Moor Links December/January 2021

WALKS | ARTS | EVENTS | PEOPLE | HERITAGE | LOCAL FOOD & DRINK | HOMES | BUSINESS

MOOR LINKS December/January 2021 Issue 54

TAVISTOCK’S NEW VENUE

Guildhall Heritage Centre

TAVISTOCK MEN IN SHEDS Sociable, hands-on activities for over-50s

WHAT’S ON DICKENSIAN EVENING WASSAIL! BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH FESTIVALS, CONCERTS & EXHIBITIONS

LOCAL PEOPLE

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COM BUS I NESS

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Lesley Weldon: children’s author

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Lauren Groch: yoga teacher

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In with the old

The deadline date for any inclusions in the February/ March issue of Moor Links will be 6 January 2022. For all editorial enquiries please contact Rosemary via email: rosemary.best @linksmagazines.co.uk

THE LINKS TEAM: Publisher: Tim Randell Editor: Rosemary Best Writers: Nichola Williams, Kaye Rogers Design: Sara Venner, Julian Rees Advertising: Jane Daniel, Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard Tim: 07450 161 929 Jane: 07772 619 808

The long-awaited opening of Tavistock Guildhall is finally here and in our feature article, Geri Parlby explains the building’s history and provides a taster of all it has to offer in its latest transformation, as Tavistock’s brand-new heritage attraction, visitor information centre, and event space. Our two inspiring local people are Lauren Groch, a yoga teacher who loves growing, cooking, and sharing plant-based food, and Lesley Weldon, imaginative author of a series of books about The Magic Forest of Dreams. I also had the pleasure of visiting Tavistock’s new Men in Sheds which welcomes new ‘shedders’ to try out their practical skills in a sociable environment.

We recently marked the tenth anniversary of the first Links magazine and you can see the photos of our celebration lunch in Community News. Lizzie Watt launched Moor Links in autumn 2011, followed by Tavy Links, with Tim Randell joining as a business partner in September 2014. The Links family grew to include Oke, and more recently Tim launched Plym, after becoming sole owner. Local people and local events have always been our focus and I never cease to be amazed by the inspiring people I meet, and the remarkable projects and imaginative events they organise, even despite the recent difficulties. I work with a great team at Links and feel very fortunate to have a job I thoroughly enjoy.

As we approach the end of one year and start of another, I often reflect on what has been and what may be to come. Our current situation isn’t perfect, but it’s a considerable improvement on last year. I hope we will all have the opportunity for some festive fun this year, with Dickensian Evening, the Tavistock Tree Festival, as well as Christmas markets, concerts, wassails and much more.

Happy Christmas & Happy New Year!

Rosemary Best

Editor

Contents 6 Feature

36 Kids’ What’s On

10 Local People

37 What’s On

15 Health & Wellbeing

48 Music & Art

19 Naturalist

54 Food & Drink

20 Charity Focus

20

53 Trade Secrets

22 Gardening

56 Outdoors & Active

27 Farming News

58 History

28 Law

60 Local Author

29 Community News

61 Book Review

35 Education

10

66 Business directory

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Disclaimer: Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Olijam Communications Ltd the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by such material. The opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. All content is fully covered by copyright laws and reproduction in part or whole is strictly forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

FEATURE

Etching by J Coney 1820

Tavistock Guildhall On Saturday 4 December Tavistock’s newly restored and converted Guildhall will be re-opening its doors as a new heritage visitor attraction.

The new heritage centre will tell the story of Tavistock as the eastern gateway to the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors will discover how mining transformed Tavistock in the 19th century, and learn about the multi-faceted industrial landscape of the region, as well as what it means to be a World Heritage Site town. Visitors will be able to hear the stories of the men and women who worked and lived in the region. They will understand the far-reaching influence of the Earls and Dukes of Bedford on the town and surrounding area, and discover the 7th Duke’s role in bringing law and order to Tavistock by commissioning

one of the country’s earliest purposebuilt combined courtrooms and police stations in 1848, a building which also housed the town’s fire engine house.

The guildhall became a pioneer in the development of the modern police and justice system and the perfectly preserved Victorian cells and imposing tiered courtroom will showcase moments from the history of the town and its iconic building. As well as being a heritage centre, the rejuvenated Grade II* listed building will also provide a venue for a variety of cultural and community events throughout the year ranging from talks, courses, exhibitions, concerts and performances, as well as being home to the town’s enlarged

Visitor Information Centre. The new Guildhall Heritage Centre is being run by Tavistock Heritage Trust in partnership with Tavistock Town Council.

So, what is the story behind the imposing neo-Gothic edifice that has formed the centre point of the town for the past 173 years? Back in the early decades of the 19th century, both the newly appointed chief of police in Tavistock and the local magistrates shared a rather draughty and decaying 300-year-old guild building situated where the town hall stands today.

In 1845 the exasperated clerk to the justices, Robert Luxton, told a parliamentary enquiry that the old

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FEATURE

Richard Rundell with statue of a miner

Foulston’s plan for Tavistock 1838

guildhall was ‘in a very dilapidated state’ and that ‘the magistrates can scarcely deliberate upon a case without being heard by some of the spectators’.

The custodian of the town, Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford, stepped in and set aside £4,000 to fund a new guildhall which would combine a police station and courtroom. He decided to locate it a few yards away from the old guildhall where his father the 6th Duke, John Russell, had already instigated some improvements.

John had a penchant for Gothic architecture and was especially attached to the ruins of Tavistock Abbey.

In the 1820s he employed the Plymouth architect John Foulston to restore the area of the town which had once formed part of the Great Court and Court Gate of the old abbey. The etching by J Coney dated 1820 gives a representation of the

area when Foulston started his project.

However, Foulston only completed part of the work, renovating Court Gate, building the new Subscription Library and cottage and also renovating the building known as Trowte’s House, which once served as a guesthouse for the abbey and, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, became home to a local clothier called John Trowte.

An 1838 drawing of Foulston’s plan shows the total restoration of the abbey buildings but it seems that he only managed to finish part of the work and then covered the remaining run-down buildings, consisting of an old mill, stables and hayloft, with a neoGothic façade constructed using local Hurdwick stone. In 1843 Theophilus Jones, architect/surveyor to the Bedford Estate, was instructed by the 7th Duke of Bedford to start work on Tavistock

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Guildhall by adapting Foulston’s initial designs. Work finally finished on the new guildhall in September 1848.

An article in the North Devon Journal in October 1848 gives a detailed description of the building: ‘The new Guildhall here, which has been built by his Grace the Duke of Bedford at a cost of £4000, was opened last week for the use of the inhabitants. It was built in the Gothic style near the public library and is said to be one of the finest Guildhalls in the county… His Grace’s resident architect, Mr Jones, prepared a design for extending the building in character with the old portion of the Abbey, which is of the castellated early English type…

It is quite an ornament in the town. On the entrance from the Plymouth new road, the whole is seen to perfection.

The only drawback is the old walls of the cattle market, which the Duke has been pleased to say shall be removed as soon as a suitable place can be selected for a new one, and the necessary 7

Life in the 21st century places complex demands on young people, and we know that when GCSE-level students are considering which step to take next, it can feel like they have to make a choice between pursuing academic excellence or learning the vocational skills that will best prepare them for their future careers.

That’s why, in addition to our creative UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas in Creative Practice, we’re the first non-private education provider in the South West to offer students aged 16 to 19 the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) alongside their Extended Diploma.

The IBCP gives students a competitive advantage when entering Higher Education or moving directly into their chosen industry.

Lauren Pemberton, who studied IB English Literature, IB Psychology and a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, said: “Since coming to Plymouth College of Art instead of staying at Sixth Form at my old school, I feel like I really fit in. You’re allowed to be your own person here, whereas school felt restrictive.”

Our students go on to establish careers across a range of disciplines - from writing their own bestselling books like Florence Given, who graduated in 2017 from our Fashion & Textiles course, to producing music videos for Cardi B, Dua Lipa and Kanye West like Pablo Jones-Soler who graduated in 2010. Other graduates have gone on to study at world renowned universities - Xanthe Burdett completed a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Plymouth College of Art in 2014, and went on to study Education, English and Drama at Cambridge University.

On Results Day in Summer 2021, Robyn De Jager, who studied IB Environmental Science and Systems, IB Psychology, and a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, said: “Studying at Plymouth College of Art has been great.

Compared to friends who stayed on at grammar school for Sixth Form, we’ve felt like we have been treated like adults and have developed better relationships with our teachers here at Plymouth College of Art.” The results our students achieve demonstrate the positive impact our creative learning environment has; in 2021 52% of Plymouth College of Art UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma students obtained a Distinction, which is equivalent to 3 A*s at A-level or 168 UCAS points.

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FEATURE

The Alchemy of Copper by Andy Cairns

arrangements made for the removal. The hall is 53 foot long and 23 broad and contains comfortable sittings for about 200 persons and might accommodate, including standing room, about 500. The room is admirably laid out with separate seats, having convenient entrances on each side for the magistrates, the clerks, attorneys, jury, and witnesses; and the prisoner’s dock is connected with the flight of stairs leading to the lock-up cells beneath. At the end of the hall is a niche immediately over the bench, the Royal Arms, the Prince of Wales’s arms and those of the Bedford family, which were in the old Guildhall, having been restored in a very superior manner, have been placed; and beneath is a carved and gilded figure of justice – a very appropriate ornament for the court.

The police station underneath the hall consists of a residence for the inspector, and six cells of various dimensions, two of them having beds. The cells as well as the hall are admirably fitted up with a superior hot water heating apparatus;

and due care has been taken that the whole be properly ventilated on the most approved principle the ventilation can be regulated by valves at pleasure.

The hall as well as the police station is lighted with gas, and the pillars, which are cast for the occasion, are in character with and resemble the granite pillars of the building.’

Following the flooding of the original cells in 1890, two new ‘modern’ cells were also completed and for the next century Tavistock Guildhall continued as the centre of policing and justice in the town. The building transferred to the ownership of Devon County Police in the early 20th century, and was sold to Devon County Council in 1912/13. It started to fall into disuse in the 1990s, with the courtroom closing in 1997 and the police station relocating in 2012.

Tavistock Town Council bought the Grade II* building in 2014 to rescue it from further decline and bring it back into public use. Thanks to generous

funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, West Devon Borough Council, Devon County Council and other organisations, it will finally re-open its doors and begin an exciting new era.

Geri Parlby Tavistock Heritage Trust

Entry to the Guildhall is FREE but due to Covid restrictions will need to be pre-booked by emailing richard.rundell@ tavistockguildhall.org or at the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre. Further information on Guildhall events can be found at tavistockguildhall.org or heritageintavistock.org For further information about the early days of the Guildhall as a police station see Tavistock’s Policing Past (Two Centuries of Service) by Simon Dell MBE QCB on sale at the Visitor Information Centre and Book Stop.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Photo by Katya Granardo

Yoga for the body, mind and spirit As a yoga teacher who loves growing, cooking, and sharing plant-based food, Lauren Groch has found a simple yet cohesive lifestyle, sharing accessible practices to support others.

Lauren grew up in South Africa where she studied business at university, before embarking on several years of travel around the globe. As a business graduate she often managed to pick up short-term work in investment banking firms to fund the next leg of her travel.

Returning finally to London, she settled into commune life and that is where she first learned to love cooking for large groups of people, reproducing some of the wonderful flavours of the many cuisines she had experienced.

Shortly before her son was born, she moved down to Plymouth where her

son’s father is from, and qualified at Plymouth Marjon University to become a secondary school teacher. She taught maths, economics and business studies in Callington and really enjoyed working with young people. It was also a difficult time: her ongoing mental health difficulties, combined with the huge pressures of working in school, led to a more serious breakdown, forcing her to leave her post.

From this low point, Lauren has gradually put all the blocks in place to build a sustainable life, in all senses.

Her recovery was helped by immersing herself in growing fruit and vegetables on one of the Buckland Abbey allotments. The grounding, methodical work of cultivating her plot provided therapy, while reaping the subsequent produce was hugely rewarding. Now with two allotments and some expert help, she produces almost enough to

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maintain her family’s needs all year, freezing berries in the summer and growing leafy greens and squashes to sustain them through the winter.

Another key element was yoga. She had practised yoga for many years and was already studying on a two-year teacher training course with the Devon School of Yoga in Exeter. Both the meditative and the physical aspects of yoga have played a huge part in her recovery, especially teaching others. She helps people use yoga techniques to aid other parts of their life, such as managing stress and anxiety, improving sleep and feeling better in body, mind and spirit. She also regularly practices Qi Gong and often starts classes with Qi Gong style warmups to get energy moving.

Lauren has lived in Yelverton for almost 10 years. Her South African upbringing taught her the value of entrepreneurism and that, combined with her education

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LOCAL PEOPLE

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and helps to facilitate gatherings of local yoga teachers.

Food and cooking, particularly sharing food, are very important to Lauren.

She has loved baking from an early age - this remains a speciality, but is now entirely plant-based, with gluten free options. Her plant-based food uses fresh, seasonal vegetables, based on her long experience of eating her allotment produce. Often inspired by the flavours of Mexico, India and the Middle East, she aims to make healthy, plant-based food utterly delicious. Her latest collaborative venture - Yoga days on Dartmoor – combines yoga practices with nourishing food, taking inspiration from Dartmoor locations. Lauren hosts other expert yoga teachers, while she takes on the role of retreat chef. A range of full-day and half-day retreats and workshops are on offer in community venues, with low-

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and experience, gave her the confidence to set up and expand her own business.

