Bridport Times November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

IRONMAN

with Blacksmith, Alex Pole

bridporttimes.co.uk

WELCOME

A

hh… damp earth and chimney smoke, air-stung skin and do-I?-don’t-I? jumpers. Autumn’s closing scene alludes to a darker, magical sequel, but for now we wait. The quiet space in between asks nothing of us; an unassuming friend at peace with the weightless pause in conversation.

And so to November. Kit Glaisyer spends time with our friend and photographer Pete Millson, Emma Tabor and Paul Newman retrace the steps of John Trenchard, Kerry Franses makes us comfortable, Adam Simon makes a stand and Caroline Butler makes us better.

Helen Choudhury prepares a warming dahl curry, Fefe Kovacs shakes things up and Gill Meller gives us hope. Katharine and Jo meanwhile meet Alex Pole – the Beaminster blacksmith and knife-maker to many a Dorset chef, at his forge north of the border.

Have a great month.

Glen Cheyne, Editor glen@homegrown-media.co.uk @bridporttimes

CONTRIBUTORS Simon Barber

Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio

Evolver @SimonEvolver @evolvermagazine

Little Toller Books @LittleToller @littletollerdorset littletoller.co.uk

evolver.org.uk Will Livingstone David Burnett

@willgrow

Sub editors Jay Armstrong @jayarmstrong_ Elaine Taylor

The Dovecote Press

Helen Choudhury

@GillMeller

Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP

Taj Mahal Restaurant

@Gill.Meller

Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury

willgrow.co.uk

dovecotepress.com Gill Meller

tajmahalrestaurant.com Kelvin Clayton @kelvinclaytongp greenthoughts.me

gillmeller.com Brian Parker Bridport Museum @BridportMuseum

Editorial assistant Paul Newman @paulnewmanart

philosophyinpubs.co.uk

bridportmuseum.co.uk

Melanie Fermor

Anna Powell

Print Pureprint

Dorset Wildlife Trust

Sladers Yard

Distribution Available throughout Bridport and surrounding villages.

Please see bridporttimes.co.uk for stockists.

1 Bretts Yard Digby Road Sherborne Dorset DT9 3NL 01935 315556 @bridporttimes glen@homegrown-media.co.uk paul@homegrown-media.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk Bridport Times is printed on an FSCÂŽ and EU Ecolabel certified paper.

It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so.

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither Bridport Times nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

Bridport Times does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission from Bridport Times.

4 | Bridport Times | November 2019

@DorsetWildlife @dorsetwildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

@SladersYard @sladersyard sladersyard.wordpress.com

Alison Ferris

Adam Simon

Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

Tamarisk Farm

@CharmouthHCC

@ tamarisk_farm

charmouth.org/chcc

tamariskfarm.co.uk

Kerry Franses

Antonia Squire

@fransesdesign fransesdesign.com

The Bookshop @bookshopbridprt @thebookshopbridport

Kit Glaisyer

dorsetbooks.com

@kitglaisyer @kitglaisyer kitglaisyer.com

Emma Tabor & Paul Newman @paulnewmanart @paulnewmanartist

Liz Gomme

paulnewmanartist.com

West Dorset Arts Society taswestdorset.org.uk

Jess Thompson

Charlie Groves

homestartwestdorset.co.uk

Home Start Groves Nurseries @GrovesNurseries

Chris Tripp

@grovesnurseries

Dorset Diggers Community

grovesnurseries.co.uk

Archaeology Group dorsetdiggers.btck.co.uk

Fefe Kovacs The Club House West Bexington

Colin Varndell

@TheClubHouse217

Colin Varndell Natural

@theclubhouse2017

History Photography

theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk

colinvarndell.co.uk

46

NOVEMBER 2019

6 What’s On

42 Archaeology

70 Gardening

14 Arts and Culture

46 ALEX POLE

76 Community

36 History

56 Food and Drink

78 Philosophy

30 Wild Dorset

64 Body and Mind

79 Literature

38 Outdoors

66 Interiors

82 Crossword

bridporttimes.co.uk | 5

WHAT'S ON Listings

01308 897130 biodanza-bridport.co.uk

07950 959572

Mondays 10am-12pm

Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Every 2nd Tuesday 7pm-9pm

Watercolour Painting for

Bridport Folk Dance Club

Co-operation Bridport

Beginners

WI Hall, North St, DT6 3JQ.

Free. 07974 888895

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LSi, 51 East St. 07881 805510

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01308 423442

marion@taylormade.demon.co.uk

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cooperationbridport.eventbrite.co.uk

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Tuesdays 10am-1pm

Every 2nd Tuesday 7.15pm

Mondays (term-time)

Art Class

Bridport Sugarcraft Club

6.30pm-8pm

Town Mill Arts, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU

Ivy House, Grove Nurseries,

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Bridport ASD & Social Anxiety

07812 856823 trudiochiltree.co.uk

Support Group

West Bay Road, DT6 4AB

Bridport Children’s Centre.

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am

Wednesdays 6pm-8pm

For teens, parents & carers

Walking the Way to

Contemporary Patchwork

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Health in Bridport

Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Starts from CAB 45 South St.

Studi0ne, Broadwindsor Craft Centre

Bridport Folk Dance Club

01305 252222 sarahdavies@dorset.gov.uk

WI Hall, North St. Folk dancing with

07383 490026 getcrafty@studi0ne.com

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Wednesdays & Thursdays

recorded music. 01308 423442

Tuesdays 6pm-8pm

7pm-10pm

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Heritage Coast Canoe Club

Bridport Bridge Club

Mondays 7.30pm-9pm

Westbay Watersports Centre,

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington

01308 862055 westbaykayak.co.uk

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Bridport Campfire -

Fisherman’s Green. Age 12+.

Women’s Coaching Group 67 South St

bridgewebs.com/bridport

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Wednesday or Thursday

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Tuesdays 7.15pm

9.30am-12.30pm (term-time)

Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Uplyme Morris Rehearsals

Painting & Drawing Art Classes

Bridport Choral Society

The Bottle Inn, Marshwood.

Mangerton Mill Artist Studio

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bridportchoral.wordpress.com/Facebook

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07917 748087 Facebook: Uplyme Morris

07505 268797

Mondays 14th & 28th 7.15pm

Tuesdays 7.30pm-9pm

Wednesdays 2pm-4pm

Biodanza @ Othona

Bridport Sangha

(term-time)

Othona Community, Coast Rd,

Meditation Evenings

Maiden Newton Art Group

Quaker Meeting House, South St.

Maiden Newton Village Hall, DT2 0AE.

Burton Bradstock DT6 4RN. £8-10

Thinking of letting your holiday home?

We know that your holiday home is just that – a home.

That’s why our local team is dedicated to managing your property with the same care and attention you would. With tailored services to suit your needs, you can be as involved as you like, so why not get in touch today?

01929 448 708 enquiries@dorsethideaways.co.uk dorsethideaways.co.uk 6 | Bridport Times | November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019 01300 321405

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Until 6th 10.30am-4.30pm

Saturday 2nd 7pm

Wednesdays 7pm-10pm

Watercolour Magic

Fireworks Display

Bridport Scottish Dancers

The Gallery, Symondsbury Estate DT6

Bridport Leisure Centre. £4 U12s free

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Church House, South St. 01308 538141 bridportscottishdancers.org.uk

6HG. Free entry/parking. lymebyarts.co.uk

bridportroundtable.co.uk/fireworks

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Until 22nd March 2020

Saturday 2nd 7.30pm

Every 4th Wednesday 7.30pm

Exhibition: Roots of

Bridport Ceilidh

Philosophy in Pubs

Religion in West Bay

George Hotel, South St Read Kelvin

West Bay Discovery Centre. Free/

St Mary’s Church House Hall.

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Sunday 3rd – Saturday 9th

Thursdays 6.30pm

Friday 1st & Saturday 2nd

Bridport Literary Festival

Pop-up Restaurant - The

10.30am-4.30pm

Monmouth Table (fish tapas)

Lino Printing

Visit bridlit.com for details

Soulshine Cafe, 76 South St. Bookings

Sculpture by the Lakes. 07720 637808

Monday 4th – December 2pm-3pm

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Chapel in the Garden, East St.

Clayton’s monthly article on page 78

Bring & share supper. 01308 423442

donations. westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

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sculpturebythelakes.co.uk

Art & Design History Course

Every 1st Thursday

Friday 1st 7.30pm-9pm

10.45am-11.45am

DWT Talk: Work of the

£30. 01300 321715

Free Community Coffee Morning

Woodland Trust & Ash Die-back

St. Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

Bridport United Church Hall,

Wednesday 6th &

____________________________

07425 969079 themonmouthtable.co.uk

01308 420943

chris.pamsimpson@btinternet.com

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East St, DT6 3LJ

Thursday 7th 10am-1pm

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Shibori Resist Dyeing Workshop

Every 3rd Friday 10.30am-3.30pm

Saturday 2nd 10.30am-4pm

Bridport Embroiderers

Be Calm Be Happy

Studi0ne, Broadwindsor Craft Centre

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

Meditation Course

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£30. Booking essential. 07966 204274 burtonje@gmail.com

01308 456168

Quaker Meeting House. 07950 959572

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Wednesday 6th 10.30am-12pm

Saturdays 10am-12pm

Saturday 2nd 5pm-8pm

Porcelain Christmas

Chess Club

Fireworks at Forde

Decorations Workshop

LSi, 51 East St. Free/donation.

Forde Abbey, Chard 01460 220231

Martinstown village store & café. £20.

lsibridport.co.uk/chess-club-on-saturdays-2/

fordeabbey.co.uk

ST. SWITHUN’S CHURCH Allington Road, Bridport Sunday 17th November, 3pm

A very special concert to demonstrate our church organ, recently restored to a high standard

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Bookings: creativeclayforall@yahoo.co.uk

Pieces by JS Bach, Langlais and Gigout with the Salisbury Diocese Organ Advisor and Chief Tutor on the ‘Pipe-Up’ scheme, Dr Richard Godfrey and his students Watch the players in action on the big screen View the inside of the organ and hear about its specialist refurbishment Free parking and free entry Email: di@bridport-team-ministry.org Tel: 01308 424747 bridporttimes.co.uk | 7

WHAT'S ON ____________________________

Friday 8th 7pm

Let’s Cover Some Ground

Wednesday 6th 6pm-7.30pm

1940s Dinner Dance

People First Dorset:

Tithe Barn, Symondsbury Estate.

LSi, 51 East St. £8. lsibridport.co.uk

Housing & Money

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symondsburyestate.co.uk

Monday 11th 7.30pm

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Beaminster Moviola:

01305 257600

Friday 8th 7.30pm

Fisherman’s Friends

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Sherborne Girls‘ Madrigal Society

Thursday 7th 10.45am-11.45am

& String Orchestra Concert

Public Hall, Beaminster. £5.

Community Coffee Morning

St Mary’s Church, Beaminster. £12.

Ropemakers, 36 West St, DT6 3QP.

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

Free parking

01308 861746

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Tickets from Yarn Barton Centre,

Thursday 14th-Tuesday 19th

Fleet St, or on door

11am-3.30pm

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Celebrating 90 Years

Thursday 7th 1pm-2pm

Saturday 9th 10am-4pm

Therapeutic Writing Course:

Bridging the Inner & Outer

Courtyard Gallery, Town Mill, Mill

Darkness & Shadows

Landscapes

Bothenhampton Village Hall.

Living Spirituality event. Quaker Meeting

george@georgegottscounselling.co.uk

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Thursday 14th 9.30am-4.30pm

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Saturday 9th 10.30am-12pm

Book-binding Workshop

Thursday 7th 6pm-8pm

Family Clay Christmas

Woodland Management Pie & Pint

Decorations Workshop

Furleigh Wine Estate, Salway Ash

With Dorset Woodhub. New Inn, Eype.

Martinstown village store & café. £12.

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Thursday 14th 7.30pm

Friday 8th 9.30am-1.30pm

Saturday 9th – Wednesday 27th

Talk: The Dynamic Coast

Plant-based Cooking Workshop

10.30am-4.30pm

Yellow Gorse, 25 East St. 07704 093016

Autumn Open

West Bay Discovery Centre. £5. Booking

Friday 8th 7pm

DT6 6HG. Free entry/parking.

Thursday 14th 7.30pm

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Drimpton Village Hall. 01308 867617

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£5 for 5-week course. 07747 142088

Free. woodlandpieandpint.eventbrite.com

____________________________ Fun Quiz Night St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

Teams of up to 6. £5/person.

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House, 95 South St. iona.lake@aol.com

Bookings: creativeclayforall@yahoo.co.uk

The Gallery, Symondsbury Estate,

Lane, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU. Free

exhibition by Uplyme & Lyme Regis

Horticultural Society. urlhs.wordpress.com ____________________________

DT6 5JF. £90 including all materials.

