Oke Links Magazine September/October 2019 by Links Magazines

September/October 2019 | Issue 17

162 EVENTS & ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY

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Turning back the clock September and October - months often known as the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. As I write, there’s a howling gale blowing and rain coming down in sheets - at least the organisers of Okehampton Show just missed the torrents by a whisker. I hope Wendy, our Oke Links competition winner, had a great day out at this wonderful event. This issue takes a look at heritage and everyone I interviewed for our local people pages have a keen interest in preserving the past. Christine Marsh, the treasurer of Okehampton Archive, is a self-confessed magpie when it comes to storing away memorabilia; Richard Horner has re-built several aircraft and gets a thrill from flying The deadline date planes which have played important roles during the Second World War, while Frank for any inclusions in the Loft has the most amazing collection of vintage and classic vehicles that attracts November/December visitors from all over the country. issue of Oke Links will The Dartmoor Society is the subject of our feature - a group with a real passion for be October 4th, 2019 preserving the moor’s architecture for future generations to enjoy. And you can find For all editorial enquiries out about the work of English Heritage, which falls under the spotlight in our charity please contact me via focus, on page 16. email at: jane.honey@ The Ace local history group has been carrying out work at an ancient site near linksmagazines.co.uk Broadwoodwidger for several years now. Their painstaking research has revealed or 07971 917071. much about the dwelling at Moistown - although the most successful piecing THE LINKS TEAM: together of remnants so far as been a chamber pot! See their story on page 66. Publisher: Tim Randell The celebration of our history which is the focus of the national Heritage Open Days scheme marks its 25th anniversary in September. There are loads of places to visit Editor: Jane Honey locally which are not normally open to the public between September 13th and 22nd, Design: Sara Venner and entry during this time is free, so it’s a great opportunity to treat the whole family. and Julian Rees Editing a bi-monthly magazine means thinking a long way ahead - I am already Customer Services: planning the Christmas edition of Oke Links! I love to hear from our readers so please Rachel Rees do let me know about your events and feature ideas in good time by emailing jane. Advertising: Jane Daniel, honey@linksmagttazines.co.uk. The deadline is October 4th - but don’t leave it until Olivia Breyley, Joanne Mallard, Claire Pearce the last minute - I’ll be thinking about 2020 by then! 01822 615627

Jane ,

Jane Honey - Editor 07971 917071

8 Contents

30 49

4 FEATURE

27 HEALTH

45 WHAT’S ON EXTRA

6 LOCAL PEOPLE

30 GARDENING

53 MUSIC AND ART

13 SPORTS NEWS

33 FARMING

60 FOOD AND DRINK

14 EDUCATION

35 FINANCE

62 WALKS WITH WINNIE

16 CHARITY

37 WHAT’S ON LISTINGS

66 HISTORY

18 NOTICEBOARD Delivered by the Royal Mail to the following towns and villages: Okehampton • Moretonhampstead • Chagford • Chichacott • Stockley • Belstone • Bondleigh • North Tawton • Sampford Courtenay • Taw Green • Sticklepath • South Zeal • Throwleigh • Wonson • Lydford • Lewdown • Bridestowe • Gidleigh • North Bovey • Sourton • Meldon • Boasley Cross • Bratton Clovelly • Portgate • Lewtrenchard Front Cover image courtesy of the Historic England Photo Library

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FEATURE

The Dartmoor Society For all who are inspired by Dartmoor. The Dartmoor Society was established in 1998 to be an independent voice for Dartmoor and since then, its aim has been to safeguard the essential qualities of Dartmoor, such as locality and community, ruggedness, culture and tradition, significant buildings of all ages and its distinctive creatures and plants.

‘Modern’ buildings - part of Dartmoor’s heritage Dartmoor’s built heritage spans thousands of years and its prehistoric landscapes are world renowned. One of the concerns of the Dartmoor Society has been to focus on the value of 20th and 21st century buildings. Even in the very recent past, railway buildings and other industrial structures, such as the Iron Store at Burrator, have been

earmarked for demolition and many other small yet significant ‘modern’ buildings have been destroyed. Many of these historic and architecturally interesting, but nonlisted buildings, have been swept away because they have been labelled as ‘dilapidated’. Those that have been abandoned or poorly maintained are some of the most at risk, such as the Princetown Pocket Power station, now under threat of demolition - yet many can be fully restored and remain as historic markers within the landscape. The Iron Store at Burrator is one of the success stories. Constructed in 1901, it was used as the works base for the reservoir for nearly 100 years. From the threat of demolition in 1998 and with the

intervention of the Dartmoor Society, it is now a heritage and discovery centre restored to its full glory and still serving a genuine use.

Railways and tramways Railways and tramways have been and still are one of the wonders of Dartmoor - and one of the abiding interests of the Dartmoor Society. Evidence of their use in transporting tin, stone and people, first as pony or human driven tramways, then powered by steam engines, is found across the moor. In 2014, a debate entitled What Future for Railways and their Heritage on Dartmoor was organised by the Dartmoor Society. Historic lines and their preservation were discussed with the aid of some outstanding photos of former lines. As important is the need to promote the re-opening of closed lines to provide sustainable transport solutions for today. After the debate, the Society initiated and jointly funded an archaeological audit of Dartmoor railways, whose very detailed findings along with maps and photos are available from the Dartmoor Society website. The Dartmoor Society continues to press for the protection of the Tavistock to Okehampton railway from prejudicial development and with increased use of local railways nationally, has also supported moves to re-open the Teign Valley Railway and the Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead line.

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FEATURE

Historic, cultural and ecological heritage The idea that Dartmoor is a cultural, historic and ecological landscape, and that each should be considered in relation to the other and given equal weight, is something the Dartmoor Society is keen to promote. It aims to support those who continue working in traditional and sustainable ways, especially those that provide continuity with our past and employment for local people. In April, Doug and Clair King-Smith of the Hillyfield working woodland received the Dartmoor Society annual award in recognition of the way it generates useful products and income, as carried on for centuries in Dartmoor, and combines this with modern ideas about community and volunteer connection with the land. The Dartmoor Society has made two visits there and has been hugely impressed by the ecology and potential of this beautiful mixed ancient and coniferous woodland and pasture.

both informative and social gatherings, and give The Dartmoor Society and its members real insights into how traditional skills and historic buildings are adapted for today’s needs.

What is the Dartmoor Society doing now? The Dartmoor Society is dedicated to sharing well researched information and this year, its two flagship events, open to all, focus on the science that is key to our understanding and preservation of animals and birds on Dartmoor.

The Secret Life of Dartmoor Birds: Science for Survival? This is an in-depth look at current research into the birds of Dartmoor and how we can help them survive. Eight speakers who work on Dartmoor and are passionate about its birdlife will tell us about their current research and their encounters with Dartmoor birds. This special day will run between 9.30am

and 5pm on Saturday, October 12th at Ashburton Arts Centre. This year the Dartmoor Society Research Lecture is dedicated to the sustainable future role of the Dartmoor Pony. Conservation Grazing with Dartmoor Ponies will be presented by Paul Lunt of Plymouth University and Dru Butterfield of the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust. This evening lecture will explain how current studies aim to meet Natural England’s requirement for scientific evidence of pony grazing impacts, to give them a sustainable future on Dartmoor. The lecture begins at 7pm on Friday, November 15th at the Dolphin Hotel, Bovey Tracey. All the information about these two events as well as online booking and more about the work of the Dartmoor Society and how to join can be found on the Dartmoor Society website. www. dartmoorsociety.com. Caya Edwards

Burnicombe Wood, the location for a members’ event in May this year, is another woodland that is realising the potential for selling products such as charcoal and wood, while managing the woodland with the help of heavy horses. These events are an opportunity for members to enjoy an in depth look at some of the most significant sites and buildings on Dartmoor, often not normally open to the public; guided by their owners or custodians. They are

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LOCAL PEOPLE

Christine Marsh Former post lady, mayor and history lover Although Christine Marsh wasn’t born in Okehampton, she has lived most of her life in the town and loves it deeply.

from all sorts of people - they might think it’s rubbish but we don’t. It’s not only archive stuff, it’s things about what’s happening now, like the opening of the new primary school. It’s all part of the jigsaw puzzle of life in Okehampton.’

‘I came here as a small child,’ said Christine. ‘My father was a local person and well known locally. When I was growing up, people would always say “Oh, you’re Courtney Bolt’s daughter” it was never Christine!’ On leaving the town’s secondary modern school she trained as a chemist’s dispenser and then spent a while on the reception desk at The White Hart, before marrying and having her two children, Caroline and Perry. While they were young she worked as a tailoress on a self-employed basis and for a while as a postlady. ‘I loved that job, I used to walk for miles - my kids used to tease me about my post office pace when walking,’ she said. For many years Christine was secretary to three GPs at Okehampton Medical Centre, but it is perhaps in her role as a councillor she is most well known. She was elected to the town council in 1997, the county council in 2001 and also represented Okehampton on West Devon Borough Council. ‘I first stood for council around the time of the enhancements around St James Street,’ she said. ‘There was a lot of controversy around it, people felt they weren’t being listened to. There was a by-election looming and I just thought to myself there was no point griping, do something about it. ‘I’ve been very fortunate to have been mayor of Okehampton for five consecutive years, chairman of the county council and mayor of West Devon - and through being a councillor 6

She’s stepped back from both the county and borough councils now but remains a town councillor, and the longest serving member at that.

Christine freely admits she’s a bit of a magpie when it comes to collecting scraps of information about the town. Apparently her loft is crammed full of all sorts of records and papers - thankfully all filed properly - and an entire wall of her home is dedicated to pictures of various parts of the town.

She has been involved with Okehampton Archive since its inception around ten years ago - it’s become a complete treasure trove of memorabilia of the town, with people donating everything from old newspapers to photographs and artefacts.

‘I’ve always been into history, I used to like it at school, and I love to look at places and think who would have lived there, who would have touched that. Someone once said to me: “Would you go back or forwards in time if you could?” I’d love to go back in time.’

‘We receive all sorts of bits and pieces

Not surprisingly therefore, Christine

I was a member of Dartmoor National Park Authority which I enjoyed, because I absolutely love the moor.’

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LOCAL PEOPLE

has traced her family tree on both her mother’s and her father’s sides as far back as the 1600s. Her father’s family were involved in agriculture and there was a close connection with the Royal Navy on her mother’s side - but she’s got a bit stuck with a branch of the family that came from Moscow Now 72 and retired, she is just as busy as ever - and you get the impression she wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘I find myself getting drawn into all sorts of things, it’s probably time I said “No” to some, but I think you need to keep busy and active,’ she said. With hobbies such as gardening, knitting, crochet, reading, jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her family,

there’s certainly never a dull moment.

Christine is also a member of the Everything Okehampton organisation, which took on the organisation of the town’s Christmas light, Edwardian Evening and the music and food festival following the demise of the chamber of trade. She is now throwing herself into plans to mark the 800 year anniversary of the granting of Okehampton’s licence to hold fairs and markets. She said: ’Okehampton’s not a small town any more where everyone knows everyone else, it’s got bigger but it’s still got a tremendous community. Okehampton has changed but I still love it.’

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Jane Honey

LOCAL PEOPLE

Richard Horner Piper Cub and dog lover An enthusiastic amateur pilot, Richard Horner of South Tawton once gave his brother the fright of his life after taking the controls of a plane as a surprise, having learned to fly in secret more than 20 years ago. Richard was born in Watford but spent his early childhood in Australia with his mother, father and five siblings. He lost his dad, an electrical engineer, when he was only nine years old and his mum, bringing up six children on her own, brought the family home to the UK in 1975. They settled in Devon, the county she and her husband had always wanted to retire to. Richard obviously inherited his Dad’s practical genes, studying engineering at college and ultimately forming his own company. ‘We made anything, from fixing an old lady’s saucepan to a model lighthouse for an exhibition, scaling it up from a postcard to eight metres high. We never used computers, things got drawn by hand, almost on fag packets!’ said Richard.

Determined to retire from full time work at 50, he sold the business, bought a camper van and he and his wife Denise, who he met at school in Dawlish, set off on the trip of a lifetime, spending 18 months travelling through Europe and as far north as the Arctic Circle with their dogs, Diesel and Winnie. ‘The only plan we had was to be in the Pyrenees for the 100th Tour de France other than that we had no plan. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,’ Richard said. Crossing France, Spain, Italy, Sicily (loads of history but rather dirty) Greece (lovely people), Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway (beautiful and very picturesque), Richard said the dogs loved the trip as much as he and Denise did. His passion for flying started after Denise bought him a trial flight as a

present: ‘I never thought I’d be able to fly, never thought I’d be capable of it, but from the minute I got into the plane I was hooked. The following week I went to Dunkeswell and took my first lesson. I got my licence eight months later.’ Richard has owned six American Piper Cub aircraft, he and Denise buying their first plane in 1995. He loves their heritage - the one he has at the moment dates from 1943. ‘I helped with the restoration - the owner of it was an elderly gentleman who’d had it for 25 years. He came to me in 2012 and said he wanted to retire from flying but he would only sell it to me! Another one I had was an Ambulance Cub AE1, the only flying example of its type in Europe - only 100 were ever built. It served in the Second World War in the South Pacific.

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LOCAL PEOPLE

‘It’s a very special feeling to fly something with that history and to know what they’ve been through.’

‘It’s a very special feeling to fly something with that history and to know what they’ve been through.’ Richard tries to get up in the air at least every fortnight. Surprisingly, his plane runs on only four and a half gallons an hour and he covers between 350 and 400 miles each time he takes out his beloved Piper. A recent very special trip was helping with the organisation of the D-Day commemorative flights in Normandy - he also undertook a flight in June with two other aircraft over the East and North Dartmoor villages where many American GIs were stationed during the Second World War. Richard is also passing on his experience and sharing his love of flying with a talented young pilot, Ellie Carter, who some Oke Links readers may have seen featured on BBC’s The One Show this summer.

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‘I’ve been mentoring Ellie for a while she is the youngest female glider pilot to have flown solo in this country and she’s just waiting until her 17th birthday to be issued with her pilot’s licence,’ said Richard. ‘There’s no history of flying in her family but it’s all she’s ever wanted to do - she’s been flying since she was 12!’ When not flying, Richard is also a keen swimmer, walker and cyclist. He also loves riding and re-building motorbikes, recently taking part in a major ‘ride out’ for Devon Air Ambulance: ‘It was brilliant, a great experience,’ he said. Jane Honey

LOCAL PEOPLE

Frank Loft Car collector extraordinaire! As a teacher, Frank Loft probably never thought he’d end up owning one of the top motor tourism attractions in the country - but life can take these curious twists and turns. Brought up mainly in Hampshire, Frank has lived and worked in Wales, Shropshire, Somerset and Devon, starting his career in special education as a primary school teacher, before moving on to deal with older children and ultimately taking over a failing independent residential school in 1998.

Frank opened his museum in 2013 with about 65 exhibits. Since then, he’s added a mezzanine floor and the vintage and classic cars and motorbikes, plus items of memorabilia and petrolania, now include 140 vehicles - getting them upstairs must have been a logistical nightmare . . . ‘It’s a very eclectic mixture. Most visitors can identify with some item or another and a lot of people say it’s the memorabilia that really makes the museum,’ said Frank, whose favourite car in his vast collection is a Jaguar XK150, dating from 1959. Finished in British racing green with green leather interior, a Webasto sunroof and chrome wire wheels, this beautiful car has only had four owners and is apparently a joy to drive!