She now teaches yoga classes in Horrabridge, Yelverton, Walkhampton and Whitchurch, using her experience to adapt classes for all abilities. She even managed to continue classes through the pandemic, with small groups practising outdoors whenever possible.

She believes yoga should be beneficial and accessible for everyone; there is a saying in the yoga world: ‘if you can breathe you can do yoga’. She says that for the first time in her life she now feels part of a community and has put down roots. She is a great believer in community collaboration, and organises monthly orders for Yelverton Food Group, enabling members of the group to bulk buy wholefoods at wholesale prices from a trading co-operative. She is also treasurer for her allotment committee, a run director for the Tamar Trails parkrun

income support available. The longer timeframe provides the opportunity for a more in-depth approach to yoga, while sharing food and friendly company is also a big part. There is also sometimes scope to take practices into the outdoors and enjoy the benefits of the stunning surroundings. Lauren has really built a positive lifestyle that has helped her healing process, and likes nothing better than sharing the wholesome benefits of yoga and seasonal, local food. She says: “People have so much stress, anxiety and disconnection these days, yoga is here to help.”

Rosemary Best

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LOCAL PEOPLE

The Forest of Dreams Lesley Weldon has lived in Devon for 52 years and first came here when her husband brought her to meet his uncle and aunt. They fell in love with Dartmoor and moved here shortly after. She lives close to nature, and that was her inspiration for creating the ‘Forest of Dreams’ stories.

I live in an old miner’s cottage, surrounded by farmland and a large expanse of woodland that runs through stream-filled valleys to the River Tamar. There are various disabilities within my family and these stories came about when my grandchild Millie was born. For various reasons she rapidly became one of the world’s most successful insomniacs and she would come and stay with me so that her mum and dad could have at least one night’s sleep a week. On those sleepless nights we would imagine walking down the garden, up the lane and into the woods - The Magic Forest of Dreams. I would then tell her

stories about the animals that lived there, the seasons, things I had done and we had shared, and how we should always be grateful to our loving and abundant Mother Earth. When my eldest grandson was a baby, he did not make eye contact. At that time, I had purple hair and a knitted jacket in rainbowcoloured stripes; both seemed to get his attention and I quickly became known as Grandma Rainbow - and I still am some 18 years later.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

All the characters in my stories are my grandchildren, their character names being born out of their particular circumstances. Millie was born on the night of a full moon, hence Millie Moonbeam. Kieran on the other hand arrived on a bright sunny afternoon and became my first Little Ray of Sunshine. As the boys were not so focused on fairies and fantasy as the girls, they all became my Little Rays of Sunshine. Ruby, bless her, is amazing. She has Downs Syndrome and an incredible imagination. She soon became the family’s little star, hence Ruby Star Bright. Then came Elsie, bright as a button, cheeky, mischievous, away with the fairies.

Yes, she was definitely our Tinkerbell Fairy. In 2010 I decided to write down some of the stories, so on every dark moon of the year I headed for an unplanned destination to write a story, a total of 13. Later in 2016 I began the illustrations, a project only completed in February 2021.

During a family visit, Fayre came to me, wanting to know why she wasn’t in any of the stories. I explained to her that she hadn’t been born when I wrote them, but Millie now wanted her to be a flower fairy in the Magic Forest of Dreams. Fayre quickly announced that she didn’t want to be a flower fairy, she wanted to be a butterfly! Later that week I spoke to a very distressed six-year-old Elsie, who told me she had used her Tinkerbell magic and turned Fayre into a caterpillar! The fourteenth story was created using Elsie’s plot which included

finding the things she needed to make another magic spell to bring Fayre back. That created the ‘small’ complication of fairies and faeries! Fayre means ‘beautiful one’ in old English.

It seemed only proper that Fayre should be an old English ‘faerie’. And so it was that Elsie’s Tinkerbell fairy magic brought our reluctant flower ‘faerie’ back as the beautiful ‘Butterfly Faerie’. Sorry folks but that’s how it is!

In creating the paintings, I worked mostly from photographs I had taken in nature and in special places. I also used the children’s artwork, enlarging or reducing their pictures as necessary, to enable me to illustrate two of the stories. It was challenging, but so rewarding and I am really glad I asked them to do the paintings. My friend and musician, Neil H, encouraged me to record the stories in his studio where he added music and sounds. Thus, the CDs were created.

Together with his friend Chris the four volumes of the Forest of Dreams became a reality and, since some of the stories go back to the late 1990s, they are a legacy for my wonderfully inspirational grandchildren, and a dream come true for me.

Lesley Weldon

The Forest of Dreams stories, volumes 1-4 are available to buy at www.neilhofficial.online and at Book Stop, Tavistock

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

New Year Resolutions I love the new year - not the New Year’s Eve bit as being an aging lark now I’m certainly not the life and soul of the party at midnight – but I love the blank slate of January the 1st and am a serial resolution-maker, albeit with variable success.

Like many of us I’ve failed quite a few and am starting to think about how best to approach it this year. After the last couple of years, it feels even more important to succeed at something, to be kind to ourselves and for things just to be that bit better than they were somehow. Sometimes my failures have been outside of my control. The 2020 resolution of ‘throw a dinner party per month’ did not survive a global pandemic for example. Often though the failure is because I haven’t planned the resolution correctly, or it’s too big or just not right for me, so I have been researching how to succeed at resolutions.

be able to reconnect with some old friends who play social football, it will improve my health, it will inspire the whole family to be more active, it will allow me to do more active things with daughter and wife’. If you’re ever feeling a little discouraged, boost your morale by checking in with this list.

I think the most important thing is to choose a resolution for you – not for anyone else. It has to be something you really want to change and are ready to change. We could all do a million things better in the eyes of our family or GP or bank manager but the thing we change this year should be about us. It could well be stopping smoking or saving money each month - but it might be something as idiosyncratic as trying a different hairstyle each week or dancing to all the charttopping songs from the 1960s. If it will make you happier and therefore healthier, or braver, or move more, or get you meeting people or anything that is a positive change, then go for it.

If you’re serious about using this moment to enact change it’s worth taking time to think about exactly what it is you want to achieve and why. For example, a common resolution is to ‘lose weight’, but this is so vague and so vast it feels instantly overwhelming. Make sure the final goal really reflects what you truly want, perhaps it’s not really to lose weight but to be able to enjoy playing football with your son (although losing weight is certainly part of that journey). To stay motivated to reach that goal it’s useful to write down why you want to make this change, and why it will make your life better. For example, the ways playing football with your son will make your life better could be: ‘I’ll get to have quality time with my son, I’ll

Instead of having just one end goal break it down into minigoals and things to achieve. For the resolution ‘lose weight’, rather than having set weight goals and failing your resolution if you don’t meet them, you could have a list of steps like this: •

January: stop buying chocolate biscuits and crisps on weekly shop

•

February: join a weight management class with a friend

•

March: start walking an average of 7000 steps per day

•

April: try one new sport/exercise group per week

So every month is exciting with a new challenge and you are constantly achieving things and winning. You don’t need to change everything on 1st January. It’s a good idea to tell people/someone about your goal so they can support you.

Even better, join forces with someone who wants to achieve the same thing as you so you can support each other. We are significantly better at self-improvement when we know someone is checking in on our progress. Keep a journal or a record of some kind about your successes along the way and be kind to yourself and forgive the lapses. We are all human and if this change was easy, we would be doing it already! Remember this new year the focus should be on happiness, fun, joy and health – focusing on the positives and not the negatives and being kind to ourselves.

For anyone who makes a resolution - good luck and enjoy succeeding!

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock 15

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

The Silver Line Helpline As we get older it’s not as easy to stay in touch with people. But you still want to tell someone about your day, share a thought or a joke, or talk about a problem. Being able to have a conversation with someone about the big or small things in life is a very important part of anyone’s day. 225,000 older people often go for a week without speaking to anyone.

Refer older callers to other sources of support, such as regular weekly calls The Silver Line is open every day and night with a trained volunteer of the year and people call us just for a Signpost callers to appropriate support chat, to say good night or good morning to someone, or tell us how their day was. services they may find helpful in their Others call for information, to seek support area about something, or share a concern or Support older callers who may be worry. Our helpline is always open and suffering from abuse or neglect available for people aged 55 and over.

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NATURALIST

Mistletoe, flightless females, and caching We humans retire to our warm houses in winter, but how do plants and animals cope? By the end of autumn in woodlands there is a huge amount of accumulated leaf litter, which is gradually broken down over time by fungi, insects, worms and slugs etc. This recycles nutrients from the leaves back into the soil. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in winter to survive cold weather. However, evergreen trees, such as Scots pine, yew and juniper, and shrubs like holly, ivy and mistletoe, retain their leaves; they avoid freezing by having toughened waterproof waxy leaves, and some of them bear berries in the winter.

Conifers even have ‘antifreeze’ in their sap. Mistletoe and holly have separate male and female plants, and only the female plants produce berries. Mistletoe is a partial parasite and its main hosts are crab apple and lime, although it can also be found on sycamore, poplar and hawthorn. Its berries are much loved by Mistle thrushes to the exclusion of other birds, hence its name! The seed is surrounded by a layer of very sticky jelly, which resists digestion in the bird’s gut, and sticks to branches when the bird defecates.

The majority of moths in Britain overwinter either as caterpillars or as pupae. However, despite spells of cold weather, a few moths spend the winter as adults. The December Moth and the Winter Moth are both regularly in moth traps during December and January. Other moths flying at this time of year include the Mottled Umber, the Chestnut, and perhaps even a late November Moth or a Red-green Carpet. Winter Moths, and some others that fly in winter, have a most unusual adaptation – the female moth has very reduced wings and is completely flightless; she crawls up the trunk of a deciduous tree, often oak, and emits pheromones which attract the males. A few adult moths even hibernate – the Herald and Tissue Moths overwinter in caves, mines and tunnels, and occasionally in outhouses. In spring the caterpillars of the Winter Moth, which can be very abundant in woodlands, form the main diet of woodland birds such as Blue and Great Tits when feeding their young; in three weeks a pair of Blue Tits feed around 15,000 caterpillars to their young!

Many birds migrate to the UK in late autumn from colder northerly climes. However, as winters become milder, some Arctic breeding wildfowl and waders are choosing to winter further north, and numbers wintering in Britain have declined. Some birds that previously migrated south of the Sahara are now spending less time in Africa, or even wintering in Europe; for instance, many White Storks now spend the winter in Spain, and more Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs winter here. Winter is also the time of year when some species of birds gather in large numbers to feed and roost; skeins of Arctic swans and geese, both inland and on the coast; and roosts of thrushes and finches in thick evergreen vegetation. On TV we have all seen spectacular starling murmurations, which may number millions, such as the one on the Somerset levels; these roosts may result in ‘information sharing’ for some species.

Caching (or storing) behaviour is found widely in birds and mammals which hide food for use in winter. In my garden Coal and Marsh Tits visit the bird feeders every few minutes to collect and store sunflower seeds; jays gather thousands of acorns in September and October and bury them; amazingly they manage to relocate over half of them, but others are found by squirrels; kestrels and squirrels also cache food. In autumn moles collect hundreds of worms underground to act as a winter store; they disable them by biting the tip of their nose.

Recent studies have shown the benefits of spending time ‘in nature’. The effects of getting out for a walk include reduced blood pressure, an increase of the stress-reducing hormone cortisol, and easing of depression, particularly in winter when light levels are low. By the time you read this, COP26, the United Nations’ annual conference on climate change, will be over - let us hope and pray that world governments have agreed to take enough steps to drastically reduce emissions of CO2 over the next ten years.

Anthony John

19

CHARITY FOCUS

Tavistock Area Men in Sheds Within minutes of arriving at Tavistock Area Men in Sheds, I’ve been handed a cup of tea and a slice of delicious lemon drizzle cake, as I’m welcomed in. The atmosphere in this compact but wellequipped space is buzzing with activity and friendly banter, and it isn’t long before two members set about another project.

Tavistock Area Men in Sheds (TAMIS) officially opened its doors at the end of July. Initially shed sessions revolved around clearing debris and renovating the shed to make it fit for purpose – it now boasts new doors, a strengthened ceiling, lighting and power points, workbenches, shelving, a brand-new porch, and has been freshly painted inside and out. The group

has been fortunate in receiving many donations of machinery and tools and is well equipped to move onto other projects. The members have already carried out some local repair tasks and made bird boxes to sell at the RAF Harrowbeer 1940s Weekend, and plenty of other ideas are stacking up, such as wooden decorations for a TAMIS Christmas tree at the Tree Festival, more bird boxes for Dickensian Evening, as well as repairing tools and furniture, and hiring out their skills to the local community.

It is one of the initiatives resulting from the Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) meeting in Tavistock in 2018, when four local action groups were formed. At the end of 2019, thirty people attended a

meeting to discuss starting Tavistock Men in Sheds, and a committee was subsequently formed. Unfortunately, the pandemic then severely hampered further progress, although Zoom meetings continued and Cllrs Debo Sellis and Neil Jory were very supportive in moving the project forward. A location was suggested - a derelict shed, formerly used by Tavistock Gardening Club, which had fallen into disuse after the group was dissolved in the 1990s. The TAMIS committee decided it had potential as a future ‘shed’ and negotiated use of the building, as well as access to some of the adjacent King’s community church facilities. The wellestablished Okehampton Men in Sheds was a huge help and valuable fount of

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CHARITY FOCUS

while others come along for the tea and friendship as much as for the activities.

advice in getting the Tavistock shed up and running.