01308 488991 furleighestate.co.uk/event

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recommended. westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk ____________________________

lymebayarts.co.uk

Alleyne Dance: A Night’s Game

Monday 11th 7pm-9pm

artsreach.co.uk

Drawing Workshop:

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A packed schedule of films about land, farming and food this year with Sci-Fi classics in the mix. Dramas, documentaries, shorts and artist films, plus a screening area for kids.

Hewood, Chard TA20 4NR Guy Shrubsole author of ‘Who Owns England?’ and journalist Sara Hudston discuss Ben Wheatley’s ‘A Field In England’ at 3pm.

Harvest Competition shortlist screening at 7pm.

09.11.19

Please visit www.harvestfilmfestival.com for tickets and full programme details.

Lunch and supper with seasonal organic produce.

11am - late, Saturday 9th November

8 | Bridport Times | November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019 Friday 15th 7.30pm Neon Music Night

Whitchurch Canonicorum Village Hall.

A Dreadful Lost Cause

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DT8 3NB. £3. info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

£5. 01297 489795

Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd,

symondsburyestate.co.uk

Sunday 17th 10.30am-3.30pm

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Yoga Workshop

Thursday 21st 2.30pm

Saturday 16th 10am-4pm

Sydling St Nicholas Village Hall. £40.

Slade Painters in

07773 651530

Bridport Town Hall. taswestdorset.org.uk

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Sunday 17th 11am-4pm

Thursday 21st 7.30pm

Saturday 16th 10am-5pm

Bookbinding: Books for Gifting

Gardening Club Talk:

Jurassic Art & Craft Fayre

£85. 07425 163459 inkandpage.co.uk

Images of Dartmoor

6LL. Free. Craft activity for children.

Sunday 17th 2pm-5pm

Free/£2. 01308 459469

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Bridport Town Hall. Free but ticketed via

Friday 22nd 9am-1pm

Tithe Barn, Symondsbury Estate. £4.50.

Vinyl Saturday Record & CD Fair Bridport Untied Church, East St. 07548 278276 hdicksrecords@yahoo.co.uk

Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, DT6

Some previous experience necessary.

Edwardian Dorset

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Women’s Institute Hall, Bridport.

01297 560772

Bridport Co-housing

Saturday 16th 10.30am-2.30pm

Eventbrite. info@bridportcohousing.org.uk

Workshop: Timber

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in Affordable Housing

Sculpture-making Workshop

Sunday 17th 3pm

Bridport Town Hall, DT6 3LF.

Free Organ Concert

Bridport Town Hall. Dorset Woodhub.

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Giant Lantern

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£5-10. timberhousingworkshop.eventbrite.com

£4. Bookings – TIC 01308 424901

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

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Friday 22nd 9.30am-4.30pm

Saturday 16th 7pm

Sunday 17th 5pm for 6pm

Willow Workshop:

The Skalatons & DJ Santa

Charity Auction

Hares & Pheasants

Village Hall, Evershot. £10. 07867 536754

The Ropemakers, DT6 3QP. 01308 422650

Studi0ne Broadwindsor Craft Centre.

Saturday 16th 7pm

Tuesday 19th 10.30am-4.30pm

Fun Quiz Night

Winter Propagation Workshop

josadlerforgednwillow.bigcartel.com

St Mary’s Church House, South St.

Sculpture by the Lakes. £75.

Saturday 23rd –

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4-6/table. £5pp. 01308 456138

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£75. Booking essential. 07531 417209

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07720 637808 sculpturebythelakes.co.uk

Sunday 24th 10am-4pm

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Lucie Milner Original

Saturday 16th 7.30pm

Tuesday 19th 2.30pm

Artwork & Decorative Pieces

Barn Dance

Talk: Monmouth Rebellion –

The Reading Room, Burton Bradstock.

bridporttimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON Exhibition & sale of work

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Wednesday 27th 7.30pm

Tuesday 3rd 2.30pm

Saturday 23rd 12pm-2.30pm

AGM & Talk: Natural Gardening

Talk: The Romans in Dorset

Wonder-filled Christmas Fayre

Uplyme village hall. urlhs.wordpress.com

Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, DT8

Free entry/parking

Thursday 28th 6pm-9pm

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Annual Autumn Wine Tasting

Thursday 5th December

Saturday 23rd 4.30pm

Seaside Boarding House, Burton

10.30am-1pm

morrishandbanham.com

Coffee Morning

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Thursday 28th 7.30pm

Saturday 23rd 7.30pm

Appreciation Redefined:

£3 including refreshments. 01308 485464

Two Destination Language:

Talk by Raj Adgopul

Fallen Fruit

LSi, 51 East St. £12. lsibridport.co.uk

Fairs and markets

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01308 897421 artsreach.co.uk

Friday 29th 7.30pm

Every Wednesday & Saturday

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Mayor’s Mistletoe & Music

Weekly Market

Sunday 24th 3pm

Bridport Town Hall DT6 3LF

South, West & East St

Orchestra Autumn Concert

Saturday 30th 10.30am-2pm

Second Saturday of the month,

St Swithun’s Church, Bridport. Free.

Lantern-making Workshop

9am–1pm

Bridport Music Centre & on door.

Farmers’ Market

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Bridport Town Hall, DT6 3LF.

Monday 25th 2.30pm

£4 per lantern. Bookings: 01308 424901

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Bridport Arts Centre

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Geology and Jewellery, Mining

Saturday 30th 7pm

Every Saturday, 9am–12pm

Bridport United Church Hall, East St.

Arabian Nights Auction

Country Market

£5. 01308 863577

of Promised & Arabian-

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themed Dinner

WI Hall, North Street

Tuesday 26th 9.30am-1pm

Uplyme Village Hall, DT7 3UY.

Last Sunday of every month,

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Bridport Vintage Market

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

5km Purple Night Run In aid of pancreatic cancer awareness month. symondsburyestate.co.uk

Burton Bradstock Village Hall.

Bridport Chamber

Willow Workshop: Christmas Swags Studi0ne Broadwindsor Craft Centre.

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3NB. £3. info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

Bradstock DT6 4RB. £5. 01305 261480

Versus Arthritis Christmas Fair/

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Sweetbriar Farm, Uploders DT6 4NY.

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£20. 01297 442138

£45. Booking essential. 07531 417209

Planning ahead

____________________________

____________________________

____________________________ 10am-4pm St Michael’s Trading Estate, DT6 3RR

____________________________

josadlerforgednwillow.bigcartel.com

____________________________

Sunday 17th 10am-4pm

____________________________

Sunday 1st December 11am-6pm

Eype Makers Market

Tuesday 26th 2pm

Christmas Market

Trekking in Machu Picchu

Symondsbury Estate, DT6 6HG

Highlands, Eype DT6 6AR. Free entry/

Bridport United Church Hall, East St.

Non-members: £2. u3asites.org.uk/bridport

Free entry & parking

parking. Refreshments available

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Sunday 1st December 3pm

To include your event in our FREE

Tuesday 26th 2.30pm

Rob Gee: Forget Me Not –

listings please email details – date/

DWT & Lyme Regis Society Talk:

The Alzheimer’s Whodunnit

time/title/venue/description/price/

Dorset Grasslands

St Andrew’s Community Hall,

contact (max 20 words) – by the

07967 759135 artsreach.co.uk

listings@homegrown-media.co.uk

Woodmead Halls, Hill Rd, Lyme Regis DT7 3PG

10 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Charmouth. Suitable 14+.

1st of each preceding month to

PREVIEW In association with

I AIN’T AFRAID OF NO GHOST It’s 1986. Prince Andrew and Fergie get married in the summer.

Dirty Den serves Angie divorce papers on Christmas Day; and eight-year-old Gareth is sharing his bedroom with a

exploration of a childhood haunting where nothing is quite what it seems...

KitKat-pinching ghost. Inspired by his favourite film, little

evolver.org.uk

investigation into a playful poltergeist. Now, three decades later,

Wednesday 13th November 7.30pm

nearest and dearest, grown-up Gareth is determined to uncover

Royal Manor Theatre, Portland, DT5 1LT. £9 / £6.

Embark on a nostalgic trip back to the 1980s and a comic

____________________________________________

Gareth becomes a self-appointed Ghostbuster, launching an

____________________________________________

with the help of home videos, retro toys and interviews with his

I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost

what was really going on inside his very own haunted house.

03336 663366 artsreach.co.uk

12 | Bridport Times | November 2019

BRIDPORT

Literary Festival

Sun 3rd – Sat 9th November 2019

Sunday 3 November at 6.30 pm | The Electric Palace THE POET LAUREATE: SIMON ARMITAGE CBE FRSL Monday 4 November at 11.30 am | The Ballroom The Bull Hotel NICK JUBBER - a classical journey around Europe Tuesday 5 November at 11.30 pm | The Ballroom The Bull Hotel ELEANOR FITZSIMONS - biography of EDITH NESBITT - the life and loves Tuesday 5 November at 4.00 pm | The Ballroom The Bull Hotel MAX PORTER - LANNY long listed for this year's Booker Prize Wednesday 6 November at 2.30 | The Ballroom The Bull Hotel CELIA BRAYFIELD - REBEL WRITERS of the Sixties Thursday 7 November at 4.00 pm | The LSI Bridport SADIE JONES - THE SNAKES - a disquieting novel with an unusual twist Friday 8 November at 11.30am | The Electric Palace TOM HOLLAND - DOMINION - How the Christian Revolution changed the World Friday 8 November at 6.00 pm | The Electric Palace MELVYN BRAGG - LOVE WITHOUT END - a Story of Heloise and Abelard Saturday 9 November at 5.00 pm | The Electric Palace DAVID NICHOLLS - US, ONE DAY and now SWEET SORROW Saturday 9 November at 6.30 pm | The Electric Palace STEVE RICHARDS - THE PRIME MINISTERS - Reflections on Leadership

FREE Download Guide & Map

www.bridlit.com

Tickets available from Box Office: Bridport Tourist Centre, The Town Hall, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3LF Tel: 01308 424901 and online at www.bridlit.com Follow us on Facebook & Twitter for latest updates @BridLitFestival

Arts & Culture

Michael Fairclough on the steps of the British School at Rome

RADIANCE

PAINTING THE SKY

I

Anna Powell, Director, Sladers Yard Gallery and Café Sladers

n the darkness of winter the need to look for light increases. Fires, lamps and candles are a comfort but paintings of light also have a remarkable ability to gladden the heart. Our upcoming exhibition, Radiance, introduces two artists new to Sladers Yard, both of whom paint light: Michael Fairclough and Rachel Fenner.

Michael Fairclough’s remarkable cloud paintings are so well observed, his largest commission so far has been for the Meteorological Office. He explores 14 | Bridport Times | November 2019

the immensity of sun, sky and sea in richly coloured, multi-layered and roughly-textured paintings. His recent works contemplate the transition from light to darkness.

Sunset, dusk and twilight are a succession of light effects which can easily look overblown and clichéd in paintings, but Michael’s compositions encompass the subtle shifting interplay of light and cloud to capture the wonder of nature.

The history of ‘skying’ goes back to the two great

Michael Fairclough Sea Passage - Dusk XXII 91.5x102cm

Romantics, Turner and Constable, who really drew on the energy and moods of the English sky. Constable famously called the sky, ‘the chief organ of sentiment’ in any landscape.

Two hundred years ago, when Sladers Yard was a fresh, new working warehouse and ships were being built in West Bay, John Constable began to paint a series of sky studies on Hampstead Heath in London. Constable had honeymooned in Osmington Mills in 1816 and produced three paintings of Weymouth Bay under different skies. In 1821 he first showed The Hay Wain which established his reputation as a naturalist who painted rural England as he saw it. That same year he began his sky paintings in oil on thick paper. In October

1822 he wrote that he had, ‘about 50 carefull studies of skies tolerably large’ almost all with dates, times of day and even wind speeds. Interestingly he never used any of the skies from these studies in later paintings so may have considered them finished paintings.

Turner’s lifetime of sketchbooks include many cloud studies painted quickly outdoors. He used the sky to extraordinary and visionary effect in his paintings. His late, very nearly abstract, skyscapes are as close to the sublime as anything in English art.

At the same time, the other great Romantic, Samuel Palmer, wrote in a letter of 1828 to his friend John Linnell, ‘Nor must be forgotten the motley clouding, the fine meshes, the aerial tissues that dapple the skies of > bridporttimes.co.uk | 15

Arts & Culture

Rachel Fenner Wave Nocturne 30x50cm

spring; nor the rolling volumes and piled mountains of light.’ He saw in Linnell’s own treatment of clouds, ‘how the elements of nature may be transmitted into the pure Gold of Art.’ A hundred years later in the 1920s a revival of interest in William Blake’s mystical visions inspired a generation of artists who became known as the NeoRomantics. Graham Sutherland, Paul Nash, John Piper, John Craxton and Keith Vaughan were electrified, just as Palmer had been, by the idea that one could, ‘see a World in a Grain of Sand.’