He sold this specialist college school in Dawlish in 2008.

‘That was when my affliction for collecting cars really took hold!’ he said. He bought a property in Kingsteignton and filled it with vehicles - the collection then took over an additional barn and in 2012, he took ‘a leap of faith’, buying the old bus depot which now houses Moretonhampstead Motor Museum. His first purchase was a Wolseley 1660, intended as a 21st birthday present for his eldest son: ‘Between collecting it and driving it home, I managed to rationalise to myself that it would never do for him - he ended up with a Mini Metro and I kept the Wolseley!’ grinned Frank, who’s had a fascination with motorised transport since early childhood. ‘I blame my parents - the Christmas I was two-and-a-half they bought me a pedal car. I had watched how the postman opened the front gate, worked it out and I was about two miles away before they caught me!’ His oldest car is a Wolseley dating from 1905. Only 52 were built and only two survive, one of them being Frank’s. His most modern car is a Talbot Samba Cabriolet - in a fetching lilac shade. In between, there is a fascinating collection - such as the vintage 1929 Rolls Royce which belonged to Mrs Lilley of the Lilley & Skinner shoe empire, or the De Dion Bouton 2.9L Charabanc, commissioned by the Army to take officers to the Western front in France. Apparently a later owner used it to transport his chums on pub crawls!

Most of the vehicles’ provenance is also on display, which also provides a fascinating read and a glimpse into times gone by - for example, the AC Anzani Open Tourer, built in 1924, was shipped to India by its first owner, a Mr Price, who died within six months. It was inherited by Mr Price’s sister who brought it back to England, where it spent the majority of its time on blocks. Its third owner was a 16-year-old who only drove the car for two years before it went back into storage again. Now Frank owns it, the car having only recorded 6,708 miles in some 89 years! Frank, a father of five and grandfather to five grandchildren, was delighted that Practical Classics magazine voted his museum one of the top ten classic destinations in the UK last summer. He’s a proud but very modest custodian of a fabulous collection of automotive heritage. ’I call it my retirement project - or madness, depending on which way the wind is blowing!’ said Frank, aged 69. ‘I’ve always been a workaholic, I have to do something to fill my time - and the museum is now how I do it!’ Jane Honey

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SPORTS CLUB NEWS

A dynamic martial art Ronin Taijutsu is a fun way to learn a life-saving skill. Have you ever asked how or why I should need to defend myself against an assault? In today’s world everyone has to take responsibility for their own personal safety. Many people protect their homes and cars with alarms but few think of how to protect themselves or their family. Taijutsu is a dynamic Martial Art which uses natural body movements and avoidance techniques to evade or escape a would-be attacker. Applying simple techniques, the student learns how to use their natural weapons eg feet, hands, elbows and knees, to effectively take control of the situation with minimal damage to themselves, rendering the aggressor incapacitated to escape. Taijutsu is geared towards self defence, allowing a smaller or weaker person to effectively defend themselves against a larger or stronger opponent! The Okehampton instructors also specialise in self defence for schools and colleges, having taught at some of the most prestigious schools throughout the London area, and instructed many girls who have successfully fought off attacks and assaults.

uses a wide range of striking methods and jujitsu techniques to overcome an aggressive attacker, this comprehensive fighting system is great for both adults and children looking to protect themselves. The Ronin Taijutsu martial art group at the Parklands Leisure Centre in Okehampton had a very exciting and successful grading assessment this spring. The students excelled in showing their skills included close quarter combat, striking, ground controls, weapon defences and kata. The 2nd Dan London-based grading instructors were very impressed by the students’ control in technique, determination and enthusiasm on the mat.

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EDUCATION

Dartmoor National Park Junior Rangers Young people putting something back National Parks are a great place for learning and most people would not be surprised to learn that most of the UK’s 15 national parks have a well-developed formal education offer that helps students to understand processes that formed iconic landscapes; explore what features of natural and cultural heritage make national parks special; undertake fieldwork with pupils to understand the role that National Park Authorities play in promoting opportunities for visitors while protecting the rich resource they have come to enjoy. What may be less well known are some of the ‘informal learning’ offers that some National Parks provide. On Dartmoor we use a ‘progression route’ for young people to help them understand what makes Dartmoor special and to support their learning outside the classroom and outside the formal school context. This starts for five to 12 years olds with our Ranger Ralph Club, featured in Oke Links earlier this year. Recognising that once children reached the age of 12 there could be a loss of this engagement and connection in 2015, we ran a pilot programme for young people now too old to be Ranger Ralph Club members, using a Junior Rangers model as a template for our programme of activities. Now, each year we recruit a cohort of 12-16 year olds who commit to a ten month programme of activities. These Junior Rangers have completed a range of activities that have

helped them contribute to conservation of Dartmoor, while also providing opportunities for them to explore and discover. Working with Rangers and the Learning and Outreach service, the programme connects them with the special qualities of Dartmoor, promoting messages of care, active enjoyment and wise use. Tasks include spillway repair, leat clearing, coppicing, footpath maintenance, caring for historical sites, recreational issues as well as outreach events at local shows, meeting the public and helping with Dartmoor National Park activities and events. They spend a full day at each venue and complete records of their endeavours and the reasons why they are important. They work towards completion of their John Muir Explorer Award (eight days’ minimum commitment) and the National Outdoor Learning Award (NOLA) which helps them reflect on and record their changes in confidence and self-esteem throughout the programme. They start with a launch day getting to know each other and finish with a presentation event with invited guests and family. The young people have led by example and the first group quickly recruited friends to join in subsequent years. Those who have returned have worked as mentors for the new Junior Rangers and helped to pass on lessons learnt with enthusiasm and commitment. They have all acquired the safety elements of working with tools and attracted considerable sponsorship for their own tools and uniform. Meeting Rangers and voluntary wardens has led to some of

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EDUCATION

them adding additional days working on specific tasks such as footpath surveys and with the Learning and Outreach service some have attended shows and events. Not simply talking to the public but hands-on with the wildlife festival, archaeological digs, and assisting with the Ranger Ralph club. The Junior Rangers themselves recognise the value of the programme, as these quotes illustrate: ‘Being a Junior Ranger has boosted my confidence and given me amazing memories’ ‘I love being outdoors and helping look after Dartmoor’ ‘Just the moors not an electronic gadget in sight. It is the best thing that ever happened to me’ ‘Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a Junior Ranger and discover places that I can share with my family and friends’ For teenagers to vocalise such thoughts speaks volumes for the process and programme offered. Further accolades were added, when at last November’s Mountain Festival in Cumbria, the Dartmoor Junior Rangers picked up the first place in the National Park Volunteering Awards 2018, sponsored by Columbia Sportswear.

country for their efforts in helping to protect the special landscapes of Britain’s National Parks. Eoin Treacy, regional marketing manager for award sponsors Columbia Sportswear, said: ‘Volunteers give their time, energy, skills and enthusiasm to help care for the UK’s 15 incredible National Parks. It’s this inspiring contribution that Columbia Sportswear is proud to celebrate through sponsorship of these Awards, and we’d like to congratulate this year’s worthy winners.’ The next Junior Ranger programme starts recruiting in January 2020. The activities run roughly monthly from April to November and participants must be able to commit to all dates to qualify as a Junior Ranger and to achieve the John Muir Award and the National Outdoor Learning Award. Further details: www.dartmoor.gov.uk/enjoy-dartmoor/dartmoor-rangers/ junior-rangers

The National Parks Volunteer Awards is an annual event which recognises, celebrates and thanks volunteers from across the

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CHARITY FOCUS

English Heritage Protecting the past for future generations English Heritage cares for more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites across the country. Through caring for these places, English Heritage brings the story of England to life for millions of people every year. In Devon alone the collection spans thousands of years – from the Bronze Age monuments of Merrivale and Grimspound, to the medieval castles of Okehampton and Lydford. A tour of the sites is a great way to discover Dartmoor’s history through the centuries. At the very north of the national park, Okehampton Castle is a not-to-be-missed gem of the area. The ruins of Devon’s largest castle can be found nestling in the foothills of Dartmoor, overlooking the rushing River Okement. The Castle was originally built by Norman conquerors as a dramatic symbol of power, then later converted into a luxurious residence. It provided lodgings for the Courtenay family, who entertained guests while enjoying hunting parties in the adjacent deer park. The ruins of the Norman keep, high on its motte, can still be explored today – providing stunning views across Okehampton and north Dartmoor. Extensive parts of the medieval guest lodgings, great hall, huge kitchens, the chapel and priests’ lodgings still remain and tell a fascinating story of castle life. A lively audio guide helps recreate the grandeur of the castle’s past life. Surrounded by beautiful woodland and countryside, Okehampton Castle is great for walkers, and the riverside picnic area is just the spot to rest and refuel. With the Okement flowing through the grounds, you can often find wildlife on the river banks and it’s a popular place for bird watching, and don’t miss the swathes of bluebells in the spring.

Okehampton Castle

To the west, Lydford Castle and Saxon Town weaves three historic periods into one area. The village of Lydford itself has an unforgettable setting on the western edge of Dartmoor National Park, just upriver from the spectacular Lydford Gorge. Its importance in Saxon and medieval times has left its legacy in the street layout and in two castles – the earthwork remains of a Norman castle to the south (now cared for by the National Trust) and, near the centre, a 13th century tower on a mound. To the north there are Saxon town defences. In the 9th century Lydford was listed as one of the four most important towns in Devon. It occupied a position of great natural strength, a triangular promontory protected on two sides by deep river valleys. The third side was defended by an earthen rampart, the remains of which can be seen as you enter the village from the north-east on either side of the road, near the village hall. Soon after the Norman Conquest a small defensive earthwork was built on the extreme south-west tip of the promontory at Lydford, and this early castle was abandoned fairly quickly. In 1194 King John authorised the building of a new tower, which would serve as a prison for enforcing the laws that regulated both Dartmoor’s forest and also its important tin industry. The castle continued to be used as a prison throughout the middle ages and into the 18th century.

Images courtesy of English Heritage

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CHARITY FOCUS

BC). It’s a dramatic spot, where the remains of 24 stone roundhouses still survive, within a massive boundary wall about 150 metres in diameter.

Lydford Castle

One of its inmates famously called it ‘the most annoious, contagious and detestable place within this realm’. Today it is a far more picturesque place to visit! The area around the ruins are perfect for picnics and exploring with the family – thanks to the large amount of space for children to run and play. Dartmoor is rich in prehistoric remains, and English Heritage works with the Dartmoor National Park Authority to manage some of the most important sites – including Grimspound and Merrivale. The best known of these is perhaps Grimspound, which dates from the late Bronze Age (about 1450–700

The group of monuments at Merrivale is one of the finest on the moor. Side by side here are the remains of a Bronze Age settlement and a complex of ritual sites, including three stone rows, a stone circle, standing stones and a number of cairns – earth mounds associated with burials. The monuments were probably built over a long period, between about 2500 BC and 1000 BC. Today it is a great place to enjoy a picnic in atmospheric surroundings. Lydford, Grimspound, and Merrivale are amongst 250 sites in English Heritage’s care which are free to enter. The charity cares for these important places to protect them for future generations – and the generous support of donors helps to make this possible. A great way to both support English Heritage, and enjoy unforgettable days out, is to become a member. Members can enjoy unlimited visits to sites across the country, reduced entry to events, and find out all about England’s history with regular magazines. Find out more at www.english-heritage.org.uk Amy Hulyer, E nglish Heritage

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Holditch & Others charity closure Holditch is a very old local charity dating from 1905, established for the ‘benefit of poor persons living in the ancient Parish of Okehampton’ and administered by a board of seven trustees. The current Mayor of Okehampton and the current chairman of Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council are ex-officio trustees, supported by three trustees appointed by Okehampton Town Council and two by Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council. The charity’s constitution stated the income of the charity should be used for ‘the supply in sickness of medicines, medical comforts, extra bedding and fuel’. Clothes, boots, blankets, fuel, tools and food could also be provided for those in need. Provision was also made to assist persons under the age of 24 preparing to enter employment or training. The introduction of the Welfare State and the NHS obviated many of these needs and the charity moved to giving direct financial help instead of goods. For some years the charity has been giving a financial grant, normally at Christmas, to persons in receipt of State Pension and other criteria. Grants continued to be available to persons under 24 entering apprenticeships or training. However, despite the best efforts of the trustees to publicise the assistance available, applicants have steadily decreased

Chagford Young Farmers’ Club

Young Farmers is a thriving youth organisation and Chagford YFC are always on the look out for keen young people to join between the ages of ten and 26. You don’t have to be from a farming background - and most of our current members aren’t. We are a small, friendly club and have regular meetings in both Moreton and Chagford. You can do anything in young farmers, from gaining your chainsaw certificate, public speaking, sports, social evenings - the club gives you the opportunity to try something new and different.

from over 30 applicants ten years ago, to 12 last year. There were very few applications by young persons for assistance with apprenticeship or training costs. In order to spend income surplus to that required for grants to individuals, the charity has awarded small grants to local charities and organisations assisting elderly or vulnerable people. In view of the decline of applicants and administration costs involved, the trustees decided to close the charity and distribute its funds of £160,000 between four local charities and organisations which best reflect its original aims. Okehampton & District Community Transport received £40,000 towards the provision of a new minibus. Okehampton College’s Holditch Centre based on the new Wardhayes Campus received £58,000, Tor Support Services and ACOT (Okehampton Age Concern) received grants of £32,000 and £30,000 respectively to support their essential services within Okehampton. Charles Letchford , Chairman of Trustees

Will, our chairman, took part in the Young Farmers choir competition along with 19 other farmers from Haldon Group. First they competed at the Devon County round, winning the competition and qualifying to compete at South West Area. At this stage, the choir beat Cornwall to become South West Area champions and qualified for the national final in Staffordshire, going on to win the national competition, which was a great result. Will had never ever considered being part of a choir before and has found it really rewarding being involved in this competition. Chagford YFC members have also volunteered to help do the gardening for a gentleman in Chagford who has a debilitating disease and who is no longer able to maintain his garden. Four members went along and helped tidy the garden, cutting the grass and removing overgrowth and waste. A really good job well done. We held a new members’ evening and barbecue on September 6th at Moretonhampstead Sports Centre. If you are interested in knowing more about Chagford YFC please ring Will on 07807 810280 or email chagfordyfc@outlook.com or look at either our Facebook or Instagram pages.

Chagford Young Farmers have had a busy couple of months. 18

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Making friends and socialising in and around Okehampton Do you have a few spare hours a week? Would you like to provide companionship and support for people in your local community? We would like to create a team of men and women of all ages who like meeting and spending time with people.

We know that when you are feeling lonely it is lovely to have a regular visit but it might be even better to make new friends, socialise and try new activities. If an activity is popular and not available locally we will look to access local funding and work with local partners to set it up.

Community Links is thrilled to have received £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards for All to pilot Befriending and Social Inclusion for Okehampton and the surrounding area. This is for people of all ages.

