiarization on RAF equipment, then if you pass you will become a Junior Technician Electrician”. I replied that I was hoping to learn a different technology, such as radio or radar. He replied that these courses would be eighteen months, during which I would earn 30 shillings a week, whereas a Junior Technician will earn 3 Guineas weekly, backdated to entry to the RAF. I declined the suggestion and he then said I could not take up the courses I had proposed. I then enquired about the Russian language course, at which he became very angry, thumping the table and said “If you reject the JT course at Melksham, you will go to the cook house, or be a dog handler, and I am

sure you would not prefer that”. So I humbly acquiesced and rejoined my colleagues, who said “What happened, we heard all the noise and shouting!”

In due course we “passed out” from Padgate and about six of us, all unknown to each other arrived at Melksham. One week we were lectured by a JT who was also National Service and he opened up by saying, “So you are all EX Specs”.

As we all looked blank, he explained that all our papers were marked “EX Spec”, presumably because we had been “specially selected”. Before the course ended, our “Passing Out” details came to us, all to different places, together with our inverted chevrons. We were told to quickly sew them onto our uniform and then we would be excused guard duty, which was imminent.

We were billeted with a number of “old hands”, with frayed uniforms, who were on a long term course of about 18 months to their JT. They had to take over our guard duties.

When I reached my final posting, Chivenor, between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe, I was probably the first Junior Technician to arrive.

Then I discovered how short of technical personnel they were. One individual spent a week as Duty Electrician, with possible call outs to switch on, or off, the “flasher beacon” which announced in morse code the station call sign, in case aircraft were lost at any time of night.

Another was charging batteries by day and night.

Night duties meant trying to sleep by day, but with a supper at midnight in the Mess from the Duty Cook. Someone had to ensure the runway lights were always available and carry out minor repairs elsewhere. Frequently one person would be on leave, or another on sick leave, so we often found that duties meant “confined to camp” all the week, possibly repeated after a break to normal duties for a week. So it was not surprising National Servicemen were needed, with the new technical people being trained up to JT standard.

Later back in civilian life, I began to think about my year lost due to medical deferment and Grade 2, which was not known to the Senior Medic and yet he knew of my migraine?

“Conspiracy theories” became the vogue in the 1970s. Was I the subject to one? After Melksham we were all dispersed and had no contact with each other. Was it just administrative errors, or were some of us held back, until the new technical arrangements were ready? If any other ex National Servicemen have had similar thoughts, I should be interested to hear details.

Bridport History Society does not meet in August under normal circumstances.

Cecil Amor, Hon President, Bridport History Society.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 31

House&Garden

Vegetables in July

By Ashley Wheeler

J

uly is a great month to be a vegetable grower. The fruits of your labour are realised and most of the anxieties that come with Spring have dissipated as all of the first plantings have been finished and the harvest is in full flow. However, it is also a really important time of the year to be thinking about autumn crops and successional sowings to ensure that the harvests continue through summer and autumn.

Sowings made through late June and July include fennel, chicory, kohl rabi, chinese cabbage, broccoli, chard and perpetual spinach, dill and coriander, and salad leaves such as lettuce and mustards, endive, buckshorn plantain and chervil. These can all replace earlier crops such as radish, salads and herbs, early carrots, early beets and fennel.

Generally we tend to plant out a crop about 3-4 weeks after sowing into module trays. This is handy to know as it means that we can make sure the beds that these crops are being planted in can be prepared in plenty of time. Our main method for bed preparation through the summer is to mow down old crops about two weeks before the bed is to be planted with a new crop and then water it if it is dry and cover with thick black silage plastic. Usually two weeks of covering with the black plastic will kill off any old crops and weeds, and then the plastic can be rolled up and the bed raked out before planting up. This means that we do not have to cultivate the beds again, minimising soil disturbance, and we can leave the crop residues and rely on the soil life to take them into the soil over the two weeks. It is always impressive how quickly this happens, but it does work better if the soil is moist so that the life in the soil can move more freely. If there is plenty of life in the soil, when you pull the plastic off the bed it will be nice and fluffy and crumbly. Voles do like it under there too, but once it is raked out and planted up they tend to find a new place to hide.

Sowing crops into module trays gives us the time needed to prepare the beds, whereas if we were to rely on direct sowing crops into the soil we would not have the time to mow and plastic the beds.

Harvesting is an important task through July, not only to be able to benefit from the produce of course, but also as a way to maintain the plants and encourage more yields through the summer, especially with fruiting crops such as courgettes, cucumbers, beans and tomatoes. So, enjoy the harvests but make sure you are sowing plenty of new crops for late summer and autumn so that you can continue to reap the rewards of your veg garden later in the year.

32 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Lettuce plantings in July to replace earlier crops

WHAT TO SOW THIS MONTH: chicory (first week of July), endive, summer purslane, winter purslane, mustards, rocket, land cress, chard, beetroot, lettuce, kohl rabi, chinese cabbage, broccoli, chard, perpetual spinach, fennel, broad beans (for tips in salads) & peashoots (at the end of the month), carrots, dill, coriander WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH: OUTSIDE: fennel, beetroot, lettuce, chard, kale, salad leaves — amaranth, orache, anise hyssop, buckshorn plantain, salad burnet, chervil, endive, chicory INSIDE: summer purslane, late french beans, late cucumbers, basil OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS THIS MONTH: Try to clear beds where crop harvests are coming to the end such as broad beans, peas, spring onions, lettuce and shallots, so that you can put in newly sown crops straight away. We either flail mow old crops and cover with thick silage plastic for 2-3 weeks or remove the crops by cutting them off at ground level and then hoeing the bed before planting.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 33

July in the Garden

By Russell Jordan

W

hen I was at college, studying horticulture, it was during a period when ‘Gardens of a Golden Afternoon’ (author : Jane Brown) were what many gardeners aspired to. We looked back to an age when the architecture of Edwin Lutyens was fleshed out by the planting of Gertrude Jekyll, resulting in a gentrified version of a cottage garden. The more mixed planting gave a longer period of floral interest, compared to the classic ‘herbaceous border’ of Victorian estates, which was better suited to newly created suburban gardens. The same is still true today when many people are rediscovering their outdoor spaces if they are lucky enough to have them.

The development of a huge range of repeat flowering roses, old-fashioned roses generally only flowered once, is a real boon to creating a cottage garden vibe which lasts all summer. Dead-heading is the key to keeping the blooms coming and keeping everything looking as fresh and youthful as possible. Removing spent flowers, to stop plants from expending energy setting seed, is a general rule of thumb when gardening. The exception being those plants which have attractive fruiting bodies, berries and hips being the main ones, and also those plants which you actually want to seed around in the garden.

Allowing certain ornamental plants to seed around not only gives you plants for free but also lends a more relaxed, informal, air to your beds and borders. In my garden I find that verbascums, primulas, alliums and thalictrums are very generous when it comes to seeding around and making whole new planting combinations which I’d never have contrived myself. Verbascum chaixii ‘Album’ is the particular mullein I am thinking of as it has delicate white spires which seldom look out of place and it never gets invasive.

Alliums are so precocious that they have even seeded themselves into the comparatively non-gardened areas of the garden where they seem to reach flowering size without me ever having noticed them as seedlings. I think they originated from Allium christophii although there is a chance they’ve hybridised with A. schubertii and some of them are definitely derived from Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ - but they are all welcome additions and, if I don’t like where they’ve

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put themselves, they’re not difficult to dig up and transplant somewhere else.

July is a peak month in flowering terms as the day length / night length has just switched, after the longest day in June, encouraging a whole new raft of species to flower which will carry us on to late summer. Herbaceous perennials, which have already flowered and are setting seed, may have a second flush of blooms if cut back now and encouraged to regrow. Using a liquid feed on such specimens, many herbaceous geraniums fall into this category, gives them the best chance to bounce back with strong new foliage and flowers.

As mentioned last month, I used to rely hugely on lilies, for their exotic flowers and intoxicating scent, at this time of year. Now I’m reaching the point where I’ve practically given up on them, as permanently planted specimens at least, due to the prevalence of lily beetles. With the withdrawal of all of the insecticides which effectively controlled them, for amateur use at least, I find it almost impossible to grow lilies which remain untroubled by these voracious pests however vigilant I am at removing the adults upon emergence. I guess you could treat these bulbs as ‘disposable’, starting with fresh lily bulbs every year, but I used to really like the exuberance of my population of Lilium regale popping up in the borders, filling the evening air with heady scent; lily beetles have put the kibosh on that for me.

As far as timely gardening tasks are concerned, it’s the usual stuff in addition to the aforementioned deadheading and cutting back of previously flowered perennials.

Watering, with added feed where appropriate, is pretty dependant on the kind of July we are having although it’s worth remembering that plants in containers generally need to be manually watered, even if it rains, because rain alone is seldom enough to saturate the compost. Mowing lawns can be reduced in times of drought and it’s worth mentioning, again, that irrigating grass is generally frowned upon as it is a waste of a precious resource and grass will always bounce back even after the worst dry spell.

Beds and borders, planted according to the ‘right plant,

right place’ rule, should not need to be irrigated except during extreme dry spells when the lack of water threatens to kill the plants outright. Using mulches, gravel in xerophytic schemes / organic matter in ‘normal’ borders, helps to conserve moisture and to reduce the need to weed. Weeding is another chore which cannot be ignored this month as weeds run to seed more quickly during dry weather so removing them before they can shed their seed will pay dividends in the long run; hence the adage “One year’s seed, seven years weed”.