The Neo-Romantics in turn have inspired Rachel Fenner, the second artist joining Sladers Yard in Radiance. Rachel was the daughter of a watch-maker who died when she was ten years old. She used to watch him work and he would take her to earthworks in Yorkshire and around Salisbury Plain. Rachel loves archaeology, maths, geometry, music and philosophy. She studied art at Wimbledon College of Art, graduating with a double first in painting and sculpture. At the Royal College of Art her philosophy teacher was Iris Murdoch with whom she maintained a 30-year friendship and correspondence.

In 1979 she won an Arts Council fellowship to work with Portsmouth City Council to develop ‘Art as Environment’. This led to a large 16 | Bridport Times | November 2019

number of groundbreaking projects in which she collaborated with public bodies to produce works that were not simply integral to public spaces but were those spaces.

In addition to her major environmental artworks and sculpture, Rachel is a respected painter. Her paintings are described by multiple critics as following in the tradition of Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland, while remaining very much her own. Inspired by the wild coasts of Dorset and Pembrokeshire, the paintings reveal a passionate love of place - the rocks and structure and geological history of a place as well as the moment and experience of being there in particular weather and light. Fresh and fierce with the struggle to convey what she feels, they have a particular resonance right now. sladersyard.co.uk

____________________________________________ From Saturday 16th November Radiance: Fred Cuming RA, Michael Fairclough, Rachel Fenner, David Inshaw, Jeremy Gardiner and Alfred Stockham RCA Sladers Yard Gallery, West Bay Road, West Bay Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL

____________________________________________

D I S C O V E R | E AT | S H O P | S T AY | C E L E B R AT E

Welcome to Symondsbury Estate, set in the beautiful Dorset countryside just a stone’s throw from the Jurassic Coast. Join us for lunch. Browse our shops. Visit the gallery.

Explore our fabulous walks and bike trails. Relax and unwind in our holiday accommodation.

Celebrate your wedding day... ... Isn’t it time you discovered Symondsbury Estate?

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+44 (0)1308 424116 www.symondsburyestate.co.uk The Estate Office Manor Yard, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6HG

Arts & Culture

PETE MILLSON

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER & MUSICIAN

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Kit Glaisyer, Artist

ridport-based photographer Pete Millson has taken portraits of many fascinating people, from Amy Winehouse to Ricky Gervais, and has a series of photographs in the National Portrait Gallery. For a few years now he has been documenting many of those involved in our vibrant art scene, providing most of the portraits of the artists I write about for the Bridport Times as well as many of those taking part in Bridport and West Dorset Open Studios. He is also a talented musician and music producer. Below, Pete tells his story.

I grew up in a village and small town between Reading and Newbury and spent most of my childhood either riding/repairing my BMX, playing my guitar or staring out the window. I still have that BMX and, though I don’t ride it anymore, I spend a lot of my time sitting by a window or playing a guitar. Or taking photographs.

18 | Bridport Times | November 2019

I was given a camera by my friend, Richard, when he left to go back to Canada in 1992. Even amidst tearful farewells at the airport I can clearly remember wanting to get the goodbyes over with in order to go over and see if WHSmith had a ‘Teach Yourself Photography’ book of some sort. It had never occurred to me to take a photo before, beyond snapping something at Christmas or on holiday, but the camera I was given (a Pentax ME Super) arrived at the exact moment that I had started to notice how much I notice things. I spent a few years finding out how all the levers and dials worked - enough to get me a portfolio of pictures good enough to want to show them to people: pictures of friends, friends in bands, friends of friends in bands.

I always got the New Musical Express (NME) every week and so, mid-nineties I thought I would phone them up and ask if I could show them what I had. >

KIT GLAISYER

Amy Winehouse by Pete Millson bridporttimes.co.uk | 19

Arts & Culture

Robert Chaney by Pete Millson

I was strongly influenced by both Anton Corbijn and Henri Cartier Bresson (still am, if I’m honest) and I think a hint of that was evident in the photographs certainly enough that they started giving me work as an occasional freelance contributor: late-night gigs, printing through the night in my blacked-out bathroom; lastminute trips to New York and all over; horrible festivals, drinking lots of coffee waiting for the films to be done at the lab...

Around this time, I used to hang out with my friend, the American painter, Phil Hale. He was also a strong influence on my photography: there was many a latenight session at his studio with him on drums and me on electric guitar pretending that I liked whisky. I learned about framing from Phil: how the edges of a photograph are vital; how where the image ends is as important a statement as what’s being described in the interior.

I met the writer Tom Cox on an NME job and we became friends. When he moved to a new job as pop critic at The Guardian, I duly made inroads there.

20 | Bridport Times | November 2019

We did a few Guardian jobs together and then I was given a regular slot with writer Will Hodgkinson where we did a feature every week in the Friday Review. The column, ‘Home Entertainment’ ran for five or six years and we had a lot of fun visiting wellknown entertainers where they lived and getting the low-down on their record (book/film) collections.

Sometimes it was business-class travel, sometimes we were arguing over who was going to pay for our Little Chef beans on toast. We also had a secret list going and marked these celebrities according to how good their hospitality was. Worst was a begrudging can of Diet Coke (no names) and the best, I think, was film director Mike Hodges who made us lunch and insisted I sit out in his orchard in a hammock while Will did the interview.

In 2009, Terence Pepper, who was then in charge of the National Portrait Gallery in London, got in touch to say that they wished to acquire six of my portraits for their permanent collection, which was a thrill -

Phil Hale by Pete Millson

although, on the day I went to deliver the prints with my friend Vicki, I remember handing them over to someone I didn’t know who said, “yeah, cheers” and that was that.

Alongside all this seemingly exciting work, I’ve loaded vans, worked on chicken farms, delivered candles to restaurants in Soho, photographed college graduates and cooked pizzas. Alongside my photography, I’ve always written songs, played guitar and made recordings of one sort or another. I have a handful of albums out, the most recent of which I produced myself, and I’m very proud of them.

I’m very grateful to Bridport songwriter Elijah Wolf whose Open Mic nights I attended religiously for a few years; I learned a lot about live performance there. Though I do very few gigs these days, I really enjoy playing live and, unbelievably, as this was once a long way from being true, I absolutely love singing.

I’m currently in the middle of producing a new album for an artist called Jinder. Involved is everything from hanging duvets up in the front room to improve the

acoustics, to booking-in horn sections in Nashville and commissioning strings (amazing experience), to playing bass guitar, and to forcing the artist to do star jumps in my kitchen in an effort to put more life into a guitar solo (it worked).

I live with my lovely family, which is my ever-wise and beautiful wife and my two brilliant boys, and I’ve recently started some part-time lecturing in photography at Weymouth College, which I’m enjoying. Despite being busy with all of that, my photography and my music, I still, most days, find myself either asleep on the sofa with a record playing or sitting quietly by a window reading a book. philhalestudio.com thegravitydrive.com jinder.co.uk peterjamesmillson.com petemillsonphotographer.uk kitglaisyer.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 21

Arts & Culture

THE ARTS SOCIETY WEST DORSET A NEW MEETING PLACE

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Liz Gomme

ot many people know about The Arts Society, but it’s big. We have more than 90,000 members in over 380 local societies and we are lucky enough to have one here in West Dorset.

In 1968 a group of 8 local arts and antiques groups joined together to form what was then the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies, catchily shortened to NADFAS. A young woman named Patricia Fay spearheaded this, later receiving an OBE in recognition of her vision. She and others helped the organisation grow to include the initiatives we are so proud of today, namely the volunteering arm and grants to the young arts, which aim to contribute to and enrich appreciation of our artistic heritage. Sadly, Patricia died aged 46 but a fund was established in her memory to provide grants to 3 areas: young arts, regional and local museums and galleries, and skills development.

By 1984 the organisation had become international with a German group, followed by societies in Australia and New Zealand and across mainland Europe.

Just before the 50th anniversary celebrations, NADFAS became The Arts Society and we became The Arts Society West Dorset. The name was the only thing that changed though; the Society continues to celebrate and promote all aspects of the arts, welcoming everyone to hear about them in all their fascinating diversity.

The Arts Society works on the principle that the arts enrich our lives and bring people together who have an interest in all things artistic. Its remit is vast, encompassing, among other things, literature, gardens, fashion, architecture, painting, sculpture, art history, glass, jewellery, silver and gold. It provides lectures, workshops and visits, not only locally and nationally but also internationally.

Aside from this the national Society promotes the arts within communities through its volunteer programmes of recording art in churches and heritage preservation and also through grants to local projects for children and young people and those working in the arts.

Local activities benefiting from this include ‘Arts for 22 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Gustav Klimt, Death and Life (1915)

Dementia’, an initiative in Dorset in 2017.

The West Dorset branch began in 1988, helped into life by one of Patricia Fay’s original founding members, Pamela Charlton, who had moved to the area. We proudly celebrated our 25th anniversary at Highlands End in 2013, with a special lunch and lecture supported by the national team. As well as a season of excellent lectures, the local committee also organises special interest days and outings to exhibitions or places of particular interest, with an occasional longer overnight trip if there is enough interest.

Locally we draw on the Arts Society’s pool of entertaining and informed speakers, and meet experts, many of whom are published or are curators of notable exhibitions. Recently this has included Antique Roadshow’s Ian Pickford and Paul Atterbury. The

speaker’s knowledge and enthusiasm is informative and infectious, often opening up new areas of interest. You don’t need to have knowledge or even an interest in the subject to enjoy the presentations. In fact, it is often the case that the lectures you think will interest you least are a real surprise. My favourite a couple of seasons ago was on the early twentieth century fashion designer, Mariano Fortuny - and I thought I wasn’t the least bit interested in fashion.

We have started this season in a new, more central location, the Town Hall, Bridport, where we meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month. We hope the central location will mean that people can meet for lunch in one of the great local cafés and pubs in Bridport, and parking is available close by. Around 50 members attend each month but, with visitors, numbers are often higher.

This season’s 10 lectures promise some real gems,

including Klimt and the Viennese Secession, The Lewis Chessmen, Indian Travels with Kipling, 150 years of Tiffany, and for, local interest, Slade Painters in Dorset.

Membership is £50 (£85 for joint membership) and includes a very readable and informative quarterly magazine published by the national society. However, non-members are always welcome on the day, with a charge of £7.50 on the door.

The next meeting of the Arts Society West Dorset is on Thursday 21st November at 2.30pm (doors open 2pm).

The topic is Slade Painters in Edwardian Dorset, presented by Gwen Yarker. The full programme and membership details can be found on the website. taswestdorset.org.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 23

The makers shop

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24 | Bridport Times | November 2019

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History

LOST DORSET

WEST MILTON

T

he parish register for 1862 records the marriage of Hannah Guppy, aged 25, to Thomas Knight, two years her junior. Both were higglers, as was Hannah’s father, Absalom. A higgler was a rural pedlar, selling anything from saucepans to patent medicines. They often took part-payment in eggs or poultry, which then they sold on. Hannah used to sell her produce in Weymouth market, ‘starting her journey almost in the middle of the night.’ Thomas Hardy described them as, ‘an interesting and better-informed class than agricultural labourers.’

Lost Dorset: The Villages & Countryside 1880-1920, by David Burnett, is a large format paperback, price £12, and is widely available throughout Dorset or direct from the publishers. dovecotepress.com

26 | Bridport Times | November 2019

HUTS TO HUNKER DOWN IN plankbridge.com 01300 348414

‘This is the most fascinating selection of books I’ve seen.’

E

Elementum Gallery A lifestyle gallery and bookshop with a focus on the natural world.

FIND US ON SOUTH ST, SHERBORNE

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WINTER MARKET Saturday 30th November 11am - 4pm Featuring Trill Farm soaps and natural beauty products, Gotland wool blankets, Trill Farm Garden produce, Ali Herbert Ceramics, O’Hagan’s Mead, and more...

Seasonal lunch available at the Old Dairy Kitchen, booking essential.

Get in touch to find out more Trill Farm, Axminster, Devon, EX13 8TU 01297 631113 trillfarm.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 27

History

THE BRIDPORT BREAD RIOTS OF 1816 PART II

Brian Parker, Volunteer, Bridport Museum

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Last month we considered item BRPMG 6652 in our collection, a breadknife. As far as we know this knife is modern and bears little significance to Bridport’s history. It’s one of the more random items that has ended up in our collection for no apparent reason, some time ago. However, objects can often lead us to thinking about other things, and there was a point in Bridport’s history when bread was the source of disquiet and unrest. This month, we conclude our look at the events which led to the Bridport Bread Riots of 1816.

