Bridport Times February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

SPORING PARTNERS

with Chris Gasson and Nick Phillips of Chideock Champignons

bridporttimes.co.uk

WELCOME

T

he quagmire underfoot remains, with the occasional biting frost transforming the squelch to a welcome crunch. Daylight lingers in crystal clear skies, and despite the chill, our more enterprising of birds continue to sing their hearts out.

And so to February‌ Mick Smith gives us the What and Why at Bridport Arts Centre, Steven Spurrier goes over old ground, Will Livingstone and Charlie Groves grow their own, Gillian Butcher takes us Nordic walking and Kelvin Clayton reviews his contract. Katharine and Jo meanwhile are in Chideock, visiting the fascinating fungi farm of Chris Gasson and Nick Phillips.

Have a great month.

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

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio Sub editors Jay Armstrong @jayarmstrong_ Elaine Taylor Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury Editorial assistant Paul Newman @paulnewmanart Print Pureprint 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 | February 2020

Simon Barber Evolver @SimonEvolver @evolvermagazine evolver.org.uk David Burnett The Dovecote Press dovecotepress.com Gillian Butcher Lyme Bay Nordic Walking lymebaynordicwalking@gmail.com Kelvin Clayton @kelvinclaytongp greenthoughts.me philosophyinpubs.co.uk Rachel Cole Dorset County Hospital Charity charity@dchft.nhs.uk Alison Ferris Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre @CharmouthHCC charmouth.org/chcc Jane Fox Yoga Space @yogaspacebridport yogaspacebridport.com Kit Glaisyer @kitglaisyer @kitglaisyer kitglaisyer.com Charlie Groves Groves Nurseries @GrovesNurseries @grovesnurseries grovesnurseries.co.uk Annabelle Hunt Bridport Timber and Flooring @BridportTimber @annabellehuntcolourconsultant bridporttimber.co.uk Alison Johnstone Bridport Museum @BridportMuseum bridportmuseum.co.uk Little Toller Books @LittleToller @littletollerdorset littletoller.co.uk

Will Livingstone @willgrow willgrow.co.uk Gill Meller @GillMeller @Gill.Meller gillmeller.com Stephanie McCulloch Porter Dodson Solicitors porterdodson.co.uk Anna Powell Sladers Yard @SladersYard @sladersyard sladersyard.wordpress.com Adam Simon Tamarisk Farm @ tamarisk_farm tamariskfarm.co.uk Mick Smith Bridport Arts Centre @bridportarts @bridportarts bridport-arts.com Steven Spurrier Bride Valley Vineyard @BrideValleyWine @bridevalleywine bridevalleyvineyard.com Antonia Squire The Bookshop @bookshopbridprt @thebookshopbridport dorsetbooks.com Emma Tabor & Paul Newman @paulnewmanart @paulnewmanartist paulnewmanartist.com Chris Tripp Dorset Diggers Community Archaeology Group dorsetdiggers.btck.co.uk Colin Varndell Colin Varndell Natural History Photography colinvarndell.co.uk Sally Welbourn Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife @dorsetwildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

46

FEBRUARY 2020

8 What’s On

46 CHIDEOCK CHAMPIGNONS

70 Gardening

16 Arts & Culture

56 Food & Drink

76 Community

26 History

60 Body & Mind

78 Philosophy

30 Wild Dorset

64 Legal

79 Literature

38 Outdoors

68 Interiors

82 Crossword

42 Archaeology

bridporttimes.co.uk | 5

Introducing the first hero of Audi’s hybrid charge: the Audi Q5 TFSI e Meet the next evolution of Audi. A new breed of TFSI e plug-in hybrids coming soon – ranging from the A3 Sportback e-tron, through the A6, A7 and A8 saloons, to the 7-seat Q7 SUV. Each of them boasts the style, comfort and performance you expect from an Audi, now with plug-in hybrid technology that pushes efficiency to a whole new level.

Take the new Audi Q5 TFSI e. With up to 26 miles of all-electric range at speeds of up to 84mph it’s perfect for efficient city driving, while its 2.0 TFSI turbo petrol engine gives you the range to go the distance when needed.

Blend the two together, and you get the perfect balance of power and economy – 376PS and 500Nm of torque, delivering 0-62mph acceleration in 5.3 seconds when you need it, and a fuel consumption up to 117.7mpg (combined WLTP) and C02 emissions as low as 49g/ km when you’re feeling more sensible.

It’s everything you expect from an Audi.

And something extra, too.

Yeovil Audi BA22 8RT 01935 574981 www.yeovilaudi.co.uk

Official WLTP fuel consumption figures for the Audi Q5 TFSI e Range in mpg (l/100km) from: Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other vehicles tested to the same technical (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. There is a new test used for fuel consumption and CO2 figures (known as calculate vehicle tax on first registration. For more information, please see audi.co.uk/wltp or consult your Audi Centre. Data correct at 17 October for further information. Image for illustrative purposes only.