The Men’s Sheds movement evolved in Australia about 40 years ago and now has thousands of members or ‘shedders’. When the UK Men’s Sheds Association was founded in 2013 there were only 30 groups and now there are more than 600, with more in the pipeline. Sheds take many formats and shedders can engage in a wide range of activities – however the main premise has always revolved around providing a place where men can meet up and benefit from mixing in a sociable environment, while putting skills into practice and sharing knowledge with each other. Members come from many different backgrounds – some are highly skilled, some are keen to learn,

Isolation and loneliness can have hugely negative repercussions on mental and physical health, and the benefits of regular social interaction and engaging in enjoyable, creative activities are well documented. Men can often find it harder to connect and make friends than women, and retirement can leave people feeling cut off and without a sense of purpose. Men’s Sheds organisations fulfil an important role by offering a practical solution for older men – although many groups have younger members, and women as well. TAMIS is aimed specifically at men aged 50 plus, and will form one of the activities for Tavistock’s new social prescribing service - Simply Connect, run by Tavistock Health and Wellbeing Alliance.

TAMIS has a carpenter, an electrician, a builder and several engineers, as well as architects, and a retired driving instructor - all willing to share their skills. Members work on group activities and individual hobbies, while the King’s

facilities offer future opportunities for developing craftwork and training sessions. At 84, Hans is the oldest member, but he still enjoys working with wood and can’t bear wastage; he has recently turned an old door into a planter for the shed entrance, and is always busy creating lamps, pot stands and wooden trays from leftover wood. The group’s lively camaraderie is a large part of the attraction for him, and everyone agrees they wouldn’t want to be without Men in Sheds now.

Rosemary Best

A warm welcome awaits you at The Shed, King’s, Pixon Lane, Tavistock, PL19 9AZ, on Mondays 10am until 12ish, and Wednesdays 2pm until 4ish; other sessions will be added as the need arises. Please get in touch if you are interested in joining or have a repair job for TAMIS. Donations of new, surplus materials, such as wood, screws etc are always welcome too. For more details see tavistockmeninsheds.uk or email info@tavistockmeninsheds.uk

21

GARDENING

Creating colourful winter containers Once your pots, window boxes and hanging baskets are empty of last summer’s flowers, create some wonderful winter cheer by replanting for winter and early spring. Strategically placed at key viewpoints from indoors and at frequently used entrances, even just one or two containers will be a real mood-boost through the darkest months.

The range of plants for pots available to buy has widened enormously compared to just a few years ago. Plants with attractively coloured foliage in a wealth of colours and shapes offer tremendous variety and many are now sold in small pots, perfect for putting together a mixed display in a container. Combine slender-leaved evergreen ornamental grasses like bronze-brown or golden Carex or airy pony-tail grass (Stipa tenuissima), with large-leaved perennial Heuchera in a wealth of colours from orange and pewter to darkest purple, along with small evergreen shrubs like Euonymus, Phormium, Rosemary and Box, or the unusual spiral-stemmed corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus Spiralis).

Add flowers for seasonal colour: flowering bedding plants are dominated by miniature cyclamen and violas, which do great in sheltered spots or favourable winters, but are likely to take a breather from blooming in periods of harsh weather. Not so with heathers, long overlooked and well overdue for

a revival. The winter-flowering species Erica carnea and E. x darleyensis bloom for months from mid-winter onwards, while bud-blooming varieties of heath (Calluna vulgaris) are longest-lasting of all, as the coloured buds last for months from autumn. Beneath all these plants, tuck in clusters of small bulbs like crocus, miniature iris and dwarf narcissi, to welcome in the spring.

Plants make very little growth over winter so mass them close together for the best effects. Dormant growth also gives some great opportunities to ‘cheat’ and use cut stems in containers.

Prune brightly coloured young growth from dogwoods or shrubby willows, and insert them in large, deep pots of soil to look like established plants. Or, for a festive touch, use stems of silver birch, or contorted hazel or willow, sprayed silver or gold, then decorated with baubles and fairy lights.

Choosing and caring for indoor plants Houseplants have rocketed in popularity in recent years and make excellent Christmas gifts too. But our homes can be hostile places for plants, so do check their preference for growing conditions, particularly the amount of light, and temperature. Consider humidity too, as the air in centrally heated rooms can

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GARDENING

be far too dry for many plants, making leaves shrivel or go brown at the edges.

It really helps to boost humidity by standing plants on pebble-filled saucers of water (ensuring roots are above, but not in, the water), and misting frequently with a hand sprayer.

Winter is the season when many plants succumb due to incorrect watering alas. Decorative potholders are partly guilty here, as it’s easy not to notice that a plant is sitting in a puddle for days, weeks, or until it collapses and dies! When in doubt, stick a finger in the compost to test the moisture level, or lift the pot to feel whether it’s light and dry, or heavy and wet. To really treat your plants, rather than tap water use rainwater, left for several hours first to come up to room temperature. Feeding is only needed for plants in flower: otherwise, wait until spring.

To keep plants in good health, regularly pick off faded or dead leaves and flowers as these can be a source of disease. Keep a close eye out for signs of pests – small infestations of mealy bug, for example (which looks like tufts of white cotton wool) can be dealt with

by hand, rather than having to resort to stronger measure. Do make sure any plants you buy are healthy and come from a reputable source, so you’re not unintentionally bringing problems into your home.

Sue Fisher GARDEN DESIGNER & HORTICULTURAL SPECIALIST

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GARDENING

Seasonal gardening jobs and tips Rejuvenate overgrown deciduous shrubs using the ‘one in 3’ pruning method.

Take out a third of the oldest branches close to the ground, and then repeat in future years.

shrubs from healthy shoots of this year’s growth. Take cuttings 23-30cm long, insert the lower two-thirds in good, welldrained soil, firm in, and simply leave for a few months.

Sow sweet pea seeds to enjoy sturdy plants and early flowers next year.

Pre-soak before sowing in deep pots (or toilet roll inners) in warmth, then move outside and protect with a cloche or cold frame for the winter.

Stuck for gift ideas? The RHS has released tickets for next year’s flower shows including Malvern, Chelsea, and Hampton Court. www.rhs.org.uk

Hardwood cuttings are a super-easy way to propagate many deciduous

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FARMING NEWS

A rocky road ahead?

As things return to some sort of normality after Covid, the spotlight moves firstly toward the energy crisis and then to COP26. Both of which are likely to hit us all square on the jaw and in the pocket! From my industry’s perspective, the energy price rise seems on the face of things to be partially down to Russia’s monopoly of the gas supply, but that conversation is well above my pay grade, so all I can do is worry about how it will affect my hill farm on Dartmoor. The answer is pretty simple, prices will rise significantly. The main conversation is around fertilizer which helps grow our crops - with prices going up from usual levels at about £250 per ton to £700 per ton. But ultimately prices for everything will rise, especially if energy prices stay this high. The good thing for farmers is our prices for lamb and beef have risen significantly over the past two years, although nowhere near in line with fertilizer and other inputs, so the next twelve months could be a very rocky road! We have always made best use of our organic manure, but this coming year it will be valuable stuff!

With COP26 in Scotland, it is great to see some real progress with the climate change conversation. It just worries me that it could be just another talking shop, where we as a global community kick the can further down the road!

Grazing livestock often gets the blame CIT Y AND GUILDS QUALIFIED

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for climate change, but flying away on holiday twice a year, driving cars, buying food from Deliveroo and the many disposable electronic gadgets also play a part! As farmers we are part of the solution, not the problem, and the narrative needs to focus on the real culprits, based around fossil fuels and a disposable culture, not just cows burping and breaking wind!

During the half-term break Gem and I took the boys to London, visiting some of Gemma’s cousins and taking the boys to the Imperial War Museum, Covent Garden, the Harry Potter Exhibition and the LEGO Store - not my usual stomping ground and as a man of the moor used to being the only person in the vast Dartmoor landscape, dealing with crowds again was a bit full-on to say the least! But the boys had a great time and you have got to love a Premier Inn breakfast. Meanwhile, back on the farm we have purchased Tom his first flock of sheep. He now has a small flock of Herdwick ewes, which are very hardy, white-faced sheep with very distinctive black, wiry wool. We got him a different breed so they will be easy for him to identify. His Herdwick ram Donald is off on a date night very soon so I will let you know how he gets on.

We have also recently done our annual pony drift, when we round up the Dartmoor Hill Ponies on the various

commons of the moor. We have a small herd on our common near Greenwell and we gave each of the boys a piebald filly foal. My great-uncle gave me and my brother a mare each, when we were about the boys’ age, and all of my small herd are descended from that one mare.

So, I gave Billy one from my herd and my brother Neil gave Tom a foal from one of his mares, descended from his original pony. Even though the ponies don’t really make the farm any money, they are very much part of Dartmoor and its farmed landscape, and they are very much in the blood of most Dartmoor farmers to this day.

Merry Christmas from Greenwell Farm

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LAW

legally speaking...

partner, dependant, or relative aged at least 60. The new rules raise the cap for full fee payment to £100,000, compared with the £118,000 proposed alongside the Care Act 2014. At the lower end of the capital means test, there is currently no requirement to use any savings to help meet care fees if wealth is below £14,250 (although there may still be an income-based means tested contribution). This limit will rise to £20,000.

Between the upper and lower capital limits there is currently an ‘income tariff’ contribution of £1 a week for each £250 (or part thereof) of capital above £14,250, an

only apply to the costs of personal care, not accommodation charges (sometimes referred to as ‘hotel’ costs).

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COMMUNITY NEWS

A world class gymnast “It still doesn’t feel real,” said gymnast Ruby Stacey, exceeding her own expectations in her first gymnastics world championship at the age of 16. A former pupil at Mary Tavy and Brentor Primary School, Ruby is now a student at Tavistock College. She has trained at Plymouth Swallows School of Gymnastics since she was three years old, and qualified 16th at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Japan. However, during the final she scored a personal best and improved to finish 15th in the world. Ruby competed on all four pieces of equipment in qualification to place in the top 24, qualifying for the all-around final. Starting on the beam on both days, she held her nerve and managed to go clean (no falls) scoring 12.0, followed by the floor with a solid 12.4. She scored an impressive 13.5 in the vault, and finished with the bars, her favourite event, receiving a personal best of 13.433.

“I am over the moon with my routines and scores,” said Ruby. “It felt amazing to compete for Great Britain.

There was no pressure going into the championships which I think helped.

I just enjoyed being back out there in a big competition arena and with an audience again. I really enjoyed the whole experience, being away with the GB team, making new friends and

soaking up the whole atmosphere. I can’t wait to get back in the gym, work some upgrades and then get back out there and do more events in the future.

The commonwealth, European and world championships are all next year so I really hope I get to do one of those.”

A natural talent from the age of 3, Ruby had a passion for gymnastics from day one, progressing through the Swallows competition squads quickly. Her coach Jemma Maskell said Ruby instantly stood out with a beaming smile and non-stop energy. She gained her first national squad selection aged 12, which is quite late in gymnastics, but Ruby

decided she had big dreams for her gymnastics career and really upped her work ethic and form. Jemma said: “She’s certainly shown the GB team that she can handle the pressure of major events — in fact she did so with the biggest smile on her face throughout. Ruby has been an absolute pleasure to teach throughout her time with us.”

Ruby studies double PE at Tavistock College, and Jemma and Ruby are both grateful to the college for supporting Ruby’s training and competition schedule, and celebrating her hard work and success over the years.

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29

COMMUNITY NEWS

From strength to strength After such a strong mandate for a third BID term back in the summer, the annual AGM was positive as the Board of Directors shared plans for the year ahead. We believe there is every reason to be optimistic for Tavistock going into the Christmas season and new year.

The Tavistock Gift Card scheme is going from strength to strength with new businesses now accepting the card. It makes a perfect Christmas, birthday or thank you gift – enabling people to discover the best of Tavistock in one gift card. As well as purchasing it at Lawsons or online, we have launched ‘Load This Card’ enabling you to pick up a card at any participating business and load it yourself at home. It really is so simple and the choice is vast! Best of all, it directly supports the town. The perfect gift this Christmas. www. tavistockgiftcard.co.uk We are extremely proud to have won a Gold for our entry in South West in Bloom and for supporting the town’s own entry which also was awarded Gold. Thanks must go to Ali Sedgewick of the Community Gardeners and Becky Rowe at Tavistock Town Council for supporting it alongside Tidy Tavi and all the other local community groups that make this town

30

so special. These awards have a social impact creating a positive environment in the town centre and, because areas are better places to be, locals stay and visitors are attracted, bringing economic benefit to the town and encouraging investment.

With Christmas fast approaching, we look forward to the many events taking place throughout the town. There will be ‘free from 3’ parking on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout December, so a good reason to come in and shop later in the day! After a turbulent couple of years, Let’s Christmas Together in Tavistock. For more details on all the upcoming events visit www.visit-tavistock.co.uk/whats-on

To promote your business to 13,800* readers - call 07450 161929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY NEWS

Chelsea Gold & Best in show

As the flower show was cancelled last year, Amanda’s winning design has been two years in the planning. Her inspiration came from Hotel Endsleigh and its 100 acres of enchanting gardens and woods created by Humphry Repton. She has worked with the hotel for the last 21 years, arranging flowers gathered from the gardens, and giving classes. The judging criteria changed for this year’s flower show and Floristry and Floral Design was divided into themes under an overall concept of ‘Our World’. Amanda chose to exhibit in ‘British Blooms’, a theme highlighting the environmental benefits of buying UK-produced blooms. She wanted her design to reflect the old forms of traditional floristry and so her zinc container is a replica of the hallway container at the hotel - although with the addition of an old washing up bowl to ensure it was watertight! All of the flowers and foliage used in her exhibit were grown in the Hotel Endsleigh gardens, such as wonderful dahlias, penstemons and zinnias, as well as the Weddings flowers for life’s events creating georgously romantic & unique designs.

more intriguingly named cup and saucer vine, toad lily and smoke bush - while the feathers represent the multitude of pheasants roaming the grounds. All the materials used are environmentally-friendly, from the reels of florist’s wire to create the hovering birds with tails of miscanthus, to the green paint of the backdrop, which depicts the tunnels through the woods and is also the colour of the hotel sitting room.