Emily Hicks, Director

o protect home producers, in 1815 the government passed a law prohibiting the import of corn until the price reached 80 shillings a bushel. This law, together with the worldwide famine, caused a severe shortage of corn and led to social unrest in the form of riots in various towns including London, Littleport, Cambridgeshire and Bridport. The riot in Bridport took place on the 29th April 1816. The actual number of people who took part is not recorded but according to one source 2000 people were involved. The target of the rioters was the millers and the bakers of the town who in those days had a reputation for greed and dishonesty! The riot was eventually quashed by the efforts of the leading residents who succeeded in locking up the rioters in prison. The riot was led by John Toleman. He was arrested, charged and convicted along with William Fry, James Stodgell, Jacob Powell, Hannah Powell, Suzan Saunders, Elizabeth Phillips and Samuel Follett. They were all tried at Dorchester Magistrates Court. The offences included (in the wording of the indictment): 1 Breaking into the cellars of Gundry and Co (presumably of Palmers Brewery which was then owned by the Gundry family).

2 Breaking the window of John Thomas Baker in East Street.

3 By gestures and language instigating the people to tumult by carrying a loaf of bread fixed to a staff through the streets.

4 Attempting to rescue a ringleader of the mob.

5 Attempting to assault Robert Turner who was acting as a special constable in suppressing an unlawful assembly.

6 Threatening William Diment, baker, and using threatening language to the same in these words to 28 | Bridport Times | November 2019

wit "we'll have your liver and lights before night".

7 Breaking the windows of the dwelling house and shop of John Fowler, baker.

The eight defendants were convicted variously by magistrates Charles Strickland, Mayor of Dorchester, The Rev Houston Hartwell, Samuel Grundy and Griffith Lloyd. Each defendant was fined one shilling and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. William Fry was awarded hard labour. The ringleader escaped that punishment!

The Corn Laws continued to be the subject of political debate. In 1838 the Corn Law League was formed and pressure to repeal the laws mounted, fanned by the Whig Party and opposed by the Tory Party. In 1848 the Commons passed the law for repeal with a majority of 98; it was passed by the Lords, with the persuasion of The Duke of Wellington, with a majority of 4. The repeal was led by the Tory prime minister Sir Robert Peel supported by the Whigs and a portion of the Tories, thus splitting the Tory party and putting them out of government for several years thereafter.

Bridport Museum Trust is a registered charity, which runs an Accredited Museum and a Local History Centre in the centre of Bridport. Entry to the Museum is free.

The Local History Centre provides resources for local and family history research. To find out more about Bridport Museum’s collections or to become a volunteer, visit their website. Much of their photographic and fine art archive is available online at flickr.com/photos/61486724@N00/ bridportmuseum.co.uk @bridportmuseum BridportMuseum

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Visit: www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/shop Registered Charity No. 200222

Photos Š Julie Hatcher, Emma Rance & Paul Williams.

Wild Dorset

30 | Bridport Times | November 2019

LIFE ON THE HEDGE Melanie Fermor, Volunteer, Dorset Wildlife Trust

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s the mercury begins to drop and Mother Nature sweeps her autumnal paintbrush over the landscape, our thoughts turn to some of our sleepier species. Prickly native hedgehogs (erinaceus europaeus) are busy at this time of year, looking for places to hibernate through the British winter. They typically hibernate between November and mid-March but can be seen between these times looking for new nesting sites. Beware though… they don’t always choose a suitable spot and can be found in all sorts of places, including bonfires! So please make sure you check before lighting.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals and, whilst sleepy in the daytime, they are industrious little creatures at night, covering a surprising 1-2km per night on their tiny little legs. Their home range may be 10-20 hectares, where they rummage around for insects to eat and look for a mate. They are often seen in more built-up areas, where their range could cover the gardens of a whole street... so you may have more neighbours than you realise!

Hedgehog numbers have declined hugely, particularly in rural areas. They were once common but, due to habitat destruction and other factors such as pesticide use, the population has declined by 30% since 2003. So how can we help? Hedgehogs will appreciate a few simple wildlife-friendly gardening approaches. Consider leaving a log pile or compost heap in your garden as a good place for them to shelter; it’s also a veritable insect and grub buffet table for hungry hedgehogs too! You could build hedgehog holes – small spaces in your fences to allow hedgehogs to range from garden to garden in your community. You might consider leaving out some meaty cat food or dog food and some water in the colder months to help our prickly pals along.

You could even build a special hedgehog house.

You can find hedgehogs throughout the UK, with the exception of just a few small Scottish islands. Hedgehogs frequent gardens, hedgerows, woodlands, grasslands, cemeteries, indeed anywhere with good natural coverage, a plentiful food source and not too much human disturbance during the night-time hours.

• Signs that you have a hedgehog present in your garden include disturbed leaves and ground foliage, and droppings. If your neighbours have them, you might too.

• Hedgehogs are nocturnal. If you see one in the daytime it may be in distress. Contact your local wildlife rescue centre for advice or visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society website.

• Consider building a homely hedgehog house in your garden. For details, visit the Dorset Wildlife Trust website.

Image: Tom Marshall

britishhedgehogs.org.uk/found-a-hedgehog wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-hedgehog-home bridporttimes.co.uk | 31

Wild Dorset

OYSTER THIEVES AND WIREWEED Alison Ferris, Deputy Senior Warden, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

Cmspic/Shutterstock

32 | Bridport Times | November 2019

O

ver the last couple of years through the Heritage Centre’s marine events we have noticed the spread of two invasive species across the ledges and rockpools of Lyme Regis and Charmouth - and they are still spreading. Despite efforts to clear away one of them, it returned and spread like wildfire. Wireweed (Sargassum muticum) and oyster thief (Colpomenia peregrina) are two non-native species which we have recorded for the Natural History Museum’s citizen science project, the ‘Big Seaweed Search’.

Wireweed is a large, brown seaweed whose fronds can often be over 1m in length. It has very distinctive long wires of olive brown weed branches hanging from the stem. Each branch has tiny leaves and tiny round floats. It originates in the Pacific and appeared on the Isle of Wight in 1973, having spread from France. It competes with native species such as sea grasses. As the wireweed has spread over Broadledge in Lyme Regis we have noticed a decline in snake-lock sea anemones. We don’t know yet if the two are connected but the wireweed has spread across to Charmouth beach and snake-locks have also declined there.

Wireweed has now been recorded across the length of Britain. It grows in shallow conditions and outcompetes local species due to being fast growing, self-fertilising and reproducing in the first year of life. There was a country-wide attempt to eliminate wireweed but it was unsuccessful as manual handling is very time consuming and often needs to be repeated. Several methods have been tried but so far it has re-grown very quickly, becoming a pest in several waterways and interfering with recreational activities. Dense strands of wireweed are likely to disrupt the flow of water, reduce nutrients, reduce space and block out sunlight. This may be the reason sea anemones are reduced in our local rockpools. They used to occupy the main channel on Broadledge in their hundreds but in the last two years there have not been any in that space.

The oyster thief is a non-gelatinous brown alga. It is a hollow sphere, usually 1-7cm across, although most of the ones we have seen in Lyme Regis have only been 1-2cm. It grows on rocks, seaweed and shells, and thrives in sheltered areas, making Lyme Regis the perfect place to live.

The oyster thief was introduced to France from the Pacific coast of North America and had been introduced to Cornwall and Dorset by 1907. It has negative effects on the environment as it lacks predators and grows quickly. The oyster thief competes with native species reducing suitable habitat for fish, molluscs and crustaceans. In other countries they can attach to oysters and float away, hence the name ‘oyster thief ’, and they can impact the local economy by damaging shellfish industries. So far there hasn’t been an effort to eliminate the oyster thief across Britain and little is known of its effects on native habitats.

So far, we can only speculate that both wireweed and the oyster thief might be causing problems to our local species such as the anemones. We have begun recording seaweeds for the Natural History Museum so they can get an idea of the impact on native species and work towards a solution.

Seaweeds face other problems such as rising sea temperature, ocean acidification and pollution so the added effect of competing with non-native species further impacts the local environment.

So what can you do? The Natural History Museum needs citizen scientists to help understand seaweeds. As stated on their website, “Home to a particularly high diversity of species, the UK is a special place for seaweeds. Unfortunately, seaweeds are not as popular as flowers, butterflies or birds, so fewer people make and submit observations of them. As a result, we know comparatively little about the abundance and distribution of seaweed species, and how this may change over time. Understanding more about seaweeds is critical to protecting marine environments.”

Why not help to record seaweeds from your local rockpools and beaches. You can download your own resources from the Natural History Museum’s website. Visit our website and Facebook page for our ‘Big Seaweed Search’ events too. nhm.ac.uk/take-part/citizen-science/big-seaweed-search.html charmouth.org/chcc bridporttimes.co.uk | 33

Wild Dorset

THE SPARROWHAWK

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Colin Varndell, Photographer

he sparrowhawk’s relatively short, blunt wings and long tail give it the ability to fly at speed through woodland, winding its way around tree trunks and through branches, ducking and diving, and twisting and turning with incredible velocity. This skilful manoeuvrability enables the hawk to catch birds, mostly by surprise, which are smaller and lighter than itself.

Adult male sparrowhawks are bluish grey on their upper parts with distinct orange-white barring on the breast and under parts. Adult females and juvenile birds are brown above with brown barring on the breast. A conspicuous diagnostic feature separating the sexes is the pale stripe above the female’s eye, appearing like a white eyebrow. The average life expectancy of an adult sparrowhawk is around four years.

Male sparrowhawks are approximately two-thirds the size of females; this size difference makes the female around twice the weight of a male. Although the larger size of the female enables her to carry the greater body reserves required for reproduction, it does mean she is less agile than her mate. The size difference between the sexes enables the sparrowhawk to cover all woodland bird species as prey. A male can take anything from a goldcrest to a thrush, while the female’s victims range from starling to rook.

In order to conserve energy, the sparrowhawk will sit motionless for long periods of time before taking off to dash along hedgerows, or glide along country roads just above ground level, before dashing over a hedge to surprise its prey.

The sparrowhawk population in Britain declined during the last century, almost to extinction.

This was partly because of illegal persecution but mainly due to the use of organochlorine pesticides used in agriculture. Hawks were killing songbirds which had consumed these poisons from eating seeds. The chemicals accumulated in the hawk, killing some birds outright. Others were affected because these harmful compounds thinned egg shells, causing them to break during incubation.

Garden bird-feeding stations have created unnatural targets for sparrowhawks and therefore act like magnets for them. It’s keenness to attack songbirds on bird tables or seed feeders has brought it into conflict with humans. The bird is frequently blamed for the decline in songbird populations, however sparrowhawks catch the unwary, the slower, older and often sick individuals. A hawk could never overtake a fleeing flock of birds in flight to take out the faster, fitter leaders. As humans, we tend to forget that songbirds are predators too and we seem to take little notice of a blue tit eating a caterpillar or a songthrush bashing a snail to bits on a stone.

I once had the rare opportunity to watch sparrowhawks rearing their young where they nested near my home, just outside Bridport. When the nestling sparrowhawks had learned to fly, they remained on the nest for weeks for further tuition. One time, I was watching from my hide nearby when I heard the shrill cry of the adult bird as it flew into the wood carrying a greenfinch. As the hawk approached the nest, he flew upside down holding the finch above in his talons, as one of the young birds flew from the nest and snatched the finch. I only witnessed this incredible behaviour once but came to realise that this is how the adults teach the young to hunt.

However you might view the sparrowhawk, either hero or villain, it is a bird that has evolved to fill the perfect avian niche, by killing off the old, weak and diseased prey, thus ensuring that the genes of healthy prey survive to be passed on to future generations. colinvarndell.co.uk

34 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Image: Colin Varndell bridporttimes.co.uk | 35

Wild Dorset

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN' Adam Simon, Tamarisk Farm

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eila and I were speaking in the Houses of Parliament recently. Farming organisations are being consulted on the proposed Environment Bill, which is to replace CAP as support for agriculture, and the Landworker’s Alliance invited a few farms to illustrate to MPs, DEFRA and policy makers how we are delivering ‘public goods’ via agroecological farming as well as making a living and producing good food. Jyoti from Fivepenny Farm brought a feast using only local organic food for them to share as they listened. Many came to understand the issues, others came just for the 36 | Bridport Times | November 2019

food but were drawn in by the ideas. Our presentation was mainly about what we are doing well and are proud of, however planning what we would say made us think again about why we are doing what we do, how we got here and where we might go next.

Ellen’s parents, Arthur and Josephine, started here in 1960. Their initial reason for coming to West Bexington was to have a good place to bring up their family and good food to feed them. With a background studying geography and anthropology and influenced by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, they were aware of the danger

of degradation of the soil and the farmed environment through the conventional ways of farming and did not want to contribute to the damage which they saw around them. As well as supplying the local community with organic food, they fed their children and offered them a healthy outdoor life. The children so enjoyed the food that they snaffled it out of turn as well as when given it to eat. Ellen and Mark, her elder brother, tell us about their wicked ways: pulling tiny sweet carrots, wiping the earth off and eating them; feasting on baby peas - real garden peas not the modern sugar-snap type; slipping into the glasshouses and carefully picking tiny cucumbers because the flavour was even better then than when they were grown ripe for sale; harvesting sunwarm peaches. They also tell us about the outdoor play: damming streams, climbing trees, learning to swim in the sea and bathing in rough weather, and coming out of the sea bruised by the shingle to soak up warmth from the beach and the sun.