Batteries included

Combined 104.6 (2.7) – 117.7 (2.4). NEDC equivalent CO2 emissions: 54 – 49g/km. procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted WLTP). The CO2 figures shown however, are based on a calculation designed to be equivalent to the outgoing (NEDC) test cycle and will be used to 2019. Figures quoted are for a range of configurations and are subject to change due to ongoing approvals/changes. Please consult your Audi Centre

WHAT'S ON Listings

Mondays 7.30pm-9pm

Co-operation Bridport

____________________________

Bridport Campfire -

Mondays 10am-12pm

Women’s Coaching Group

Free. 07974 888895

Watercolour Painting

67 South St

for Beginners

cooperationbridport.eventbrite.co.uk

____________________________

____________________________

Every 2nd Tuesday 7.15pm

LSi, 51 East St. £80 (5-week course).

Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Sugarcraft Club

07881 805510 marion@taylormade.

Bridport Choral Society

demon.co.uk

Ivy House, Grove Nurseries,

____________________________

bridportchoral.wordpress.com/Facebook

____________________________

Mondays (term-time)

Tuesdays 10am-1pm

Wednesday or Thursday

6.30pm-8pm

Art Class

9.30am-12.30pm (term-time)

Bridport ASD & Social

Town Mill Arts, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU.

Painting & Drawing Art Classes

____________________________

07505 268797

Anxiety Support Group

West Bay Rd, DT6 4AB

____________________________

07812 856823 trudiochiltree.co.uk

Mangerton Mill Artist Studio.

For teens, parents & carers

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am

____________________________

____________________________

Walking the Way

Wednesdays & Thursdays

1st & 3rd Mondays 7.30pm-8.30pm

to Health in Bridport

7pm-10pm

Yoga @ Othona

Starts from CAB 45 South St.

Bridge Club

____________________________

bridgewebs.com/bridport

Bridport Children’s Centre.

Othona Community, Coast Rd, Burton

01305 252222 sarahdavies@dorset.gov.uk

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington

kate@othona-bb.org.uk

Tuesdays 7.15pm

____________________________

____________________________

Lyme Morris Rehearsals

Wednesdays 2pm-4pm

2nd & 4th Mondays 7.15pm

Charmouth Scout Hut, Barr Lane

(term-time)

Facebook: Lyme Morris

Maiden Newton Village Hall, DT2 0AE

01308 897130 biodanza-bridport.co.uk

Tuesdays 7.30pm-9pm

____________________________

____________________________

Bridport Sangha

Wednesdays 6pm-8pm

Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Meditation Evenings

Contemporary Patchwork

Bridport Folk Dance Club

Quaker Meeting House, South St.

Evening Classes

____________________________

07383 490026 getcrafty@studi0ne.com

Bradstock DT6 4RN. £8 01308 897130

Biodanza @ Othona Othona Community, Coast Rd, Burton Bradstock DT6 4RN. £8-£10

WI Hall, North St. Folk dancing with recorded music. 01308 458165

____________________________

Playing Field. 07917 748087

Maiden Newton Art Group

____________________________

01300 321405

07950 959572

Studi0ne, Broadwindsor Craft Centre

Every 2nd Tuesday 7pm-9pm

____________________________

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 8 | Bridport Times | February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020 White Room, Chapel in the Garden

bridportceilidhs.wordpress.com

____________________________

Sunday 2nd & 9th 2pm-3.30pm

bridportscottishdancers.org.uk

Until 15th March 10.30am-4.30pm

Time to Write at the Museum

____________________________

Exhibition: Mysterious Adventures

2nd & 4th Wednesdays 7.30pm

The Rotunda Gallery, Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge St,

Wednesdays 7pm-10pm Bridport Scottish Dancers Church House, South St. 01308 538141

Sharing Stillness with Eckhart Tolle

DT6 3JJ. 07884 191459

Museum DT7 3QA. 01297 443370

____________________________

____________________________

DT7 3QA. £5.95 01297 443370, lymeregismuseum.co.uk

____________________________

White Room, Chapel in the Garden

Until 22nd March

Sunday 2nd 2pm-4.30pm

DT6 3JJ. 07884 191459

Exhibition: Roots of Religion in

Qi Gong & Meditation

____________________________

West Bay

Every 4th Wednesday 7.30pm

West Bay Discovery Centre. Free/

Quaker Meeting Hall, South St. £15.