One final thought is that the warmer weather, hopefully, makes any pond maintenance tasks more pleasant.

Maintaining a balance between clear water and shaded water surface, with floating pond plants or water lily leaves, is crucial for healthy pond life. It’s a good idea to remove overhanging branches from trees or shrubs due to the number of leaves that they will drop into the pond. Shading of the pond water, helping to keep it cooler on sunny days, with lily pads is the ideal solution because the leaves will be present during the summer months, when they are needed, but the lily pads will disappear in the cooler, winter, months when shading is less critical.

Now’s a good time to make room for a lily in your pond while you can choose them in flower and get them to establish more quickly while the water is warm. Their beautiful blooms are simply a bonus—as is the fact that water lilies are not related to bulbous Lilium species and therefore immune to lily beetle attack, although, of course, water lilies do have some pests of their own—but I’d rather not dwell on that just now!

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 35

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

A Room with a (Sea) View

By Helen Fisher

LYME REGIS £800,000

A fine Georgian cottage with 3 bedrooms (all en-suite) in an immaculate decorative condition. Kitchen with Aga plus period features inc: tiled floor, sash windows and stone fireplace. Master bedroom with large balcony/sun terrace. Private gardens with detached brick store. Two parking spaces. Incredible sea views.

Stags Tel: 01308 428000

SOUTH BOWOOD £750,000

A delightful Grade II listed thatched semi-detached cottage with 3 bedrooms.

Recently updated to present pristine accommodation. With ceiling beams, shutters and 2 inglenook fireplaces - one with the original bread oven. A long gated driveway leads to beautiful mature grounds of over an acre. Detached garage. Rolling countryside views to the coast and sea.

Kennedys Tel: 01308 427329

LYME REGIS £1.5M

WEST BAY £550,000

A handsome Grade II listed spacious home, built in the 1840’s.

Converted in the 1960’s into 4 apartments with an independent annex. Featuring high ceilings and elegant character features throughout. Situated in an elevated position just 100 yards from the Cobb with glorious sea views.

Stags Tel: 01308 428000

A 5 bedroom (4 en-suite) house build in the 1920’s. Sitting room with 2 period fireplaces and dining room with a bay window. Front garden with lawn and decorative water feature. Drive way providing ample off road parking.

Within walking distance to the beach and harbour.

Symonds and Sampson Tel: 01308 422092

LYME REGIS £895,000

WEYMOUTH £375,000

A magnificent 17th Century Grade II listed building within walking distance to the beach. Originally the post office, it retains a posting box - reputedly the oldest in the country. Currently run as a 6 bedroom B&B but with scope for conversation into a substantial family home. Private walled garden with small trees, shrubs and shed.

Gordon & Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

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A characterful period cottage with 2 double bedrooms and exposed beams, dating back to 1620. Featuring light and airy rooms with large windows and period seating areas. Private walled, lawn garden with mature planting. Located in the heart of the harbour and only a short walk to the town and beaches.

Palmer Snell Tel: 01305 778679

Staycation in ‘wild West Dorset’

A bird’s eye view of Mapperton camps

A

new “glamping” opportunity at Mapperton is offering the chance to relax and really reconnect with nature in the depths of the West Dorset countryside.

Mapperton Camps has sited two six-metre bell tents, complete with luxurious home comforts, in a field at Coltleigh Farm on the Mapperton estate, near Beaminster.

Coltleigh is a 200 acre area which has recently been handed back to nature. A small herd of White Park cattle—

an ancient English breed—now roam the local pasture, while a profusion of birds, butterflies and wildflowers adorn the landscape.

During July and August this summer campers will be able to enjoy the peace and spectacular views to the sea, explore the countryside around and stroll the short distance to Mapperton House & Gardens, as well as visit the surrounding area and the Jurassic Coast, just a short drive away.

Luke Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke, whose family home is Mapperton House says: ‘Mapperton looks forward to welcoming guests to the wild West Dorset countryside for an exhilarating back-to-nature glamping experience.

‘Our six-metre bell tents have the most fantastic views and are comfortably equipped, including a wood-burning stove and fire pit for chillier evenings.

‘Guests can enjoy hearty walks across the estate, eat locally in some of Dorset’s finest pubs and restaurants, or explore the stunning Jurassic coastline, which is only seven miles away.

‘We are very excited about our rewilding project at Coltleigh and we are delighted to be able to offer Mapperton Campers this opportunity to get away from it all in such a special environment.’

More information on Mapperton Camps can be found at mappertoncamps.com.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 37

Food&Dining

Hospitality THE CHANGING FACE OF

Like many small market towns, Bridport has seen changes to many aspects of local life over the last decade. Fergus Byrne has been looking at changes in an industry that thrives on bringing people together

A

recent suggestion of a pub crawl around the centre of Bridport resulted in one smart alec suggesting that some of us might be a bit too old for that sort of adventure. Not so—of course! But the comment did set me off researching how the hospitality industry has changed in the town over the years—and it turns out that a pub crawl today might be substantially quicker than in the past. According to closedpubs.co.uk, who specialise in documenting the lost pubs of the UK, as many as 62 of them have closed in Bridport town centre since the beginning of the 19th century. And since over 20 have closed in South Street alone, a pub crawl from the Town Hall to Palmer’s Brewery might have been a challenge for anyone in the past.

Back in the day, pubs in South Street such as The Antelope or The Balaclava or even The Garibaldi Inn offered a focus on drink rather than fine food. Today, although the excellent Woodman still serves the drinkers in South Street with a diverse range of beers and cider, it stands between the ghosts of The New Inn, which was present in 1911, and The Volunteer, which closed in 1996.

Other South Street pubs included The Bell Inn, The Castle Inn, The Hit or Miss Inn and The Shoeing Smith Arms—to name just a few. Today it’s up to The Woodman, The George and the Beach & Barnicott to keep the locals imbibed.

38 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Cocktails from Dark Bear

But from the mists of the past, a new energy has emerged. Although the ghosts of pub goers and their old landlords may trawl the pavements, new businesses with a new style and modern offer are breaking through— despite, if not as a result of, the coronavirus pandemic.

Directly across the road from The Woodman, the ever popular Soulshine has new ownership in Goose & Badger, an initiative that started in the first lockdown when two River Cottage alumni Joel Gostling and Andy Tyrell found themselves out of work and with a crazy idea to start a pop-up in mid-lockdown! They began at the Pop up Kitchen in Lyme Regis and put together a 6-course menu showcasing local foods supplied by the friends and growers they’d met over the years.

Lockdowns continued to hit and they opened and closed their doors more times than they can remember, but they never lost their passion.

The last lockdown saw them shift gears and move their pop-up to Soulshine with a new burger takeaway menu.

Quickly finding a local customer base that claimed they were ‘the best burgers they’ve ever had’ Goose & Badger continued to come up with new ideas and menus. By the start of 2021 they had secured such a great reputation at Soulshine, they were approached to take over the Bridport cafe, and soon after became the new owners.

Running Soulshine, along with their team, has seen the Goose & Badger pop-up take a back seat and they have replaced it with permanent menus for breakfast, lunch and weekend dinners in their new home. It’s just the start for the Bridport boys and the newly renovated Soulshine, and they have big plans. Soulshine regulars will be pleased to see the smiling face of original founder Lisa Loader staying on for a while to welcome customers.

Soulshine is open Wednesday to Sunday 9:30-2:30 and Friday and Saturday nights 6-9pm (bookings only 01308 422821).

Over on West Street, the popular Pursuit of Hoppiness stands opposite two businesses which once housed The Star Hotel. The hotel was damaged during a 1942 air raid when the publican’s son, George Hecks, was killed. Today The Fridge and Chickenland & Pizza present a somewhat different offer. Behind the Pursuit of Hoppiness in North Street on the corner of Rax Lane, a building next to the conservative club was home to The Mason’s Arms. It was granted change of use in 1989 and after a spell as a popular youth centre now comprises offices and a gallery space.

But the Pursuit of Hoppiness harks back to an era when ale was the attraction for those venturing out of an evening. Owner and founder Alasdair McNabb took the brave decision to see if he could get change of use to reconfigure a small mobile phone shop into a pub. He explained that the concept for The Pursuit of Hoppiness came about after visiting multiple micropubs in Yorkshire and Lancashire. These were wet let, independently owned and free of tie pubs built in old Post Offices, hairdressers, train stations and similar small buildings.

‘The focus is always on providing interesting and ever-changing ales and ciders in a relaxed and unique environment’ says Alasdair, ‘which is what we’ve tried

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Cocktails from Dark Bear

‘The focus is always on providing interesting and ever-changing ales and ciders in a relaxed and unique environment’

Bowlcut’s Kimchi Ramen & Seaweed Salad

to do.’ Before its life as a phone shop the building’s history included time as a barbershop on one side and a tobacconist on the other, separated by a glass panel.

Alasdair has met people who have worked and shopped there in its different guises over the years ‘and even a man in his sixties who remembers making the front door as a young apprentice carpenter’ he says.

Since opening in 2016 they have sold close to 8,000 different beers but they’re always looking for more— hence the name. ‘The great thing for me’ says Alasdair ‘which makes the micro pub concept such a great one, is the individual stamp which each owner puts on their business. You can spot the tell-tale traits of a micro-

The Pursuit of Hoppiness Photograph by Brendan Buesnel

pub a mile off, but each one is rubber-stamped with the personality of the owner. This is the pub you’d find at the bottom of my garden.’