Of course we are also keen to hear from people who would appreciate this service. Have you lost confidence or have social anxiety? Do you live in a remote location? Are you housebound or have mobility issues? Are you feeling lonely? Would you like to get out and make friends? Do get in touch. We are able to help.

It would be lovely if volunteers had relevant experience but training will also be provided. All volunteers will be appointed using Safer Recruitment and where appropriate, DBS checked. Where possible our volunteers will encourage people to make connections in their local community which will improve wellbeing and support local community groups and organisations.

The new service complements our family support and counselling service, the Okehampton Mental Health Peer Support Group and the ASC/ADHD Parent Support Group. We are really keen to hear from anyone who would like to get involved. Please contact us on familysupport@communitylinkssw.co.uk or 01837 55105.

Rent arrears I am renting and have an assured shorthold tenancy. I have been struggling to pay the rent for a few months. I work full time but my wages aren’t enough. I only just manage with my other bills and spending. I am falling behind on my payments and worried about losing my home. What can I do to stop this from happening? It’s good you’ve looked for help. This is the first step to staying in your home. Rent arrears, like council tax debt or mortgage arrears, are a priority debt. Non-payment causes serious problems, such as losing your home. If the landlord says they plan to evict you, have served you with an eviction notice, or you have letters from court, get advice urgently. Go through correspondence from your landlord. Compare payments you’ve made to the arrears due, to make sure the numbers agree. Tell them why you’re struggling with your rent. Create a budget by adding up your essential living costs, such as food and energy, and take these away from your income. Use the Citizens Advice budgeting tool and benefits calculator to see if you can increase your income. Try to find cheaper deals on energy, phone and broadband. Put any spare money towards your debts.

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

If you’re able to pay off some arrears, your landlord may agree to a payment plan, enabling you to pay smaller amounts. Be clear and realistic about your budget. If they don’t agree a plan, or if you feel unable to negotiate alone, go to Citizens Advice. The payment plan should be written down and signed by the landlord. They can’t evict you without going to court. But if you do get evicted, ask the council for help with housing and benefits. Contact them immediately, they can help you stay in your home. For help with your budget, negotiating a rent payment plan, or eviction advice, contact your nearest Citizens Advice. For up-to-date advice, visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call Adviceline on 03444 111 444. Alternatively visit Okehampton Citizens Advice (Ockment Centre) Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10am-4pm and Friday 10am-1pm.

NOTICEBOARD

The Romans in North Tawton Nearly 100 people attended a most enjoyable and informative history day at St Peter’s Church, North Tawton recently, focusing on the Roman remains discovered near North Tawton. The event was organised by Okehampton and District Local History Society in memory of local historian Dr Jean Shields. Steve Stocker has been studying the route of the Roman Road between North Tawton and Okehampton for many years. He gave an illustrated talk on how he became involved in the investigation of the road and what can be seen today including photographs of the paved road, buried over a foot deep in the woodlands near Rowden. The second illustrated talk was by Dr Chris Smart and Dr João Fonte, professional archaeologists attached to the Archaeology Department at the University of Exeter. They run a project called ‘Understanding Landscapes’. They are excavating in Calstock and Ipplepen thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. They have been working with local volunteers on the Roman sites in the area of DeBathe cross. This work is funded by Devon County Council and Historic England. They have access to research methods not available to amateurs, including LIDAR which can reveal the contours of the land below vegetation. Their work on the remains close to DeBathe Cross already shows remarkable new information. The ten acre ‘fort’ on Nigel Dunn’s land is surrounded by a construction covering more than 80 acres, which could date from the Roman invasion in the first century AD. Although it is thought that the Second Augustan Legion was based in Exeter, it is now known that they came much further west. The North Tawton Roman remains may have been their base for a period. At that time North Tawton could have been larger than

Exeter. Up to 5,000 troops commanded by the future Emperor Vespasian would have been stationed close to the site of the Railway Inn. The present investigations are throwing up many puzzling features and the results are still being investigated. There may even have been an amphitheatre to entertain troops close to DeBathe cross. Until further digging takes place it is not possible to put a definite date to the remains, but their discovery, coupled with the work that has been carried out at Calstock and Ipplepen, indicates that the Roman military expansion into the South West can no longer be doubted. These talks at the church were followed by a well attended visit to the site of the features beyond the railway where the Roman Road would have crossed the River Taw. Okehampton and District Local History Society is grateful for all the help given in order to arrange this day in honour of Dr Jean Shields, who did so much to communicate the history of North Tawton and West Devon. Thanks especially to Steve Stocker, Nigel Dunn and the Rev Nick Weldon.

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NOTICEBOARD

In Touch Oke When anyone, for whatever reason, is in need of help and support, appropriate information is key and making that information accessible is a big priority. Okehampton Health and Wellbeing Alliance, facilitated by West Devon CVS, is a very active network of local statutory agencies and charitable groups providing services in the field of health and social care, and it’s working hard to address this issue. The Alliance has set up a small group to produce an information pack to be freely available to anyone in the town needing help and support. The group, comprising a crosssection of local agencies and services, is creating a simple, useful and easily accessible Information folder called ‘In Touch Oke’ for the benefit of anyone in difficult circumstances in the Okehampton area without access to the internet. This A-5 sized folder pack will contain emergency telephone numbers as well as separate inserts detailing sources of local information in six broad categories: •

Health including details of surgeries and medical groups

•

Money Matters including all debt advice as well as housing Family including matters relating to children, parenting and carers

•

Young people

•

Transport

•

Well-being including learning, social, volunteering activities

The inserts will be regularly updated and refreshed and printed and distributed by West Devon CVS. The folders will be available from participating organisations with a public presence within the town; their locations will be marked on a street map on the back of the folder. These ‘hosts’ or information points will direct anyone seeking help to the relevant information within the folder and if any gaps come to light, pass these on to WDCVS to be investigated. ‘In Touch Oke’ will be officially launched on Saturday, October 5th at Okehampton & District Community Transport’s coffee morning in the Charter Hall. Distribution of the folders will start during September and WDCVS looks forward to hearing any reactions or comments. For further information or if you would like to offer support to this worthwhile project, please contact Billie Burnett at WDCVS on 01837 53392 or email volunteering@westdevoncvs.org.uk

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NOTICEBOARD

Rotary donation to hen welfare charity A hen welfare charity which re-homes hens in Okehampton has been given a boost by its local Rotary club. The Rotary Club of Okehampton recently presented the British Hen Welfare Trust with £250 to help fund the charity’s work. Gaynor Davies, head of operations, is pictured receiving the cheque from Hugh McPhillips, Rotary club president. The money will be spent purchasing lino to go into the charity’s crates in order to make transportation of hens easier, more secure and hygienic. Gaynor, who also runs the charity’s

Okehampton rehoming point in South Zeal, said: ‘I’m personally very grateful to the Rotary club for this donation which will help make our rehoming days that bit easier. We re-home thousands of hens each year from South Zeal – that’s a lot of happy chickens!’ As well as rehoming over 60,000 hens each year, the BHWT also runs an education programme to inspire and inform future generations of hen

keepers, plus is working on a grant scheme to fund research into improving veterinary treatment for pet hens. The Okehampton re-homing point still welcomes further donations of lino for their crates. If you have any lying around please get in touch by emailing Gaynor. davies@bhwt.co.uk

Pet food packaging recycling in Chagford We all want to do our best to help the environment, so through your pets’ food packaging you can! Not all pet food packaging is recyclable but Terracycle have a scheme to recycle pet food packaging, chip it up, reconstitute it as plastic, making benches, fence post and much more from the results, helping charities along the way. Moorland Paws, the natural pet retailer and dog groomers in Chagford, have signed up to the scheme, being the only drop off point in and around Dartmoor and further afield too, having customers from Torrington and South Molton already dropping in their packaging. When you have finished feeding your cat or dog, wash out any packaging that you can’t recycle in your normal household recycling and bring it to Moorland Paws. Terracycle give us free shipping labels to send it off to them with, we parcel it up, they weigh our parcel and give us points per kilo. The points are then converted in to money which we can donate to a 22

charity - our chosen charity at this time is Dartmoor National Park, to help with conservation and upkeep of Dartmoor as a special place for us and our visitors. You never know, they may even end up using fence posts that your cat or dog may have helped to make!! We are open Tuesday - Friday 10-4pm and Saturday 10-2pm. It is worth phoning first just to make sure on 01647 433564. Moorland Paws

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OCRA Dance Project The Okehampton Community Dance Project offers affordable and inclusive dance sessions to children aged three to 18 years in the Okehampton area, across five separate age groups. The project’s mission statement is ‘passion before perfection’. It is aimed at children who love to dance but who are put off by the structure and financial commitment of a more formal dance school. Dance teachers Lynne Rogers and Ellodie Stott aim to direct the children’s energy in a positive movement experience by providing a safe and inclusive environment for them to meet and learn new physical and social skills. In their sessions, the

children develop their dance technique and skills as well as their strength and flexibility. The project is a non-profit association, running on a minimal weekly class cost of £2, making it accessible to all children. It brings children together from different backgrounds and aims to make a difference by providing benefits that go further than just the physical ones associated with dance. Dance nurtures the whole person, in both body and mind.

The project offers opportunities to perform at local events, supporting other community projects such as Wren Music Trust and the Rotary Club. They perform annually at several town initiatives building performance skills, team work and confidence, both individual and as a group. The project meets Fridays at the Ockment Centre and is currently taking registrations for the next school year. If you would like more information please contact Lynne Rogers and Ellodie Stott at okedanceproject@hotmail.com

Royal British Legion (RBL) Okehampton branch Okehampton has a strong and long connection with the military Okehampton Camp has been in existence for at least 160 years - and the town’s branch of the Royal British Legion dates from 1923, just two years after the charity was created in the years following the First World War. The RBL plays a hugely important role in supporting ex-servicemen and women in times of trouble, whether through provision of small financial grants or help and advice. And its major fundraising campaign is through the annual Poppy Appeal, co-ordinated by local branches of the charity throughout the country during two weeks in November.

‘By joining the Royal British Legion, you are showing support to an organisation that is dedicated to the welfare of ex-servicemen, many of whom will have completed tours in Afghanistan or Iraq, as well as other conflicts worldwide.’

The Appeal itself runs from October 26th until November 12th. Anyone can volunteer to sell poppies - if you’d like to help, call Wendy Oliver, Okehampton district organiser, on 01837 659728 or 07879 452 633.

As the charity looks ahead to its centenary in 2021, Okehampton RBL welcomes new members to enable its important welfare work to continue and to help with the annual Poppy Appeal.

If you’d like more information about the RBL in Okehampton or would like to join, please call 01837 861373 or 01837 840757.

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Raising funds for paralysed rugby player A crowdfunding campaign to help a North Tawton rugby player left paralysed after falling from a roof is already raising thousands of pounds towards his rehabilitation. Craig and Chloe Dennis’ lives have been dramatically altered by the accident. Craig, 25, fell from a roof while helping on his parents’ farm during the summer, sustaining multiple injuries including a severe bleed to the brain, multiple fractures to his skull, major spinal damage as well as other injuries and complications. He was rushed to Derriford Hospital where he twice had emergency surgery. For over three weeks following the accident, Craig remained in intensive care, recovery thwarted repeatedly by infection and secondary complications. Chloe said: ‘We’ve been on an emotional roller coaster - every time we dared to think we had passed the worst, we were hit by another crisis.’ Once Craig’s brain injury became stable the spinal team undertook a nine hour operation to stabilise him. Despite the surgery going to plan, Craig’s injuries are such that sadly he remains paralysed. The level of rehabilitation and recovery Craig requires is complex due to the severity and combination of his injuries. Chloe said: ‘His rehabilitation is going to be unimaginably tough and it is not a journey I can bear for him to go through alone. Juggling the business I have worked so hard to build up, alongside the need to be with Craig, is going to be difficult,

but given the physical and mental challenges he is facing, it is incredibly important to us both to be together through this.’ Chloe, a dance teacher in Okehampton who runs her own business, In Bloom Beauty, has begun a fundraising campaign to help cover some of the anticipated expenses and ensure she can support Craig during his rehabilitation. Less than 24 hours after Chloe launched the crowd funder page, an amazing £15,000 of the £75,000 target was raised. A fundraising sponsored walk to all the clubs North Tawton RFC are playing this year started at Penzance on September 2nd, finishing at North Tawton on September 11th, a total of 253 miles. Chloe is incredibly grateful for the love, care and well wishes extended to her and Craig and realises a massive sum needs to be raised to make the adaptions required their house in South Tawton, so Craig can become as independent as possible. She is planning a major fundraiser in November - keep a look out in the next edition of Oke Links for full details. In the mean time, you can donate through the Go Fund Me platform by searching ‘Craig’s Journey’.

Dartmoor - an evolving story I have been lucky enough to be associated with Dartmoor all my life. I’d like to think my knowledge of the place helps in my role as Ranger Team Manager - it certainly enables me to draw maximum enjoyment from my down time on the moor. So how can anyone not in my fortunate position deepen their own understanding? Autumn provides the ideal opportunity to visit any of the national park visitor centres, notably Postbridge where a fantastic new exhibition reveals the Bronze Age moor that’s still here today - if you know what to look for! Then of course there’s the fabulous Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton. To say a trip to this charitable institution is worthwhile would be a major understatement. In 2005 the museum benefited from a £700,000 year-long renovation and modernisation exercise and is now a state-ofthe-art exhibition gallery with interpretive displays. It provides 24

a truly meaningful visitor experience with its three floors boasting a vast collection of objects spanning 5,000 years of life on Dartmoor. There are events and exhibitions running throughout the season and a number of ‘Discovery Zones’ and trails to help children explore at their own speed. Dartmoor life is a fascinating and complex mix of nature, industrial endeavour, geology, farming, conservation - the list goes on. Improving our knowledge of this special place is the best way to safeguard its future. Luckily we’ve all the information we need on the doorstep.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

The end of Alzheimer’s? Most of us have been touched by dementia at least once in our lives, whether as patients, carers, family or friends. The loss of normal skills for daily life can be heart-breaking and, until recently, there has seemed little hope of either treatment or prevention. However, a new therapeutic approach to treating neurodegeneration is showing promising early results. The Bredesen ReCODE (Reversal of Cognitive Decline) protocol, developed by American neuroscientist Dr Dale Bredesen from over 30 years of research, is a multi-faceted and personalised approach to the treatment of Alzheimer’s. In his seminal paper, ‘Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program’ (published in the journal Aging, September 2014), Dr Bredesen described a personalised programme based on treating the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. Out of 10 case studies, nine showed enough improvement to return to normal life activities. In a subsequent study, more than 100 patients showed improved symptoms. Meanwhile, hundreds of people around the world are already using the protocol to help alleviate or prevent cognitive decline.

Broadly speaking, the factors fall into categories, including: •

Inflammation, which can be caused by many things including stress and viral infections such as Lyme disease.

•

Glyco-toxicity, the so-called type-3 diabetes

•

Metabolic problems such as hormone or nutrient deficiency

•

Toxicity which can come from environmental factors such as mould or heavy metal exposure.

The contributing factors vary with each individual and the protocol is personalised, based on a person’s current health, lifestyle and genetics. A ‘cognoscopy’ which measures many of the known drivers of the disease is the start point.