Ellen and I came to live here when our children were very young. Our original motivator was the environment for the family: having grandparents to hand and plenty of space, with the hope of them being able to grow up with the land and with the opportunities Ellen had enjoyed. She joined in on the farm and market garden work without even noticing she was doing it, a baby on her back and often a toddler on a pony as she supervised stock, weighed lambs and made hay. The children joined in with all the tasks in the garden. Nimble but unskilled fingers tried to prick out seedlings and sometimes squashed them; enquiring minds learned the difference between lettuce and fat hen plants. My cabinet-making business was satisfying but it soon became clear that Arthur and Josephine had reached the time when they were feeling stretched in their work, particularly as they had children and grandchildren to visit across the world.

It was appropriate for us to take on a more substantial involvement and we did.

Earlier in our lives, we had worked in nature conservation. Immediately before we moved to Bexington, in 1994, we had been living in mountainous country and had come to love the ecological communities of the wild grassland and the rich invertebrate life that went with it. The sea replaced the mountain backdrop but we had a visceral need for the close-scale beauty we had known there, which was missing in Dorset’s intensive agriculture and manicured land. On Tamarisk Farm there was already a nature reserve and a lot of species-rich, long-term pasture and

mature scrub-land; now the whole farm has become richer and more extensive.

Time has gone on and the next generation are establishing themselves. They, like we and Ellen’s parents before us, do it for the love of the work, the feel of the soil, the wind, the rain and the sun plus the joy of seeing things grow, but they too have their own reasons.

We are all influenced by the big issues of our generation. Josephine and Arthur lived through the war and food rationing. When they came here they wanted to feed a growing family well in a world threatened by the Cold War and reliant on pesticides, herbicides and food additives. They knew about the early pioneers of the organic movement and their emphasis on soil health, and they wanted to put these ideas into practice. They also took great pleasure in the natural world and were part of the newly founded Dorset Wildlife Trust; as a side effect of their farming methods the wildlife on the farm flourished. When Ellen and I came here the world was worrying about pollution and loss of biodiversity.

Peak oil was looming and nuclear power was an uncomfortable alternative. Waste wasn’t yet a dirty word and consumerism was king. The Fair Trade movement was being formed to counter third-world exploitation and green politics was being invented. We were aware of being custodians of a beautiful part of the world and the need to make its fruits available to others. We wanted to build on Josephine and Arthur’s achievements, selling food locally with low farming inputs. Our particular passion was to develop the wild diversity and conservation on the farm, and to share it with people.

Now, the big issue is climate change. The next generation, both family members and others, are beginning to mesh their activities with ours as part of Tamarisk Farm, continuing vegetable growing and local sales, increasing the salads and selling to the restaurant trade, bringing laying hens into the conservation grazing. They want to further explore low-carbon farming methods, to use (and to re-use) scarce resources wisely using minimal fossil fuels and generating as little greenhouse gas as possible. They want to undo damage by sequestering more carbon in the soil using grassland management and planting more trees. Lots of trees. They want to be part of the fundamental honesty of growing food as the basis of life. We only have one farm to work with and they too want it to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. tamariskfarm.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 37

Outdoors

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On Foot

MOONFLEET Emma Tabor and Paul Newman Distance: 5½ miles Time: Approx. 2½ hours Park: The Elm Tree Inn car park, Langton Herring.

Walk Features: The gradients on this route are reasonable with one small ascent towards West Fleet Farm and then another on the return leg past Under Cross Plantation. It’s a straightforward route which takes in the South West Coast Path as it meanders alongside The Fleet inside Chesil Bank as well as visiting the old and new churches in Fleet.

Refreshments: The Elm Tree Inn, Langton Herring

bridporttimes.co.uk | 39

E

ach month we devise a walk for you to try with your family and friends (including four-legged members) pointing out a few interesting things along the way, be it flora, fauna, architecture, history, the unusual and sometimes the unfamiliar. For November we follow the South West Coast Path inside The Fleet, tracing some of the locations and inspiration for J. Meade Falkner’s novel Moonfleet, written in 1898. The old church at Fleet features prominently in the story.

Fleet has two churches; the nave of the old church was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1824 and the new church was built as a replacement. The bell from the old church was moved and now rings out from the new church. The Fleet lagoon contains sediments at least 6000 years old and provides a safe haven and food for wintering birds including Brent Geese and Wigeon as well as Shoveler, Goldeneye, Pochard, Gadwall, Pintail, Teal and Red-breasted Merganser, with Common and Little Terns returning in the spring. There are over 150 species of seaweed, 25 species of fish and 60 species of mollusc recorded here. Also look out for Sea Aster, Sea Purslane, Marsh Mallow, Rock Samphire and Sea Beet.

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The lagoon is one of the largest in Britain. Beyond it lies Chesil Bank, the origin of which is still debated.

Directions

Start: SY 615 825 1 Park at the Elm Tree Inn. From the Inn car park, turn right into Shop Lane and walk through the village. After 150 yards, go right at a bend and, just past the Methodist church as the road ends, you will see a signpost on your left for Moonfleet, 1¼ miles. Take this path to soon pass through a large metal gate at the corner of a farm track.

Carry straight on along the track for 400 yards, with views of the sea now ahead and on your right. Follow the track downhill and to the left of Under Cross Plantation. Just after the plantation, the track flattens and you meet the coast path.

Keep straight on and, after 150 yards, look for a signpost on your right which points left to West Fleet Campsite ½ mile.

2 Turn left off the coast path and walk up the field keeping a hedge on your right. After an ascent of

400 yards you reach the top of the field, with good views of The Fleet behind you. The path veers left. After 150 yards, look for a stone stile in the drystone wall on your right. Go over this stile and then straight ahead, keeping a drystone wall on your right. The path curves around to the left. Keep going around the outside of the field, soon passing the back of some houses. Just after these, you will see a stile which takes you into a small pony paddock. Go over this and then diagonally across the paddock to the right-hand corner and a metal gate. After the gate, turn left to then pick up a concrete drive between new buildings. Continue along this for 300 yards and then bear right where the footpath joins a bridleway which leads onto a tarmac drive.

The drive bears left and then soon meets the road coming from Moonfleet Manor (the road forks three ways here). Turn left onto Fleet Road, which now takes you towards East Fleet, eventually passing the new church before you reach the turning for the old church at Butter Street.

3 Turn right into Butter Street, with a sign for the

coast path and old church. After a row of cottages you will see a kissing gate and the old church on your right. After visiting the church, turn right through the kissing gate, down a footpath and cross a small wooden footbridge, then turning left towards the lagoon. Go through another kissing gate as you turn right onto the coast path.

4 Keep to the coast path, hugging the inside of The Fleet. After just over a mile, bear left into a copse and cross a small wooden footbridge, to then emerge from the copse and pass in front of Moonfleet Manor. After the manor, the path soon cuts behind Herbury, a small peninsula which projects into The Fleet. As you walk past Herbury, you will meet the point where you left the coast path earlier. From here you can retrace your steps back to the start, but go to the left of Under Cross Plantation and rejoin the track on the other side and then back into Langton Herring. southwestcostpath.org.uk fleetandchesilreserve.org bridporttimes.co.uk | 41

Archaeology

BRONZE AGE DORSET Chris Tripp BA (Hons) MA, Community and Field Archaeologist

A

bout four and a half thousand years ago, Dorset changed. The south-west is recognised by archaeologists as the wealthiest in the British Isles at this time and called the ‘Wessex Culture’. Copper, bronze and gold artefacts are now seen in burials and people are being interred in round barrows, not long barrows as previously. They are called after their distinctive pottery, the ‘Beaker’, along with their highly decorated Deverel-Rimbury Ware, named after two Dorset sites. Also distinctive are the barbed-and-tanged arrowheads and wrist guards of stone and bone, attesting to a strong tradition of archery. It is possible that they were trading with the Mediterranean cultures and Europe. They would also have had to trade with other areas of Britain to obtain the tin and copper to make bronze, as these minerals are not found in Dorset.

There are about 2,000 ‘tumuli’ in Dorset, individual ones and in groups. Most are situated on the slopes of high ground as at Poor Lot, between Bridport and Dorchester, and Bincombe Hill, above Weymouth.

They can be divided up into five main types: bowl, bell, pond, disc and saucer barrows, with pond barrows being the rarest. One of the largest is Clandon Barrow near Maiden Castle, in which a gold lozenge was found in 1882 along with a gold studded ‘macehead’ and an amber cup, evidence of long-distance trade with the Baltic lands. Unusually it is actually two barrows, one on top of the other. The treasure was found on the base of the upper barrow, so the lower one is still intact and the person lies there still.

It seems that rituals were still enacted within standing stone monuments, as in the Neolithic. One of the prettiest is next to the busy A35, the Nine Stones, 7.5m in diameter. The dramatic Kingston Russell 24m-diameter circle is situated on Tenants Hill and consists of eighteen recumbent, or fallen, stones.

42 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Dorset also has menhirs, or single standing stones.

Examples include the Helstone at Martin’s Down, the Broadstone at Winterborne Abbas, and the Verwood Stone at Poole.

We are lucky to have surviving in our landscape evidence of past settlements from this period. At Shearplace Hill, south-east of Sydling St Nicholas, there is a Middle Bronze Age (1600-1200 BC) settlement consisting of roundhouses within a palisade, bank and ditch set in a field system with associated trackways. At Rowden, near the Hardy Monument, roundhouses were cut into a slope; they had dry-stone

walls of flint and sarsen stone with an inner ring of holes for timber posts and a porch. Many of the field systems of this period can still be seen as regular low banks where soil has collected against a hedge or stone wall to form a positive lynchet, with ploughing below taking the soil away to form a negative lynchet. They are called ‘Celtic’ fields, but many are much older or even medieval.

Settlement in the Bronze Age reached a highwater-mark in the 2nd millennium BC but then a ‘crash’ occurred with an increase in rainfall, lower summer temperatures and a rise in sea levels leading to loss of coastal landscapes. Peat bogs grew in extent

and the soil became less fertile, creating iron pan and thus less drainage. Valleys filled with colluvium (hill-wash). What was once a rich and thriving area, the Wessex Culture was only one place to be affected by this ‘climate change’, as evidence from all over the continent of Europe and the Mediterranean suggest drastic and terrible population falls.

Life is change and, with the advent of another technological innovation, iron, Dorset becomes part of a vast confederation. dorsetdiggers.blogspot.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 43

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ALEX POLE

Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

I

t is a muggy morning and I am picking my way down a narrow lane. On either side of the road trees bearing bright red cider apples stand in rows of military precision as if to herald my arrival across the border into Somerset. Soon I am in the sleepy village of Over Stratton. I hear Alex Pole long before I see him and am welcomed at a distance by the metronomic pounding of steel. The sun is burning its way through the mist and the doors to his forge are open wide. I pass two assistants busily hammering on anvils and go off in search of Alex.

He is a striking fellow, standing over six foot six tall I would guess, and, judging from his physique, he has spent a good deal of time at the anvil. So I am intrigued when he says he began his career as a jewellery maker.

‘It began on my mother’s knee,’ explains Alex. ‘She was a jewellery maker and I was happiest when sitting on her lap watching her work.’ He later went on to study architecture but dropped out of the course to head for Plymouth to study jewellery-making and then architectural metalwork. >

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48 | Bridport Times | November 2019

After graduating, Alex travelled for some time before settling in Australia to establish a jewellery business.

He eventually returned to the UK and to blacksmithing in 2006. In 2008 he moved to Beaminster and set up business as Alex Pole Ironwork, but there came a point when he was working a 90-hour week and facing burnout. The average blacksmith can make up to 25,000 strikes a day: it’s gruelling work and was beginning to take its toll.

His wife, Louise, suggested he take a break. Around that time, he had noticed an advertisement for an axe-making course in Sweden and, after four years of saving, he was ready to take the necessary two weeks off and sign up.

What happened next sounds like an epiphany. In August 2014, carrying just a small bag of tools and a backpack, Alex arrived in Gransfors, a small village that lies 350 kilometres north of Stockholm. He had arrived at the forge of Fredrik Thelin, maker of arguably the world’s finest axes. Fredrik is an axe guru and people travel from all over the world to learn his techniques.

‘I had had enough physically and emotionally,’ says Alex, explaining how he felt when he left England for the course. ‘Craftspeople have this manic drive: it’s an obsession and you can overdo it. It was like that for me.

Then I met Fredrik and started to change how I worked.

I have been blacksmithing for 29 years but feel I didn’t become a true blacksmith until five years ago.’

He continues, ‘You can’t master axe-making because there are thousands of styles and types of axe. But now I am obsessed with it and have to balance it with the rest of the business.’ The Swedish method of axe-making is an unbroken tradition that goes back hundreds of years.