In the post Covid environment, Alasdair hopes to see hospitality venues permitted to continue utilising pavements, parks and dead-end streets for outdoor seating.

Heading east, towards Dorchester, it is now over 250 years since the Marquis of Granby Inn opened up opposite The Bridge House Hotel in East Street. It is said that the pub name, The Marquis of Granby, refers to a philanthropic 18th-century soldier who, concerned about the lack of financial help for wounded servicemen, bought pubs for them so they could make a living. He is said to have died with exceptionally high debts…

Today, the garden of the Bridge House Hotel features The Potting Shed, an initiative that feels a bit like a sophisticated all-year-round festival eatery with a warm

and friendly atmosphere. The Potting Shed was the brainchild of Bridge House owners Sara and Marcus Edwards during the first lockdown. Having already made huge improvements and updates to the hotel and cellar bar, they moved their attention to the beautiful but under-used walled-garden and gave a new lease of life to the rickety old shed in the corner. Joining up with Lloyd Brown and David Smith of popular cocktail company Dark Bear, they also re-planted the garden, and added covers and heaters for the cooler days and evenings. The mix of special cocktails and pop-up food has been a huge hit with locals and visitors alike. Current offers include ‘Fire in the Shire’ serving vegan Pizzas on Wednesdays; Antoni Strillozi, renowned Italian chef serving authentic dishes every Thursday and Niamh O’Mara and Charlotte (Chully) Evans of Bowlcut serving up delicious hand-cut noodles every Friday night and Saturday lunchtime.

Andy and Joel at Soulshine and some of their delicious creations Photographs by Rob Coombe

...innovative chefs, entrepreneurial food producers and imaginative retailers blaze a trail in changing the face of the hospitality industry

Three Wines UNDER 15

Furleigh Estate Baccus Dry 2018 £14.95

A refreshing, crisp dry white wine from 96% Bacchus and 4% Chardonnay. ‘Brilliantly aromatic with floral scents of elderflower and honeysuckle combined with ripe orchard fruits including pear and white peach.

It has a hint of herbaceous sweet pea-shoots, nettles and summer meadow on the nose.’ Available from https://furleighestate.co.uk/

Bowlcut’s hand-ripped noodles in annori fat and wild mushroom glaze, topped with soy marinaded egg

Chully explained a bit about the ethos behind Bowlcut, pointing to the pair’s use of ‘local, seasonal, and organic produce where possible.’ Their dishes are inspired by the East-Asian street-food style of vibrant and complex flavour profiles. ‘Think sweet, salty, umami-rich sauces with fresh, tangy toppings’ says Chully. ‘We have both always been incredibly passionate about food. After years of separately developing our own recipes and with a new perspective after going through the lockdown, we decided to come together, realising that our vision was very similar and that it was possible to make it a reality.’

As well as The Potting Shed, Bowlcut are popping up in Lyme Regis on Thursday nights. Phone 07551 855878 to book.

The South West and particularly the area in and around the Marshwood Vale has seen innovative chefs, entrepreneurial food producers and imaginative retailers blaze a trail in changing the face of the hospitality industry in recent years.

From the pioneering Dorshi in Bridport to the sophisticated yet simple ethos of Robin Wylde in Lyme Regis; from the world-class wines of Furleigh to local ciders such as Dorset Nectar; Baboo Gelato to the organic flours from Tamarisk Farm, local produce and skilled creativity has given the industry the sort of lift that makes it quite unique and sought after. Long may it continue.

Château Lestrille, Entre-Deux-Mers £13.50

Sauvignon blanc dominant blend with Muscadelle.

‘A fantastic blend bringing intense aromas of citrus, lime and pear on the nose and unveiling an expressive mineral character on the palate. This wine is lively with good length and shows remarkable balance.’

Available in Bridport from www.selectedgrapes.co.uk

The Society’s Rosé, Pays d’Oc 2020 £6.95

With so many value-priced Rosé’s too sweet to countenance, the Wine Society’s Pays d’Oc offers a nice change. It is a dry, well-rounded pink from the Languedoc and is made principally from the syrah. ‘I didn’t have high expectations (although The Society label is always good) but I found this delicious.’ www.thewinesociety.com Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 43

MERINGUE NOUGATS

LESLEY WATERS

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• • • •

1. Preheat the oven to 140C / 275F / Gas mark 1.

2. Line a rectangle tin approx. 24cm x 20cm with baking parchment leaving an overlap around the edge of the tin.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Gradually whisk in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is stiff enough to stand a spoon up in. Fold in the cornflour, vinegar, almonds and the scraped out vanilla seeds.

4. Pile the mixture into the prepared tin and roughly level the top. Bake in the oven for 2 hours. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

5. When the meringue is cooled, dust liberally with icing sugar and remove from the tin on the baking parchment. Cut into 8 pieces and serve each piece with a bowl of fruit compote.

4 egg whites 225g (8oz) caster sugar 2 teaspoons cornflour 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar • 200g (7oz) flaked toasted almonds • 1 vanilla pod, split & the seeds scraped out • Icing sugar to serve Serves 8

44 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Gold award at first attempt

NICK Cunningham (above) entered Axminster Cider into the Taste of the West Awards for the first time and won a GOLD for each of their cider varieties. The cider was launched only two years ago, and is operated from Uphay Farm near Axminster. Their ciders are made from traditional West Country cider apple varieties and fermented using naturally occurring yeasts.

‘No sulphites are ever added, and only the fermented juice goes into the bottle’ says Nick. ‘We have been supported well by local trade outlets and are building a solid customer base of consumers.’ It is available in Millers Farm Shop, and also available online at slurp.co.uk, Scrattings, and Orchard Explorers or direct from axminstercider.com.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 45

PIGEON SALAD WITH SEA BUCKTHORN Pigeons are very good value compared to other game birds when they are in season but pigeons are available all the year round. If you have access to them, this is a great way to get several servings out of them.

I serve gamey salads with various types of berries but one of my favourites is sea buckthorn which grows wild along the coast or like me you may well have some in your garden. You can also buy online from the British sea buckthorn company and a handy thing to keep in the freezer for savoury or sweet dishes or even drinks as they are a great British super food.

MARK HIX

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• Two oven-ready pigeons • 60-70g butter, softened • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • A small handful of sea buckthorn berries • A few handfuls of small flavoursome salad leaves and herbs

1. Pre-heat the oven to 240C/Gas mark 8, season the pigeon and rub the breasts with butter.

2. Roast for about 12- 15 minutes, keeping them nice and pink, then leave to rest.

3. Meanwhile make the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together and seasoning to taste.

4. To serve, remove the breasts from the carcass and cut them into half a dozen slices and remove all of the leg meat and shred it.

5. Arrange the leaves on four serving plates with the pigeon and sea buckthorn and spoon over the dressing.

For the dressing • 1tbsp red wine vinegar • 1⁄2tsp Tewkesbury or Dijon mustard 4tbsp rapeseed oil Serves 4

46 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Handlining

By Nick Fisher

T

he most expensive rod I ever bought was dangerously close to three hundred quid. It didn’t come with a reel, any line or even so much as a hook. A while back I bought a handline for less than three quid. Sure, it was only a lump of flat wood wrapped in thick monofilament, but it came with hooks, a weight, a beefy swivel and a whole lot of soul.

On foreign trips, I’ve found myself frequently going back to basics, leaving my rod in its case and getting out a handline instead.

It’s the sort of fishing equivalent of ‘going native’. Giving up all I’ve learnt in the civilised carbon-fibre fuelled world of modern angling, in exchange for the primitive feel of a coil of thick mono between my toes and the skin-nipping rub of a heavy line running through my fingers.

When my dad took me for mackeral fishing trips out in a charter boat off Largs on the west coast of Scotland, circa 1966, we used handlines. Bright orange things with a spiky circular weight on one end and an H-shaped frame of pine to wrap the line on the other.

We’d lob the weight off the boat with a scrap of fish on the hooks or, on good mornings, before we’d undergone the obligatory round of impenetrable, pull-for-a-break tangles, we’d even have a feather or two to tempt fish.

You never see anyone using handlines in Britain anymore.

Occasionally at the seaside, kids use them with a wodge of streaky Danish bacon tied in a bunch at one end, to tempt small shore crabs out of a crevice into a bucket.

We’ve got so rod-bound. So carbon-dependent. That we’re not happy unless there’s a good nine foot of high tech space age material stretching between our hands and our line.

Rods are generally so cheap now. Unless of course you suffer from occasional piscatorial pretensions, like me. So, there’s no excuse not to have one. Except, there are times and there are places when, it’s more fun to do without.

I first got a taste for born-again handlining in the Bahamas, fishing off a boat in 80 feet of water, straight down onto a coral reef below.

Using slivers of squid for bait and small rocks as weights, I was instructed by a local fisherman how to hook reef fish and get them to the surface fast enough to stop the sharks or barracuda biting them off on the way up.

He took such great care to show me how to hold a loop of line between my thumb and forefinger. ‘Never, never loop it round your finger’ he said, with gravity. ‘If a shark gets a hold of your fish the tight line could slice through your finger like a cheese wire. Clean to the bone’.