I am a nutritional therapist and a certified practitioner of the Bredesen Protocol™ having completed the Institute of Functional Medicine training in 2018. I work near Okehampton. ‘The End of Alzheimer’s’ by Dale Bredesen is a mine of information and for anyone seeking more individual help I offer a free initial telephone conversation to see if the protocol could be of help. Ellen McCallum

Dr Bredesen’s research revealed that at least 36 metabolic factors contribute to the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s and that all of these can trigger ‘downsizing’ in the brain. In the brain there are nearly 10,000 synapses or connections which are needed for us to speak, learn, remember, find our way and make decisions. The health of the brain can be thought of in the same way as bone health. Our bones have bone building activity and bone breakdown - an imbalance of these is what leads to problems like osteoporosis. Similarly, the brain builds synapses and breaks them down and what the scientists discovered was that people with Alzheimer’s were on the wrong side of the balance.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

GP Patient Survey results Okehampton Medical Centre The national GP patient survey results have recently been published and I would like to pick out a couple of important points raised by the responses for our practice in this issue of Oke Links and the next. According to respondents, only 47% usually get to see or speak to their preferred GP when they would like to. We understand this can be frustrating and causes anxiety to people who value the relationship they have with their GP. I would ask you please to be kind to the staff at the practice if they are unable to offer you an appointment with your preferred GP or at your preferred time or date. It is not their fault. There are several reasons why your GP may not be available or may not be the right person to deal with your problem. Missed appointments are one reason why waiting times to see your GP may be increased - if you let us know that you cannot make your appointment we can offer it to someone else. We have tried to make it as easy as possible to cancel your appointment - you can do this at your convenience by text message; you can reply to your appointment confirmation or reminder; you can also cancel using our automated phone system or online via Patient Access. All of these ways cancel your appointment directly in the system and so are available again in real time. Nationally there is a crisis in general practice and a shortage of GPs. We have struggled to recruit for vacancies recently, however, I am pleased to say that we have two GPs joining us – one in September and one in November. This means we will have less appointments available until then. Although we have additional ‘locum’ GP clinics wherever we can, this is limited during school holidays. Although we allocate each patient their own GP, no GP works five days a week so there will always be days when your GP is not in. We also run a duty doctor system which includes the GP calling all patients who request an appointment on the day. The duty doctor can see patients themselves but also has

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

appointments available to book into in other GPs clinics. This means your GP may not be able to see you for a routine appointment because they are duty doctor or because they are dealing with problems that need to be dealt with that day. We have a range of healthcare professionals who can help you – it does not necessarily need to be the GP. In addition to the minor illness and minor injuries nurse prescribers and the nurses who manage long term conditions, we have a home visiting paramedic to acutely unwell patients and we have just recruited an advanced practitioner, also a qualified paramedic, who will be able to support the duty doctor with telephone triage, seeing patients in the practice and in patients’ homes from October. Our clinical pharmacist joined the team last month and has been a huge support in providing answers to patient queries and concerns, improving patient safety by reviewing our medicines management and he also offers long term conditions clinics. The wellbeing support we offer through our wellbeing coordinator and health and wellbeing coach enables people whose concerns may be emotional, social or psychological to be supported and signposted to more appropriate services. The expertise that each member of our medical, clinical, health and wellbeing team bring means that your GP may not be the most appropriate person to deal with your concern – and we want you to have the best and most effective support by getting you to the right person as quickly as possible. This is why we ask you to give as much information as you can about your problem to the member of staff who takes your initial call. Kiran Bakhshi Practice Manager

GARDENING

Get inspired for next year’s planting Narcissus × bulbocodium AGM credit RHS/Sheila Dearing

Choosing bulbs

Summer is slowing down and as the deadheading starts to ease why not take the opportunity to get inspired for next year? Now is a favourable time to buy and plant many spring flowering bulbs. The variety and interest that they can add to the garden is undeniable, either on a small scale in planters or as bigger groups in flower beds and lawns. There are boundless combinations of colourful tulips, sleek daffodils, sweet scented hyacinths, miniature Muscari and many more to experiment with. Here are a few of my favourite bulb varieties that we grow here at RHS Rosemoor:

Daffodils Daffodils follow the snowdrops as some of the earlier spring bulbs to emerge. We have large groups of all yellow Narcissus obvallaris AGM, an attractive daffodil favoured here for its ability to cope with our heavy soil. Elsewhere dainty N. cyclamineus AGM and N. bulbicodium AGM illuminate the lawns down to the lake during March and are also grown in pots in our alpine house. To extend the season I like the ruffled cream and apricot petals of N. ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ AGM, grown here in large pots that flower in April.

Tulips Although a good time to buy tulips, we recommend planting

them in the cooler months from October to December. This year we tried Tulipa ‘Spring Green’ AGM in an herbaceous bed. A traditional shaped tulip with gentle white and green striped flowers, it fitted naturally amongst the new herbaceous foliage. With so many varieties to choose from, why not get a selection of early, mid and late flowering tulips to get the most out of your efforts? Unfortunately, we do remove these bedding tulip varieties and start afresh each year, as the bulbs don’t tend to come back well. However, if you’d prefer something longer lasting you could try alpine tulips. Tulipa tarda AGM is a superb example of these, with gorgeous yellow miniature flowers with white tips that look good at the front of a bed, or in pots of rich, welldrained compost.

Muscari As you may have experienced, Muscari or grape hyacinths are very good at spreading themselves around the garden. If you do not fancy introducing anymore outside, you could still use them in pots inside. If planted throughout October and kept in a cool and dark place for at least 10 weeks, they can be brought inside to flower from mid-winter until spring. I personally love the pale blue cultivar M. armeniacum ‘Valerie Finnis’ in small terracotta pots dotted about the house.

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GARDENING

Tulipa tarda AGM credit RHS/Suzanne Drew

Hyacinths

Tips to maximise your bulbs

For a hyacinth that doesn’t get out of control outside why not try the large highly scented cousin of the grape hyacinth. Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ is a bold and beautiful maroon variety that suits an outdoor planter or bed. Plant in the autumn for a one-off show and simply cut back the flowering head once faded.

•

Alliums Alliums are valuable architectural plants for May/June that come in a variety of purples and whites. Allium ‘Firmament’ is a lovely new variety we’ve introduced to the border, standing 80cm tall with a mauve head of starry shaped flowers. It looks great hovering above the leaves of other plants which disguise its own fading foliage. Plant in large groups where possible in well-drained soil for a display that comes back year on year.

Store bulbs in a cool dark place until planting. • To get the most out of your pots why not try bulbs in layers with the largest bulbs at the bottom and an inch or two of soil in between each. • Plants bulb at a depth roughly 2/3 x their own height. • Firm them in but don’t push too hard as the roots will grow and anchor them in. • Discard any bulbs that look diseased and are soft or mouldy. • Water bulbs in pots once after planting and regularly when leaves are visible. • Other jobs for early-mid Autumn: Collect and sow the seed from hardy annuals indoors.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ credit RHS/Sue Drew

Net ponds to catch autumn leaves. Start to reduce the watering of indoor plants as temperatures cool. Sally Newbrook , Horticulturist

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

Allium ‘Firmament’ credit RHS/Carol Sheppard

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FARMING NEWS

Not such a high jump for Sportsman the bull... Farmer Stuart Luxton reflects on summer 2019 Hello again everyone. I hope you have all had a good summer? The weather has been in general very kind to the farm. It has been a little dry at times, but on a few occasions when things nearly got serious, we seemed to have a nice dose of rain. Farming can be a funny business. Last year we were desperately short of conserved winter food for the animals. There was very little for sale and what there was seemed very poor value for money. This year we have had record crops, in some cases yields were double, so much that we might have some spare - but it is not worth very much, as everyone else has had good crops too. I guess it’s only market forces. Our cattle in general have had a very good summer, they seem to fare well when the weather is warm and dry. There was one exception though. One of our new bulls, Sportsman, decided he wasn’t satisfied with a nice bunch of heifers - he wanted to see some cows too. He jumped a gate between fields but caught and tore his penis. The vet thought the damage was serious and only gave him a 15% chance of recovery. A month later, after lots of cold washes and much rubbing of ointment, the prognosis is much better. After the sad loss of Tiny in the spring, we decided to buy some high end straws of semen to use on our best cows this summer. When you are used to seeing a bull working, it is very odd to think that with a couple of emails, you can receive a delivery of genetics from anywhere in the country - or even the world. Nine months later, calves can be born by a bull that has never been near the farm.

The sheep have not faired too well this summer, they prefer it a bit cooler and wetter. Lameness is proving to be a big problem, particularly in the lambs. In years gone by, there were plenty of youngsters to help with the physical work of the harvest. Recently this has not been the case, but this year, it was fantastic to have so many willing helpers when it came to the small bales. Joe, Lachlan, Adam, Jacob and even Sophie and Sam lent a hand. Adrian and I both had our 50th birthdays this summer and I joked that this was our last year as we wouldn’t be needed again! Currently we are looking to replace one of our tractors, as both our two main workhorses are getting on a bit. Our old girl is 17 years old this year. There is plenty of choice, but the big problem is the price. I think that it would be cheaper to buy a small house. The frustrating thing is the new tractor won’t do anything different to the one it replaces. As is the norm now the shop has been very busy of late, the café area in particular never seems to be big enough. I don’t think it will be too long before we will need to build an extension on the extension! I do have a sobering thought though - next time I have to write an article for Oke Links, it will be nearing Christmas . . . I hope you have a lovely Autumn. Stuart Luxton

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FINANCE

Ethical investments come of age Ethical, Socially Responsible, Sustainable. These are all terms which are becoming more common in investment circles. But what do they actually mean? And do you need to sacrifice investment performance to be ethical? There is no doubt that investors in general, particularly the younger investors, are more keen than ever to know what’s going on under the bonnet of their pension and investment funds. There is also a growing appetite to invest responsibly. But investing responsibly is subjective and open to interpretation. What does an ethical fund actually do differently from a non-ethical fund?

generating positive investment returns with making a positive contribution to society and the environment and avoiding companies that have a damaging business approach.

When we are looking at ethical options, the funds we are assessing will reference ESG – Environmental, Social and Governance issues. That means, while analysing a company to invest in, they are not only looking at their growth potential but also how they deal with ESG issues.

The good news is as the idea of investing ethically has taken off over the last ten years, so too has the choice of ethical funds within your pension or investment.

However, it is important to understand the interpretation of what an ethical fund actually invests in. Ethical investors might be surprised to find holdings in BP or GSK or bank and telecoms stock when they analyse their ethical funds. So it is important to understand that this is a subjective evaluation. Under the bonnet ethical funds are trying to balance

A particular company may be included in an ethical fund because they donate a great deal to ethical causes, but if their main source of business is detrimental to the environment, the investor might question their inclusion in an ethical fund. In short, just because a fund has the word ‘ethical’ in its title, it does not mean it would meet every investor’s definition of an ethical investment.

Ultimately, as an investor, your main priority is investment returns. In the past you may have had to compromise those returns when investing ethically, but now there is increasing evidence that investing ethically does not have to be at the expense of performance. With a well built, diversified portfolio, you can achieve your financial goals without compromising your principles. Craig Davidson, Davidsons IFA

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AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS AT THE PLOUGH ARTS CENTRE

THE place in North Devon for superb live entertainment, theatre, films, live satellite screenings, exhibitions, workshops... and delicious local food!

Voodoo Room Fri 6 Sept

Oas-is plus support The Sugarcanes Fri 20 Sept

Lionel - A Tribute to Lionel Richie Sun 29 Sept

Comedy with Romesh Ranganathan Sat 7 Sept

NT Live ‘Fleabag’ Thurs 12 Sept

Comedy with Al Murray Fri 13 Sept

Saskia Griffiths-Moore Sat 21 Sept

The Quentin Collins Sextet Sun 22 Sept

Creedence Clearwater Review Sat 28 Sept

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China Crisis Thurs 10 Oct

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Jo Harman Band Sat 19 Oct

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For full details of each performance please check our website: theploughartscentre.org.uk

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Coming Soon! The Darkside of Pink Floyd - Paul Young with Los Pacaminos - An Audience with Lesley Garrett Andy Fairweather Low & The Low Riders - Absolute Bowie - Claire Teal Duo - Robert Powell’s Dickensian Christmas Paul Jones & Dave Kelly - Steve Knightley - Snake Davis Band - Josie Long

COMPETITION TIME

New season - new competition! The new Plough Arts programme is now out - literally hundreds of live events, film screenings, exhibitions and art workshops are waiting for you to discover within its pages, or at www.theploughartscentre.org.uk. The Plough has a reputation for attracting some of the big names in comedy and just a few of the highlights include Al Murray, Romesh Ranganathan, Harry & Chris and Josie Long. Music is very high profile and this season just some of the names to look out for are The Schmoozenbergs, Lionel – A Tribute to Lionel Richie, Lindisfarne, China Crisis, Gareth Gates, Grace Petrie, Paul Young & Los Pacaminos, the wonderful Lesley Garrett, 60’s icon Andy Fairweather Low & The Low Riders, Soul Intention (a fundraiser for The Plough Arts Centre) Clare Teal, Paul Jones & Dave Kelly, Snake Davis Band and local lad, Steve Knightley! Oke Links has teamed up with The Plough to offer one lucky reader two tickets to see well-known 80s band China Crisis at The Plough on October 10.

China Crisis found major success in the UK with five Top 40 singles, ten Top 50 singles and three Top 40 albums and hits across Australia, Europe and the Americas. The band are known for their string of hit singles, including African & White, Christian, Working with Fire and Steel, Black Man Ray and Wishful Thinking. Their RETROspective tour will see the band performing these classics alongside songs from all their seven studio albums.

Just answer this simple question: How many Top 40 albums did China Crisis have in the UK? Email your answer to jane.honey@linksmagazines.co.uk make sure you put China Crisis Competition in the subject box and include your name, home address and telephone number so we can contact you, or send your answer to China Crisis Competition, The Sanctuary, Kilworthy Hill, Tavistock PL19 0EP. The winning entry will be drawn on September 20th. Good luck!

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The heart of Three great venues at the heart of our beautiful bustling market town

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VOTED AS ONE OF THE ‘BEST TOWN WEDDING VENUES’ IN THE SOUTH WEST Butchershalltavistock Butchers_Hall ButchershHallTavistock UPCOMING EVENTS

September 7th Tavistock Arts Market (free entry) 14th Miss Ivy Events The Artisan Food & Gift Market 15th Antiques & Collectables Fair (free entry) 25th – 26th Butchers’ Hall Autumn Fair (free entry)

Goose Fa i Artisan r Market W

October 5th Tavistock Arts Market 9th Goose Fair Artisan Market 19th Go Gothic Festival 20th Antiques & Collectables Fair 26th Vintage & Salvage Fair

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Pannier Market WHAT’S ON NCCPG Plant Fair Sunday 15th September 10am – 3pm

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What’s On OCTOBER

OCTOBER Goose Fair, 10th Open 9am - 6pm

Goose Fair, 10th DECEMBER Open 9am - 6pm

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WHAT’S ON

Regulars TUESDAYS (DURING TERM TIME) Tai Chi for good health, relaxation and vitality, 11.40am - 12.40pm, Church House, South Tawton. Everyone welcome. Contact Kate Dixon, kate@forestchi.co.uk Tel: 01837 840959 www.forestchi.co.uk TUESDAYS At Okehampton Library - 10am until 10.30am, Bounce & Rhyme for over one year olds; 11am until 11.30am, Bounce and Rhyme for under one year olds. Last Tuesday of the month, Bookworms - a book club for children aged seven to eleven between 3.45pm and 4.45pm. Free, no booking necessary. KNIT AND NATTER At Okehampton Library between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Bring along your knitting, stitching, crochet or other portable project, for a chat with like-minded crafters. Tea and coffee available at 50p a cup.