It can be traced by the names of the masters who worked throughout Sweden. Here in England the practice has been displaced, largely because of the industrial revolution which mechanised the process of casting steel, and thus obliterating the old traditions. ‘The Swedish have always had a pride in craft,’ adds Alex ‘whereas in the UK it used to be a dirty word.’ Thankfully this is changing and the hand-made axe is enjoying a revival.

‘If a trade is to continue then it needs to be respected,’ explains Alex. ‘You need to be proud of the finish and traditions, and not cut corners.’ Ultimately, the durability of the product means that less material is used and therefore less is wasted.

On the day I visit, the Swedish influence on Alex’s work is clear. Laid out on the table is a variety of axes that look quite unlike the average tool we might use for felling or splitting wood. These axes are part of a commission for bridporttimes.co.uk | 49

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52 | Bridport Times | November 2019

the Sutton Hoo project. The organisers invited Alex to produce a collection of direct replica axes as discovered at the site of the buried Viking ship. Each one is beautiful in its own right. The design of each axe-head is so perfectly weighted in balance with the handle that it cries out to be used (although in this case perhaps not within its original grizzly remit). Holding one of Alex’s axes you are immediately aware of its precise composition and undoubtable capabilities. It reminds me of William Morris’s quote, ‘Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful’.

Close to hand is an axe quite different yet equally useful.

Squarer in shape and heavier; It is an early English Elwell axe, a style traditionally used for felling. Today Alex and his assistants are interpreting its characteristics for a course they are running. Alex runs 15 courses a year that range from knife-making and axe-making to a general introduction to blacksmithing. Alex will soon be visiting upstate New York where he is booked to run a course on traditional English axe-making. ‘Most people have a fundamental need to make something. Making is a counterpoint to using screens,’ he says. ‘And smithing is the king of crafts. It’s not something you can do at home. You get your hands truly dirty.’

At the back of the forge is the ‘school room’.

Instructions for knife-making hang from the walls on chalked boards and a brutish gathering of anvils sit close to a dormant coal fire. Each anvil is different and none of them new. ‘A blacksmith becomes very attached to his anvil,’ says Alex. ‘It’s on this anvil that I forged my wife’s wedding ring. We also received our wedding blessing over it, as is the tradition,’ he explains.

2019 has been a busy year for Alex. Whereas once he had been blacksmith and blade-maker, he now also turns his hand to cookware. Alex has been selling his wares at local markets and will formally launch the range next year. It comprises traditionally hand-forged cookware and utensils that lend themselves perfectly to the current enthusiasm for outdoor cooking — a global movement invigorated in part by Argentine chef Francis Mallmann and, of course, our very own Gill Meller. Able then to withstand the rigours of the great British outdoors, Alex’s cookware takes a commanding role in even the most demanding of domestic and commercial kitchens. He has recently returned from a trip to a converted herring station outpost in Norway where he worked alongside local chefs Mark Hix and the aforementioned Gill Meller. Many professional chefs use Alex’s cookware knowing they can rely on its functionality and longevity.

To heat, form and craft an unforgiving bar of steel into an object of such character and capability takes a painstaking degree of hard work. This is the foundation of Alex’s endeavour; a kitchen knife requires as much skill and dedication to craft as an axe. There is little room for error. As the saying goes, ‘Beware the ego, respect the craft’. A man’s ego might indeed be tempted to swell as he wields the force necessary to manipulate such an unwilling material, and yet there is no place where respect for the craft is greater than a blacksmith’s forge.

I leave Alex and the village of Over Stratton with that thought and the clang of metal ringing in my head.

alexpoleironwork.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 53

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Food & Drink

ONION SOUP, GRILLED CHEDDAR TOASTS AND FRIED APPLES Gill Meller, River Cottage

A

rich onion soup is a bowl of hope. When we’re tense or tired, it can unwind us and fix a poor body. I like to make mine with cider instead of wine and finish it with apples fried in butter. Serves 4

2

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large knob of butter 4 firm, large onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 handful of sage leaves, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated ½ glass of cider good splash of apple brandy 1 litre (35fl oz) beef or chicken stock salt and freshly ground black pepper

3

4

For the garnish

4 thick slices of good country bread or sourdough 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 small garlic clove, peeled 1 small knob of butter 2 dessert apples, cut into thick slices 150g (5½ oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated Method

1 Set a large, heavy-based pan (one that has a snugfitting lid) over a medium–low heat. Add the olive oil and butter and, when they’re bubbling, throw in the onion slices, breaking up the layers with your fingers as you do so. Add the chopped sage, bay leaves and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly, until the onion begins to

56 | Bridport Times | November 2019

5

caramelise around the edges and is golden, soft and lovely. Then, turn the heat right down and place a lid on the pan. Cook for 25–35 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time.

Remove the lid from the pan and add the cider and the brandy. Bring up to the boil, then add the stock.

Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer, stirring regularly. Cook gently, with the lid slightly ajar, for a further 30–40 minutes over a low heat, then season the soup with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to high. To make the garnish, trickle the bread with olive oil and rub with a little garlic. Toast the bread on each side, until golden.

At the same time, set a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the butter followed by the apple slices. Fry the apple gently for 3–4 minutes on each side, until the slices are golden around the edges and soft in the middle.

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the slices of toast and place back under the grill to cook until the cheese is bubbling.

To serve: ladle the hot soup into four warm bowls. Drop a cheese toast into each one and top with a spoonful of buttery apple wedges.

Season and serve at once.

From Time by Gill Meller (Quadrille, £25) gillmeller.com @gill.meller

Photography Š Andrew Montgomery bridporttimes.co.uk | 57

Food & Drink

CHICKEN DHAL CURRY Helen Choudhury, Executive Chef, The Taj Mahal

Images: Pete Millson

T

he Taj Mahal restaurant, one of the oldest restaurants in Bridport, is where Helen Choudhury and her husband, Rafique, have been feeding people for 35 years. Many of the dishes on the menu are traditional family recipes that Helen learnt from her mother and grandmother in Guyana and from Rafique and his family in Assam, India.

Chicken Dhal Curry is a warming dish for this time of the year. It is not too difficult to prepare, is filling and one that all the family will enjoy.

HOME-MADE GARAM MASALA (optional - if not making your own, use bought garam masala powder) Ingredients

1 tbsp coriander seeds ½ tbsp cumin seeds 4 cardamom pods 2 bay leaves 1-inch cinnamon stick

58 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Method

1 Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan until they are aromatic (about 1 minute), being careful not to burn.

2 Tip into a coffee/spice grinder and add the rest of the ingredients. Grind until a fine powder.

Only 1 level teaspoon will be used in the Chicken Dhal recipe. Store the remainder in an airtight jar for future use.

CHICKEN DHAL CURRY Ingredients Serves 2/3

500g chicken breast, diced (for better flavour use chicken on the bone e.g. chicken thighs) 2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic and 1-inch fresh ginger, pureed together in a blender or grated 75g Masoor Dhal Indian Lentils, washed and soaked in cold water for 10 mins 1 level tbsp coriander powder 1 level tsp chilli powder (or to taste)

1 heaped tsp cumin powder 1 tsp paprika powder 1 level tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp tomato puree 1 tsp salt (or to taste) 3 tbsp oil (vegetable or olive oil) 550ml boiling water 1 tsp garam masala (homemade or bought) Handful of chopped coriander

6 Add the dhal, lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Add 500ml of boiling water and stir in. Once bubbling, add the garam masala. Stir the curry and cover the saucepan with a lid. Cook on a low heat stirring occasionally until the dhal is soft or cooked to your liking.

7 Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and serve with boiled or pilau rice, chapati, paratha or nan bread and a side dish like Saag Bhaji.

Method

Alternatives

1 Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Once they start cooking add salt to taste. Continue cooking and stirring until onion is translucent.

2 Add garlic and ginger mixture and cook, continuing to stir, for 2-3 minutes.

3 Add the chicken and cook together for 2-3 minutes.

4 Add all the spices except garam masala. Stir and cook for 3-4 mins.

5 Add tomato puree with 50ml water. Cook over a medium to high heat and stir for 2-3 minutes until oil loosens from the side of pan.

For Chicken Dhansak: Before adding the chopped coriander to serve, add the juice of ½ lemon, 1 tsp sugar, more chilli powder (to taste) and cook for 2 minutes.

For a vegetarian or vegan option: Replace the chicken with chickpeas and add spinach at the end. NB less cooking time will be required.

The chicken can also be replaced with lamb (more cooking time needed), or with prawns (less cooking time needed). tajmahalbridport.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 59

Food & Drink

THE PINK SHARD Fefe Kovacs, The Club House, West Bexington

W

e are thrilled to be the only location outside of London to launch new, ‘first of a kind’, non-alcoholic cocktail bitters using the power of CBD to enhance social experiences. CBD cocktail bitters can be used to elevate cocktails or as a functional and flavourful alternative to alcohol. A single measure of the bitters delivers an effective daily serving of 50mg of cannabidiol (CBD), which is a non-psychoactive extract from the hemp plant that is renowned for its stress- and anxiety-relieving properties.

We are also delighted to be in both The Good Food Guide and The Trencherman’s Guide again this year. We are nominated in the ‘Best Newcomer’ category in the latter as this goes to print; we are holding our breath for the results…

The Cocktail Serves 1

35ml Liberty Fields vodka 20ml Crème de Framboise liqueur 15ml Monin vanilla syrup 15ml lime juice 3 drops of CDB bitters 1 Put all the ingredients in a shaker and shake well for 30 seconds. Strain the cocktail into a champagne glass and garnish with a raspberry and a dehydrated raspberry meringue shard.

The Shard 4 servings

250g fresh or frozen raspberries 40g sugar 70g caster sugar 1 tbsp liquid glucose 1½ egg whites 50g raspberry purée 1 Heat the berries and 40g sugar in a pan until the berries break down.

2 Blend in a stick blender to a purée.

3 Boil the caster sugar and glucose in a small pan with 20ml water until it becomes thick and syrupy (170-180˚C).

4 Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl.

5 While whisking, slowly pour in the syrup and purée. Continue to whisk until the mixture reaches room temperature.

6 Spread the meringue onto a baking sheet at a thickness of 5-7mm. Dehydrate in the oven for 1-2 hours on the lowest temperature (100˚C) 7 When dry and crisp, break into 4 shards and add to your cocktail.

Cheers!

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60 | Bridport Times | November 2019

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Hotel and Restaurant LYME REGIS 62 | Bridport Times | November 2019

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Body & Mind

NETTLES: FOOD AND MEDICINE Caroline Butler BSc (Hons) MNIMH, Medical Herbalist

N

ettles are one of our wild plants that almost everyone can identify. Their prolific growth plus their painful sting does grab the attention, and with good reason! It is one of our many ‘weeds’ that is incredibly useful. The tough fibres of its stems can be used to make cordage, the young leafy tops can be eaten as a vegetable, and the leaves, roots and seeds all have outstanding medicinal qualities.

I have written about nettles before as being one of the traditional ‘Spring Tonic’ herbs. The leafy green tops contain vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy after a winter that, without modern shopping habits, would have been spent eating mostly meat, root vegetables and dried or pickled food. Even now, it’s good to eat fresh nettles for their nutritional value and nettle soup is a tasty way to do this. Nettle tea is also good, though you must leave the tea to brew for at least ten minutes to extract the minerals.

64 | Bridport Times | November 2019

These same leafy green tops have an anti-allergy effect; they are often used in hayfever treatment and for allergic rashes, eczema, and other reactions. Taken internally, nettle can also be useful for arthritis and gout and, as an astringent, it stops bleeding, whether in the digestive tract or for calming heavy periods, where its high iron content gives added benefit.

There is a tradition of external use for fresh nettles; this could be because the sting of nettles has the effect of increasing local circulation. Thrashing rheumatic joints with fresh nettles can help clear metabolic waste from the area, resulting in a lessening of pain and stiffness. This can aid wound healing too. I once met a man from the United States who, when travelling in Ireland, had an infected cut on his leg that just wouldn’t heal. A local told him to use stinging nettles on it, and though he had a strong suspicion this was a joke on the ‘stupid American tourist’, he was desperate enough to try it, with amazing results.

Fascinadora/Shutterstock

The wound cleared up and never bothered him again.

The root of nettle has been extensively used and researched for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, and is often given in combination with another herb, saw palmetto, for this common condition. Clinical trials have shown this combination can cause a decrease in symptoms, improvement in quality of life and reduction in disease progression.

In summer the nettles flower, growing long clusters of green, string-like inflorescences. Nettle tops shouldn’t be gathered after this as the chemical constituents change and become harsh on the body. However, at this point it is not the leaves but the seeds that are of interest. These can be used as a kidney tonic and as an adaptogen.