Philosophy in Pubs George Hotel, South St

donations. westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

07800 717283 dianabarnardtherapy.co.uk

____________________________

____________________________

Tuesday 4th 2.30pm

Read Kelvin Clayton’s monthly

Saturday 1st 9.30am-4.30pm

Stories from the Jurassic: Rocks

article on page 78

Willow Workshop: Make a Hare

& Fossils of Horn Park Quarry

____________________________ Thursdays 6.30pm

Studi0ne, Broadwindsor Craft Centre

£75. Booking essential. 07436 062343

Beaminster Museum. £3.

studi0ne.com

____________________________

Pop-up Restaurant - The Monmouth Table (fish tapas)

info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

____________________________

Thursday 6th & Friday 7th

Soulshine Cafe, 76 South St. Bookings

Saturday 1st – Wednesday 12th

10.30am-3.30pm

07425 969079 themonmouthtable.co.uk

10.30am-4.30pm

Inspirational Gardening Courses

____________________________

Exhibition: Not Everything

Every 1st Thursday

is Black & White

Symondsbury Estate, Mill Lane,

10.45am-11.45am

The Gallery, Symondsbury Estate

Community Coffee Morning

DT6 6HG. 03450 920283 sarahraven.com ____________________________

DT6 6HG. 01308 301326

Thursday 6th 7.30pm

____________________________

Film: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Free. 01308 420943

Saturday 1st 11am

____________________________

Family Storytime with The

Litton Cheney Village Hall.

1st & 2nd Friday 2pm-5pm

Flying Monkeys

Bridge Club

LSi, 51 East St. Free/donation. Children

Friday 7th 7pm

St. Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

£5 incl. drink 01308 482390

____________________________

3-8 years & carers. lsibridport.co.uk

Smuggling & the

____________________________

Dorset Connection

____________________________

Saturday 1st 10am-12pm,

Every 3rd Friday 10.30am-3.30pm

Sunday 9th 2pm-4pm &

West Bay Discovery Centre

Bridport Embroiderers

Thursday 20th 10am-12pm

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington.

Textile Exhibition:

____________________________

St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington. bridgewebs.com/bridport

Tickets £8 from Bridport TIC westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

____________________________

01308 456168

One Planet to Share

Friday 7th 6.45pm Furleigh Fizz Comes of Age

Sundays 3pm

Beaminster Museum.

info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

____________________________

Furleigh Estate, Salwayash DT6 5JF

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA

Saturday 1st 7.30pm

With Susy Atkins, The Sunday Telegraph. £25. Bookings: furleighestate.co.uk

Sunday Music Sessions Free. 01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

Bridport Ceilidhs:

____________________________

Jigfoot, Dick Williams

Friday 7th 7.30pm-9pm

1st & 3rd Sundays 4pm

Church House Hall, South St, DT6 3NW.

Talk: Sea What’s There

Sunday Meditation

£9 advance, £10 on door. 01308 423442

____________________________

Bridport United Church Hall, East St bridporttimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON DT6 3LJ. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

LSi, 51 East St. Free/donation

____________________________

Saturday 8th 7pm

lsibridport.co.uk

Sunday 16th 2pm-4.30pm

____________________________

Qi Gong & Meditation

Shelby’s Elbows & The Skalatans

Friday 14th -

The Tithe Barn, Symondsbury. £10.

Sunday 16th 12pm-3pm

Quaker Meeting Hall, South St. £15.

____________________________

Holy Cross Church, Woodbury Lane,

Saturday 15th 7pm

____________________________

07800 717283 dianabarnardtherapy.co.uk

billetto.co.uk, symondsburyestate.co.uk/events

Spring Flower Celebration

Saturday 8th 7.30pm

Axminster. Free. 01297 598953

Screening of Kinky Boots

____________________________

The Musical

Evershot Village Hall. Bar available.

Friday 14th 7.30pm

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA

____________________________

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA

Fat Marrow Blues Band £12 on door, £8 via eventbrite.co.uk

Simply ReRed

Saturday 8th 7.30pm

£18/£16 advance. £21 on door

Sam Lee

____________________________

£11/£5 advance. £13.50/£5 on door 01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

____________________________

01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

Sunday 16th 3.15pm

____________________________

Hansel & Gretel

£19/£16/£14/£13. 01297 442394

Saturday 15th –

The Tithe Barn, Symondsbury Estate

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA marinetheatre.com

Sunday 23rd 11am-4pm

____________________________

Sea-themed Half-term

Saturday 8th 8pm

Craft Activities

Charlie Bicknell:

West Bay Discovery Centre. Free/

Tuesday 18th 2.30pm

The Latest Show

DT6 6HG. £8.50 from Bridport TIC. 01308 424166

____________________________

donation. westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

A Convict Ship Museum Visits

____________________________

Dorset: The Horrors

£12 from Bridport TIC, 01308 424901

Saturday 15th – Sunday 8th March

of Transportation

____________________________

10.30am-4.30pm

Wednesday 12th 11.30am

Fifth Printmakers Open

Beaminster Museum. £3.