1ST TUESDAY ART GROUP A friendly place to meet artists with a variety of skills and abilities. Bring your own materials and have fun. Tea and coffee available or BYOB. We will ask for a contribution to room hire. 7.30-9.30pm The Community Centre, Barton Street, North Tawton. organiser@themusicandart.co.uk 07890 850877 3RD TUESDAY BLUES JAM SESSION A chance to meet like minded musicians and gain experience of playing in a group. This is not an open mic, there are no slots. 12 bar Blues will be the predominant genre and all players must be prepared to play with anyone else there. Drum kit, amps and PA provided. Tea and coffee available or BYOB. £2 contribution to room hire. 7.30pm-9.30pm The Community Centre, Barton Street, North Tawton. organiser@ themusicandart.co.uk 07890 850877

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

FIRST WEDNESDAY (FROM OCTOBER) COPING WITH ANXIETY New support group teaching cancer patients how to manage anxiety through relaxation. Run by a qualified oncology support specialist, there will be a continuous rotation of four structured sessions for patients, families and carers affected by cancer. 1pm-2pm, Okehampton Hospital. For information call Emma Ellis at the FORCE Centre in Exeter on 01392 403051. WEDNESDAYS At Okehampton Library, 9.30am until 10.15am, Duplo Builders and Storytime for children up to five. Free, no booking necessary. OKEHAMPTON SATURDAY MARKET The ‘Strictly Social’ dance club is holding ballroom dance classes for beginners at the Nicholls Hall in Lydford, every Wednesday starting at 7.25pm. £5 per person for one hours lesson. Contact Terry Flannery on 07891 614491, or email

WHAT’S ON

strictlysocialdanceclub@gmail.com for further details. THURSDAYS SNAP (Special Needs Activities in the Park) SNAP is a social club for children and young people with special needs. The club offers a fantastic opportunity to try lots of fun activities, socialise and make new friends. 7pm - 8.30pm, term time only, at the Pavilion in the Park and Okehampton College Gym. Contact: snap.okey@gmail. com, 07851 257733 or 01837 659990. FOURTH THURSDAY PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP This friendly support groups meets at Castle Ham Lodge, Okehampton. Tea, comfort and mutual support are on offer. Newcomers are welcome. For more information call 01837 55813. SATURDAYS LEGO BUILDERS At Okehampton Library between 10.30am and 11.30am, for children aged 5+. Free, no booking necessary. OKEHAMPTON SATURDAY MARKET In Red Lion Yard. A wide range of stalls - everything from fresh eggs and home-made soap to bike spares and leathergoods. For more information call market manager Ron Clarkson on 07514 631891 or email ronclarkson@hotmail. co.uk THIRD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH WHIDDON WIDE COMMUNITY CHOIR This friendly choir has been running for several years - if you are interested

in singing around the parishes you are welcome to join the choir at their regular meetings between 10am and 12.30pm. For more information email ruthfcurtis@ icloud.com FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH RUN IN THE PARK Joint the regular 5k and 2.5k runs around stunning Simmons Park in Okehampton. Suitable for adults of all ages, young people and families, leaving the Pavilion in the Park at 9.30am. LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH OKEY FOLKY FOLK SESSIONS At the Plume of Feathers in Okehampton. Singers, musicians, poets, step dancers and audience all welcome! The fun starts at 8pm. For more information call Debbie Jessop, 07773 479375.

September 11 SEPTEMBER OKEHAMPTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Simon Dell will give a talk on Dartmoor Conscientious Objectors at The Ockment Centre, North Street, Okehampton at 7.30pm. 11 & 18 SEPTEMBER FREE COMPUTER LESSONS Free IT sessions for beginners at Okehampton Library delivered by Elite Training South West. Booking essentiual. 10am - 12.30pm.

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13 SEPTEMBER FERRET RACING A fundraising night at the Charter Hall, Okehampton. Doors open 6pm, first race 6.30pm. Family fun for all ages, Refreshments, Bar and Raffle. See What’s On Extra for more information. 13 SEPTEMBER LEARN AND DINE A talk by Ellen McCallum, Naturopathic Nutritionist. Learn about the immune system through our diet and enjoy a seasonably linked meal. £15, 7pm - 9pm, at All Saints Church Hall, Okehampton. In association with Harvest Workers Cooperative. 14 SEPTEMBER SOURDOUGH WORKSHOP With the Holistic Cookery Academy. Create delicious digestible bread and eat it together, take a starter culture home. £45. At the Eco Hub, Okehampton, 1pm-5pm. In association with Harvest Workers Cooperative. 14 SEPTEMBER BOOKTRACK PIRATES AHOY At Okehampton Library, 10.30am until noon. Pirate stories and sea shanties, pirate Lego and make a pirate ship sessions. Guess where the treasure is hidden on the pirate map, 10p per go. These event is supported by the Friends of Okehampton Library. 14 SEPTEMBER OPEN DAY At St Mary the Virgin, Bratton Clovelly. Join us at the Church and School Room

Due to popular demand we are now taking bookings for Christmas Party Celebrations Available from Friday 31 Nov to Friday 20 Dec Choice of 3 or 4 Course Menus

We only use the freshest ingredients from local suppliers and farms from fish to meat and game lovingly created into mouth-watering dishes by our Michelin Chef Malcolm. Booking highly recommended.

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WHAT’S ON

11am to 4pm. Cream teas and refreshments plus fun with tower visits at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, treasure hunt, teddy bear parachutes, games, raffle, history talks and more. 14 SEPTEMBER HERITAGE OPEN DAY At Lydford Gorge. Explore the Devil’s Cauldron and Tunnel Falls before most of the gorge is shut for maintenance over the winter. Free entry to all. 10am until 5pm. 14 SEPTEMBER OKEHAMPTON CASTLE This special train leaves Okehampton Station for a day trip to Weymouth. See What’s On Extra for information. 14 SEPTEMBER - 30 NOVEMBER WOMEN POLICING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES In partnership with the South West Police Heritage Trust this exhibition at the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton will look at the careers of women in our local police force including those pioneers who joined in the early 20th century and the first female police motorcyclist. The exhibition will include events to meet some of the women in these and otherground breaking roles. 15 SEPTEMBER OPEN GARDEN At Higher Cherubeer, Dolton. See What’s On Extra for more information. 18 SEPTEMBER CLAIRE HOLLINGWORTH AND THE SCOOP OF THE CENTURY An interactive family show at Okehampton Library, presented by Paddleboat Theatre

Company, 2pm-5pm. From the busy newspaper offices in London to the frontline during World War II, Clare’s adventures tell the remarkable true story of one of the most important writers of our time. The show will be followed by a free storytelling workshop for all the family! The workshop will last approximately 1 hour, everyone welcome to stay after the show to join in. Recommended age 4+ Tickets available from Okehampton Library £4 per person or through the Eventbrite link (booking fee payable)

26 SEPTEMBER NORTH DARTMOOR GARDEN CLUB ‘What’s in a Name’ - A light-hearted look at Latin and common plant nomenclature. A fun way to overcome our fears of those long unpronounceable names and learn from them. A talk by Mark Wash Trecanna Nursery at Belstone Village Hall, 7.30pm.

21 SEPTEMBER CONCERT AT ST BRIDGET’S CHURCH Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir will perform at St Bridget’s Church in Bridestowe. See Music and Art for more information.

AMBER & MALLOW

21 SEPTEMBER COFFEE MORNING Staged by the Friends of Throwleigh Church at Endecott House, Chagford, between 10am and noon. Cake stall, plant stall, raffle etc. All welcome.

Lifestyle

21 SEPTEMBER HERITAGE OPEN DAY At Castle Drogo. Visit the castle and grounds for free between 11am and 5pm as Drogo takes part in the Heritage Open Day Scheme. 21 SEPTEMBER CHURCH TOWER VISITS At All Saints’ Church, Okehampton. See What’s On Extra for more information. 21 & 22 SEPTEMBER WHITEHORSE HILL Promenade performance at Bellever. See Music and Art for more information.

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WHAT’S ON

28 SEPTEMBER AUTUMN APPLES FAMILY WORKSHOP Apple pressing, fireside cooking, stories, creative activities, outside play and gardening. Free through Learn Devon. 2pm-4pm at The Eco Hub, Okehampton. In association with Harvest Workers Cooperative.

October 2 OCTOBER COPING WITH ANXIETY New support group teaching cancer patients how to manage anxiety through relaxation. Run by a qualified oncology support specialist, there will be a continuous rotation of four structured sessions for patients, families and carers affected by cancer. 1pm-2pm, Okehampton Hospital. For information call Emma Ellis at the FORCE Centre in Exeter on 01392 403051. 3 OCTOBER TALK A talk on the Bredesen Protocol (a personalised approach to the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease), by Ellen McCallum, 7pm at the Ockment Centre, Okehampton. Entry £7.50. For more information on the protocol, see health pages. 4 OCTOBER HYDRO OPEN DAY At Castle Drogo. The hydro turbine building on the RIver Teign will be open between 11am and 4pm. 5 OCTOBER

ROSA REBECKA CONCERT AND WORKSHOP See What’s On Extra for more information. 5 OCTOBER OKEHAMPTON FUN PALACE At Okehampton Library, 9.30am until 12.30pm. Fun Palaces is an annual weekend of action including arts, science, craft and tech activities. Have a go at the following activities which people from our community are sharing with you for free crochet, embroidery, ukulele. 5 OCTOBER TALK ‘The Blushing Gumtree and other tales from our Australian tour’. A talk by Gilly Thomas at 7.30pm at Sampford Courtenay Village Hall. 5 OCTOBER APPLE DAY At Lydford Gorge. Help press the apples from the orchard, have a go on the apple shy and cook up tasty treats on the fire. Normal admission applies. 11am - 3pm. 5 OCTOBER QUIZ NIGHT At Belstone Village Hall, in aid of village hall funds. Time TBA. 7-12 OCTOBER NATIONAL LIBRARIES WEEK Look out for the Pop-Up Library around Okehampton during libraries week, there will be free books, subject to availability. 9 OCTOBER CELEBRATING LIBRARIES IN A DIGITAL WORLD Struggling with your hand held device

- bring into the library for staff to assist you. The library will also be open for all customers to browse and use our usual services plus coffee and homemade cake will be provided by the Friends of Okehampton Library. Free but donations welcome. 10 OCTOBER GARDEN WALKS Enjoy an early evening guided walk through the grounds of Castle Drogo, 5pm - 6.30pm. £5 per person. 11 OCTOBER BLACK TIE DINNER Fundraising event to raise money for Okehampton Christmas lights and carnival. See What’s On Extra. 12 OCTOBER WINNIE’S WALK To a World War II crash site. See Winnie’s Walk for information. 12 OCTOBER COFFEE MORNING Held by the Friends of St Andrew’s, Moretonhampstead in the Community Club, Court Street, from 10am to midday. Entry is £1 and includes coffee or tea and biscuits. There will be a book stall and delicious home-made cake stall, not to mention a raffle, so please come along. The Friends is a charity that raises money to maintain the fabric of the church. 12 OCTOBER DIVING FOR PEARLS An explosive six-piece band of experienced musicians playing blues, funk, rock and other genres in their own rich blend. Sampford Courtenay Village Hall, 7.30pm.

History Tour

Tuesday 8th October

Enjoy a guided tour of the house

£30.00 per person including lunch

Murder Mystery

Saturday 2nd November

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A Family Run Hideaway in Devon 42

LEWDOWN, OKEHAMPTON, DEVON EX20 4PN TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 1566 783 222

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WHAT’S ON

12 OCTOBER SECRETS OF BELSTONE TOR A two hour guided walk with Chris Walpole to discover artefacts left behind across Belstone Tor by the stone masons and military men of old. Meet 1.30pm outside Belstone Village Hall. Refreshments afterwards in the Hall. Donations invited for Hall funds. Dogs allowed on leads only. Tel 01837 840498 or email chris.walpole@mypostoffice.co.uk. 13 OCTOBER FUNGI FORAY Join an experienced mycologist finding and identifying the wide range of fungi on the Castle Drogo estate. 2pm - 4pm, £5, booking essential online or 0344 249 1895. 16 OCTOBER TALK - SOUTH WEST POLICE HERITAGE TRUST Hilary Bracegirdle, curator of the South West Police Heritage Trust, will give an insight into the work of the Trust and its more notorious archives and objects at the Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton, at

2pm. £4 to include tea. 17, 18 & 19 OCTOBER JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR The fabulous musical will be performed by St Peter’s Troupers and the children of North Tawton Primary School. See Music and Art for more information. 18 OCTOBER QUIZ NIGHT Held by the Friends of St Andrew’s, Moretonhampstead at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall, Fore Street. Entry fee will include a continental buffet. Teams of four maximum and the winner takes home a trophy. There will be a raffle and a cash bar serving beer, wine and soft drinks. These events have been held for two years and they have proved very popular and great fun so please get your entries in as soon as possible once fully advertised. Contact: 01647 441378.

19 OCTOBER DEER WALK Starting at 7.15am, enjoy a guided walk during the fallow deer rut at Castle Drogo, followed by full English breakfast in the Café. £17.50 per person (£10 children), booking essential online or 0344 249 1895. 19 OCTOBER OKEHAMPTON CARNIVAL See What’s On Extra for more information. 20 OCTOBER OPEN GARDEN At Andrew’s Corner, Belstone. See What’s On Extra for more information.

18 & 23 OCTOBER TORCHLIGHT WALK At Lydford Gorge, 5.30pm - 7pm. Light your way to Whitelady Waterfall with a flaming

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torch, then warm up with hot chocolate and marshmallows on the fire. £8 (includes torch), additional ticket (without torch) £2, booking essential (online or call 0344 249 1895).