Amanda said: “I haven’t stopped since I came back, but receiving Gold and Best in show was the most incredible experience and I had an amazing time. This was the first and last time Chelsea will take place in September and so the show was a very special autumnal one, with new growers showing autumnal jewels and a different group of trade stands representing clever upcycled/recycled items. There was an atmosphere unlike any other show and I felt enormous joy to have been a part of this unique event.”

For more information about Amanda’s work visit flowersetal.co.uk

Workshops & demonstrations by an Academy of Floral Arts Tu t o r w i t h m a n y workshops to choose from

AMANDA RANDELL COX

hello@flowersetal.co.uk www.flowersetal.co.uk

RHS Chelsea Gold medalist Master Florist UK & US

Tavistock resident Amanda Randell-Cox was recently awarded ‘Gold’ and ‘Best in show’ at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the Floristry: Floral Window category. This is the second time Amanda has received a gold award at Chelsea and she is absolutely delighted. She is one of the few British Master Florists in the country, and through her company Flowers et al, she creates beautiful and unique wedding flowers; she is also a tutor at the British Academy of Floral Art in Exeter.

07973 226710

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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32

COMMUNITY NEWS

Links Magazines 10th Anniversary Lunch

4th November at The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock The Links Magazines team celebrated 10 years of publishing local community magazines in the presence of the Mayor of Okehampton, Cllr Bob Tolley, the Mayor of Tavistock, Cllr Andy Hutton and Mrs Sue Hutton, and the Mayor of West Devon, Cllr Caroline Mott, with magazine contributors and advertisers.

Kindly supported by The Bedford Hotel, SW Bottle Shop and Sovereign Wines, Porsham Cakes and Flowers et al.

Photos by James Bird 33

COMMUNITY NEWS

Rock Methodist Church window On behalf of Rock Methodist Church, I would like to say a huge thank you to all who have given such generous donations to repair our stained-glass window. As most of you know the window was smashed in multiple areas by vandals in May. The response from everyone has been really touching and heart-warming and brought the church much closer to the village community.

You will have seen the scaffolding covering the window and I’m sure would like to know what is happening.

The stained-glass expert doing the repair and restoration has finished the top section which she was able to do in situ. The five main panels which feature The Road to Emmaus, are more damaged and need to be removed for repair at the workshop. Once the window is finished, we intend to have a rededication ceremony to which you

are all invited. We will announce a date once completion is in sight - this may even be possible during the Christmas Tree Festival. Thank you again for all your love and support, and making the restoration of this beautiful window possible. We look forward to it being once again a reassuring and comforting beacon of light through the dark winter months.

Tuesday 14 to Sunday 19 December

Yelverton Christmas Tree Festival We have decided to hold the Christmas Tree Festival again this year having missed a year due to Covid. After such a tough year, we thought we would like to cheer everyone up with the return of

this uplifting event. Opening times are 10am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday, 2pm to 4pm on Sunday. There will also be a carol service on Sunday 19 Dec at 10.30am.

Morris Bros (Tavistock) Ltd Your Local Independent Funeral Director

Arranging any funeral can be distressing, which is why choosing the right funeral director to ease you through the process can make all the difference.

At Morris Bros, we understand the pain of loss and open our doors to you, offering both practical guidance & personal comfort. Simon & Lucie Luke live at the Foundry & are available to you 24 hours a day. Your loved one will stay with us; their care, attention and preparation only provided by us.

Telephone 01822 612023 (24hrs) The Old Bedford Foundry Lakeside Tavistock PL19 0AZ

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A pre-paid funeral plan with Golden Charter gives you and your family peace of mind with a range of plans to suit all budgets from just £1950. Your plan will be allocated to Morris Bros here in Tavistock.

We also offer bespoke plans to suit specific requests. Contact us for further details or to make an appointment.

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EDUCATION

Dartmoor Youth Rangers are back!

Over the summer you may have seen young people out on Dartmoor, getting stuck into a wide range of practical projects, from site maintenance, practical conservation and archaeological preservation. They are our junior and youth rangers! A project originally set up by Dartmoor National Park in 2015, junior rangers are 12-14, and youth rangers are 15-19. The group, unfortunately in hibernation since Covid, has had a new lease of life due to a green recovery grant, Generation Green, which has enabled the employment of a youth engagement ranger. The aim of the 9-month funding and project is to provide a more accessible and varied menu of practical opportunities, that will inspire and enable a larger number of young people to experience the outdoors, in particular Dartmoor.

We are doing this through a series of tailor-made taster days for youth organisations, longer-term volunteering via the junior and youth ranger programme, and two weekend residentials in partnership with Okehampton YHA. Working with the Dartmoor National Park ranger team, archaeologists and other Dartmoor conservation charities, we have created an exciting programme of activities at sites around the moor. In return for their efforts, young volunteers can work towards a John Muir Award, and last weekend 15 young people received their Discovery Awards. Our young rangers’

reasons for taking part include: ‘It’s just great to get out again since Covid’; ‘making new friends’; ‘using tools; ‘doing something to help nature’; and of course ‘the hot chocolate & cake’!

Over the summer our junior and youth rangers repaired an eroded bridleway near Yarner Woods, re-surfaced a boardwalk in Longtimber Woods, removed turf from the granite tramway at Haytor, pulled up Himalayan balsam in North Bovey, and helped in a tree nursery near Dartington. From September the programme moved to weekends and young rangers have been busy removing gorse, cutting down conifer regeneration, helping restore a leat, and learning the traditional skill of coppicing. We have also started delivering tailor-made taster days, from one-off visits with a Plymouth youth group scrambling up Leathertor and a bushcraft session, to mini taster day programmes. Over the last few weeks, year 7 pupils from Tavistock College carried out drainage work to the bridleway near Peter Tavy, City College Plymouth students and Tavistock Youth Café young people carried out bracken management work at hut circle and enclosures, and Millford School removed conifer regrowth at Bellever. To date 45 young people have been involved in the junior and youth ranger programme, contributing over 1000 hours to looking after Dartmoor’s environment!!! I would like to say a massive thank you

If you would like information on becoming a youth ranger, or if your youth group may like a taster session, please contact Emily: ecannon@dartmoor.gov. uk or 07912 470778. Please book junior & youth ranger activities (below) at ecannon@dartmoor.gov.uk Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 December, 10am-3pm: Green woodworking at Yarner Wood Saturday 15 January, 10am-3pm: Scrub clearance with DTRG at Brimpts Farm Saturday 22 January, 10am-3pm: Coppicing and woodland management near Bovey Tracey Sunday 30 January, 10am-3pm: Scrub management work with SWLT at Fernworthy Reservoir

!

G RY S A IN R VE H U I S O A TM W L L E R S IS A M R O H

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Be Inspired...

to all our amazing young rangers (and their parents for getting them to quite challenging meet-up points!), and to local conservation charities - StOC, North Bovey Volunteer Group, Dartmoor Preservation Association, Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, Moor Trees, and the Common Cause Project.

C

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35

KIDS WHAT’S ON

RHS ROSEMOOR

OLDE FATHER CHRISTMAS 18 & 19 December, 10am - 3:30pm Traditional Olde Father Christmas, dressed all in green, needs your help - a lot of his elves had to work from home last year.

Father Christmas will be meeting small groups of children in the kitchen around the crackling fire and asking you to create some Christmas magic and make a small toy. Tickets: £4 per child including gift, book at Visitor Welcome on day of visit.

Admission charges apply.

CINDERELLA FAMILY CHRISTMAS SHOW 18 December, 2pm Hotrock Productions presents this classic rags-to-riches story of a beautiful young girl, cruelly treated by her jealous ugly step-sisters. She’ll need all the magic her Fairy Godmother can muster. Advance booking essential at wonderpanto.co.uk/ tickets

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK TIME FOR NATURE CHALLENGE Until March 2022 Celebrating DNPA’s 70th anniversary, Time for Nature encourages people to discover, enjoy and protect landscapes. Download an activity sheet or pick one up at a DNPA visitor centre. For more information go to dartmoor.gov.uk.

RANGER RALPH CLUB Enjoy free outdoor activities on Dartmoor with our rangers when you become a member of the Ranger Ralph Club, open to all children aged 5-12 years.

NATURE’S DECORATIONS 4 December, 2-4pm Get crafty for Christmas using natural materials along with campfire treats & hot chocolate. Meet at Burrator Discovery Centre car park, PL20 6PE. Booking is essential on 01626 831080 or education@ dartmoor.gov.uk.

LAUNCESTON TOWN HALL POLAR EXPRESS PYJAMA PARTY 21 December Come along in pyjamas, for hot chocolate & sweet treats and watch The Polar Express! All proceeds go to the League of Friends of Launceston Hospital. 6:00 pm at Launceston Town Hall, PL15 7AR; tickets: £5 per child (pre-booked), £6 on the door, Under 3s free entry. Book at facebook. com/events/416267873474744 or email polarexpresspyjamaparty@gmail.com

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SANTA EXPERIENCE 20 to 24 December Meet Santa in RHS Rosemoor’s Wonderland Cob Shelter, and receive a little gift decoration from the tree. Advance booking essential at rhs.org.uk/gardens/ rosemoor/whats-on

SOAPBOX CHILDREN’S THEATRE THE MAGIC LANTERN AND THE STORY THIEF 5-31 December Stiltskin’s festive outdoor Christmas show where people’s stories are brought to life by the light of the magic lantern – whilst the story thief waits in the shadows, looking for a story of her own. Full of fun and wonderful surprises for all the family.

THE CHRISTMAS MOUSE 8-16 December An enchanting tale about the mouse who sets out in search of a new home, making unusual friends on the way. Snowy scenes, colourful characters and enthralling puppets at Soapbox Children’s Theatre, Devonport Park, Plymouth, Tel: 07754 177678

SOUTH WEST LAKES TRUST FAMILY ACTIVITY DAY 18 December @ Roadford Lake Our Water, Willow and Wreath sessions include a short walk and talk about the reservoir, cutting willow for your wreath and making a Christmas wreath to take away. Tickets are free, with a charge of £8 per wreath - part of our ‘I Love Water’

project. Book in advance at learning@ swlakestrust.org.uk.

STERTS THE CHRISTMASSY CHRISTMAS SHOW 22 December, 12pm The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness! is an overstuffed stocking of seasonal surprises crammed with puppets, songs, quizzes and comedy, and overflowing with crazy characters, silly slapstick, tall tales and fantastic facts - in that unique Squashbox Theatre style!

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH THE MAN WHO WANTED TO BE A PENGUIN 1 December to 22 January This is the story of an extraordinary explorer, curious conjurer and pioneering problem-solver. He is learning to speak Penguin and hopes you will too! When he arrives at the Antarctic, will the penguins welcome him with open wings? Enjoy a mix of puppetry, music and song!

PLYM VALLEY RAILWAY THE CHRISTMAS EXPRESS Various dates in December Board at Marsh Mills Station (PL74NW) and travel to Plym Bridge, receive a gift from Father Christmas and play in the snow on one of the many trips this December, all hauled by steam engine.

Booking is essential at plymrail.co.uk pl A h ac a e t pp ob y

...

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WHAT’S ON

Friday 3 December to Sunday 12 December

Tavistock Dickensian Evening

We are immensely thrilled to bring back the tradition of Dickensian Evening, a special part of the town’s Christmas season. The streets are ablaze with colour, shop windows are decorated with seasonal cheer and the smell of roast chestnuts covers the town.

It’s a joy to see so many people and businesses working together to produce such a spectacular evening. Things may feel a little different this year as we adapt the event to ensure your safety, with fewer stalls on the main streets, but some on the side streets, and street entertainment not moving around town as much. Businesses look forward to seeing you but please respect their wishes for face coverings to be worn inside. However, the evening remains a celebration of our town and the businesses who make the event

possible. As they embrace the spirit in traditional dress, it is a way for them to invite you to share in an evening of festivities and for you to show your support to them and our unique high street.

6:20-6:40 SJS arts performance

There will be the lantern parade, fire performers, Punch & Judy, Christmas carols from local school choirs and community carol singing, entertainment from Dan the Hat, Morris dancers, stilt walkers, traditional Christmas rides, and of course Father Christmas.

Complementing the town’s shops and eateries, we also expect a host of other wonderful stalls, selling cider, Christmas puddings, churros, Christmas wreaths and mulled wine. You can also visit the Christmas Tree Festival in St Eustachius’ Church and the Winter Market in Butcher’s Hall. Enjoy the evening, keep yourselves and others safe, and Let’s Christmas Together in Tavistock.