Adaptogens are a group of herbs that help us adapt to stress, whether it’s physical, mental or emotional, and enhance our performance in some way, with greater physical stamina or mental clarity for example. They can

increase energy levels where someone feels tired and run down; I sometimes sprinkle nettle seed, dried and rubbed through a sieve, into porridge or soups to give a bit of a boost. I know people who feed chopped up nettles to their dogs to improve their coats, and apparently unscrupulous horse dealers used to feed nettle seed to old nags to give them a glossy coat and a spring in their step. They would sell them to unsuspecting people who then wondered after a couple of weeks, when the effects of the nettle seed had worn off, what had happened to their sprightly horse.

In the old terminology of the western herbal tradition, nettle was classified as hot and dry, and therefore good for cold, damp conditions. It was seen as heating and stimulating, clearing phlegm and ‘stuck’ conditions. For sensitive people this can be too much but for most people nettle is a herb with very generous health benefits. herbalcaroline.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 65

Interiors

66 | Bridport Times | November 2019

EMBRACING CHANGE Kerry Franses, Franses Design

A

s we turn back our clocks, we are reminded that summer has now officially come to an end - but do not despair! Autumn is fully upon us and it can be joyful to embrace the seasonal changes. There are lots of ways to do this by bringing the comforts of nature into our homes and, at very little cost, giving our interiors an immediate uplift – not only improving the way they look but also enhancing our well-being to boot.

I appreciate that not everyone embraces the seasonal change; our body clocks urge us to hibernate which is why essential home comforts are so important for our well-being. Our senses are affected by everything around us and I find bringing warm, comforting scents into the home helps to calm my mind following a stressful day of work and daily chores, easing the prospect of the bleak winter ahead.

I adore candles and admit they can be an indulgence to purchase for myself but, when I do, it’s a real treat. Just adding a comforting air to a room can have a huge impact on your senses. Deciding on the scent is such a personal choice, however I always take my cue from the seasons.

Moving down from London in the summer, I wanted the scent of an English country garden and came across Cutting Garden from The Botanical Candle Company, based in Shaftesbury, which brings the fragrance of freshly picked flowers right into your home. Made with 100% soy wax flakes, every single candle is handmade from beginning to end. Not only are the fragrances divinely familiar, the packaging is plastic-free, minimising the environmental impact on our precious planet.

Now we are approaching winter, I have moved on to a candle called Unwind from Yellow Gorse, which is a clever blend of frankincense, lavender and clove. It is a delicious mix that is hugely comforting for this time of the year.

Handmade in Bridport, these look as good as they smell!

Other scents that help us feel calm are sandalwood, amber, moss, fig, blackberry, juniper and ginger. You can give each room in your home a different scent and it is good to establish which fragrances match which rooms.

While lavender promotes sleep in a bedroom, cinnamon,

for example, will spice up a fabulous festive dining room.

It’s not only different scents that help our well-being and uplift an interior – house plants are also known to support our health. They improve air quality by trapping and capturing pollutants, helping us to breathe more easily, and provide a wide range of mental health benefits. They can bring a room to life and add the most glorious colour – far more cost-effective than updating an armchair.

My favourite plants are the varieties of fig leaves. The Ficus Benghalensis ‘Audrey’ – Bengal Fig - is a popular choice for many because its growth can be managed with the size of container chosen. For a softer look try a Polyscias Ming (Aralia Ming). Its fine, elegant leaves are made up of many smaller leaflets – it may look fragile but it is an easy-care, adaptable plant so long as it is kept warm, which is helpful now that the heating is turned on.

If you are wanting to add colour, try Codiaeum ‘Iceton’ Croton. These have glossy, mid-green leaves with pointed tips, each with a vivid splash of red, pink, yellow or orange. Every year without fail I buy deep red Hydrangeas – not only do they bring a splash of autumnal richness, they also dry beautifully and last the whole of winter, which is a great money saver!

Eucalyptus also endures well and has the added bonus of offering a comforting, homely fragrance – be sure to keep the water fresh though.

I have a lot of fun adding colour to a room - picking things from the garden or getting large berries and deep plum or mustard foliage from garden centres (I tend to think the bigger the better). You can dot a few sprigs of berries in little glass jars around the house, or embrace the season fully and create dramatic impact for a room and ‘wow’ your guests with all the wonderful colours of nature, helping to improve any mood and bring a smile to your face every time you enter. thebotanicalcandleco.co.uk yellowgorse.co.uk fransesdesign.com

bridporttimes.co.uk | 67

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Gardening

HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES? Will Livingstone, WillGrow

G

rowing apples in Dorset just works - we have the right climate, soil and culture to cultivate this, the ultimate English fruit. As cider, apples have been an incredibly important part of West Country tradition for hundreds of years; the stuff of myth, legend, business, pleasure and payment. Here are a few tips for growing your own apples.

Whether you are thinking of planting a few trees or an entire orchard from scratch, there are a few things to consider. The best orchard floor is managed grass and a sunny sheltered position is ideal. Grazing sheep does the job but, for young trees, guarding is required. Mowing the grass around the trees will work too but leave the clippings on the ground to act as a mulch. Some professional growers might grow some white clover beneath the trees for its nitrogen-fixing capabilities. I recommend a 3-metre spacing between trees for smaller varieties and, for a larger, longer-term orchard, go to 6-7 metres. Find a spot that is fertile, free-draining and with good protection from strong winds. If you are planting a maiden tree (a young, single whip), prune to a good bud about 1 metre above ground level, rubbing out the two buds below as they break in spring. Existing side branches below 60cm should be cut off flush with the trunk, but those above 60cm may be retained as part of the first tier of permanent branches. In subsequent springs, the leader may be cut slightly back to a good growth bud and the two buds below should be rubbed out. This will help more horizontal laterals to break further down, and reduce competition with the leader. Branches that begin to compete vigorously with the leader should be cut out during the summer.

Some of my favourite dessert varieties are Ashmead’s Kernel, Cox’s Orange Pippin and Egremont russet. For cider, try Kingston Black, Dabinet and Yarlington Mill, however, with hundreds to choose from, some research is required to find the right ones for your requirements and personal tastes.

Once you have an established specimen, you can begin a yearly pruning schedule. Prune fruit trees when 70 | Bridport Times | November 2019

the tree is dormant, so late November through to February will work fine. It’s advisable to prune your tree every year in order to remove old, unproductive wood and make way for new growth. Pruning any fruit tree is all about making decisions so, if you’re a bad decisionmaker, get someone else to do it! Every specimen is different and should be treated as such; the principles, however, remain the same. Before you start, you need to have an idea of what shape you are trying to achieve. An open goblet shape is desirable, aiming for 4 or 5 main branches. This will allow light and air into the centre of the tree and ensure the canopy isn’t too congested.

Before you make a cut, always make sure you’re using sharp, clean tools; blunt tools leads to strains and rough pruning cuts, which can be detrimental to the health of your tree. Start by removing crossing, rubbing, weak, dead, diseased, damaged and dying branches; this will prevent the tree from wasting its energy on weary wood.

Shorten the previous year’s growth on each main branch by about one third, to a bud facing in the required direction. This will encourage the development of new branches and spurs as well as maintaining a good shape. Leave young laterals unpruned so they can develop fruit buds in the second year. Only remove the young laterals if they are crossing each other or if the growth is too crowded, i.e. growing closer than 10-15cm at the base. Remove strong shoots (approx. 20cm long) growing towards the centre of the tree. On older trees, remove or thin out any spur clusters that have become congested. Where thinning or removal is required, cut back spurs on the underside of the branches where the developing fruit will not receive enough light and hence produce inferior fruit.

When looked after, apples are incredibly productive; sometimes there is too much fruit to know what to do with. Clubbing together with other keen apple growers, borrowing or purchasing a press and then bottling the sweet nectar for juice or cider is a good way of sharing the plentiful harvest (and the work) with everyone. willgrow.co.uk

bridporttimes.co.uk | 71

Gardening

AUTUMN COLOUR Charlie Groves, Groves Nurseries

W

ell, autumn has certainly begun with a vengeance this year. Plenty of stormy weather, rain and wind as well as warm days and cool nights. The heating has come on at home (and gone off again, then on again, then off again: can you tell that I have three daughters?) and it’s a case of grabbing any opportunity to get out into the garden to have a little potter before the evenings disappear altogether. Whilst we talk about all the things that we should be doing in the garden tidy up or, more importantly, prepare for next year, there is one group of plants that quietly get on with things, who need very little real attention and are the stars of the show for this season. I mean, of course, trees.

The winter months aren’t a great time for trees to have leaves. They are easily damaged by storms and frost, and the lack of sunlight means that they can’t make a lot of sugar anyway, which is a tree’s main reason for having leaves in the first place. So, rather than risking damage, it’s far better for the tree to cut its losses, shed its leaves and have a good old snooze for the winter… lucky tree!

As the tree shuts down, it loses the primary green pigment that it uses for photosynthesis, chlorophyll, and other pigments such as the carotenoids show through as oranges and yellows. The leaves become shut off from the rest of the tree, trapping sugars inside - these get converted to anthocyanins which produce lovely red colours. Anyway, that’s enough science for one month, back to the horticulture. So which trees will get you some nice, low maintenance colour in your garden?

The first place to have a look for a tree with autumn colours is amongst the Acers ( Japanese maples). These make an excellent focal point in the garden, particularly in autumn when their leaves turn breathtaking shades of red, crimson, orange or yellow.

If it’s a full-blown tree you want, then Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’ will grow up to 20ft tall. It has deep 72 | Bridport Times | November 2019

purple leaves all spring and summer but in the autumn these turn to crimson and brown. Perhaps something smaller for the average back garden? Check out Acer palmatum ‘Deshojo’. This smaller Acer grows to just 4ft up and across. It has a graceful habit, with leaves emerging vivid red in the spring, turning green in the summer before turning back to red in the autumn.

The most important thing to remember when growing Japanese maples is to give them a sheltered position. They need to be protected not only from northern and easterly winds but from frosts too – protect them in winter with fleece, if necessary. Japanese maples will tolerate most soils except very heavy clay.

Another fantastic little tree for the smaller garden is

mujijoa79/Shutterstock

Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’. It has lovely, heart-shaped leaves that are purple in spring and summer before turning golden in the autumn. It will grow to around 2.5m in 10 years and can even be grown in a pot given the right care.

However, if you want a real show in spring and autumn then go for a flowering cherry. Prunus ‘Taihaku’ has large, icy-white, single flowers that emerge from pink buds in April. Measuring around 5cm across, the flowers are larger than most ornamental cherry flowers.

Bronze leaves appear with the blossom in spring, before turning mid-green in summer and then vibrant yellow and orange in the autumn.

It doesn’t have to be just about foliage. Crab apples

have some amazing fiery colours to their leaves in the autumn and can also have fantastic autumn-coloured fruit. Try Malus ‘Evereste’ AGM. This compact crab apple has lovely yellow/orange autumn leaves but also an abundance of red and yellow fruits that will stay on the tree well into the winter.

There are many more trees that give amazing shows at this time of year but that’s enough on autumn trees from me… I have just noticed I am still in my office, even though it’s 7pm, dark and little bit chilly outside.

I had better get home and make sure the heating hasn’t been turned up again. grovesnurseries.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 73

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Bridport town centre – Interest sought

Community

76 | Bridport Times | November 2019

HOME-START ZOE’S STORY

Z

Jess Thompson

oe Bealing used to run a teenage parents’ group, where she would stand, ‘as strong as could be and support them.’ So it was to her ‘utter surprise’ when she had her own child at the age of 33 that her world fell apart. Says Zoe, ‘I had post-natal depression, which you can’t see coming and you don’t always know is happening until you’re quite desperate.’ At the same time the severe eczema she’d suffered from in her twenties returned.

‘Back then it had left me absolutely raw, head to toe,’ she recalls. ‘I’d spent months in hospital, swathed in bandages.’

The combination robbed Zoe of what she’d always hoped would be a ‘magical time’ with her new baby. ‘I was so poorly that often I’d have to nurse my skin in the bath for an hour, twice a day, and of course I had to have Maddy in there with me. Also, for the first two years she never slept for longer than four hours, meaning it was definitely the hardest time of my life.’

Three years later, when Zoe fell pregnant with son River, she decided that she had to prepare for history repeating itself. ‘I knew that if I didn’t give my health visitor a heads-up I might find myself in the same position and not be able to put my hand up and ask for help.’

At the time, Home-Start West Dorset had just started and Zoe became its first client when retired Ofsted inspector, Mary Kou, finished her training and was assigned to visit her.

‘I did worry about a stranger coming into my home,’ Zoe recalls, ‘until I met her. She was just so kind, and I immediately knew that she really cared. Soon, she’d disarmed us all with always being happy, always celebrating the kids. For me, watching someone enjoy my children then allowed me to do the same. It was the thing I didn’t know how to do when I was struggling. I knew how to care for them but I didn’t know how to relax and be with them because I’d always been so poorly. Home-Start is full of kindness and Mary taught me to believe that what I did was good enough, so then I became more able.’