It was a graphic enough description to make me wary and watchful for the rest of the few days that we fished together. And, ironically enough, he did hook a big tiger shark, more on purpose than by accident and showing off, nearly lost his finger in the process.

He chopped a huge U-shaped gouge out of the shank of his finger when the 100 monofilament lashed around it. He bled like a stuck pig. A chunk of bloody flesh popped out onto the deck. Even when he was looking down at the missing piece of his finger about to disappear down the scupper, he never so much as flinched with the pain. Christ these local fishermen are hard. If I’ve got a mild case of sunburn, I’m rubbing on layers of specialist creams and whining like a baby with cholic.

In Dubai one New Year, I booked a trip out on one the local charter boats with my two boys Rory and Rex. Being small, makes rod handing quite hard on board a boat. If the gunwale’s high and you stand less than three feet high to begin with, you’re at a distinct disadvantage. A handline in comparison, is lemon squeezy. Once the weight’s lobbed over all you have to do is hold on, lifting and dropping the line occasionally, to make sure the weight’s just on or just above, the bottom.

Lancashire born skipper, Chris Deane, was happy to have a crack at handlining for a few hours in the sun drenched middle eastern morning. Most of his clients are big game fishermen out hunting for the prolific sailfish population in the Arabian Gulf, but after a couple of days of fruitless trolling, due to a blip in the sailfish feeding pattern, a chance to try something different appealed.

Just a few miles off the beach from our hotel, we started to find clumps of white polystyrene floats bobbing in random join-the-dot patterns across the surface of the unfeasibly blue sea.

The floats marked the sites of local fishermen’s fish traps. Great galvanised box-structures weighed down with breeze blocks and baited with bread or fish scraps. The concentration of traps denotes some sort of fish attracting feature nestling on the sea bed.

‘It doesn’t take much to attract fish out here’ explains Chris ‘The landscape of the flat arid desert extends under the sea. Flat, even sand.

Not a bump or a ripple. So anything, a few big rocks or an old wreck automatically draw the fish as a refuge’.

With his 13-year-old daughter Jodie helping my boys hurl and haul their lines, baited with postage stamp sized chunks of squid, the first bite came within minutes of anchoring up-tide of what he reckoned from the shape on the echo-sounder, must be a shipwreck. The first haul by Rory was a trevally of over four pounds. A great fish for a handline.

First you feel a bump, a tap, a knock and a rattle, then nothing. You have to make a guess at what point in this collection of sensations, to yank your hand skywards in an attempt to hit the hook home. The fish have good teeth and can strip a bait in seconds so you have to always internally negotiate when is just long enough to wait. They need time to get the bait properly into their mouths. But not too long, so the hook is cleaned to a gleaming sparkle and is spat back out, to dangle hopelessly in the water.

As handlining sessions go, our trip off Dubai couldn’t have been better. The slope from desert floor to sea bed is a gradual one, so even 10 miles out you’re only fishing in 70 or 80 foot of water. Not too much hauling, but plenty of bites. And for us, a haul of at least ten trevally up to seven or eight pounds. All returned alive, except one. Lunch.

Back at our hotel, Captain Chris persuaded the chef to grill the fillets of trevally and serve them with chips and salad.

There are anglers who couldn’t bear to travel so far to do something so basic. They’d need to be salt water fly fishing for bonito or trolling five different flashy baits for sailfish. For me, and my two dwarf sized co-anglers a tug on a bit of string works just as well. If not better.

And handline-caught trevally cooked with a crispy outer surface and a succulent white flaky middle, dipped in eastern spices and washed down with ice cold western lager, takes some beating. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

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Arts&Entertainment

Hang inThere for summer events

Roll up, roll up!

CIRCUS FOR VILLAGES ARTSREACH, Dorset’s rural arts touring charity, is bringing two inventive family circus shows on tour this summer, providing some new entertainment for audiences in Yetminster, Broadmayne and Litton Cheney.

Circus Around & About is a pilot rural touring project aimed at bringing high quality, small-scale, family-friendly circus to rural communities across the south west, from July–September 2021.

Following the impact of Covid-19 on community life, Circus Around & About offers a varied selection of circus double bills in outdoor locations. Each outdoor event will feature two shows by extraordinary national and international touring companies.

The double bill coming to Yetminster Sports Club on Friday 16th July, Broadmayne recreation ground on Friday 23rd, and Litton Cheney hall field on Thursday 26th August, features Bristol-trained singer, dancer and physical theatre performer Tilly Lee-Kronick and award-winning regional performers Pirates of the Carabina.

Tilly Lee-Kronick, whose show is called Ripe, is an outstanding aerialist who performs static trapeze. She has worked for renowned circus company Cirque Bijou and performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Pirates of the Carabina are an award-winning company of acrobats and musicians. Their show, Pirate Taxi, tells their own tale of running away to the circus, with humour, original music and an ingenious set.

Tickets for all circus events must be booked in advance and full details about the event, including covid-guidance is available online. Please bring a chair/rug and dress for all weather. Find out more and book tickets by visiting www.artsreach.co.uk

48 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

Mozart, thanks to COVID

DORSET OPERA WE don’t have much to thank the pandemic for, but for lovers of the operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the lockdowns and restrictions have meant a scaling down of the usual Dorset Opera Festival productions—and the first ever Mozart performances.

After last year’s COVID-related cancellation, the festival is back at its regular home, Bryanston School’s Coade Hall, from 19th to 24th July, with two of Mozart’s finest and best-loved operas, the first time in its 47-year history.

A key aspect of Dorset Opera Festival is the summer school for singers and technical theatre students from across the world, who sing and work alongside the professional musicians in large-scale grand opera, with first-class international soloists.

This year, the festival management felt it would be unwise to run the summer school.

“So, for the first time ever, we are presenting a MozartFest featuring operas that, as they have little or no chorus, we would never normally be able to consider,” says festival director Rod Kennedy.

The programme will be two of the three da Ponte operas,

Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte. There will also be a semistaged version of Händel’s Acis and Galatea, using the Mozart orchestration. Bookings can be made on the festival website, dorsetopera.com

Summer rep is back

SIDMOUTH SIDMOUTH’s Manor Pavilion Theatre hosts the last professional summer repertory theatre season in the country.

And this year it’s back, with a season of classic comedy, murder, farce and music, running to the end of September.

Paul Taylor-Mills and his company open the season with Alan Ayckbourn’s Living Together, one of the hilarious Norman Conquests trilogy, which is on until 3rd July.

It’s followed by Francis Durbridge’s Murder With Love, from 6th to 17th July, and Ding Dong, a farce by Marc Camoletti and Tudor Gates, from 20th to 30th July.

The season continues with Neil Simon’s California Suite, Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web, Philip King and Falkland Cary’s Sailor Beware, and Clue—the Musical.

For full details visit www.manorpavilion.com

Spillett and quartet

MARINE THEATRE, LYME REGIS JAZZ star, tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett brings his virtuoso quartet to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Thursday 22nd July for a night that promises to transport the audience to Ronnie Scott’s or the finest New York jazz club.

Known for his electrifying live performances, Spillett and his world class musicians are inspired by the legendary British sax player Tubby Hayes, with a repertoire rooted in the 50s and 60s.

The quartet features drummer Pete Cater, Alec Dankworth, son of Cleo Laine and Jonny Dankworth, and an awardwinning bass player and composer, and jazz pianist Rob Barron, who has played with Jacqui Dankworth, Stacey Kent, Claire Martin and many more and regularly appears with the BBC Big Band and Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra.

Morgan and West make three

The show is a fun for all the family retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers—a cavalcade of whimsy, wit, and swordplay all deftly performed in the great outdoors.

Can the dashing Musketeers retrieve the Queen’s prize diamonds? Will the nefarious Cardinal Richelieu get away with his dastardly scheme? Is it an enormous mistake to wear such elaborate costume at the height of British summer?

Creating Carmen

CONCERTS IN THE WEST EVERYBODY knows Bizet’s opera Carmen, with its dark and sensual story of the free-spirited gypsy girl, the lovesick soldier and the flamboyant bullfighter, but Concerts in the West takes a new look at the story in Creating Carmen, for the July tour to Bridport, Ilminster and Crewkerne.

Carmenco, a small ensemble of classical guitarists, flautist, mezzo soprano and two actors, brings Clare Norburn’s new concert-play to life, at Bridport Arts Centre at 11.30am on Friday 23rd July, Ilminster Arts Centre that evening at 8pm, and on Saturday 24th at the Dance House, Crewkerne, at 7.30pm.

One of the two best-known and best-loved operas (the other is Puccini’s La Boheme), Carmen (1875) began life 30 years earlier as a novella by the French writer Prosper Merimee (played

by Robin Soans). The musicians are Emily Andrews (flute and mezzo), David Massey and Francisco Correa (classical guitar). Suzanne Ahmet plays Carmen. the performance is directed by Nicholas Renton.

Prosper Merimée led a colourful and rakish existence with numerous love affairs. Clare Norburn’s concert-play imagines how Merimée’s wild escapades gave rise to one of the most infamous femme fatales in literature or music.

The music for Creating Carmen draws on Bizet and Spanishinspired music by Granados, de Falla, Albéniz and Ravel.

Clare Norburn says: “As I researched Merimée, what astonished me was how extraordinarily modern he was. He was a revolutionary—the Brecht of his day. I created a midlife crisis for him, in which his creativity is intertwined with his out-of-control love life.”