24 OCTOBER NORTH DARTMOOR GARDEN CLUB ‘Autumn Colour’ with Alan French at Belstone Village Hall, 7.30pm.

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WHAT’S ON

24 OCTOBER MAKE A MAD MONEY BOX At Okehampton Library, tickets £1.50 per child, please book in advance, suitable for ages 5+. 10am until 11am. 25 OCTOBER MUSEUMS AT NIGHT The Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton will be open after hours, between 6pm and 8pm. There are spooky goings-on for the children as they roam through the galleries. £4 per child, accompanying adults free. 25-27 OCTOBER BARING GOULD WEEKEEND Staged by Wren Music. See Music and Art for more information. 26 OCTOBER AUTUMN SQUASH FAMILY WORKSHOP Pumpkin carving, fireside cooking, stories, creative activities, outside play and gardening at The Eco Hub, Okehampton, 2pm - 4pm. In association with Harvest

Workers Co-operative. 26 OCTOBER SOUTH ZEAL CARNIVAL A wonderful parade of floats can be seen winding its way through the village of South Zeal, as the community celebrates carnival day. 27 OCTOBER SPOOKY DAY At Lydford Gorge, 11m - 3pm. Make a pencil broomstick, weave a dream catcher and take home a magic wand. Join in the potions class to brew up some strange concoctions. £5, normal admission applies. 27 OCTOBER AUTUMN GARDEN OPEN DAY At Andrew’s Corner, Belstone. See the beautiful autumn colours in this garden on the edge of Dartmoor, with all proceeds going to the Children’s Hospice South West. The garden is open from 11am4pm with bacon baps, homemade soup, cheese scones, cakes and hot beverages for sale; also CHSW promotional goods

and Christmas cards. Entry £5 adults, children free. For further information, see https://andrewscorner.garden/ or contact Edwina or Robin on 01837 840332 edwinarobinhill@outlook.com 31 OCTOBER HALLOWE’EN TRICKS AND TREATS At Okehampton Library, 3.30pm-4.30pm. Join the spooky fun! There will be games and ghosts galore. Dress up in your most ghoulish outfit and try not to get scared! Tickets £1.50 per child, please book in advance, suitable for ages 5+.

November 2 NOVEMBER COFFEE MORNING The Inner Wheel Club of Okehampton invite you to join them in the Charter Hall, Okehampton, 10am – noon. All the usual stalls. All proceeds will be given to local charities.

We have included as many events as possible here in the magazine but for a full and comprehensive list please see our new community website: www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

GOOD ADVICE IS PRICELESS

All event listings are FREE. Send details to editorial@ okelinks.co.uk or upload directly to our website by pressing the SUBMIT button

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

September 11-26

Veterans tackle cross UK run Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk is one of the most famous walks in the country - if not the world. 192 miles in length, the walk crosses the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors, stretching from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Yorkshire coast. The total height climbed is 8,606m (28,235 ft) - the highest point at 775m (2,543 ft) is Kidsty Pike to the east of the Lake District. This year two Devon men have set themselves the target of running the whole route for charity. Leaving St Bees on September 11th they aim to

reach Robin Hood’s Bay on Thursday, September 26th. Mike Peace from Lustleigh, near Bovey Tracey, will be 70 just a few days later in October whilst Bob Small from North Bovey, will be 72 in November. In taking 16 days they’re not trying to set any records time-wise, but they might be the oldest chaps to ever have attempted the challenge! Mike and Bob have chosen the Torquaybased Rowcroft Hospice as the charity they wish to support. Last year it cost £7.8 million to run the Hospice and meet the needs of people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Alison Upton, Community and Corporate

Fundraising Manager for Rowcroft Hospice said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled that Mike and Bob have chosen to do this huge challenge to help Rowcroft. Any money they raise will help us to make every day the best day possible for our patients and their loved ones.’ For those wishing to support Mike and Bob’s marathon effort please visit their Just Giving website page www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ Bob-Small-Mike-Peace

September 14

Take a train trip... A special day out by train is being organised from Okehampton this September, organised in partnership with Great Western Rail, OkeRail Forum and Dartmoor Railway.

in Weymouth 11.50am. The return is 4.26pm from Weymouth, arriving back in Okehampton at 7.30pm. There will be an onboard trolley service provide by GWR’s Plymouth catering team.

The ‘Okehampton Castle’ will be pulling five coaches, one first class and the rest standard, for the day trip to Weymouth. It will leave Okehampton Station at 8.15am on Saturday September 14th, calling at Crediton, Exeter St Davids and Dorchester West (set down on the outward journey only) and arrives

Michael Ireland of OkeRail Forum said: ‘The train is aimed at local people in the areas of West Devon and North Cornwall that will benefit from the opening of the seven day a week service to Okehampton. ‘It is hoped to provide a bus link to

and from the train from Hatherleigh, Holsworthy and Bude.’ Bus information is available at the Ruby Centre Information Office in Hatherleigh, the tourist information office in Bude or Connect Bude. The fares are £37 pounds return Standard Class with half price for children under 15. First Class fare is £52.50, half price for children. Airline style online booking details can be obtained from OkeRail and Connect Bude.

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

September 13

Ferret Racing A family-friendly fundraising event! During the cold half term in February, 27 students and three staff from Okehampton College visited Mumbai in India. They had been invited to spend time in schools which were part of the Muktangan Foundation. Students delivered lessons in the Expressive Arts subjects to the foundation’s students aged between five and 14 years. Teacher Jo Teixeira said: ‘Immersed in the culture, our students saw first-hand the challenges that the young people are faced with daily and this opportunity and experience will stay with us all for many years to come.

‘One student commented: “I learnt something about myself every day, some of the best moments were when the Muktangan teachers sang and danced with us and most notably listening to how proud Hashim was about his community in Dharavi”.’ Fundraising has now started for a follow-up visit next year and the college is hosting a community event in the Charter Hall September 13th, a ferret racing night with Terry Moule. The evening is for all ages and has been kindly supported by: Dave Wills Catering, Kettlelife, Stags, A T Electrics & Oaklands Tree Services.

Jo said: ‘We would like to thank these local businesses for their support and hope to see you there!’ Please contact jteixeira@ okehamptoncollege.devon.sch.uk for more information.

September 13-22

Heritage Open Days Every September some 40,000 volunteers across England organise 5,000 events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Heritage Open Days 2019 offers a unique opportunity to turn back the

clock and visit fascinating places and events, many of which are being staged especially for this year’s festival. Around Okehamnpton, in addition to well known historical settings such as Castle Drogo or Lydford Gorge, there are places with a difference that you can visit, such as the valve tower at Roadford Lake, not normally open to the public, the Masonic Hall in Tavistock,

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Mary Tavy Hydro Electric Station or the two surviving wings of the medieval St Nicholas Priory at Exeter. For a full list of what’s happening, go to www.heritageopendays.org.uk

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

September 14, 15 & 21; October 20

Open gardens Stone Lane Gardens, Chagford, TQ13 8JU, is a beautiful and unusual fiveacre arboretum and water garden, with interesting under-planting and a National Collection of Birch and Alder. Autumn is a lovely time to visit with the turning leaves and the birch have lovely colourful peeling bark, from dark brown, reds, orange, pink and white to add to the display. You can also see The Mythic Garden sculpture exhibition sited among the trees. Open on Saturday September 14th and 21st from 10am - 6pm, light refreshments are available. Adult £6, child £2.50. Higher Cherubeer, Dolton, EX19 8PP, is a mature one and three quarter acre garden with gravelled courtyard, raised beds and alpine house, lawns, large

herbaceous border, shady woodland beds and a potager style kitchen garden with large greenhouse and orchard. By early autumn the Cyclamen National Collection, ferns and autumn flowering bulbs, including snowdrops come into their own, giving a lovely display. Homemade teas and plant sales available. Open on Sunday, September 15th from 11am to 4pm, home-made teas available. Adult £4, children free.

make this a garden for all ages. Open on Sunday, October 20th from 2pm to 5pm, home-made teas available. Adult: £5, children free.

Andrew’s Corner, Belstone, Devon, EX20 1RD, now in its 48th year of opening for the National Garden Scheme, contains a very wide range of unusual trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants for year-round effect, including maples which provide spectacular autumn colour. Quiz sheet, fairy doors and children’s playhouse

Devon National Open Garden Scheme raised over £178,000 in 2018 for Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and many other nursing and caring charities supported by the NGS. For more information pick up a booklet at your local garden centre or visit www. ngs.org.uk

September 21

Church tower visits The 15th century tower of All Saints Church, Okehampton, which rises so distinctly and proudly out of the trees above the town, will be open to visitors on Saturday, September 21st and will provide an opportunity to climb to the top to enjoy the 360 degree view and take photographs from that superb vantage point.

These visits to the top will be at the visitor’s own risk and will be in parties of six at set times and with stewards. There are about 90 steps, some uneven, but there is a rope guide and lighting. Access to the roof requires a certain degree of agility but is not too taxing.

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There will also be an opportunity to visit the ringing chamber and the bells and there will be a demonstration of raising and lowering a bell during the afternoon. The visits to the tower will cost £5 although access to the church is free. Hot drinks and light refreshments will be available all day.

HOLSWORTHY TRAVEL

WHAT’S ON EXTRA

September 26

Dartmoor Local Plan - have your say! Planning affects everyone living within the National Park in some way or another and Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) is the local planning authority for the area. Planning is one of the key tools National Park Authorities have to ensure the special qualities of National Parks are conserved and enhanced for present and future generations to enjoy. Planning is also vital for enabling communities to thrive. The Local Plan plays a pivotal role in this process. It sets out what type of development is and isn’t acceptable in the National Park. It is used to decide planning applications and sets out where future development may take place. It contains a broad range of policies covering things like

extensions and conservatories, conversions and new houses. It identifies land for future housing or employment development in Dartmoor’s larger towns and villages. It covers farming and other business. It also considers the natural and historic environment and resource issues like energy and quarrying. DNPA is asking for your comments on the final draft of a new Local Plan for Dartmoor. Have your say at a drop-in event at Endecott House, Chagford between 4pm and 7pm on September 26th. You can submit your comments on the draft Plan at www.dartmoor.gov.uk/localplanreview until November 1st.

September 7-22

Devon Open Studios The natural beauty of Devon has always attracted and nurtured creativity in artists resulting in a vibrant studio practice. This September, Devon Open Studios, organised by Devon Artists Network, celebrates the flair and talent of the artists who live and work in Devon, connecting artists to enthusiasts in this free showcase for the arts. People of all ages can enjoy this self-guided art tour, with the flexibility to visit with as many artists as one likes. Usually these studios are open by appointment only so Devon Open Studios gives a rare opportunity to the visitor to get an intimate view into an artist’s domain, where ideas are conceived and come to life – and you might just discover a hidden gem? Devon’s vibrant and diverse art community includes artists with a vast range of styles, media and subject matter from painting, drawing, sculpture, print-making,

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installation, ceramics, jewellery, textiles and more. Many also include demonstrations of techniques, workshops and talks. A free colour guide gives detailed local directions to studios, of which there are many in the Okehampton and Chagford area, pictures and a description of artists’ work. Plan your own art trail, meet artists, see where they show or produce their work, and combine browsing art with enjoyment of the county’s varied landscape. For more information go to www.devonartistnetwork.co.uk

HALLOWEEN SHRIEK WEEK 21-27 OCTOBER HALF TERM

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October 19

Okehampton Carnival Roll up, roll up - it’s October and that means it’s Carnival time in Okehampton!

costumes, and disperse in Market Street.

The big day starts with a coffee morning in the Charter Hall from 9am until noon, followed by the judging of the afternoon classes at 2pm. The Prince and Princess will be crowned in School Way at 3pm by the Mayor of Okehampton.

Mill Road (from the waterwheel to its junction with Station Road), St James Street, Park Row and Kempley Road will be closed from 4.30pm for the assembling of tableaux for the evening judging at 6pm.

The afternoon parade, led by Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band, will leave School Way and proceed up Market Street before turning left into Fore Street. It will then make its way up East Street to the junction with Mill Road and come back through the town, giving the crowd another chance to applaud the children in their lovely

The Carnival Queen will be crowned at 7pm by the Mayor and the procession will move off at 7.15pm led by the Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service. Roads affected for the evening procession (from 6:30pm) will be Mill Road, George Street, Market Street, Fore Street, North Street ,East Street, Northfield Road, Neville Road, Victoria

Street, Wonnacotts Road, Lopes Crescent, Barton Road, Link Road, Crediton Road, Leaholes Avenue, Limehayes Road and Exeter Road. All profits from the event go towards putting on the town’s carnival for the following year. With your support and that of the team of volunteers who make it happen, it’s an event that is enjoyed by those who take part and those who come out to watch it. Entry forms for the afternoon and evening classes are available from Donald’s Menswear, 5 Fore Street, Okehampton or Karen Penna, 19 Wonnacotts Road, Okehampton EX20 1LX.

October 5

Rosa Rebecka Concert and Workshop Acclaimed singer/songwriter and leader of Whiddon Wide choir, Rosa Rebecka comes to Throwleigh Church for a concert and harmony singing workshop in aid of The Friends of Throwleigh Church.

When not performing herself, Rosa Rebecka is an enthusiastic singing teacher. She is passionate about exploring the possibilities of the human voice and helping others to find their own voices, working with beginners and experienced performers alike. Rosa Rebecka will be running a harmony singing workshop before the concert

Workshop from 3-5pm: Singing Together with Rosa Rebecka £10 per person

Rosa Rebecka Concert 7.30pm: Tickets £12 including refreshments. Tickets for Workshop and Concert available from Dawn Hatton Tel: 01647 231051.

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from 3pm until 5pm. Using arrangements of her own songs, she will help participants to explore and refine their ability to sing in harmony with others. All ages and abilities are welcome, ability to read music is not essential. After the workshop those feeling brave enough may have the opportunity to join in at the concert.

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WHAT’S ON EXTRA

October 11

Get your glad rags on! There’s an opportunity to get glammed up when Everything Okehampton hosts a special Black Tie Dinner in the Charter Hall, in aid of the Christmas Lights and the Okehampton Carnival. You can look forward to a two course hot buffet, with coffee and mints to follow and a complimentary glass of Prosecco on arrival. Entertainment will

be provided by magician and illusionist Chris Acton. Tickets for this special night out are available from Donald’s Menswear and The Toy Shop in the Red Lion Yard at a price of £30. Everything Okehampton will also be staging Edwardian Evening this year and next summer’s Food and Music

Festival. The Christmas decorations are very much part of Okehampton town tradition, as is the annual carnival. Both of these events need funds to continue and Everything Okehampton very much hope you will support them.

November 9 - 23

Spotlight on the Brontë sisters

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During November Tavonians Theatre Company will be visiting six towns and villages in East Cornwall and West Devon with a modern and moving play about the three Brontë sisters, their brother and father, and several of the

well-known characters from their books. Brontë by Polly Teale dramatically illustrates the highs and lows the family experienced from 1845, when the sisters’ brother Branwell returned

ďĞĂƵƟĨƵů ĂŶĚ ůŝǀĞůǇ ĞǀŽĐĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĂů ĂŶĚ ŝŵĂŐŝŶĞĚ ǁŽƌůĚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌŽŶƚģ ĨĂŵŝůǇ

Brontë

TAVONIANS

Theatre Company

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November: Sat 9Ǧǚ Mary Tavy Tue 12Ǧǚ Meavy Fri 15Ǧǚ Callington Sat 16Ǧǚ Upton Cross Fri 22Ǡǖ Tavistock Sat 23Ǥǖ Okehampton

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www.bramhillspecialist.co.uk 50

By Polly Teale

home in disgrace, plagued by his addictions, bringing turmoil to the household. Throughout this period each of the young women continued to write their now famous stories, using their own lives and shared experiences to create their brilliant characters. Polly Teale’s clever dramatisation matches the creative genius of the three sisters and the anguish they each experience, suffering the highs of success and the lows of their losses, while bringing the characters to life. Stuart Waterworth, director of Brontë for the Tavonians, said: ‘The play, as with any family, has laughter and tears, satisfaction and frustration, love and loss. It is perhaps one of the most challenging plays the Tavonians have tackled for some time.’ The Tavonians’ tour starts in Mary Tavy on November 9th and visits Meavy on November 12th; Callington on November 15th; Sterts at Upton Cross on November 16th; Tavistock Town Hall on November 22nd and ends at Okehampton Charter Hall on November 23rd. All performances at 7.30pm. Tickets available from local outlets and online at www.tavonians.org.uk On several evenings there will be food and drink available before the performance and during the interval.