8:00-8:25 Local business window dressing & costume award ceremony

Dickensian Lantern Parade 5:00-5:30 Meet West Street outside Toy Cupboard or Brook Street outside The Co-operative Bedford Square Stage 5:30-5:45 Lantern Parade finale & community carol singing with the Stannary Brass Band 5:45-6:00 Official welcome with the Mayor of Tavistock 6:00-6:15 Tavistock Community Primary School choir

6:45-7:00 Mary Tavy & Brentor Primary School choir 7:05-7:35 Tavy Tars 7:40-7:55 St. Peters Primary School choir

8:30-8:45 Carol singing with the church choir and Stannary Brass Band 8:50 to close: Lodestone & Wreckers Morris West Street 6:30-7:00 Fire performers 7:15-7:45 Fire performers 8:00-8:30 Fire performers Lodestone Morris – all night Lower West Street (outside Newells) 6:30-7:00 Stannary Brass Band 7:15-7:45 Dan the Hat Bank Square Car Park 6:15-6:35 Punch & Judy 7:00-7:20 Punch & Judy 7:40-8:00 Punch & Judy Guildhall Car Park Father Christmas – all night Market stalls – all night 6:00-6:30 Dan the Hat Paddon’s Row Music – all night 8:00-8:30 Dan the Hat Brook Street (outside The Cooperative) Robey Trust steam engine – all night Wrecker Morris – all night

Friday 3 December to Sunday 12 December

Tavistock Christmas Tree Festival This will be the 12th festival organised by the Friends of St Eustachius’ and once again the church will be packed with up to 65 trees, decorated with a wide variety of styles and innovative ornaments by numerous local schools, businesses and organisations, reflecting the interests and occupations of the participants. Refreshments including

teas, coffees and light lunches will be available; marmalades, jams and chutneys will be on sale, as will the wonderful creations of our Vintage Green group. During the festival there will also be live music at certain times, and the opportunity to vote for your favourite tree. The opening ceremony will be at 2:30pm on 3 December at St

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Eustachius’ Church and the festival will be open to the public until 9pm that day for Dickensian Evening, and then daily from 9:30am to 4.30pm except during services. Entrance: adults £1, children free. Further details can be found at www.tavistockparishchurch.org.uk.

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WHAT’S ON

Sunday 12 December

Christmas Elizabethan dancing and masked fairy-tale Dust off your dancing shoes and step into Christmas with Renaissance Historical Dance Society. Watch some traditional Elizabethan dancing in the Great Hall as you are transported back to a time when Buckland Abbey would have been bought to life with laughter and dancing at Christmas.

With a festive masked fairy-tale to enjoy, there is something for

Renaissance Historical Dance Society by Bruce Robinson

everyone! Booking is not needed for this event, but to make sure we keep everyone safe, we might need to limit

numbers into the Great Hall.

Buckland Abbey, 10:00 - 16:00; normal admission charges apply.

4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 18, 19 December

Festival of Nativity Scenes Once again, the organisers of the Horrabridge Festival of Nativity Scenes are gearing up for this annual event. We were very pleased to be able to put on the festival last year and very grateful to everyone who contributed to it in difficult circumstances - we were not sure until quite late whether we would be able to go ahead or not. This year we are again planning that we will be able to proceed, and our contributors are once again busy creating many different nativity scenes for display in the church. We are continually amazed

by the ingenuity and creativity of those making the displays and await to see what eye-catching creations will be produced this year. Do come along and see them. Last year we were unable to provide refreshments, but this year we are hoping to do this, so that you will be able to sit and have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake while surrounded by the exhibits and listening to carols in the background, or perhaps an organist playing the organ.

The festival will be held in St John’s Church, Horrabridge, on the first three

weekends of December, plus Tuesday 7 & Thursday 9 Dec, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Entry is by donation and proceeds will go towards the ‘More than an Umbrella’ project to raise funds to renovate the church roof.

Festive workshops at The Bedford Hotel Add a personal touch to your Christmas decorations this year, with festive craft workshops at The Bedford Hotel in Tavistock. We’ll provide all the materials you need, plus expert tuition, while you enjoy a relaxed crafting session followed by lunch or afternoon tea.

Book on 01822 613221, £45 per person.

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Morning workshops include coffee and mince pies on arrival, and a two-course festive lunch:

Afternoon workshops include mulled wine on arrival, and a festive afternoon tea:

Wednesday 1 December, 9:30am: wreath making

Sunday 5 December, 2pm: wreath making

Sunday 5 December, 9:30am: wreath making

Sunday 12 December, 2pm: garland making

Sunday 12 December, 9:30am: topiary Christmas tree

Sunday 19 December, 2pm: centrepiece making

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WHAT’S ON

Treat yourself in Plymouth Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City, is a city of experiences and the perfect place to escape by the sea, with mouth-watering food and drink, incredible shopping, top visitor attractions and a wide programme of arts and cultural activities and events. Here are our top five reasons to visit Plymouth: Walk the wild and beautiful expanse of the South West coast path which spans Plymouth’s waterfront, taking in the breathtaking, beautiful sea views - a perfect way to relax.

Explore ancient stories from the world’s oldest continuing culture through more than 300 amazing pieces of art at the incredible Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters exhibition at The Box. The National Museum of Australia’s awardwinning exhibition is in Plymouth until 27 February 2022.

Enjoy delicious fresh food and drink. With the freshest seafood, great views, delightfully cosy cafes and plenty of pubs, there is a plethora of dining delights just waiting to be discovered in Plymouth.

As the cultural centre of Devon and Cornwall there’s always something to enjoy in Plymouth from amazing art to brilliant music, fabulous festivals and plenty of historic attractions. Take in a show at Theatre Royal Plymouth, the largest and best attended regional producing theatre in the UK or enjoy live music and theatre at Barbican Theatre or one of Plymouth’s many independent venues.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Shop ‘til you drop. If shopping is your bag, Plymouth offers a fantastic experience, with an amazing mix of top name brands and creative independents.

From the treasure trove of independent boutiques and art galleries in the Barbican and West End to the top brand names including BOSS Menswear, Tag Heuer and Ralph Lauren in Drake Circus, Plymouth’s a great place to browse and find something you’ll love.

Plan your visit now at www. visitplymouth.co.uk

39

WHAT’S ON

Photo © Mr Whites Paw Prints

Morris dancing, mummers’ play & wassailing Dartmoor Border Morris Over the festive season Dartmoor Border Morris will be performing all the traditional events Morris sides get involved in, including wassailing and mummers’ plays. The wassailing tradition goes way back in time, and anyone of any age can celebrate it with us in the orchards, by banging pots and pans together to wake up the apple trees from their winter slumber, before pouring cider on their roots and leaving toast and ribbons in the branches. Welly boots are a must, and everyone is encouraged to bless the apple trees and shout ‘wassail’ to scare away any evil spirits. The other big tradition in the Morris calendar is the mummers’ play. These short plays were originally performed outside pubs at a time when very few people could read and the mass was read out to everyone in Latin. Mummers’ plays tell the story of how good overcomes evil - though in our modern world (and as guests of Buckland Abbey), the story is about how Sir Francis Drake overcame the evil King Philip of Spain. It also involves a good doctor, Queen Bess and a mischievous Morris beast called Chatterley. It’s great family entertainment.

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Dartmoor Border Morris has risen like a phoenix out of the Covid lockdown and been blessed with 10 new members, most of whom have never Morris danced before. The side also successfully crowdfunded to purchase Morris & Molly, two otters from the Dartmoor Otter trail, which were hand painted by local artist Kathy Nettles to resemble Dartmoor Border Morris dancers. The otters are now at the Royal Oak Inn in Meavy, where we gather after Morris practice sessions and we welcome anyone brave enough to join us at Meavy Parish Hall at 7:30pm on Wednesdays. The following dates are correct at the time of going to print but for up-to-date information please see www.dartmoorbordermorris.com or our Facebook page.

Saturday 11 December: 1:00pm performance with several Morris sides at the Dolphin Pub on Plymouth`s historic Barbican.

Boxing Day: Dartmoor Border Morris will perform at 12:00 pm at the Royal Oak Inn, home of Morris & Molly.

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WHAT’S ON

New Year’s Day: Meet in the square for the Cornwood Wassail at 3:00pm - bring your pans, wooden spoons & wellies!

Sunday 2 January: Dartmoor Border Morris Mummers’ Play & Wassail starting at 12:00 pm at Buckland Abbey. Come early and bring your loudest, noisiest family members!

Saturday 8 January: Bere Ferrers Wassail from 6.30pm

Cotehele

Saturday 18 December: Wassail! Cotehele Come and join us from 11.30am to 12:30 for our annual wassail as we scare away the evil spirits from the orchard to ensure a bumper crop of apples next year. Fancy dressed is encouraged and don’t forget to bring something noisy too!

Meet outside the welcome centre to join the procession which will follows a step-free route through the garden.

Cotehele, 11:30 - 12:30; booking not needed, free event but normal admission charges apply.

Tamar Apple Group

Saturday 8 January: Bere Ferrers Wassail Come and enjoy an authentic Devon village Wassail at Bere Ferrers Parish Hall with Tamar Apple Group. Meet at the church hall in Station Road at 6.30pm and join in the flaming torch lit procession through the village to the orchard where the Wizard of the Orchard will be in attendance for the wassailing ceremony and bonfire. Dartmoor Border Morris will also be performing during the evening. Tickets: £5 per adult including apple juice and a pasty; under 16s free. Tickets available from Margaret’s Hairdressing (Tel: 840380) & Bere Ferrers Community Shop & Café on Saturday mornings. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear to walk to the orchard.

The ancient practice of wassailing apple trees has its origins in centuries old pagan customs. Groups of labourers visited farm orchards on the twelfth night (deliberately omitting any farmer they disliked) and sang wassailing songs to the spirts of the trees to encourage a good apple harvest the following season. One very widespread song runs:

Old apple tree, old apple tree We’ve come to wassail thee.

To bear and to bow apples enow, Hats full, caps full, three-bushel bags full, Barn floors full and a little heap under the stairs!

The orchard revellers would drink warming cider spiced with sugar, nutmeg and ginger out of a communal wassail cup, often around a bonfire. Noise was made by firing a musket and beating drums to frighten off evil spirts, so protecting their apple trees. The largest apple tree in the orchard was usually chosen for the celebrations and received gifts of cake or toast dipped in cider, and cheese tied to its branches along with cider poured at the base of the tree. The cheery party would make their way through several orchards before continuing the celebrations, drinking cider, singing, and dancing at a farmhouse or inn where it was a tradition to serve a large plum cake. Although wassailing in Devon is an apple orchard tradition, in other counties, pears and plum trees were also blessed. Give praise to the Devon apple and wassail, wassail, wassail!

Ian J. Swann www.tavyapples.org.com

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See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

41

WHAT’S ON

28, 29 & 30 January

Big Garden Birdwatch As the temperatures drop, our feathered friends come flocking to Devon gardens and green spaces in search of tasty treats as nature’s natural food sources run low. This winter, join the RSPB and share their top tips for welcoming and identifying the birds that visit your garden or local green spaces – there’s never been a better time to begin birdwatching, as the charity’s ever popular Big Garden Birdwatch is set to return for its 43rd year at the end of January 2022.

The Big Garden Birdwatch has begun many a birdwatching journey over the years, and even the seasoned birdwatcher may get a surprise visit or two during the weekend. Here in Devon, we are blessed with migratory bird species that often travel to our shores from overseas to make the most of our milder winters here in the south.

Birds such as chiffchaffs, redwings, bramblings and fieldfares may join our familiar garden friends, especially if food shortages on the continent have forced them to come in search of food. The beauty of the Big Garden Birdwatch is that you don’t necessarily need to know your chiffchaffs from your chaffinches to take part. Whether you know a thing or two about birds or not,

the RSPB is on hand to help you connect with the nature in your garden – there’s a fantastic range of resources on its website at rspb.org.uk, including a handy bird identification guide at rspb. org.uk/birdidentifier. What’s more, if you’re able to snap a quick photograph with your phone as a bird visits your garden, you can send it to the RSPB via Facebook or Twitter @rspbengland, where experts will be on hand to help all year round, helping you to continue your birdwatching journey into the future.

Having attracted 1 million participants in 2021, 2022’s Big Garden Birdwatch event will again see people across the UK celebrate their love of nature. Join the nation in simply recording the birds you see land in your garden, balcony or local park and send your results to the RSPB. This takes just an hour to complete, and the nature conservation charity uses the records created by the survey to help monitor bird trends across Devon and the country as a whole. To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2022 and for your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch guide, which includes a bird identification chart, top tips for your birdwatch, and advice on how to help you attract wildlife to your garden, visit www.rspb.org.uk/ birdwatch.

Ray Kennedy (rspb-images.com)

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WHAT’S ON

Step-by-step guide Carefully make a small hole in the bottom of a yoghurt pot. Thread string through the hole and tie a knot on the inside. Leave enough string so that you can tie the pot to a tree or your bird table.

Bird feeding Creating bird feeding stations in your garden is a great way to attract new visitors and encourage your feathered friends to spend more time on your doorstep (which is always handy when you’re trying to identify them). Over 60% of the UK population regularly feeds their garden birds, and research suggests that this helps around 196 million birds a year. Different feeders and food will attract a variety of birds, with foodstuffs such as sunflower hearts, nyjer seeds and suet being popular favourites (all of which can be purchased both in store and online through the RSPB’s shop at rspb.org.uk/ shop).

Thankfully, if your usual bird feed supplies are running low, your cupboards can hold the answer to attracting our feathered friends to your garden. According to the RSPB, fruits like apples and pears, even when

they’re past their best, can be snapped up by blackbirds and thrushes, while grated cheese can be a fantastic source of energy and protein for a range of birds. Cooked pastry, defrosted peas or unsalted bacon leftovers are also great options, as well as cooked rice, pasta and the inside of potatoes, providing a great energy source. You don’t necessarily need an all-singing-all-dancing feeder either – read on for a great recipe for speedy bird cakes that can be a fantastic activity to do with the family!