GPW

BRIDPORT MORGAN and West, best known for their dazzling magic and mathematical skills, take on one of the classic adventure stories for their show at Bridport’s Millennium Green on 29th July at 2pm and 7pm.

Morgan And West present The Three Musketeers finds our heroes sharpening their swords, lacing their boots and smoothing the feathers in their very big hats.

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July

GALLERIES

July 1 - 31

A Sense of Abstraction. A joint exhibition by internationally collected artists Eva and Marko Humphrey-Lahti exploring their artistic reactions to nature, dreams, light and colour. Hand-carved Alabaster and Limestone originals and limited edition Bronze sculptures. Paintings, limited edition prints and reliefs. A well received exhibition already dubbed the MoMA of Beaminster. The Square Gallery, 3 The Square, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3SH Thursday - Saturday 09.30 -15.00 or by appointment. 07973 319 223 www.humphrey-lahti-art.com

July 4 - 11

Lockdown walks etc A collection of landscapes and harbour scenes in various media painted during lockdown by Lyndon Richards and Susan Hudson.

Exhibition at SomArton gallery, 1 West Street, 9.30 to 5.00 daily.

July 8 - 27

Colour Line & Thread 2021 9th Colour Line & Thread is an eclectic exhibition of paintings by Hilary Buckley and Russell Coulson, photography by Art-Fotography, pottery by Rupert Andrews, textile art by Ingrid Ellis and jewellery by Gill Melly.

Malthouse Gallery, Town Mill, Mill Lane, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU. 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Free admission. Contact Hilary Buckley 01297 444111 https://dorset-artist.uk

Until July 10

The Sea, the Sea Anthony Garratt Frances Hatch Nicholas Jones, Janette Kerr HRSA PPRWA recent paintings. Petter Southall woodwork. Ceramics sculpture, jewellery, textiles, gifts & accessories by leading artists and makers. Sladers Yard, Gallery and Café Sladers, West Bay Road, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL. Ursula Leach From Where I Stand; New Work and Celia de Serra Run Deep; New Work. open Thursday - Saturday, 10am - 3pm, or by appointment The Art Stable. The Art Stable Child

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Okeford Blandford Dorset DT11 8HB Unfenced New paintings by Wendy McBride at White Space Art, 72 Fore St, Totnes TQ9 5RU and online at whitespaceart.com

Until July 11

Emerging Talents Jack McGarrity. Jack joins a great tradition of story telling in paint and can be seen as part of a revival of figurative painting in contemporary practices. Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LW info@messumswiltshire.com 01747 445042.

July 15 - August 20

The Museum of Mystery and Imagination An exhibition of artworks which is purposely mysterious created from the imagination of artists and aimed to inspire the imagination of the audience. Artists taking part in this exhibition are: David Brooke, Tim Carroll, Elaine Dixon, John Hurford, Caroline Ireland, David Lawrence, Debbie Lee, Lisa Lindqvist, Amanda Popham and Suzanne Woodward. Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NR Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 4pm Tel. 01308 424204.

July 15 - September 5

Unkempt Shifting Aesthetics in Landscape Painting an exhibition recognising the advent of a changing aesthetic in landscape – one that is by its nature wild, messy and more empathetic to the environment. Messums. Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LW info@messumswiltshire.com 01747 445042.

July 16 - 18

Art@Eype, an exhibition by Dorset Artists and Makers.

Featuring work by; Sue Barnes, David Brooke, Sally Davies, Brian Freelander, Caroline Ireland, Elizabeth Sporne, Judy Tate, John Wolfe, Holly Yates and Stephen Yates. All artists will be present throughout the exhibition. 16th, 17th & 18th July, open Friday

and Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm. Eype Centre for the Arts, St. Peter’s Church, Eype, Dorset DT6 6AL. www.eypechurcharts.co.uk

From July 17

Summer Prints and Drawings Julian Bailey, Martyn Brewster, Alex Lowery, Michael Fairclough, Vanessa Gardiner, Janette Kerr PhD HRSA PPRWA. Sladers Yard, West Bay, Bridport DT6 4EL. sladersyard.co.uk

Until July 18

‘Reawakening’: Bridport Arts Society A showcase for the diverse talents of the Bridport Arts Society, open daily 10:30-4:30. at the Sou’-Sou-West Gallery in Symondsbury in June, open daily from 10.30-4.30.

Until July 23

‘Distant Shores’ Martin Goold Solo Exhibition Memory has played a significant part in the making of the new paintings for this exhibition. 2020 brought some changes to my working pattern and the thinking behind it, not least the restrictions to travel changed the way I gather references and inspiration. In this altered and very strange environment I found myself returning to old sketchbooks and travel notebooks; these records of places visited back through years have presented a new direction for work. The veil of time changes things and what is remembered can become quite subjective and personalised. Tuesday to Saturday 10-5pm.

Artwave West, Morcombelake, Dorset DT6 6DY www. artwavewest.com 01297 489746/

July 24 – August 8

Three Miles Square and a Window: Andy Rollo and Corrina Cooper This exhibition at Sou’-Sou’-West Arts Gallery brings together Corrina Cooper and Andy Rollo; two artists whose creative practice engages with the everyday, the fractured and broken, the beauty of nature, colour and light. Their still life and landscape paintings continue the modernist tradition of exploring the juxtaposition of abstract and realist elements, gaining inspiration from artists such as Charles Rennie Macintosh and Randall David Tipton. All the work being exhibited was produced during the pandemic and consequently reflect the restrictions of movement and confinement within small spaces. Both artists, however, do so with a sense of hope for the future by celebrating what is in close proximity to us all. Open daily from 10.30-4.30.

July 24 - August 14

‘Petal Poise’ A solo exhibition of pastel and oil paintings by Helen Simpson following on from a smaller exhibition in May. “There is a stillness about a flower, but a stillness that masks an unceasing journey of transformation”. These highly observed and larger

GALLERIES IN AUGUST Live or Online send your August gallery details to info@marshwoodvale.com

by July 16th.

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July

GALLERIES

than life pastel and oil paintings of plants show us that the flower’s stillness is simply a momentary suspension of movement in a mysterious and unceasing journey from one form, one landscape, to another. This sense of movement and change is also reflected in the ceramics Helen is showing alongside her pictures. The Sudio and The Malthouse Gallery, East Lambrook Manor Gardens Silvers Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm Free entry to Galleries Prebooking may be necessary, dates may have to be altered depending on government guidelines, please check information on the website before you visit. www.eastlambrook.com

Until July 25

Landscape Portrait: Now and Then explores the links between landscape painting and portraiture at Hestercombe since the eighteenth century, juxtaposing this history with contemporary works from the past sixty years. Includes works by Andy Warhol, Derek Jarman, Claudette Johnson, Susan Derges, Leon Kossoff, Patrick Caulfield, Gilbert and George and Balraj Khanna and C.W. Bampfylde, the Rev John Eagles and Henry Moon. Also Open-Up, series of outdoor art works in the 50 acre gardens. Hestercombe Gallery 11am - 4pm, Tickets via hestercombe.com.

July 29 - August 3

Art Exhibition an eclectic mix of acrylics and watercolours at The Bomb Shelter in Beer EX12 3EG. Daily 10am - 4pm, Sunday 11am - 3pm. Contact - eupchurch22@yahoo.co.uk

Until July 31

Steven Marshall’s paintings, largely in enamel paint on panel and Perspex are outward looking peoplescapes. In them figures are choreographed in to compositions with no intended narrative, but stories and relationships inevitably emerge from them, created by the viewer as much as by the artist. Steven has exhibited worldwide, most frequently in the U.K., Italy and the USA. He has lived in Devon for nearly 20 years . Open every day 9-4 at Unique Framecraft, 4/5 Millwey Rise Workshops, Second Avenue, Axminster. EX13 5HH

Until August 1

Mike Perry Land/Sea Major solo exhibition of work of artist Mike Perry spearheading East Devon’s new climate campaign - Climate Conversations. Perry collects and photographs plastic objects washed up on beaches to focus attention on the environmental crisis and plastic pollution. Open 7 days a week, 105. Ocean, Queen’s Drive, Exmouth EX8 2AY 01395 266500 www. oceanexmouth.co.uk.

Lyme Light: Where Sea Meets Sky Inspiring landscape paintings and drawings by Pauline Sayers, 10.00-16.00 TuesdaysSundays, The Rotunda Gallery, Lyme Regis Museum, 01297 443370, www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk.

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Until August 7

Malene Hartmann Rasmussen A collection of Malene’s ceramic sculpture will be on view in the tithe barn at Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LW info@messumswiltshire.com 01747 445042.

Until August 14

Mike Perry Land/Sea Major solo exhibition of work of artist Mike Perry spearheading East Devon’s new climate campaign - Climate Conversations. Perry collects and photographs plastic objects washed up on beaches to focus attention on the environmental crisis and plastic pollution. Open Thursday – Saturday, 10-5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield House, Dowell Street, Honiton EX14 1LX, 01404 45006 www.thelmahulbert.com.

Until September 5

Lockdown Reflections Work by gallery & guest artists, The exquisite Tincleton Gallery will be holding a Summer mixed show of over a dozen of their gallery artists, plus three guest artists, including a range of sculptures, oils, and prints. We think everyone could do with places to go that are calm and peaceful and inspiring, so you are most welcome to visit. Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Fri/Sat/ Sun/Mon from 10:00 - 17:00, no admission fee. 01305 848 909. http://www.tincletongallery.com.