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HA E K

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ARCADE

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MUSIC AND ART

September 4 - December 4

Art for All & Tyvex Textures West Devon Art Workshops will be running a further block of Art for All classes in Okehampton, funded by the National Lottery. They are also launching the Art for All project in Launceston. Three courses will run in Okehampton between September and December on Wednesday afternoons between 1.30pm and 4.30pm at the Ockment Centre. They are: Beginners’ Watercolours (September 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th); Silk Painting and Batik (October 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd), and Drawing the Human Figure (November 13th, 20th, 27th and December 4th). In Launceston classes will be held on Wednesday mornings at the Ambulance Hall, covering Wire Art and Ink Drawing & Painting. At just £8 for 4 sessions, the classes are very popular, so book asap to avoid disappointment. Call 01822 258351 or email westdevonartworkshops@gmail.com

In addition, a new Tyvex Textures course is due to start at the Ockment Centre on September 11th. Participants will be able to create a range of artwork by painting and heating Tyvex film, using different media and methods to make wonderful textures. The course will run on Wednesday mornings between 10am and 12.30pm and costs £42 to include basic materials. Bring along your own sewing machine and threads. For more information contact Gill Cairns on 01822 258351 or email westdevonartworkshops@gmail. com

September 21

Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir Concert A special concert by the Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir, featuring guest solos performed by soprano Pippa Macdougall, will take place in St Bridget’s Church in Bridestowe on Friday, September 21st.

Director of music, Rosemary Cole, writes and arranges music specifically for the choir and she has recently been granted the British Empire Medal for her services to the performing arts in the South West.

A member of the Cornish Federation of Male Voice Choirs, TVMVC was founded in 2006 with just nine members. Now having more than 30 singers, the choir undertakes a very full programme of successful concerts each year, singing songs from the traditional male voice repertoire, numbers from musicals, spirituals and sacred songs including some rousing Welsh Hymns, folk and modern pieces with names from such as the Beatles and the Everly Brothers appearing in the repertoire.

The concert at St Bridget’s, which starts at 7.30pm (doors open at 7pm), will raise funds for the church and the Alzheimer’s Society. Tickets cost £8 to include a glass of wine and refreshments; Under 15s £5. Tickets available from Riverside Stores and Post Office, The White Hart, Bridestowe and Posh Paints in St James’ Street, Okehampton. For more information call Georgina Hodgson on 01837 861183.

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MUSIC AND ART

September 13-October 26

tHrIVE: our community and the flora of the moors This generous and inspired exhibition at Greenhill Arts in Moretonhampstead features newly commissioned works by Nicky Thompson, Amy Shelton and Angharad Barlow. They have been working with the community throughout 2018 and 2019 as part of Green Hills Arts’ Dartmoor Vision and Growing Dartmoor Project. Nicky will show her new series of atmospheric Ambrotype images of local growers’ glass-houses. Using the Victorian Wet Collodion technique, where the images appear on glass plates, Nicky has documented the diverse and very personal glass buildings situated in gardens and allotments across the town. Amy has created a bespoke light-box artwork Anthology: Moretonhampstead Herbarium, made from a unique collection of pressed flowers which were gathered across the seasons by the community of Moretonhampstead, to be permanently installed in the local Health Centre. The artwork celebrates the biodiverse flora growing in the town’s hedgerows, gardens and allotments.

Angharad will exhibit her visionary giant covered willow skep ‘The Bee Temple’, part of her work committed to educate and involve human communities in bee life, and to bring about better understanding of how ‘they’ are more like ‘us’ than we care to imagine. The exhibition will also include a unique beeswax composite artwork created by pupils at Moretonhampstead Primary School and a series of individual botanical artworks made by residents at Coppelia House in workshops led by Amy. All the artworks in this exhibition reflect the rich culture that surrounds the growing of agricultural, wild and cultivated plants across the allotments, parks, gardens and hedgerows of the wonderful ancient town of Moretonhampstead. Interdependencies between young and old, human and non-human is what the tHrIVE exhibition is all about.

September 21 & 22

Whitehorse Hill – Free Promenade Performance MED Theatre’s community play ‘Whitehorse Hill’ invites you to take a journey through time in the enchanting Bellever Forest and delve deep into the stories of Dartmoor’s past. Inspired by the archaeological remains of a Bronze Age burial found near Postbridge known as the Whitehorse Hill cist, audiences will be led as part of a procession through seven different periods of Dartmoor’s history. The story explores themes of heritage and knowledge, female strength, and how these ideas pass and change through time. MED Theatre first developed and performed this seven scene play in 2015 as part of Dartmoor’s Moor than meets the eye Landscape Partnership Scheme, part-funded by Heritage

Lottery Fund. One audience member commented at the time: ‘I thought I knew an awful lot about the history of Dartmoor, but you’ve wetted my appetite for different times’. Once again, Whitehorse Hill is to be performed at dusk in Bellever Forest, this time on September 21st and 22nd. Performances will start at 6pm from Bellever Forest car park, PL20 6TU. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Entry is free but places must be booked in advance by contacting MED Theatre, since places are limited. Contact MED Theatre on 01647 441356 or info@medtheatre. co.uk to book tickets. More information at www.medtheatre. co.uk and www.moorthanmeetstheeye.org

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MUSIC AND ART

October 25-27

International flavour at BaringGould Weekend Wren Music’s Baring-Gould Weekend celebrates its 20th year in style in October, with three days of concerts from international as well as UK folk artists. The landmark event takes place at venues in Okehampton on October 25th to 27th, with the Baring-Gould Song School on October 21st to 25th. To celebrate the 20th year, the event is welcoming back some of the overseas artists who have appeared in previous years - Sos Cantores from Sardinia, Dandari from Latvia, and Funi from Iceland. Other visiting performers include Scottish folk singer Janet Russell, Thomas McCarthy from Ireland, multiinstrumentalist Lauren Eva Ward, mandolin player Matt Norman and folk singer James Findlay. This year the song school is led by Tim Van Eyken, one of the first to play Songman in the stage production of War Horse. After years of acting in theatre and on TV, Tim is returning to his roots as a folk singer. These days, the folk festival takes place in Okehampton. Originally it was held in Lewdown and Bratton Clovelly, in honour of Dartmoor’s prolific song collector, the Rev Sabine BaringGould. The squire and parson from Lewtrenchard (1834-1924) spent years travelling around Devon and Cornwall,

collecting traditional folk songs from the people who sang them. The size of his song collection wasn’t realised until the founders of Okehampton-based music and education charity, Wren Music, started some digging. By the time they’d reached the end of their search, Paul Wilson and Marilyn Tucker had discovered almost 1,000 songs. Paul said: ‘In terms of the melodies, it’s the most beautiful of all the song collections in England. BaringGould saved them and we found them.’ Among the performers at that first Baring-Gould Festival in 1999 were folk stars Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, Anita Best, Cyril Tawney and Newfoundland folk singer Jim Payne. Regulars include the festival’s patron, Phil Beer, from the folk duo, Show of Hands, and legendary American folk singer-songwriter, Peggy Seeger, patron of Wren Music. Although dedicated to Baring-Gould, the event is much broader - and it’s not just about music. It also marks the arrival of autumn, with a conker competition and a feast that celebrates local produce. Marilyn said: ‘It’s a festival that families can enjoy and it is unique in that the concerts are in an intimate setting,

Year y r a s r e v i n n 20 t h A

Baring-Gould

Folk Weekend OKEHAMPTON • DEVON

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY

OCTOBER 2019

Chris Foster & Bara Grimdottir (Iceland) Dandari (Latvia) wren James Findlay music Janet Russell Lauren Ward MATT NORMAN Thomas McCarthy Sos Cantores (Sardinia)

CONCERTS, WORKSHOPS, DANCING, SESSIONS AND MUCH MORE...

Plus local singers and players and the Wren Music Team

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

so the audience is really close to the performers. Local singers and musicians can even appear alongside the festival artists at some of the concerts.’ A Baring-Gould weekend ticket is £50, with a four-for-three offer. Visit the Wren Music website to book tickets and for details of all the performances and individual concert prices. www. wrenmusic.co.uk

”A very friendly Specialfestival” 20th Anniversary Harvest Home event

All weekend tickets £50 BUY THREE AND GET FOURTH FREE! Under 18 & Students £25

£7.50 supplement (includes supper) You don’t want to miss it, international visitors doing their party pieces! Full details of the programme can be found at www.wrenmusic.co.uk Visit www.bgfw.eventbrite.co.uk for tickets Wren Music: 01837 53754 info@wrenmusic.co.uk Ebenezer Hall, Okehampton EX20 1AR

MUSIC AND ART

October 17, 18 & 19

Jesus Christ Superstar St Peter’s Troupers are now well into rehearsals for Jesus Christ Superstar, which will be performed in St Peter’s Church, North Tawton, along with children from North Tawton Primary School, on October 17th, 18th and 19th at 7.30pm. The Troupers were formed in 2012, the object being to bring together members of the North Tawton group of churches, local communities and school, not just for performing but all the other important things, such as stage crew, front of house, costumes, scenery making and painting, sound and lighting and much more.

It also shows that more can happen in churches than worship!

which has attracted several new members to the cast.

Their first production in 2012 was Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

‘Our shows offer the opportunity of conveying stories which are full of the problems still relevant to our world today, and give a wonderful opportunity of spreading the good news of the Gospel and God’s love.’

Around 150 adults and children were involved and approximately 500 people came to see the performances. The Rev Rita Bullworthy said: ‘Since then we have performed Another Story Begins, which included songs from Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! Joseph and Jesus Christ Superstar - and our production for 2017 was Oliver! Now, we are in the midst of our most ambition production yet, Jesus Christ Superstar,

Performances start at 7.30pm, doors open at 7pm. Tickets £5 for adults, £3 children available by calling 01837 89169 or North Tawton Post Office, 01837 82241. All proceeds will be donated to Devon Air Ambulance Trust and St Petrock’s, Exeter.

November 9

Classics Galore! Tickets are now on sale for an autumn concert to raise money in support of people in the Okehampton area affected by cancer. Classics Galore! will be held at the University of Exeter Great Hall on Saturday November 9. It’s the seventh time Exeter’s very own night at the proms has been staged in aid of FORCE Cancer Charity. As well as providing superb entertainment, Classics has now raised nearly £90,000 for FORCE. This year’s concert will be particularly

poignant as Dick Passmore, the event’s inspirational founder, died in February. Dick and his wife Posy organised the first Classics Galore! in 2007 and have been the driving force behind these concerts ever since. They have been held every two years and Dick was determined to reach his goal of raising a total of £100,000 for FORCE at this year’s concert. The profits from this year’s event will go towards funding the delivery of chemotherapy for cancer patients in Okehampton, Tiverton and Honiton.

CHRISTMAS PRIVATE PARTIES AT THE RACEHORSE INN Call 01566 786916 or email ray@racehorseinn.co.uk The RACEHORSE INN is at North Hill village on the eastern edge of Bodmin Moor, half way between Launceston and Liskeard, just 10 minutes off the A30 (30 minutes from Tavistock). Open for Lunch and Dinner, Monday to Sunday (closed Monday lunch). Gold Award winning restaurant and bar (Taste of the West 2018).

November’s concert will feature 200 top local musicians and singers and offers a wide selection of popular classical tunes for orchestra, choir and brass band under musical director Malcolm Matthews. A full orchestra will perform alongside the award-winning SW Comms Band from Lympstone and singers from Exeter’s St David’s Players and Ottery St Mary Choral Society. The evening culminates in a rousing Last Night of the Proms style finale, led by soprano soloist Penny Daw. The Terrace Bar of the Great Hall will be open for meals before the concert and a shuttle bus to and from the main car parks will be provided for patrons. For tickets, email evit@exeter.gov.uk or phone 01392 665885 or go to www. classicsgalore.co.uk

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NATIONAL TRUST

Marvellous mechanics! There are three large water wheels at Finch Foundry which are fascinating to watch as they rhythmically turn, churning the water and driving the machinery in the forge. The shrouds of the wheels are thought to have been made as early as the 1860s and vary from ten to twelve feet in diameter. The fan wheel drives a fan that creates an air blast to power the forges. The hammer wheel drives the tilt hammers, shears and drop hammers. When this water wheel is set in motion it turns a cam wheel which strikes the back of the heavy hammers, causing them to pivot or ‘tilt’. These hammers were used to shape metal. The large shears rise and fall and can shear through a thick heated metal rod. The water wheel makes it easier to lift the drop hammers - these could be used in conjunction with moulds to make shovels or used to shape blades. The final waterwheel operates the grinding stone, used to put a razor-sharp edge on the tools that were made here.

This autumn, as well as demonstrating our machinery in action, we had the Rural Skills and Craft Fair on Sunday, September 1st and will be having a fun quiz trail during the half term week before Hallowe’en, with spooky stories on Sunday, October 27th. Please see our website for more details.

The water for the wheels comes from the River Taw. A manmade channel or ‘leat’ was dug in the 1100s to draw water off the river which runs through the village, before arriving at the ‘launder’, a wooden aqueduct which the Finchs built to hold water. The water then travels through sluices to fill the water wheels.

made at Finch Foundry

A journey into the past

Visit Finch Foundry this autumn and discover thundering water wheels that drive massive Victorian machinery.

These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/finch-foundry See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

NATIONAL TRUST

Spooks in the Gorge Lydford Gorge has a long history of drawing visitors in search of the picturesque. In the mid to late 19th century one miller charged Victorian visitors sixpence to view Whitelady Waterfall and another sixpence to ‘turn on’ the water. He could hold back the flow with sluice gates on his mill pond; then release the water to turn the waterfall into a raging torrent. Interesting tales like this were discovered when researching for the new guidebook, available on site and through the National Trust online shop. Find out about the geology, history and wildlife of the gorge for just £4 - the money raised helps look after the gorge for ever, for everyone. HERITAGE OPEN DAY: Saturday, September 14th, 10am-5pm - Explore the Devil’s Cauldron and Tunnel Falls before most of the gorge is shut for maintenance over the winter. Free entry to all.

with a flaming torch, then warm up with hot chocolate and marshmallows on the fire. £8 (includes torch), additional ticket (without torch) £2, booking essential (online or call 0344 249 1895). HALLOWE’EN TRAIL: Saturday, October 19th to Sunday, October 27th, 10am-3.30pm - Brave the spooky trail to work out what jobs the skeleton rangers are doing. £3 with prize, normal admission applies. PRACTICAL POTIONS: Saturday October 26th, 10.30am12.30pm & 1.30-3.30pm - A magical potions class with a bit of science thrown in, featuring a session on dry ice experiments and a break to toast marshmallows over the fire. £8, booking essential (online or call 0344 249 1895)

APPLE DAY: Saturday, October 5th, 11am-3pm - Help press the apples from the orchard, have a go on the apple shy and cook up tasty treats on the fire. Normal admission applies.