You will need: good quality bird seed; raisins; peanuts; grated cheese; suet or lard; yoghurt pots; string; mixing bowl; scissors **Not suitable for children with nut allergies. Note that bird seed, including peanuts bought for birds, is not suitable for human consumption. As some dogs and cats react badly to raisins, please do not put them out in areas where these animals might get to them.

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Allow the lard to warm up to room temperature, but don’t melt it. Then cut it up into small pieces and put it in the mixing bowl.

Add the other ingredients to the bowl and mix them together with your fingertips. Keep adding the seed/raisin/ cheese mixture and squidging it until the fat holds it all together.

Fill your yoghurt pots with bird cake mixture and put them in the fridge to set for an hour or so.

Hang your speedy bird cakes from trees or your bird table. Watch for greenfinches, tits and possibly even great spotted woodpeckers.

Completed this activity? Why not log your achievements with the RSPB to earn free online awards as part of the RSPB’s Wild Challenge? With over 30 other activities to choose, from making a minibeast hotel and creating your own bird bath to drawing and spotting wildlife, there are plenty of family friendly nature challenges to try at rspb. org.uk/wildchallenge.

Reef Passion

Unit 1 Pixon Court, Crelake Industrial Estate, Tavistock, PL19 9AZ

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON

DECEMBER 2 to 19 December Plymouth Christmas Market Pick up unique Christmas gifts at Plymouth Piazza, perfect for safe outdoor shopping, with everything from clothing, accessories and jewellery to books, artwork and decorations, plus delicious sweet and savoury goodies and an open-air bar and entertainment - relax and soak up the festive atmosphere. Plymouth’s city centre will also have extra sparkle with its new Christmas lights specially themed to reflect the city’s connections with the sea, with a beautiful waveshaped arch, giant sail banners, and curtains of light. visitplymouth.co.uk/ plymouthchristmasmarket.

3, 5 & 16 to 23 December Tavistock Christmas Markets Festive markets with a wide range of wares at Butchers’ Hall, Tavistock.

(From Tavistock Pannier Market)

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We will be hosting a wide variety of traders selling everything you need for a fabulous Christmas, from gifts and sweets to Christmas tipples - for those special one-off gifts that you won’t find on the high street. Open 9am to 4pm each day, free entry.

at the church of St Peter and The Holy Apostles, Wyndham Square, Plymouth, PL1 5EG. Tickets: Adults: £12 on the door or £10 in advance at www. eventbrite.co.uk; Children: Free entry. plymouthphoenixchorale.org

3 December

Wreathmaking workshop

Dickensian Evening

Join our Dickensian Lantern Parade at 5pm and then enjoy an evening of latenight shopping until 9pm, with a host of entertainment including fire performers, Punch & Judy, steam engines, Morris dancers, Dan the Hat and Father Christmas.

4 December Tavistock Arts Market Tavistock Arts Market is held on the first Saturday of each month and features a diverse group of local artists and craftspeople who fill Butchers’ Hall with a range of handmade art and handcrafted items. You’ll find many different styles of art for sale, as well as a range of jewellery, wood and textile goods, artisan soaps, pottery and much more. We are open in Butchers’ Hall from 9am until 4pm, so come on down and pick up that perfect gift for somebody, or why not treat yourself?

4 December Sunrise Mass Phoenix Chorale performs Ola Gjeilo’s beautiful and evocative Sunrise Mass, plus works by Finzi, Whitacre, Rutter, Stanford, and Christmas carols. 7:30pm

11 December Use the natural beauty of the valley’s flora to create a stunning Christmas wreath for your door. 10:00am - 12:00 noon and 1:30-3:30pm at Tamar Valley Vineyard, Bere Alston, PL20 7BW. £25 per person, includes a glass of our 2019 sparkling wine, or non-alcoholic alternative. To reserve a place email office@tamarvalleyvineyard.co.uk www.tamarvalleyvineyard.co.uk

4 to 19 December Yelverton Christmas Tree Festival We would like to cheer everyone up with the Christmas Tree Festival again this year. Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm and Sunday, 2pm to 4pm. There will also be a carol service on Sunday 19 Dec at 10.30am.

23 December Candlelit carol service Come and join us for our carol service at 4pm in St Leonard’s Church, Sheepstor.

25 December Rotary Christmas Day Lunch Tavistock Rotary invites you to join us for Christmas Day lunch at the United

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WHAT’S ON

Reformed Church, Russell Street, Tavistock. Join us from 11:30am onwards and enjoy a traditional turkey dinner and a day full of friendship, fun and music. If you need transport then volunteers can pick you up from your home in time for the celebrations and give you a lift back at 3pm. To book a place contact Judy Hirst on 07894 538131 or email judyhh@btinternet.com

Bella on 853291.

Wednesdays Dartmoor Border Morris We practise in Meavy Parish Hall from 8pm, and this is the time of year we accept new members any musician who can carry their instrument, or any dancers who are physically fit - no age limit, just bring a sense of fun and adventure. Pop along any Wednesday night – more details at dartmoorbordermorris. com & Facebook. We have a cracking line-up for Christmas involving Boxing Day, wassailing and mummers’ plays.

REGULARS Until 15 February Dartmoor’s 70th year A free exhibition celebrating the 70th anniversary of Dartmoor’s designation as a national park is being held at the National Park Visitor Centre in Princetown. The exhibition celebrates the many aspects of Dartmoor: living, working, visiting and the natural environment. Why not join us and make your pledge for Dartmoor? Special edition 70th anniversary retail items available.

Buckland Monachorum Drama Group We are working on plans for a production at the beginning of February and have been selecting a suitable comedy for rehearsals to start in November. The group is always looking for budding actors of all ages, together with back-stage help making costumes and set building. For more details about the group and how to get involved visit bucklandmonachorumdramagroup.co.uk

2nd & 4th Wed of month Charleston Friendship Cafe We are a friendship group meeting in Buckland Monachorum Village Hall, supporting those living in the community who may feel isolated or simply enjoy some good company. We offer tea and cake, lots of chat and fun activities.

We are also dementia friendly. We look forward to meeting you so do drop in any time. We are also able to offer transport. For more information phone Mandy on 855347, Trish on 852163 or

a chance to win flower arrangements in the raffle and meet new friends.

Why not come along to a meeting as a visitor and see what you think?

For more information contact 01822 487202 or junecote629@btinternet. com; or visit the Devon & Cornwall Area of NAFAS website at www. devonandcornwallfloralart.org

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Last Wed of month Tavistock Flower Club Would you like to join a warm and friendly group? We meet at 2pm in the Church Hall, United Reformed Church, Russell Street, Tavistock PL19 8BD for various activities: flower arranging, workshops, watching talented demonstrators, visiting the Devon & Cornwall Area Show and gardens; plus

Oliver Clare (1853-1927), £200-300

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WHAT’S ON

Mondays & Wednesdays Tavistock Area Men in Sheds (TAMIS for short) is now fully up and running and meets every Monday from 10am until 12ish, and Wednesday from 2pm until 4ish at the Shed - we share the King’s facilities and car park off Pixon Lane. For full details of our group’s purpose, objectives, activities and contacts see tavistockmeninsheds.uk or email info@tavistockmeninsheds.uk

3rd Monday of month Tavy Turners and Carvers Club Tavy Turners and Carvers Club has resumed regular meetings, 3rd Monday of the month, 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Scout Den, Pixon Lane, Tavistock. New members most welcome - see tavistockwoodturners.co.uk for details.

1st Saturday of month Tidy Tavi Litter Pick-Up Meet outside Meadowlands Leisure Centre. No need to register - just turn up! 10:00am to midday. All necessary equipment provided, but please bring your own gloves and wear stout footwear.

Civil Service Retirement Fellowship (Princetown Group)

Meetings take place in the restaurant of the Prince of Wales, Princetown at 12.30pm, unless otherwise stated.

be taken on 2 December – if you can’t attend then call Mike on 01822 890799 or email mikeandkate132@gmail.com

Friends of the Wharf Lunchtime Lectures

16 December: Christmas lunch

Organised by Dr Ann Pulsford, 2-3pm at Tavistock Wharf, cost £5 (FOTW £4) 6 December: Dr Geri Parlby

Grand Christmas Draw at 11.30am, followed by Christmas lunch at 1.15pm at the Prince of Wales, Princetown.

Booking is essential at 2 Dec meeting.

Call or email Mike to book if you cannot attend.

6 January: Ron Howell An illustrated talk on ‘Wrecks and Undersea Archeology in the South-West’

3 February: Simon Dell An illustrated talk on ‘Tavistock’s Policing Past’

Princetown History Club The club meets, at 19:00 for 19:30 start, on the first Tuesday of each month.

From September to May, the venue is Princetown Community Centre. Details of all meetings and events can be found on the website at princetownhistoryclub. weebly.com/programme.html

7 December: A talk by Simon Dell on ‘The Quaker Tapestry’

5 January: A talk by David Lemon on ‘The Zimbabwe ruins’

2 December: Tom Soby

1 February:

An illustrated talk entitled ‘Deck the Halls’. Reservations and deposits for events on 9 and 16 December will be taken at the meeting.

AGM with a talk by Simon Dell on ‘Tavistock’s Policing Past’

9 December: Lunch Travel by coach to The White Thorn Inn at Shaugh Prior to enjoy a pre-Christmas lunch. Reservations and deposits will 46

From the Abbey to the Guildhall: Images of Tavistock from the 18th to the 19th century. Artistic Licence or Historical Evidence?

Tavistock Abbey’s ruins have been an inspiration to artists from the early decades of the 18th century to the 21st century. Who were the artists who sketched, painted and engraved the earliest of these images? Can they really tell us what the town looked like before its 19th century facelift?

Tavistock Local History Society Future events continue to depend on pandemic restrictions at the time and also the willingness of members and others to attend the Parish Centre.

Those attending may be asked to wear a mask and we are hoping to live-stream and record meetings for those unable to attend. Check for updates nearer the time at www.tavistockhistory.co.uk. All meetings are free for paid-up members, £3 for others.

Tuesday 14 December, 7.30pm: Social & Members’ Projects Evening With a little festive food and drink, glimpses of a few of the projects members of the society have been pursuing.

Tuesday 11 January 7.30pm: Tavistock’s Tudor Ship by Geri Parlby To promote your business to 13,800* readers - call 07450 161929 advertising@linksmagazines.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

Tuesday 8 February 7.30pm: Brunel in Devon by Ann Pulsford

Tavistock Heritage Trust Talks All talks are from 7 to 8pm in Tavistock Guildhall, unless otherwise stated.

Tickets are £5 and available at tavistockguildhall.org or from the Guildhall during opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm.

Tavistock’s Policing Past Simon Dell’s talk ties in to his two recently published books, Tavistock’s Policing Past and Tavistock Guildhall – A story of Policing, which he wrote to celebrate the restoration and opening of Tavistock Guildhall as a ‘gateway’ centre for the World Heritage Site. His talk charts the life of this unique building which housed the magistrates’ court and police station from 1848 until 2012, when the police service moved into its new, modern home.

20 January: Robert Hesketh Devon Castles Devon has a fascinating array of castles and historic fortifications.

Robert Hesketh explains how they were

@The Knightstone Tea Rooms

(See also Book Review)

10 February: Brian Freeland Literary Paris

6 January: Simon Dell

abigail’s

developed and altered over the centuries to meet the changing military, political and domestic needs of the people who used them. Whilst it concentrates on true castles - medieval strongholds that doubled as homes – it will also draw on examples from every major period from the Iron Age to England’s newest castle, Castle Drogo.

Paris had become a cultural capital long before Ernest Hemingway and the rest of Gertrude Stein’s ‘Lost Generation’ of writers, artists and performers arrived there at the end of the First World War. It started with the 12th century establishment of the Sorbonne University and its first (1473) commercial printing press, followed by a long succession of ‘cultural refugees’.

French writers Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo, Balzac, Zola, Proust, Sartre and Baudelaire shared their City of Light with Wilde, Turgenev, Joyce, Orwell, Hemingway, Henry Miller, Gertrude Stein and Samuel Beckett. Find out about their stories, their successes, their failures, and their scandals.

Freshly Prepared Hot Lunches & Light Bites Always a Good Selection of Home-made Cakes Cream teas & High Teas plus Prosecco Afternoon Teas & Roast Dinners Served Every Sunday

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CH NO RI W B FR ST O M O VI M 1 A SI -2 S OK T c 3 DEC LU IN TO E N G BO MB CH OK ER ES

Demand for tables is always high - especially during peak hours so, to avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend booking tables in advance. Visit c @theKnightstone for booking details.

47

MUSIC AND ART

Saturday 18 December

Stannary Brass Band Christmas Concert Stannary Brass Band is pleased to announce that after a long absence mainly due to Covid - we are back in our rehearsal room and working hard for our forthcoming Christmas Concert, which will include a range of traditional, new and seasonal music. The concert takes place in Tavistock Town Hall on 18 December at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 and available from Stags Estate Agents in Tavistock. Numbers are limited under current guidelines so please book early. The band will also be playing at Dickensian Evening and in Bedford Square during the Christmas period.

Stannary Brass Band would have celebrated its 25th anniversary last year

Photo by James Bird

but as our concert had to be cancelled, we will now be performing this next year instead. A specially commissioned piece of music, written by David Gray, an ex-band member and now music teacher, will be premiered at this event.