Until September 12

Gustav Metzger radically challenged our understanding of art, its relation to reality and our existence within society. Our inaugural exhibition of Metzger’s work will explore the intersection between human intervention, nature and man-made environments. Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0NL

Until October 31

Turning the Tide Discover the history of plastic and the problem with single-use plastics. Learn how you can help in the fight to reduce microplastics in our oceans. Admission free, donations welcomed. West Bay Discovery Centre. TuesdaySunday 11am - 4pm. www.westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk.

Until January 3, 2022

Eduardo Chillida was one of the foremost Spanish sculptors of the twentieth century. Experience new encounters between Chillida’s practice and the unique environment of Hauser & Wirth Somerset, featuring seminal works that extend throughout the renovated farm buildings and surrounding landscape. Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0NL

YOUNG LIT FIX IN JULY PICTURE BOOK REVIEW

by Nicky Mathewson Margaret’s Unicorn

by Briony May Smith Walker Books RRP £12.99 MARGARET and her parents are moving to be nearer to Grandma. A stone cottage high in the mountains which feels strange and empty at first. Mum and dad promise to make it feel like home but Margaret is unsure. She takes a walk to explore the mountainside and finds the most incredible thing, a baby unicorn which has been separated from its family. Whilst caring for the unicorn Margaret is able to settle into her new home and forget her worries, but what do unicorns eat? And what do they drink?

This is the most beautiful book from a wonderful author and illustrator.

Briony has a magic touch when it comes to the use of light in her illustrations. Each page is a stunning piece of art full of feeling and movement.

A perfect bedtime story for ages 3 and up.

MIDDLE GRADE REVIEW

by Antonia Squire When the Sky Falls

by Phil Earle Andersen Press RRP £7.99 AT the height of The Blitz, in 1941, thousands of children were evacuated out of London to the safety of the countryside. But when Joseph’s father went off to war, and his grandmother became unable to cope with his troubled behaviour, Joseph is sent to London, to the care of stern Mrs F. Furious at his plight, unable to trust and convinced no one will ever want to be around him, Joseph does his best to push people away. At school he is bullied for his northern accent, punished for defending himself and still struggling to read.

After school he has to go and help Mrs F at the old zoo, taking care of the old, scraggly animals that couldn’t be relocated, including a magnificent silverback gorilla named Adonis.

When the bombs start falling at night Joseph follows Mrs F through the streets of London to the zoo. Terrified of what she’ll do when he sees her holding a rifle outside Adonis’ cage, Joseph challenges his guardian, accusing her of lies and betrayal. As the nights go by he begins to understand the depths of love Mrs F holds for the zoo and its animals and slowly, but surely, the two forge a bond of trust and understanding in the face of tragedy and destruction.

A beautiful tale of two damaged people coming together to give each other strength and learning to love again. Inspired by a true story of a city zoo, wild animals and constant bombing raids, this is a magnificent take on the World War Two genre. Highly, highly recommend—I loved it.

TEEN REVIEW

by Antonia Squire Ace of Spades

by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Usborne Publishing RRP £8.99 IT’S the beginning of senior year and Chiamaka is eagerly awaiting the culmination of years of hard work—both socially and academically. Finally making it to the top of the social pyramid, and her sights set on Harvard, she knows this is the year she finally comes into her own.

Devon isn’t anywhere near the top of the social or academic pile, but as a talented musician he’s just hoping to make it through senior year unscathed before making his way to Julliard and the bright lights of New York City.

Neither of them is prepared for Aces, an anonymous texter who has a frightening amount of dirt on both of them and hell bent on spreading this malicious gossip through the rest of the student population. And for some reason it’s just them, the most popular girl in school, and a boy who’s always managed to fly under the radar.

They’re not even friends so why them?

Londoner Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé has done an extraordinary job in creating an elite American high school environment with believable characters reflecting the teen experience in this heart-poundingly good thriller.

Willing myself to read faster to find out where she was taking me, Ace of Spades is the perfect post-exam summer reading.

10% off RRP of these books for Marshwood Vale Readers at The Bookshop, 14 South Street, Bridport DT6 3NQ.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 53

Summer History Reading Having sufficient leisure time to read big books is generally about summer holidays. Lockdowns may appear to provide opportunities, but as they are accompanied by working and parenting at home, as well as anxieties about present and future employment, spending hours and hours on big books is a luxury not many can afford.

But in the summer, passing the time on beaches or back gardens, a big book can be a companion for some time, especially if the content is carefully written and rewarding in vision and detail.

For history lovers, Bruce Harris (www.bruceleonardharris.com) recommends two well-organised, pleasingly detailed and richly evocative books, even if some of the details reflect times more savage and uncompromising than our own.

The Anarchy by William Dalrymple 522 pages inc. glossary and index.

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2019 Paperback: £10.99 ISBN 978-1-4088-6439-5

SUBTITLED, ‘The Relentless Rise of the East India Company’, the quality and distinctiveness of this book is reflected in the extraordinary collection of positive comments gathered together at the front of the book and on the back cover, which represent a pretty comprehensive ‘clean sweep’ of the quality and literary press.

Lavishly mapped and illustrated, with three generous sections of full colour plates, the book, first and foremost, tells a tremendous story, beginning with a few isolated coastal outposts where the British established tenuous footholds, to the point where the Company had become, to all intents and purposes, a state with a state.

Dalrymple is credited with several prize-winning books, including White Mughals, The Last Mughal and Return of a King. He has won the British Academy’s President’s Medal for outstanding literary achievement and co-founded the Jaipur Literary Festival. His control and organisation of a truly vast reservoir of material, and the fact that he can write as well as be a historian (the two don’t always go together), means the book is worth the time it takes to read it and then some.

Anyone expecting a gung-ho acclamation of Britain’s glorious imperial past might find themselves disappointed. Britain’s interest in India was, from the start, overwhelmingly commercial, and in the early years, the Company’s rapidly growing private armies, recruited mainly from native troops, was a mercenary force prepared to offer their services to whichever declining Indian empire, the Mughals or the Marathas, paid best.

To the credit of Victorian Britain, the ruthlessness and cruelty of the Company’s opportunism eventually appalled even a nation with a huge percentage of its own population living in the most abject poverty. Famines responsible for killing people in their hundreds of thousands while various powerful interests, including the Company, stockpiled grain and watched the prizes rise, wars including unrestrained slaughter on all sides, but especially of the natives, forced the British Government to take the Company into national ownership. The book’s title is an accurate depiction of the political and social condition of India for many years.

As can be imagined, a tale of this length and complexity inevitably produces a vast panoply of individual characters, Indian, British and many other nations besides. These are no cardboard cut-outs or dismissive footnotes for Dalrymple, whose characterisations are consistently vivid and evidence-based.

Daunting as it may look at first sight, this is a richly rewarding book which puts a huge chunk of our economic and colonial history in its realistic perspective.

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The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore 692 pages including index Publisher: Weidenfeld and Nicholson Paperback: £12.99 ISBN 978-1-474-60087-3

SIMON Sebag Montefiore is an established historian and television presenter with a string of prize-winning books to his name, including Stalin: the Court of the Red Tsar; Young Stalin and Jerusalem: the Biography. He is also a novelist, his work including Sashenka and One Night in Winter.

Such a resource of skills means that he, too, is a historian who can write and bring a story to life, and there are few more intricate and astonishing tales than that of the Romanovs, the family who provided the Russian Tsars from 1613 to 1918.

Both the beginning and end of the story are inauspicious. In 1613, a teenager with various health problems, the only survivor of five sons, was taken from the Ipatiev Monastery, 200 miles away from Moscow, to the capital along with his four sisters and their parents.

He was an extremely reluctant choice of Tsar, but chosen he was, and the family’s rule continued until the deposed Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family, including the heir Alexei, were murdered in a cellar in Ekaterinburg.

Their 300-year rule saw Russia change from a medieval state to a major European power. Some of the family could most kindly be described as eccentric, and the two of them who have been given the title ‘the Great’ were remarkable indeed. Peter the Great, who ruled from 1682 to 1725, travelled Europe and spent some time in London. He grew up playing soldiers with real soldiers, and modernised a reluctant country with determination and utter ruthlessness. He is the creator of St. Petersburg, though countless thousands of ‘serfs’ died in the process of building it.

Catherine the Great, styled as empress and ruling from 1762 to 1796, was actually German, not Russian, but she had an uncanny knack of choosing the best people for government and military alike, and she made Russia a power to be reckoned with. She also had male lovers like many kings, such as our Charles II and Louis XIV of France, had mistresses.

However, many other members of the family were non-entities and some were quite mad. In the later years, the story reads like a Greek tragedy, with reform coming slowly and ineffectively, the eventual outcome clearly pointed out by the assassination of the most reforming Tsar up to that point, Alexander II, in 1881.

It is a story on an epic scale, and parts of it are not for the squeamish. Sebag Montefiore handles the vast amount of detail masterfully, and the story is also not short of its lighter moments.

Comparing the past and present of Russia does tend to suggest that, while the country might have rid itself of the Romanovs, it hasn’t rid itself of tsars, and it seems as far from what we would understand as a democracy as it has ever been.