SPOOKY DAY: Sunday October 27th, 11am-3pm - Get into the spirit of Hallowe’en. Make a pencil broomstick, weave a dream catcher and take home a magic wand. Join in the potions class to brew up some strange concoctions. £5, normal admission applies.

TORCHLIT WALK: Friday, October 18th & Wednesday, October 23rd, 5.30-7pm - Light your way to Whitelady Waterfall

For more information please visit the website or call 01822 820320.

made at Lydford Gorge

Autumn adventures

Soak up the golden sunlight in the gorge this autumn as the leaves turn golden brown. The gorge is open fully, every day until Sunday 27 October. These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/lydford-gorge

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NATIONAL TRUST

Castle scaffolding has been removed! This is the perfect time of year to get outside, make the most of the last days of summer and look ahead to the crisp colourful days of autumn. There are lots of paths to explore around the Teign Gorge - pick up a leaflet from the visitor centre or go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo for directions to help find your way around. Over the summer the scaffolding that covered the north end of the castle for the last few years has been removed and we are now in the final stages of the building project to make the castle watertight. The castle is open every day until Sunday, October 27th. HERITAGE OPEN DAY: Saturday, September 21, 11am-5pm Visit the castle and grounds for free as Drogo takes part in the Heritage Open Day Scheme. -HYDRO TURBINE OPEN DAY: Friday, October 4, 11am-4pm The hydro turbine building on the RIver Teign will be open. The knowledgeable guide can tell you about the history of this building, how it was restored and how it works.

EARLY EVENING GARDEN WALKS: Thursday, October 10, 5-6.30pm - Join one of our garden team for a walk and talk through the garden. £5 per person (normal admission applies). Booking essential online or 0344 249 1895. FUNGI FORAY: Sunday,October 13, 2-4pm - Join an experienced mycologist finding and identifying the wide range of fungi on the Castle Drogo estate. £5, booking essential online or 0344 249 1895. DEER WALK: Saturday, October 19 & Sunday, October 20, starting at 7.15am - Join this guided walk during the fallow deer rut. Afterwards enjoy a delicious home cooked full English breakfast in our Café. £17.50 per person (£10 children), booking essential online or 0344 249 1895. BAT TRAIL: Saturday, October 19 - Sunday,October 27, 11am-4pm - Follow the trail through the garden and grounds. £1 includes a badge as a prize.

made at Castle Drogo

A breath of fresh air

Riverside rambles and far-reaching views await at Castle Drogo These are the places that make us. nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo

See our community website www.dartmoorlinks.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

Amazing sparklers that won’t break the budget! While most people are familiar with champagne, not so many are aware it is the name of a particular type of sparkling wine that hails from the Champagne region of France. This prized, effervescent wine is prepared in a two-way fermentation process, wherein yeast and sugar are added during the second fermentation to form carbon dioxide that results in the fizz formation. Prepared from a blend of three kinds of grapes, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, Champagne is well-known for its fine quality and preparation technique. ‘Champagne’ and ‘celebration’ have always gone hand in hand, however, its high price can be off-putting. Moderately priced ones range from £30 to £60 while the high-end ones cost £80 onwards. Thankfully, for those on a budget, there are other exuberant wines that are good alternatives to France’s sparkling classic. Like champagne, they have bubbles and can be consumed as aperitifs or with various foods.

Cava Cava is a sparkling wine hailing from the Catalonia region of Spain. It is prepared using the same French Champagne technique, but is prepared from a blend of Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macabeo grape varieties. Freixenet’s sparkling wines have long been admired, with 80% of Spanish Cava being exported. Cavas are available in white and rosé; the rosé variety is called Cava Rosé or Rosado.

Unlike Champagne or Cava, Prosecco wines do not ferment in the bottle; instead, the second fermentation process - addition of yeast and sugar - takes place in tanks. Here, the wine is kept under pressure to capture the freshness and fruitiness of the grapes, which is why Prosecco has a fruitier and sweeter finish. However, since it hasn’t been fermented in a bottle, it must be consumed within two years of bottling, although highquality vintage Proseccos are aged for up to seven years.

French Crémant Sparkling wines are not just made in the Champagne region of France, but are also made in different areas including Alsace, Burgundy, Loire Valley (Anjou-Saumur and Touraine) and Bordeaux. These wines are made in the same way as Champagne but cannot be called so because they’re not from the region, though they also go through the second fermentation process in the bottle. These wines, like other sparkling wines, are considerably cheaper. Made from a blend of different types of grapes―Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and/or Chardonnay, crémant contains good acidity. Its flavour profile varies depending on the grape blend of grapes and the region it hails from. Those from Burgundy are rich and creamier on the palate, while those from Alsace are crisp, packed with zesty citrus fruit. These French alternatives for champagne are food-friendly and great in terms of flavour and elegance.

At half the price of champagne, lighter and fruitier, Cava is a more than adequate substitute. It’s slightly less acidic with notes of green apple, dried herbs, citrus and honey. Besides being crisp and lively, it’s smooth and soft on the palate. Cava is also differentiated based on sweetness, classified as brut nature, brut, seco, semiseco, or dulce. Dulce is the sweetest; brut the driest.

Prosecco This elegant, fine-tasting, Italian equivalent of champagne is manufactured in the northern Veneto region and is primarily made from Prosecco grapes. Consumed during almost every occasion in Italy, these refreshing, light wines vary in sweetness from brut, extra dry to dry. However, their ‘brut’ versions are much sweeter than those of the Cava. Prosecco is a straw-coloured, light-bodied wine that carries notes of peach, apricot, pear, apples, acacia and citrus with an intense, flowering aroma. 60

Besides these sparkling wines, there are others like the Australian sparkling red wine, Portuguese Espumante, Italian Moscato d’Asti, and even the Californian sparkling wines. Champagne has earned its name for a reason and while there are no true substitutions, these sparklers are a fantastic alternative offering an effervescent wine at a cheaper price.

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FOOD & DRINK

Pirates of The Cawsand Beacon In the heart of South Zeal at the base of Dartmoor’s great Cawsand Beacon lies an ancient building which reveals one of the most fascinating stories of Devon’s history. It was at The Oxenham Arms at South Zeal near Okehampton that John Oxenham was born in 1530, who grew up to become Captain John Oxenham, one of Queen Elizabeth Is most prolific sea adventurers and privateers – a paid pirate working under the authority of the English crown. Having served over 88 missions with Sir Francis Drake, stealing gold and silver from the Spanish, Oxenham in his day became legendary to English soldiers and sailors and his home to this day is filled to the gunnels with his history. Towards the end of the 1570s Oxenham’s raids were focussed on South America where the Spanish were taking masses of gold and silver at a time where Spain and Portugal were the most dominant countries in the world. It’s incredible to think that the fortunes of the entire English nation, in debt and impoverished in comparison with King Philip of Spain’s growing empire, was about to suddenly change as a result of the brave exploits of a mariner from the tiny village of South Zeal.

Devon Mackerel Croquetas

When Oxenham was captured by the Spanish in 1580, he took to his grave the secret of where all the treasures, stolen and buried in Peru and that brought by him back to England, were hidden - not all the gold and silver he plundered for the Queen, came back for the Queen!

Take three Devon mackerel fillets and pin bone them. You will need oil, garlic, salt and pepper, lemon, mashed potatoes, salt, white pepper, lemon, garlic and parsley.

His story, told in hundreds of books and documents over the years is best related in Charles Kingsley’s book ‘Westward Ho’. The illustration of Captain John Oxenham from that book, painted by artist N C Wyeth is seen here, painted as Oxenham was, an armed, bearded, swashbuckling pirate, drinking a tankard of ale with his friends at the front window of his own pub, The Oxenham Arms at South Zeal.

A perfect simple dish from The Oxenham, where Devon’s tasty fish meets Spain’s flavoursome cooking ! This makes six good sized Croquetas.

Preheat your oven to Gas 6, 200c or fan 180c. In a metal tray place your mackerel fillets, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cook for around 20 minutes until cooked but still soft. When cooked, break the fish into large chunks in a bowl and bind with mashed potato, salt, pepper, lemon zest and garlic and parsley then form into croquetas shapes. finally coat with flour egg and breadcrumbs, then fry and serve.

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A proper pint in a proper pub • A relaxing gin & tonic in our beautiful garden Enjoy a meal in our ancient bar or snug • Take it easy with a super Sunday lunch

WALKS WITH WINNIE

Walks with Winnie This walk has been kindly written (and walked) for us by Denise Horner of Dartmoor Nordic Walking with her dog, Winnie.

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Distance: Approximately 7.5k Time: Allow 2.5 hours minimum. Difficulty level: Up hill from the start,

down hill all the way back! Terrain is mostly soft and grassy, but can be wet and boggy near the crash site. From Prewley Moor, Sourton to a World War II crash site at Corn Ridge - a ‘there and back’ walk. This is an open moor walk so be aware of the weather, take appropriate clothing and equipment. Park at Prewley Moor, below Sourton Tors. Head up the hill towards the left and flatter area of Sourton Tors. There are several paths you can take, which will lead you up to the ice works. Yes, ice works on Dartmoor! You can see the remains which will be on your right below the tor, the undulating cutouts, once you reach the flatter part of the terrain.

Staying to the left of the tor, follow the wide pathway, taking you uphill again where the ground then begins to flatten out, then head straight across the tracks, passing the boundary stone on your right and half mill stone on your left. As you look back and to your left you can see Meldon Reservoir, Black Tor, High Willhays, the highest tor on Dartmoor, and Yes Tor to its left. Keep straight on now, slowly walking uphill again and to the right, around the base of Corn Ridge. The path here is quite wide, but keep a look out for a narrower path on your left, taking you up and over a small brow, bringing you out on a gravel track which is clearly visible.

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You can now see Great Nodden in front of you, with very steep sides and a lovely path leading to its summit. Staying on the gravel track, head towards Great Links Tor, clearly visible in the distance. You now need to head to a point where you reach a stream flowing under the path. It can be deep in places, a good spot to cool off the dogs and your feet on a hot day. Don’t cross the stream. At this point you will be walking off the track, to your left, keeping the stream on your right. The path here is not clear, so you will need to take care and it can be boggy and uneven. Walking at about a 45-degree angle from the stream, still keeping it on your right, follow the tracks which lead you toward a boggy area. If you skirt around this to the left but look across it, you will see a dark area in the ground with a slight bank around the edge. Keep a note of the way you have come, as you will be heading back the same way. This is the crash site. Pick your way carefully towards it. You will know you have found the site as there is a large area of parched ground and a small metal memorial plaque, as shown in the photo. It lists the names of the crew of

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WALKS WITH WINNIE

the stricken flight, five of whom sadly lost their lives - the three who survived on that fateful Christmas Day in 1943 heading back home. James Tenant, pictured, repaired this plaque which is actually made from part of the plane. You have reached your destination, so about turn and head back to the car the way you came. If you would like to join us for this walk and find the crash site, please book your place on the walk for Saturday, October 12th, 10am until 12.30pm. You can book your place on www. dartmoornordicwalking.co.uk Dogs welcome.

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HISTORY

Delving into the past at Moistown Ace Archaeology Club members undertake their seventh dig Okehampton people may be familiar with the name Moyes. There is a Moyses Lane not far from the Castle. While there are many people in the area with that surname, ACE Archaeology Club likes to think it may have something to do with our excavation site at Moistown near Broadwoodkelly. In 1301, there is a record of a Roger Moys owning land in Broadwoodkelly. His name and that of his descendants varies in spelling, Moyse or Moys, and originally the site was just called Moys. There is rumour of Roger Moyes being given apartments in Okehampton Castle, but that is about 200 years after the Roger we like to think of as ours, however, he could well be a descendant. Although Roger Moys owned the land, we are not yet sure when the first house was built on the site, but changes of name in the records suggest not only a house but a house of high status. Moistown Manor and Moistown Court are both mentioned.

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The land and therefore the house has passed through the hands of various local families, the Kellaways, the Olds, the Couchs, Gostwycks and Prideaux, to name just a few. This of course makes it more difficult to trace the history and it is only once tithe maps and OS maps came up that we could definitively say there was a house. ACE first got involved with Moistown in 2008 when we were asked by the landowners if we could help Broadwoodkelly History Society learn how to do an earthwork survey by surveying the site. We agreed, but first the site had to be cleared of blackthorn, hawthorn and brambles etc. It was very overgrown and although we knew there was something there, we could see virtually nothing. Eventually we uncovered a quite extensive site, with the remains of one room with

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HISTORY

standing walls to about two feet, the rest just lumps and bumps in the landscape. As the site was slowly cleared and surveyed, it became clear that whatever had been there covered quite a large area. A lovely drive led from the road to the house and then on to the pond, possibly for cart washing and watering horses. There is a spring there. Later surveys suggest the pond may be lined with stones. The driveway is now like a sunken lane with glimpses of stone on either side and some old trees. It would have made an impressive entrance. The tithe map gives a good idea of the size and layout of the house, which was built around a courtyard. There were also barns on the other side of the carriage drive. The OS map shows some of the buildings shown in the tithe map have disappeared and some previously residential areas are now agricultural buildings. Having pretty much exhausted the written records and there being no photos apart from a rather poor aerial photo of 1946, showing only two buildings still standing, how do you find out what is there? Well, you excavate! But before you excavate, if you can, you do a geophysical survey. This allows archaeologists to try to find out what lies below the surface without having to dig it up. We decided we would use two methods - earth resistance and dowsing, to see how they compared in accuracy of results. Dowsing is controversial but has often been used in archaeology, although not so often written up. In 2012 we enlisted the help of Dr Penny Cunningham of Exeter University and her resistivity machine. We were given an excellent training session on how to use the machine while doing a survey of part of the site. The same year, this time with the help of Devon Dowsers, we did a dowsing survey of the same area. The results for both surveys were suggestive of walls and rubble but both inconclusive. ACE has since discovered that clay in the ground can skew results.

The landowners were very supportive of the idea of an excavation and in 2013 the first spade was put into the soil. ACE has worked on the site for two or three weeks every year since. When we started to dig, we found much of the site was covered in a layer of demolished cob, subsequently compacted by agricultural machinery driving over it, leaving a layer of clay that neither resistivity nor dowsing could satisfactorily â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;seeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; through. 2019 is our seventh year working on Moistown and we have uncovered a large area containing walls, cobbled floors and even what looks like the fire base for a copper/boiler. We have over 3,000 finds, mostly pottery shards. The earliest piece is Saxo-Norman, dating from around the time of the Norman Conquest, others date from medieval and post medieval times up to the 1950s. Most of the pottery is in small pieces. Although we may be able to piece together the odd plate, the only thing we have managed to find most of the pieces for and put together is a chamber pot! Ace thanks and acknowledges Dr Sylvia Warham for her History of Moistown and Janet Daynes, the Moistown Archaeology Project director. For more information go to https://acearchaeologyclub. wordpress.com/ ACE Archaeology Club was formed in 1997 following the production of the Winkleigh Community Book the year before and meets on the first Saturday of the month. Erica Williamson,Secretary, ACE Archaeology Club

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