We welcome anyone to come and meet us - both experienced players and beginners - at Wortham Hall,

Mount Kelly on Wednesday evenings.

We have a longstanding policy of not charging membership fees and lending instruments to those who would like to learn, which makes playing and enjoying music very affordable.

For more information, please visit stannarybrassbandtavistock.org.uk, and further details can be obtained from Steve Gray on 01822 854888.

Saturday 18 December

Mount Kelly Choral Society Mount Kelly Choral Society presents Gloria by Vivaldi, with Musical Director Julian Jensen, vocal soloists and a professional orchestra. In addition, the choir will perform a selection of Christmas music and carols. 7.30pm at

St Eustachius’ Church, Plymouth Road, Tavistock.

Tickets £5 (free to under 18s) available from Book Stop in Tavistock or www.ticketsource. co.uk/mountkelly.

1930s to the present day and up to 15 musicians! Admission £12 (members £10, full-time students £5) Sunday 19 December

Dart Valley Stompers

Plymouth Jazz Club The gigs are held at The Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5DH starting at 7.30pm.

Doors open 7.00pm and tickets are available on the door only. For further information visit plymouth-jazz-club.org. uk or phone 01752 774343.

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Carlton Big Band

Sunday 5 December

Carlton Big Band Swinging big band music from Plymouth’s favourite big band on its first appearance at the club for almost three years, with popular tunes from the

Christmas gig featuring one of the most popular and busiest traditional jazz bands in the country, led by awardwinning reed player Jeremy Huggett on clarinet, saxophones and vocals.

Admission £12 (members £10, full-time students £5) Sunday 16 January

South-West City Swing Admission £10 (members £8, full-time students £5)

MUSIC AND ART

December & January

Winter Contemporary Exhibition Unimaginable Beauty We are so excited to be having our first ‘real’ exhibition since lockdown!

Although winter will soon be upon us, this exhibition covers every seasons’ individual unique beauty, so come along and immerse yourself in exquisite art.

New work from Dartmoor and West Country artists reveals the beauty of the place we live in and the creatures who inhabit it. The exhibition includes amongst others: magical realism work

by Cheri Hunston and Richard Hill, harmonious felt creations by Hilary Woodgate, soft and dreamy animal scenes by Shari Hills, dancing butterflies and flowers by Kari McGowan, ponies and racehorses by Rebecca De Mendonca, playful pooches by Rosamund Jane, drypoint, quirky birds

by Faith Chevannes, raging seas by Kim Pragnell, Devon coastline vistas by Clark Nicol, colourful Cornish harbours

by Michael Hill and tranquil landscapes

by Rosemary Bonney, Richard Stimpson, Carolyn Wixon and Alan Dax. In addition, there are practical stoneware and mischievous ceramics by Jennie Hale, organic ceramics by Alison Freshney, beautiful glass works by Suzi Butch, and exquisite hand-made Dartmoor jewellery.

Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am-4pm, Tues by appointment.

For further details visit www. wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk or contact us on info@wildwoodartsdartmoor. co.uk or 01822 258529.

Rosemary Bonney

Cheri Hunston

Rebecca De Mendonca

Kim Pragnell­­

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our customers

Dartmoor Café & Bunk House Accomodation

Dartmoor’s Art Gallery

We offer good quality, locally sourced, home cooked food along with a vast selection of beverages and delicious homemade cakes and treats.

Representing the region’s finest artists

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01822 890238

Chapel Lane, Horrabridge, Yelverton PL20 7SP 01822 258529 • info@wildwoodartsdartmoor.co.uk

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Traditional investment & contemporary fine art • prints • ceramics • jewellery • glass • textiles

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49

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50

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MUSIC AND ART

Artists: Mulyatingki Marney, Nancy Chapman, May Chapman

Maruku Arts - Niningka Lewis

The Box

Until 27 February

Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters The European premiere of the National Museum of Australia’s award-winning exhibition features over 300 paintings and objects by more than 100 artists, and is entirely conceived and curated by a team of First Australians. Songlines are a map of the land as well as a pathway for complex spiritual, cultural, political and historical truths or knowledges – and so much more.

Songlines crisscross the land, creating a network of stories and it is through them that Aboriginal people can locate and

learn from significant sites, and pass on laws, ways of living, and moral codes to the next generation. This fascinating exhibition was conceived with the ambition of preserving the Seven Sisters Dreaming stories – ancient creation sagas of the Australian continent. The ‘DomeLab’ transports viewers to places deep in the desert, including the remote Cave Hill site in South Australia – home to the only known Seven Sisters rock art in the world. Tickets £10 (£7.50 concessions / free for under 18s)

Until 6 March

100 Journeys Gallery

Captain Cook by John Webber

Six portraits of the nation’s best-known historical characters are on loan to The Box from The National Portrait Gallery as part of its National Skills Sharing Partnership programme, providing a rare and exciting opportunity to view rarely seen works. They will be shown in the 100 Journeys gallery, which highlights Plymouth as the starting point for some of the world’s most famous expeditions and voyages,

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

with a significant collection of original explorer materials. The works include depictions of Captain Cook, Charles Darwin, Napoléon Bonaparte, Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh all of whom took part in or led some of history’s most momentous and notorious voyages. Opening hours are 10am-5pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Admission is free and there is no need to book a ticket in advance.

51

MUSIC AND ART

TC2 and Engage Theatre Tavistock Children’s Theatre Club (TC2) and Engage Theatre are run by Regarding Eve Theatre, a Community Interest Company which also delivers workshops and performances in the South West and nationally. Creative Directors Tracy Harding, Steph Reese and Ilona Richardson bring a wealth of training and professional experience to our projects. As well as staging many musicals, plays and original material locally, we have run community theatre groups and directed events elsewhere in the South West and also in London. We have also worked extensively in Theatre in Education, and performed professionally in many venues around the country. We came together in 2005 to set up TC2 and ever since then it has been our passion and privilege to introduce hundreds of local children and young people to the world of theatre. Many of our young people have gone on to study the performing arts in further education and for some that is now their vocation. That has been wonderful to see, but equally important to us is seeing children and young people grow in confidence and develop skills which they can transfer to other parts of their lives.

TC2 provides weekly classes covering drama, singing and movement in a creative and imaginative way. Since 2005 we have staged over thirty shows at Tavistock Wharf. Including such favourites as The Wizard of Oz, Joseph, and many more! Lesser-known plays and musicals include Return to the Forbidden Planet, Our Day Out and Daisy Pulls it Off. Engage Theatre was set up in 2016 as a theatre group for adults with additional needs. The group aims to perform two shows a year and it’s been fantastic to see the members building confidence and skills as well as providing a chance for socialising, building relationships and eating cake! Our passion is to make the arts accessible to all.

We had planned two shows in 2020, Annie and The Addams Family which we now hope to bring to you in 2022! Recently our talented young people were able to tread the boards once again for a wonderful night of songs from the shows with ‘West End Wonders’. What a special moment that was! Here’s to a great, creative 2022!

For more information see Facebook: TC2- Tavistock Children’s Theatre Club

52

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TRADE SECRETS

Charly Mould BVSc MRCVS Vet at Penbode Equine Vets How did Penbode Vets start?

Penbode Vets was started by William Penhale in North Devon in 1840! The name was changed to Penbode in 1985 and the company has been expanding ever since. In 2015 Penbode bought the Lamerton based Eqwest practice which became the Penbode Equine Vets Tavistock branch. Penbode now has six branches treating livestock, pets and horses across Devon and Cornwall and we can also use The Grange Equestrian Centre in Okehampton for vettings.

What services does Penbode Equine Vets offer?

We have eight vets based out of our Tavistock and Holsworthy clinics. We offer routine work such as vaccinations and dentistry, medical and lameness workups. All our vets are mobile and have the latest veterinary technology at their disposal to deliver services such as x-ray, endoscopy and gastroscopy on your yard. We also offer (amongst other things) reproductive and AI services, laser sarcoid removal and tooth extractions. Horses can undergo standing surgery or surgery under general anaesthetic. Away from the practice we often provide vets at local point-to-points and country shows and have even had vets work at the Olympic Games, Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials and overseas endurance events.

What are the most unusual cases you have seen?

I have seen some quite interesting cases such as standing surgery for kissing spines. This entails a back operation carried out under local anaesthetic where the horse has vertebrae which touch. I’ve also worked with the fire and rescue services to rescue horses from rivers, ditches and slurry pits.

and placements at veterinary practices where you gain additional work experience with animals. All vets are qualified to treat all species. Most vet students choose what their focus is going to be in their final year – equine, farm, exotics or small animals. But the training doesn’t stop when you leave university – many people go on to do qualifications or diplomas and PhDs.

What changes have you had to make as a result of the pandemic?

What would you say to someone thinking of this as a career?

The owner normally holds the horse while you treat it, but during the pandemic, we had to work with the horses on our own a lot as we had to keep 2m distance from the clients, so we encourage clients to desensitise their horse to make them easier to handle.

It is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs out there. The hours are long but it’s very fulfilling. You spend a lot of your time outside working with both animals and people.

What training is involved in becoming an equine vet?

You have to undertake a five-year veterinary medicine degree at university.

There’s practical and theoretical work

What is the best thing about being an equine vet?

Driving around the beautiful Devon and Cornwall countryside is fantastic and of course getting to meet a wide range of owners and treat their horses – from Dartmoor ponies to racehorses.

Your friendly, penbodevets.co.uk knowledgeable, Holsworthy local equine vets 01409 255549 Tavistock 01822 613838 Okehampton 01837 506070 53

FOOD & DRINK

The Dartmoor Ice Cream Co The Dartmoor Ice Cream Company set up ice cream operations in Princetown two years ago. Two friends, Carol and Sue, had a vision of making ice cream as close as possible to the homemade version that they could produce in their own kitchens.

They set about developing their range, making as many of their own chunks and sauces as they could. They wanted to represent the Dartmoor area well by making a high-quality product and chose to use milk, cream and eggs from local farms. The resulting product is rich, creamy and delicious.

Despite the pandemic, they’ve seen a growth in demand this year as word of their delicious range of ice creams and sorbets has spread.

This autumn, their efforts were rewarded with success at the Food Drink Devon Awards, where they won seven Gold and one Platinum for their ice creams and sorbets. Sue describes feeling ‘stunned’ when she was told of the awards. She says: “The news came as an enormous boost. We’ve worked so hard trialling and testing and experimenting in the kitchen. Some experiments were dropped if they didn’t make the grade, so the awards were huge affirmation that the hours we spent weren’t wasted.”

YS & BAILEEAM CR

BANOFF E PIE E

CHRIST MAS TIRAMISU PUDDING

This is Dartmoor Ice Cream Co’s second year of operation having had a busy summer selling to restaurants, pubs and shops across Devon, as well as households in the local area.

They are currently working on new flavours for next year and are hoping to build on their success. Carol adds: “It’s hugely important to us that we represent Dartmoor well, with consistently high-quality products. We hope this will contribute towards the tourist experience across Dartmoor and beyond, as well as providing local people with delicious ice cream.”

The team want to extend their enormous thanks for the wonderful support they have received from local people, as they continue to fly the flag for quality produce on Dartmoor.

A REAL TASTE OF DEVON

WINTER FLAVOURS ORDER FROM

www.dartmooricecream.uk Or by phone: 07837 889463

Minimum order £9.00 for FREE local delivery, please check website for deliveries in your area.

54

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FOOD & DRINK

Shopping for Christmas wines Dave Anning explains how to ensure Christmas wine shopping is a festive treat.

Here are some suggestions to make shopping for your festive wines an enjoyable experience rather than a chore!

Firstly, focus on quality rather than quantity. Plenty of deals offer you lots of wine, but unless you’re entertaining large numbers, Christmas is an opportunity to treat yourself to something special. Next, get some advice! Paying more doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy the wine more. You can get really good wine for quite reasonable money. More expensive wines are often an acquired taste — aged Bordeaux is prized for flavours of leather and tobacco, so if you prefer fruity, vibrant wine, then buying a £50 bottle of Bordeaux could be a major disappointment. If the ’cheap’ offers you buy end up forgotten in your cupboard, then buying a few bottles you really enjoy can even be better value.

Choosing wines to pair with your

Christmas dinner and festive meals can be intimidating. You should pair wine with the strongest food flavour, but faced with meats, gravies, stuffing and sauces all on one plate, where do you start? Tell your wine merchant what you’re eating and they’ll explain why some wines work better with some foods. At the very least you’ll learn how to avoid clashes — we’ve all had a dry red wine with sweet food at some point and regretted it!

Next, consider a mixed case — but make sure it’s not just wines being offloaded by calling it a Christmas case. The festive period is essentially feasting with snacks and treats between meals — a proper Christmas mixed case will cater for the meals, but also for the sweets and snacks. A good fizz is a must of course, but don’t be pressured into Champagne. There are top quality alternatives from around the world — especially England. The south coast of

SPIRITS

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

Dave Anning

OVER

BEER

MULLED WINE

England is now a premium environment for growing the grapes used to make Champagne, hence the success of English fizz. The classic match for a turkey dinner is a white wine from Burgundy, especially Mâcon, so if there’s one of these in the case it’s a very good sign. Also look out for a dessert wine.

With so many sweet treats, Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy this style - the wine needs to be sweeter than the dessert — and every year I hear choruses of ‘Why don’t we buy pudding wine more often?’ Finally, look for two styles of red: a deep and flavoursome red to drink with beef or lamb (and drift off with as you doze in front of the fire) and a lighter style such as pinot noir or gamay, that is food-friendly and will match with gammon, and even turkey.