Screen Time with Nic Jeune

Incendies

2020/21 RECOMMENDED FILMS The Awards season is over. Cinemas are opening. Summer is upon us.

I will be back in September as the Venice Film festival kicks off the pre-awards season for 21/22.

MY FILM OF THE YEAR

MY DOCUMENTARY FILM OF THE YEAR

Amazon Prime Incendies (8.3 IMDB rating) BEST OF THE REST OF FICTION FILMS

Amazon Prime Portrait of a Lady on Fire (8.1 IMDB rating) Minari (7.5 IMDB rating) Never Rarely Sometimes Always (7.4 IMDB rating) The Assistant (6.3 IMDB rating) The Mauritanian (7.4 IMDB rating) Sound of metal (7.8 IMDB rating) I Care A Lot (6.3 IMDB rating) Most Promising Young Woman (7.5 IMDB rating) Netflix Pieces of Woman (7.1 IMDB rating) Babyteeth (7.2 IMDB rating) The Life Ahead (6.8 IMDB rating)

Netflix Dick Johnson is Dead (7.5 IMDB rating) BEST OF THE REST OF DOCUMENTARIES: Amazon Prime The Dissident (7.9 IMDB rating) Collective (8.2 IMDB rating) Mayor (7.6 IMDB rating) Time (6.8 IMDB rating) Netflix Crip Camp (7.7 IMDB rating) Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 55

Keeping Memories Alive National Bereaved Parents Day will take place on Friday July 3rd. Hosted by charity, ‘A Child of Mine’, it hopes to raise awareness of all parents who have lost a child of any age, under any circumstance. Ninette Hartley talks about the experience of losing her son and how she comes to terms with a void that cannot be filled.

“Well, he has a broken leg but that’s the least of his problems. He has suffered some trauma to his head. In this country we…how can I put it? …we would say he is brain dead.”

I

n the early hours of the morning, on the 13th of January 2011, my twenty-seven-year-old son Thomas, was rushed to intensive care in Porto, having fallen through a skylight whilst searching for somewhere to paint graffiti. I received a phone call from a doctor in the hospital, and when I asked her how bad it was she explained his injuries to me. Her English was good, but I couldn’t quite take it in. I existed in a state of denial and numbness for a long time.

His death was a devastating shock for the family and for me. The loss of a child is something you can never ‘get over’ but I believe you can learn how to grieve and accept that they are gone. We talk about Tosh (his nickname) all the time and I often talk ‘to him’ when I’m out walking the dog, if I want to tell him something important. I sometimes even discuss things with him.

After the accident, I began writing a letter to Tosh, but then left it sitting hidden in a file on my computer for several years. After revisiting it for my MA in creative writing in 2019. I decided that I should develop it into a full-length memoir, and my letter to Tosh became twenty-seven letters; written for the twenty-seven years that he lived. I chose the self-publishing route because I wanted to get Dear Tosh out in the world as a tribute to my son for the tenth anniversary of his death.

July is recognised as Bereaved Parents Awareness Month and the 3rd July is National Bereaved Parents Day. If you know anyone who has lost a child at whatever age, don’t be afraid to mention them to their loved ones. It doesn’t matter if you ‘don’t know what to say’ a kind understanding hug, a memory of them, anything you can think of to share with them. Bereavement is not a disease and parents who are mourning the loss of a child need to be able to talk about them. It is important for bereaved parents to be able to keep their lost ones alive in their hearts and share memories of them as often as they can. I have heard it said that you die twice, once when you leave this earth and the second time when people stop talking about you.

As I sat and wrote Dear Tosh during the latter part of 2020, it felt as though I were spending time with him; telling him about all the events that had happened in the family and the world since he left us. I found it therapeutic to write and even though it opened up the wounds of loss, it also helped

56 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

me come to terms with so much that surrounds the loss of a child. There is a void in your life that cannot be filled. I liken it to the side being knocked off a building, which cannot be replaced, or a branch ripped irreparably from a tree.

Something has gone and the pain lingers forever. They say when you lose a limb you can still feel it for years afterwards. I think losing Tosh Tosh is just like that. I can always feel him as part of me somewhere, and it aches.

This year, during July, if you know a bereaved parent, take a moment to call or write to them. Light a candle for their lost child and tell them that you’ve done it. It will make a big difference to their day.

Self-published in May 2021

by Horstead Books, Dear Tosh is available now from all local book shops, online from Waterstones and Amazon. It is also available to download as an eBook and audiobook. For more information please visit ninettehartley.com.

Ninette Hartley BA MA is a writer, mother, grandmother, wife and teacher. She has followed many paths—from acting and dancing to magazine publishing, and even driving a pony and trap— but she has always returns to storytelling. Ninette has an MA in creative writing from Exeter University. After eight years living in rural Italy, in 2016, she moved to the Dorset countryside with her husband, Geoff, and beloved rescue dog, Jpeg. Dear Tosh is her first memoir.

Health&Beauty

Free Tree packs from The Woodland Trust

W

hether planting for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee; to help tackle climate change; or to improve local areas around the country, the Woodland Trust’s popular free tree pack scheme is now open for applications.

Schools and community groups across the South West are now able to apply for the first 1 million trees, and into 2022 there are over 3 million trees in total available via free tree packs. Packs are sent out twice a year with November packs now available for order.

The Woodland Trust is delighted to be a leading delivery partner of The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) and is offering free trees as an amazing opportunity to help many thousands of schools and communities to plant trees to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis and the first million trees will be despatched in November during the planting season. The Trust welcomes applications from all types of community groups and people do not have to be part of a formal long-standing group, they just need to have a group name decided before they apply.

The packs, all generously funded by The Trust’s corporate partners, are available in a range of themes; year-long colour, a wild harvest, or a haven for wildlife. Another contains hardy species which tolerate exposed sites and dry areas or where water collects easily, there is even a working wood mix which

could provide wood fuel or willow for weaving.

The Trust asks that trees are planted on publicly accessible land where possible, with the landowner’s permission, and that groups commit to caring for those trees as they establish and grow. Since 2004 the scheme has helped thousands of groups plant millions of trees and there is support for experienced and first-time tree planters. In Spring this year over 400,000 free trees were sent to keen planters across the country.

Woodland Trust tree packs are generously funded by lead partners Sainsbury’s, Lloyds Bank, OVO Energy, DFS Furniture, players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Joules, Bank of Scotland and Sofology.

Packs contain a mix of UK sourced and grown native broadleaf species such as hazel, rowan, hawthorn, common oak, silver birch, wild cherry, elder, dogwood and holly.

To order free trees people can visit www.woodlandtrust. org.uk/freetrees before August 25 and they’ll be delivered in November 2021.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 57

Services&Classified FOR SALE Mobility scooter as new Lithilite Pro red £600. Wheelchair Days Escape Lite £65 01308 897249 Quality Efco Chain Saw, 14” bar, with brand new chain fitted, in clean good working order. Not used commercially. £75. Tel: 01395 487554 Huge beautiful Edwardian Mirror, size 1.355 x 1.119m, 9mm thick mirror plate with pine boarded and jointed back and a plain hockey stick pine moulding surround. Originally from the old Alexandra Palace in North London. £225. Tel: 01395 487554 Good quality Wall Mirror with solid light oak frame, 14” x 30” £10. Tel: 01395 487554 “Next” Cushions, various sizes and colours with co-ordinated Throws in vgc. From £5. Tel: 01395 487554 Antique Cantonese large ceramic Charger £150. Tel: 01395 487554 Antique large Turkish Copper Ewer £80. Tel: 01395 487554 Brand New chrome curtain rail 300cm long x 35 mm. £20 Garmim Sat.Nav. As new. £15 TomTom Sat. Nav. As new £15. Tel no.

07772 619334 Hedge trimmer Black & Decker electric. Light weight with long extension lead.

VGC. £25 01460 242644 Fence post spade. Heavy duty metal. Ex. condition. £10 01460 242644 Approx 70 + trees accumulated/rescued, some of which are oak - sycamore - elm - horse chestnut holly - elm - beech - laurel - ash - stag-horn sumac- etc.

Height ranges from 6ins to 6ft. They are looking for a safe-home. If Someone

could make good use of them, then they’re very welcome. Axminster 01297 678602 Steamer -chair. As Argos 351/3219, with cushion.

V good condition. £40.no offers. Pressurized Hand Sprayer, 5 Litre. New. £10.

Tel 01305 267465 or 07398 760637. Dorchester.

Metal under bed-frame, folds to slide under bed Height 12”, width 30” length 73” Only £10, buyer collects from Lyme Regis Call 01297 444656, or 07767 350307 Small rocking horse, suit up to 3 years. Fluffy with saddle and stirrups. Pull along with wheels.needs a little TLC £15. Fire escape metal ladder. Rolls up for under bed storage.

Two large hooks to attach quickly to window sill. Can deliver locally £28. Mother of Pearl mosaic pieces, collection of shapes. For decoration of lampshades, boxes, tables guitar. Two packets £10. Baby fold up cot.(Graco) Plus cradle.

Ideal for young visitors hardly used. Navy very portable. £20. Roof rack bars ,almost new. Fits Nissan Juke car. Half price £40 ono. Tel 01297489567 4 White, wooden kitchen chairs. Good condition. £24. 07902 088166 (Axminster).

Vintage step ladders various sizes from £25 photos 01460 55105 Mitsubishi ASX Alloy 17” wheels. Manufacturers original equipment. Used for approx 15,000 miles.