Mary ended up staying in Zoe’s life for the next five years, transitioning from volunteer to friend, and when I ask if they’re still in touch, Zoe grins, then shows me photographs of the four of them. ‘Mary now lives in Berkshire but we still meet up once or twice a year. For the kids, she’s very much like a grandma.’

These days, Zoe is a Home-Start volunteer herself, something that’s deeply important to her. ‘I believe that Home-Start is one of the last of a dying breed; something that can offer genuine friendship whilst also providing highly professional and secure nurturing for parents,’ she says.

‘The fact that Mary came every week was amazing – I was quite blown away by it. Her visits were a game changer, not only in terms of the experience my children had with her but because it meant they had a better me. And that’s why I knew that one day I too would volunteer. I believe in the circle of everything, and I now do it as an example to my children. I hope that one day they’ll do it too.’

Last year Home-Start West Dorset helped 83 families but had to turn away 34 more due to lack of volunteers and staffing. A new volunteer training course for parents - or those with parenting experience - begins in January 2020. For more information call 01305 265072 or email office@ homestartwestdorset.co.uk. bridporttimes.co.uk | 77

Philosophy

DEMOCRACY

D

Kelvin Clayton, Philosophy in Pubs

emocracy has been much in the news lately, but rarely examined. During the endless twists and turns of our ongoing political drama it has been cast by all sides as a victim.

No-one has stopped to consider whether, instead, it may, in some way, be partly culpable for our crisis. Winston Churchill famously described democracy as, ‘the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.’ Perhaps if we had a clearer understanding of its shortcomings, we would be in better position to resolve some of our political problems. It was in such a spirit that the Bridport Philosophy in Pubs group decided to hold an emergency debate on democracy itself.

One of main problems seems to be that individual preferences do not generally aggregate into orderly collective preferences. When an individual makes a decision or expresses a preference they usually do so for a multiplicity of reasons, reasons that come together in a single mind (their own).

This single mind operates almost like a dictator over these multiple reasons. However, this process cannot be scaled up to the level of the collective, for the simple reason that a collective mind does not exist and individual minds will not be silenced – well, not in a democracy anyway. This problem becomes most apparent in what we term a direct democracy, the type of democracy that emerged (with limited suffrage) in ancient Athens. Here, as in a referendum, voters are directly asked to make a decision. This type of democracy becomes more and more problematic as the size of the collective increases. It was problematic in Athens (with, say, a total population of 100,000), but with the population levels of modern states it becomes close to impossible.

Modern states, therefore, usually operate some form of representative democracy. Under this form of democracy, voters elect a person or persons to represent them at local and national government level. However, it is impossible for one person to represent the multiple views of a large group of people. Instead, based on their perceived political beliefs and character, that person is effectively elected to make decisions on behalf of their electorate, and then answer for those decisions at the next election. This problem could be partly mitigated by a more proportional voting system, one in which it becomes more realistic for people to be elected to represent particular ways of thinking.

However, the golden lesson to be learnt from recent events is that these two forms of democracy do not mix. Making a decision through a direct ballot yet expecting it to be implemented by representatives capable of thinking for themselves seems to be a recipe for chaos.

One possible solution to this chaos could be the introduction of citizens’ assemblies. The idea here is that a genuine cross-section of the population is selected (in a similar fashion to jury service) to listen to, and ask questions of, a range of experts on a particular issue. They then debate amongst themselves and hopefully arrive at an informed consensus. It’s an opportunity for ordinary citizens to become very engaged with often complex issues and come to a well-considered conclusion.

The Bridport Philosophy in Pubs group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month in The George Hotel, South Street at 7.30pm. Anyone can attend and propose a topic for discussion. Attending the discussion is free and there is no need for any background knowledge of philosophy. All that’s required is an open mind and a desire to examine issues more closely than usual. For further details, email Kelvin Clayton at kelvin. clayton@icloud.com

78 | Bridport Times | November 2019

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW Nicky Mathewson, The Bookshop

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Vintage Books, 2019) £16.99 Bridport Times reader price of £14.99 available at The Bookshop, South Street

Z

achary Ezra Rawlins is on his way home from school. Whilst walking through familiar alleyways he discovers a painting of a door on an otherwise blank wall: there for no apparent reason but startlingly life-like. It almost feels as though he could turn the handle and walk right through - but that would be impossible. Zachary walks away without touching the picture before him as he feels too old for such nonsense, however he can’t resist the idea that there was something special about this painting. There was a reason for his stumbling upon it, so he returns, only to find the door has disappeared, been painted over, erased by unknown hands only moments after its creation.

The thought that he missed something hugely significant hangs over him well into his adult years and he can’t shift the feeling that there is a piece missing from his life. Zachary one day plucks an obscure book from the shelf of a library and finds his own story amongst the pages. The story of how he once found a painted door that looked so real that he thought he might open it. The book has no author, and Zachary Ezra Rawlins never spoke of this door to anyone. This book is impossible and yet here it is. It is called Sweet Sorrows and it contains more than his story.

Thrown into confusion and wondering about his own sanity, Zachary feels very protective of the book; in fact, he finds that he carries it everywhere with him and can think of nothing else. He doesn’t yet realise but he will soon be plunged into a world beneath our world through an impossible doorway. He will become a fundamental part of the story - but has it already ended? Can he trust the characters that he meets along the way? What choice does he have?

Far beneath the surface of the earth, hidden from the sun and the moon, upon the shores of the Starless Sea, there is a labyrinthine collection of tunnels and rooms filled with stories. Stories written in books and sealed in jars and painted on walls.

Odes inscribed onto skin and pressed into rose petals. Tales laid in tiles upon the floors, bits of plot worn away by passing feet. Legends carved in crystal and hung from chandeliers. Stories catalogued and cared for and revered.

Old stories preserved while new stories spring up around them. Author of The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern’s breathtaking new novel The Starless Sea talks of stories carved into rock, inscribed on autumn leaves or woven into spiders’ webs.

It plunges the reader into a dream-like state where there is no choice but to hand oneself over to her completely and trust her impeccable storytelling to be a guide through a labyrinth of imagery.

It sometimes feels doubtful that there will ever be a conclusion, that in reading this book one has entered an infinite set of rooms, corridors and stairways, rather like stepping into one of Escher’s paintings. This book has many directions, so much so that I felt I could fall at any moment. As in a dream, the details of the story are constantly shifting and almost out of reach. How Erin can weave such a tapestry of stories together in this way is quite remarkable. The book is a collection of books, in which is bound a collection of stories that feel ancient and yet at the point of being born. The feeling I had while reading this book was continuously visceral and, like Zachary Ezra Rawlins, I clung to it and couldn’t put it down. dorsetbooks.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 79

Literature

EXTRACT

RIDGE AND FURROW

F

By Neil Sentance,(Little Toller Books, November 2019), £12

rank forked another small load onto the bonfire. A stook of paper coiled inwards and hissed.

Smoke furled into the air and drifted through the last frayed heart-shaped leaves of nextdoor’s lime tree. Frank took an involuntary step back as the heat scorched his eyebrows and his combed-flat hair. The fire wheezed. Some ashy shards caught on the pocket of his worsted cardigan. He brushed them off, rubbed his aching wrists and then adjusted his tie, now a quarterinch skew-whiff. He lifted his head and shielded his eyes with his hand. The weak sun emerged from behind a cloudbank and then was washed out again, overlaid by a shimmer of flocking knots, wintering shorebirds that veered back and forth in a pulmonary rhythm and then off towards the salt marshes at Fishtoft and the Freiston Shore pillboxes.

Frank straightened his long back and looked round his small garden. The privet didn’t need a trim, but he’d probably do it anyway. A pale shadow played on the newly creosoted fence panel, the hazy outlines of two fat pigeons sitting on the garage roof like punctured blimps. They’d be at the vegetable patch soon, but it had only doughy potatoes left in it. The lawn was short and neat, deepgreen and mossless, and would have pleased his pals at the Bowls Club. The copper beech hedge in the shaded corner was still thick and boxy. Its fallen leaves carpeted the ground, taking so long to

80 | Bridport Times | November 2019

decay that Frank had to rake them up every day at this time of year. His mother once told him that as a child she would gather the leaves for stuffing mattresses, but to Frank they were neither use nor ornament. He’d go in, he thought, in a minute – it was a cold day, late in a wintery year, and the world seemed like the inside of an upturned mixing bowl. He poked at the bonfire, but the heap of old files and cheap yellow papers had burnt up quickly. Years of paid-up bills, newspaper cuttings, his late wife’s shopping lists, birthday cards, army communications, letters from hospitals, the long correspondence – with a brief blaze and gone.

Frank carefully placed the pitchfork in the turf and shook the dirt off the corded veins of his hands. He walked over to the potato patch. Morning toadstools exploded underfoot in a puff of dewy spores. He bent down, one hand on his knee for support; with the other he clasped a handful of earth. The soil had been raked and smoothed and a ridge of loam curved down to the end of the patch. He couldn’t recall working it. Truth is, he’d rather let it go since his wife had died. He remembered his father, even near the end, carrying on digging, hoeing, scraping, planting, twisted with pain but still claiming the earth as his own. Until, of course, it claimed him.

Frank went back in, to the small kitchen little changed since he and Lottie had come here in 1938. He’d been a young man then, newly married and moving up in the grocery trade. He had served his apprenticeship at a certain Alderman Roberts’ store in his home town – he remembered the old man’s daughter Margaret, even then all elbows and avidity, but it was better to say little, now that she had risen so far in the world. Soon he had progressed to Home and Colonial Stores and then to manage the Lipton’s grocery shop in the old fenland town of Boston, where the River Witham sluices out of the flatlands and into the Wash. He had met Lottie, a sales assistant in Keighley’s linen and drapery, and five years older than him, at her sister Midd’s boarding house, where Frank had his digs on first coming to the Fens. Tender words at the dinner table led to Sundays stepping out and after a year or so they had married in the great parish church, St Botolph’s, with little ceremony but with buoyant hearts. In their wedding portrait there may have been a tentative inch of daylight between them, but never thereafter. Frank’s father had died only the day before, nursed to the end by Frank’s mother and stay-home sisters, but Frank was all purpose and go-ahead now, a staff working under him, his salary a princely £5 a week, the world full of vernal promise. The newlyweds soon had £20 down on a £100 mortgage for a new-built semi in Hope Gardens.

This was all before the war. Frank went to boil the kettle on the stove and started when the gas ring popped as he lit it. He still had the routine of making a pot of weak tea for two. He reached for the biscuit tin. His back was sore. He could see through the window the pigeons from the garage roof, now pecking at the cracks in the path outside, white-manuring as they doddered along. He brushed the crumbs from the countertop and cast them outside for the pigeons. Tired out, he decided to go and have a lie down, ‘up the wooden hill’ as his father used to say. Passing through the hall, he righted the retirement barometer that always hung a little off-kilter, its needle permanently skewering the curlicue C of ‘Change’. He climbed the stairway, hand tight on the chamfered rail, not glancing at the old photographs in thin frames hanging on the wall. But once on the bed, sleep wouldn’t come. He closed the curtains, but a pool of dim-watt light from the landing lapped at the candlewick.

Neil lives in Bridport; Ridge and Furrow is his second book and is published this month by Little Toller. littletoller.co.uk

bridporttimes.co.uk | 81

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OCTOBER SOLUTIONS

ACROSS 1. Graphic symbol (4) 3. Large edible marine crustaceans (8) 9. Easily drawn out into a wire (7) 10. Exceed; perform better than (5) 11. Very small amount (5) 12. Put in someone's care (7) 13. Place that is frequented for holidays (6) 15. Exist permanently in (6) 17. Extremely obvious (7) 18. Waterlogged ground (5) 20. Constructed (5) 21. Material made from animal skin (7) 22. Longing (8) 23. Network of lines (4) 82 | Bridport Times | November 2019

DOWN 1. Inexpressibly (13) 2. Take place; happen (5) 4. Complied with orders (6) 5. Small meteor (8,4) 6. Speak excitedly of (7) 7. Easily angered (5-8) 8. School for young children (12) 14. Endurance (7) 16. Taken illegally (6) 19. Loathe (5)

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GREAT PLAINS LO N D O N

Bridport 4 East St., Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3LF 01308 459854

Beaminster (Shop & Café) 22 The Square, Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3AU 01308 863189

Cilla & Camilla Clothes 11 East St., Bridport, Dorset, DT6 3JU 01308 425871

Sherborne (Cookshop)

29b Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3PU

01935 817161

OPENING HOURS: MONDAY - SATURDAY 9AM - 5PM, SUNDAYS 10.AM - 4PM

(BRIDPORT STORES ONLY)

Hardwood Flooring Specialists Registered Farrow & Ball Stockist Bespoke In-Home Colour Consultancy Certified Bona Contractor

11 Dreadnought Trading Estate, Bridport DT6 5BU 01308 458443 www.bridporttimber.co.uk