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MEET US | PLYMOUTH RD. IND. EST 55

OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

Out and About with Tavistock Ramblers A gentle 4½ mile stroll for winter days on Roborough Down. Dartmoor walks don’t come flatter than this!

Park in one of the aircraft dispersal bays (sometimes called bomb bays) on the old Harrowbeer WWII airfield at Yelverton. (SX516673). There is a prominent rocky outcrop (Roborough Rock) at the southern end of the airfield road, adjacent to the A386. This walk has far-reaching views across the down and returns along the route of the old horse-drawn Dartmoor Railway, with both the Plymouth and Devonport leats for company.

1. Pass to the left of Roborough Rock and cross a road by the fountain that commemorates the jubilees of both Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II.

56

Bear right on a grassy path away from the noisy A386. There are several paths through gorse, but keep as straight as possible to emerge on the edge of the golf course with wide views to the left.

Go right by a small ‘golf course caution’ sign to reach the golf club car park.

2. Go left past the club house and down the lane. In the woodland on the left are the remains of old tin mine workings.

Pass a turning signed to Yeoland and shortly after go right on a tarmac track.

Bear left immediately onto a wide grassy path across the down. Go left where the path forks. Cross a minor lane and continue, bearing slightly right.

Views open up on the right towards the Cornish hills. When the path divides again, bear right passing two concrete water troughs to reach a lane.

3. Turn left up the lane to the busy A386.

Cross with great care using the traffic island and go through the gate in the wooden fence. Go immediately right and

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OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE

after 50m go left on a path through the gorse. Go left again at a junction onto a wider path and follow this, ignoring any side paths, to reach the edge of the golf course. Notice the channel of the Devonport leat here.

4. Bear right and walk alongside the edge of the golf course towards a green.

If this is busy, it is possible to bear right onto a road for a short distance to keep out of the way of golfers. Go left onto Drake’s Trail, a multi-use path

on the trackbed of an old horse-drawn tramway. An old stables building is on the left and now the Plymouth leat is on the right.

5. Go through a gate and the granite setts on which the rails of the tramway were fixed are clearly visible. Continue for 1½ miles with views across the valley to Sheeps Tor and beyond. After a while the two leats almost converge with the tramway in the middle.

6. Go left over a stone bridge (notice a small section of rail here) to reach the A386 for the second time. Cross

again with care, using a traffic island as before. Go left along the verge, turn right over the cattle grid and right again by the fountain that we passed at the start of the walk.

Tavistock Ramblers walk on most Saturdays and Sundays and many Wednesdays. There is usually a mix of short walks and longer all day hikes. Go to the website www.tavistockramblers. org.uk to see the latest programme of Covid compliant walks on offer. You are welcome to join us.

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57

HISTORY

Royal Albert Bridge

Brunel in Devon The name Isambard Kingdom Brunel was familiar to me as a child as I grew up in Clifton in Bristol, home of the iconic Brunel Clifton Suspension Bridge, although Brunel did not live to see it, as it was completed after his death. The unusual name Isambard is derived from the old German Isanbert meaning glittering iron, and Kingdom is his mother Sophia’s maiden name.

Sophia Kingdom was the daughter of William Kingdom, an army and navy contractor in Plymouth, and she was the youngest of a family of 16. His father, Marc Isambard Brunel, was a French engineer and is most famous for the construction of the Thames Tunnel.

Isambard was born at Number 1 Britain Street in Portsmouth and had two older sisters, Sophia and Emma - the three children would probably have been bilingual. At age 20 he began work in his father’s office in charge of the Thames Tunnel at Rotherhithe. It was the start of an extraordinary and diverse career, but in this article, I will concentrate on his engineering successes and failures in Devon.

In 1836 at the age of 30, Brunel married Mary Horsley, 23, eldest daughter of composer and organist William Horsley.

Brunel had declared that he would marry a woman with money and musical talent; Mary was the family beauty 58

and rich but not musical, although the family was artistic. Her brother John was a friend of Isambard and an artist – he painted pictures of Isambard and Mary. Isambard was also an artist with great aesthetic taste as shown in his architecture, engineering and garden design. The Brunels established a home at 18 Duke Street Westminster and had three children, Isambard, Henry and Florence. Brunel enjoyed entertaining his children with conjuring tricks, but in 1843 he accidentally swallowed a half sovereign which lodged in his windpipe.

He designed a board which rotated on two pivots and strapped himself to the board so that the coin was dislodged by centrifugal force.

Mary had a very grand style and was nicknamed the Duchess of Kensington.

Brunel had fine furniture and paintings in his house and Mary had beautiful dresses and jewellery to show Brunel’s success. He worked up to twenty hours a day in his office at their house, though he was often away on business.

They had 30 staff and Mary was a popular hostess, entertaining London society at their home which became an oasis of culture to which Brunel occasionally returned. He was usually working on many projects at once which he designed, engineered and

managed through contractors. His life was stressful, involving high risk novel projects, new technology, investors and funding - he also smoked 40 cigars a day.

Brunel was appointed chief engineer to the Great Western Railway in 1833 and started surveying the route and raising funds. He travelled between his projects in a horse-drawn Britska, which he had designed to include a drawing board and cigar storage – he often worked and slept in it too. The Great Western Railway Bill had failed to specify the distance between the rails, although 4’8” was standard at the time. In 1836 Brunel argued that a broad gauge of 7’01/4” would enable a faster, smoother ride and the board accepted his proposal. Broad gauge performed well but there was the inconvenience of goods and passengers transferring between trains of different gauges.

In 1876 all railways were changed to standard gauge. Brunel was appointed engineer to the South Devon Railway in 1843. In 1846 he argued that steam engines were inadequate for the steep gradients beyond Newton Abbot near Totnes and around Dartmoor. He proposed a novel atmospheric system moved by atmospheric (vacuum) traction which would be more efficient than

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HISTORY

Building Royal Albert Bridge

Grenofen Viaduct

steam engines. The system proved to be a failure, mainly because the leather flap valves in the pipe failed to create a reliable vacuum and the pumping stations were inadequate for the diameter of the pipes. The trains often broke down and third-class passengers were then expected to get out and push the carriages. Brunel and other investors lost a lot of money and the system was completely abandoned in 1848, just one year after it had opened. The pumping station at Starcross is a remnant of the atmospheric railway.

In 1846 Brunel was employed as engineer for the Royal Albert Bridge to take trains over the Tamar to Cornwall.

His first design was for a suspension bridge but at 1100 feet it was thought to be too long for this type of bridge.

The foundations took three years to build and it cost £230,000. Brunel used some of the chains from the stalled construction of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. It was opened, with his name on the portals, in 1859, the year Brunel died, and remains a lasting tribute to his engineering success.

In the 1840s Brunel took his family on holidays in the Torquay area and rented several houses. He decided this was the area he wanted to retire to and bought up land around Watcombe. He helped the architect and garden designer to design the house and grounds and enjoyed laying out the gardens. He aspired to a place in the country as a symbol of his success, but sadly did not live to use it, and it was sold after his death.

Brunel was the greatest civil engineer of the early 19th century, famous for his pioneering engineering achievements.

He was possessed with grandeur, and everything he did was outsize, brilliant and radical. He built a timber viaduct over the Walkham Valley which was spectacular in its day but no longer survives. He also built many wooden viaducts in Cornwall which have

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

not survived. In Devon his greatest achievements were the Great Western Railway and associated bridges and viaducts which connected Devon to the UK via Exeter, Bristol and London.

The Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash, connecting Devon to Cornwall, is thought to be one of his masterpieces.

Other major engineering achievements in the West Country included the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Great Western ship. Apart from his great engineering works there are many memorials to Brunel in Devon including a statue at Saltash and one in Plymouth, where in both places there are roads named after him. Brunel’s true genius was in convincing financiers to back his risky projects and encouraging workers to maintain high standards which ensured their success. He said that ‘Besides being ingenious engineers should be brave’.

Dr Ann Pulsford

59

LOCAL AUTHORS

Devon Castles by Robert Hesketh This invaluable little book surveys the fascinating array of castles and historic fortifications in Devon, and is an essential background guide for those planning visits.

It explains the history of castles and how they were developed over the centuries, covering earlier and later fortifications from the Iron Age to Victorian times.

Here I will use local examples from the book, which can be visited on a day out.

palisade. The Normans built a ringwork castle there, which was superseded in 1195 by a very different castle with a square tower, which gained a grim reputation as a judicial centre and jail. Castles developed to become high status residences; the heart of the later medieval castle was the great hall which can be seen at Okehampton and Dartington.

Okehampton is one of Devon’s largest castles, and was owned by the Courtenay family in the 1170s, who transformed it from a martial structure into an aristocratic residence with a deer park.

It was the Normans who introduced castles to England, but the Saxons, Romans and Celts have all built fortifications and there are about one hundred Iron Age hill forts surviving in Devon along the eastern edge of Dartmoor. The Normans built hilltop castles throughout Devon to secure the conquest of England, establishing castles at Okehampton, Totnes, Lydford and Barnstaple, which began as motte and bailey castles.

The Normans placed timber fortifications on top of the motte of Totnes castle, one of the highest in England. It was later built in stone, and is Devon’s largest and best preserved keep. Lydford provides a clear example of Saxon defences, built on a promontory with steep valleys on three sides, and further defended with earthen ramparts, topped with a timber

60

In Plymouth, Drake’s Island was fortified from 1548 and the 1590s with additions in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and can be viewed from Plymouth Hoe. The Royal Citadel, built between 1665 and 1675, served to protect Plymouth from foreign attack, especially from the Dutch, and to keep the Puritan city under control should another civil war erupt.

Crownhill Fort was the key fort among eleven fortifications designed to protect Plymouth from landward attack. It was used as a barracks until the 1980s but the original buildings are preserved inside and this fascinating piece of Victorian military architecture is a very late example of a true fort. Some castles were built as luxury homes including Bovey Castle, built in 1907 and now a hotel, and Castle Drogo, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1930 making it England’s newest castle.

Review by Dr Ann Pulsford Available for £3.99 at www.roberthesketh.co.uk and from local outlets.

Robert Hesketh is giving a talk on Devon Castles on 20 January for the Tavistock Heritage Trust Talks series – see What’s On for details.

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BOOK REVIEW

Book recommendations for Christmas & the new year

By Simon Church of Book Stop, Tavistock

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke What is our purpose? Where is true happiness to be found? These big questions are at the heart of this hugely enjoyable gothic fantasy from the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Piranesi, shells in his hair, wanders the great halls of his world admiring the magnificent statues, gathering fish and seaweed from the waters of the lower halls and tending to the 13 known dead. He has one living companion, ‘the Other’, an other-worldly individual who will grant him an occasional audience, and if needs must provide him with a new pair of shoes, and then disappear to who knows where. But Piranesi is content. The Other is his friend, the Beauty of the House is immeasurable;

Pam Ayres on Animals Brand new volume of illustrated poetry from national treasure, £16.99

its Kindness infinite. But is he missing something? What do the strange long-forgotten entries in his early diaries mean? Where does the Prophet appear from? And who, really, is the Other? Publisher: Bloomsbury, £8.99

More recommended reads from Book Stop for Christmas: The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman Cosy crime at its best from the author of The Thursday Murder Club, £18.99 Journeys to Impossible Places by Simon Reeve Tales from Dartmoor-based traveller extraordinaire, £20

Private Eye Annual 2021, £9.99 When Fishes Flew - The Story of Elena’s War

by Michael Morpurgo Latest from Devonbased children’s favourite, £12.99

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O omnly sit ro nt o Vi ow intme o Shby app WE SELL, SERVICE AND INSTALL RAYBURN Showroom: Unit 2A Westbridge Ind Est, Tavistock PL19 8DE 01822 610222

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OKE LINKS Nov/Dec 2021 | Issue 28

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The Reverend Chris Jackson shares his story

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A Green Woodworker from North Bovey

Music, Theatre, Arts, Christmas Markets, Lights and much more

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Electricians Griffin Electrical Estate Agents & Lettings Kirby Estate Agents M&B Lettings Florists Amanda Randell Master Florist Food & Drink Producers The Dartmoor Ice Cream Company Fuel Suppliers Moorland Fuels Tricounty Ltd Funeral Directors Morris Bros Funeral Directors Garage Services Barton Garages Garden Centres & Retailers Endsleigh Gardens Nursery Garden Services D.H. Garden Services Dartmoor Pond Services Hartland Landscaping Hedge to Hedge Garden Services J A Francis Stone Walling & Patios Men for All Seasons Hair & Beauty Salons Ochre Hair Lounge Health, Beauty & Nutrition Dartmoor Aesthetic & Holistic Clinic Dr A E Aesthetics Moor Mobile Foot clinic Tara’s Treatments Yoga days on Dartmoor Hearing & Mobility Alistair Kinsey Hearing and Mobility Holidays & Holiday Lets Helpful Holidays Hotels, Inns & Clubs Bedford Hotel Arundell Arms Hotel Interior Services Fabric and Furniture Gemma Harvey Decorating Nikis Soft Furnishings Rhoop Design Kitchen & Bathroom Fitters Charles Gray Kitchens

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Tavistock Bathrooms & Tiles

Amanda & James invite you to their showroom OVER 50 BATHROOM SETTINGS TO INSPIRE YOU We would like to thank all our customers past, present and future for their support

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BATHROOMS & TILES By amanda - james