Set of 4, complete with 215/60/R17 tyres. £100 the set. Collect from Powerstock. 07958 239732 Mountfield M.1 Cultivator (rotavator tiller) with two or four blades. Old but working well. Full instruction books for cultivator and engine. £50.

01297 552813.

58 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

SITUATIONS VACANT

Granite Fireplace Hearth.

Modern, black high gloss.

60” x 15” Brand new, still packaged. Cost £150, sell for £50. Tel: 01297 553743, Colyton Two persons picknick pack. cool bag, bottle cooler, cutlery, plates, cheese board, etc, excellent condition £20 01308 422997 Terracotta and glazed plants pots, from £10 photos 01460 5505 Genuine + rare Lloyd loom high backed arm chair. £75. TLC and new cushion needed. 01308 425 777 Miele compact vacuum cleaner - The S143, The alternative cleaner + 3 new bags: £75. 01308 425 777 Collectors antique Welsh pine chest of drawers.

Small, charming cottage style. Max W: 90cm H:102cm D:48cm (Retail value: £400): £175. 01308 425 777 Stoke Tripp Trapp high chair. £95. Good condition. Inc. strap + striped cushion. 01308 425 777 1960s stylish young child’s bike. £30. Dearly loved and maintained for 2 generations. Collectors item. 01308 425 777 Plate cupboard. £45. Old rustic. glass fronted, wall mounted, F+B off white.

W:101.5cm H:125cm D:27cm. Well used. 1 piece of glass needs replacing.

01308 425 777 Sottini Isarca pedestal washbasin inc mixer tap and pull plug. X-display. £25.

01308 425 777 New porthole/portlight.

Oblo circular 264mm Foresti+Suardi. (£218 online): £70. 01308 425 777 Vitra matt white tiles 3.5msq coverage. Each tile: 10x10cm + 6 boxes matching skirting tiles. 9 interior corner skirting tiles.

2 exterior skirting tiles.

General help and companionship wanted for widowed lady. Parttime, flexible, separate accommodation possible. Beaminster area. Please call 07788 829650 for more details.

Business development/ ad sales assistant wanted part time.

Flexible hours.

Email CV to info@ marshwoodvale.com WANTED - GROOM I am looking for a groom to look after, turn out and exercise three hunters in Abbotsbury during the hunting season. It will be approx. 23 hours per week. Please call or text 07796 854647 to apply.

FOR SALE Perfect for cloakroom area. £15. 01308 425 777 Fire basket: cast iron made by Cerne Valley forge. 46 cms wide, 46 cms deep, 40cm high.

Protruding “dogs” 70 cm wide. Good condition £80.

Also matching freestanding guard £10. Contact 07984 547980 Gazebo suit market stall or garden Zapp Easy Trader Extreme. H/D aluminium 3m x 3m needs new cover.

Cost £600 when complete – offers around £250. 01308 897488 (Burton Bradstock).

68 pieces Johnson Brothers Octagonal Crockery. Fresh fruit design.

Dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe. £50. 01308 897488.

Sarah Kay girl’s bedroom set; 2 duvet covers, 4 pillowslips, cushion covers, curtains 66”w x 54” drop, very pretty. £30. 01297 443930.

LAND WANTED Wanted to buy, field, half acre upwards. Not best land, to grow few trees for environment.

Can decide immediately! Trees I have ready, urgently need space to grow.

Tel:- 07508 106910 Jun 21

CURTAINS Little Curtains.

Handmade Curtains, Blinds and Cushions.

Contact 07443 516141 or 01308 485325

May 21

RESTORATION FURNITURE. Antique Restoration and Bespoke Furniture.

Furniture large and small carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. City and Guilds qualified.

Experienced local family firm. Phil Meadley 01297 560335 sep 21

SURFACE PREPARATION

Alberny Restoration In-house blast cleaning for home and garden furniture, doors and gates. Agricultural/ construction machinery and tooling. Vehicles, parts and trailers etc. 01460 73038, email allan@alberny. co.uk, FB Alberny Sandblasting

FOR SALE Mantis Tiller cultivator, 4 stroke Honda engine. Lawn care attachments plus kick stand, instruction manuals, little used. £125. Chard 01460 65290.

ELECTRICAL

WANTED

CHIMNEY SWEEP

Thai native speaker wanted for weekly carer duties for Thai lady.

Email: claremelcher21@ gmail.com

Vintage & antique textiles, linens, costume buttons etc. always sought by Caroline Bushell. Tel. 01404 45901.

Oct 21

Secondhand tools wanted. All trades.

Users & Antiques.

G & E C Dawson.

01297 23826. www. secondhandtools.co.uk.

CONSERVATION

sept 21

Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975

July 21

Wanted: Old tractors and vehicles. Running, non running. Good price paid. 01308 482320 07971 866364

Dec 21

Coins wanted. Part or full collections purchased for cash.

Please phone John on 01460 62109

FOR SALE Jul 21

Comics Collector offering prices for comics. Ring George 07891 630569 Wanted. Old teracotta flower pots 0780 372 1494

FOR SALE Vintage gents Emmelle Clipper racing bike, needs new tyres tubes thus £50.

10 Haynes vehicle repair manuals £15. Cast iron fire grate and dogs £75. 01460 61996. Buyer collects.

Sewing machine Ikea good working order £25.

01305 266273.

Books, fiction and nonfiction, wide range 10p each or donation to Children’s society. Book condition varies from new to well used. 01460 63978.£45.

Buyer collects. 01300 341339.

Rosewood Balloon Back chair, Regency period. Drop in seat and turned front legs. Excellent condition, £85. 01297 23775.

Theatre and Football programmes and books, large selection of cricket book, two Lilywhite annuals 1870s. Any reasonable offer. I can deliver. Also clarinet with case £49. 01395 516502.

4” Breeze blocks brand new, miss buy over 40 in all £10.

07940 279684.

Lakeland Drysoon de luxe three tier electric drier/ airer with cover 21m drying space, folds flat for easy storage. Hardly used (original cost £210.95).

Yours for £45. Buyer collects. 01300 341339.

Pre-War pink Lloyd-loom tub chair £30. Retro French 2-man frame tent Lt/blue – red, bag, pegs etc £30.

Belfast white ceramic sink VGC (Planter?) heavy £25.

Large antique cauldron fathers 17th/18th c £875.

01935 823043.

Wrought iron ornately styled fencing inc two gates of different styles overall length 18’ x 6” x 2’ x 6” high. £200. 176 nineteen thirty’s Redland roof tiles. £130. 01308 861130.

DISTRIBUTION

FOR SALE Hardly used Revitive Circulation Booster (foot massager) £20. Hardly used EazyZap insect killer 18 x 12” £10. 01935 891647.

Walking Stick blanks, very straight, mostly Ash, Birch, 30 in total. £25 the lot.

01297 443419.

Tennis Racquet Dunlop Max 27 with cover £10.

John Lewis white pleated tennis skirt unworn 26”w

£10. 01297 443930.

Heated hostess trolley Ekco ‘Royal’ model H031 with 4 Pyrex lidded containers, instruction booklet, hardly used since new. £45ono. 01297 443930.

Sturdy Hiking Backpack child carrier £35. Good condition. Glass gallon demi johns for winemaking 4 for £10.01297 443930.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 59

FREE ADS for items under £1,000 This FREE ADS FORM is for articles for sale, where the sale price is under £1000 (Private advertisers only — no trade, motor, animals, firearms etc). Just fill in the form and send it to the Marshwood Vale Magazine, Lower Atrim, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5PX or email the text to info@marshwoodvale.com.

Unfortunately due to space constraints there is no guarantee of insertion of free advertising. We reserve the right to withhold advertisements. For guaranteed classified advertising please use ‘Classified Ads’ form

Name ............................................................. Telephone number .................................

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Monthly Quiz –

Win a book from Little Toller Books

Send in your answer on a postcard, along with your name and address to: Hargreaves Quiz, Marshwood Vale Magazine, Lower Atrim, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5PX. Study the clues contained in the rhyme and look carefully at the signposts to work out which town or village in South Somerset, West Dorset or East Devon is indicated. The first correct answer drawn out of a hat will win a book from local publisher Little Toller Books.

There is no cash equivalent and no correspondence will be entered into.

Last month’s answer was East Lulworth. The winner was Sonia Maynard from Bridport

60 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 Tel. 01308 423031

BUSINESS NEWS

Gungho for rapid growth in 2021

Employees of Gungho Marketing in pre-Covid November 2019

IT’S good to see that despite the recent global pandemic, one local business, Gungho Marketing is showing signs of rapid growth and expansion. This international marketing company, set up in 2007 has built a global reputation and client base, focused on combatting money laundering, fraud & financial crime.

Privately owned, the company employs 100 local people from its Poundbury headquarters. The management team have aggressive expansion plans to hire 35 local people in the next 12 months and open a US office.

CEO Tom White said ‘it’s a really exciting time for us, throughout the last 12 months, there has been a surge in demand for our services and this is likely to continue well into 2022 and beyond. The business is committed to hiring local people and there is lots of opportunity for our staff to develop a career. I’d like to think we are one of Dorset’s fastest growing companies!’.

Part of the company’s success can be attributed to introducing a 4-day week in 2012. The employees condense their working week into 4 long days Monday to Thursday and enjoy a long weekend every weekend!

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine July 2021 61