Nordic Walking (1 hour)

The Gallery & The Space, Symondsbury

The Lyric Theatre, Barrack St, DT6 3LX

Furleigh Estate, Salwayash DT6 5JF

info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

____________________________

Estate DT6 6HG. 01308 301326

Tuesday 18th 2pm

____________________________

The Ark & Dove

furleighestate.co.uk

Saturday 15th 6.30pm/8pm

____________________________

Jazz Concert & Dinner

The Lyric Theatre, Barrack St, DT6 3LX

Thursday 13th 7pm

Sladers Yard, West Bay DT6 4EL.

£10 includes poles & refreshment.

Talk/Book Launch: The Great Fen

10 | Bridport Times | February 2020

£18 or £36 with dinner. 01308 459511 sladersyard.wordpress.com

£8/£6 from Bridport TIC 01308 424901 ____________________________ Thursday 20th 2.30pm

Arts Society West Dorset: Indian

February Programme

Spoken Word

The Remains of Logan Dankworth

7 February, 7.30pm

Encore Screening

Music

Music

Film

MET LIVE Porgy and Bess

Steve Knightley

French Chansons

8 February 7.30pm

14 February 8pm

The True Classic Cost - a film Concert about fashion 21 February

1 February 6pm

Box Office 01308 424 204

bridport-arts.com

19 February 7.30pm

Music

11.30am

Music

Hashmat Sultana 28 February 7.30pm

WHAT'S ON Travels with Kipling

Tuesday 25th 2pm

____________________________

Bridport Town Hall. £7.50 non-members.

Raj Adgopul: On a Laugh-

Tuesday 3rd March 2.30pm

taswestdorset.org.uk

littered Journey

Water Meadows of West Dorset

____________________________ Thursday 20th 7.30pm

Bridport United Church Hall, East St

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

Beaminster Museum. £3.

____________________________

____________________________

Plant Hunters & Pioneers WI Hall, North St. Non-members £2.

Wednesday 26th then Thursdays

info@beaminstermuseum.co.uk

011308 459469

until 26th March 1pm-2pm

Fairs and markets

____________________________

Therapeutic Writing Course:

____________________________

Friday 21st 7.30pm

New Beginnings

Every Wednesday & Saturday

Talk: D H Lawrence, Poet

Bothenhampton Village Hall. £35 07747

Weekly Market

____________________________

____________________________

Sladers Yard, West Bay DT6 4EL

142088 george@georgegottscounselling.co.uk

South, West & East St

____________________________

Wednesday 26th 7.30pm

2nd Saturday of the month,

Saturday 22nd 8pm

Talk: How to Grow

9am–1pm

Mark Thomas:

Clematis Successfully

Farmers’ Market

50 Things About Us

Uplyme Village Hall. Non-members £3

Bridport Arts Centre

____________________________

Every Saturday, 9am–12pm

____________________________

Thursday 27th 7.30pm

Country Market

Saturday 22nd 8pm

Cinema: The Goldfinch (15)

Geoff Norcott: Taking Liberties

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA

WI Hall, North St

£12.50 sladersyard.wordpress.com

Electric Palace, Bridport unavoidablepr.com

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA

£14.50 01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

01297 631850 ulrhs.wordpress.com

____________________________

____________________________

£6 in advance. £7.50 on door

Last Sunday of every month,

01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

10am-4pm

____________________________

Bridport Vintage Market

Sunday 23rd 10.30am-12.30pm

Saturday 29th 7pm

Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra

The Walking Man:

St Michael’s Trading Estate, DT6 3RR

Litton Cheney Village Hall. £20.

A Talking Gig with Andy Morgan

yogawithnadiya.co.uk

Monday 24th 7pm-9pm & Friday

____________________________

____________________________

Booking essential. 07800 712998

& Alhousseini Anivolla

Sport ____________________________

____________________________

Powerstock Hut. £9/£6/£25

01308 485474/485730 artrsreach.co.uk

Bridport RFC

____________________________

28th 10am-12pm

Saturday 29th 7.30pm

Brewery Fields, Skilling Hill Rd, DT6

Therapeutic Writing Workshop:

Bridport Broadsiders: 20 years

5LN. bridportrugby.co.uk. 2.15pm start

Self-doubt

of Bridport Millennium Green

Ellingham & Ringwood 2nd (H)

£15 Bothenhampton Village Hall

Bridport Town Hall0 £7/£6 incl. wine/

Saturday 15th

georgegottscounselling.co.uk

Saturday 1st

nibbles, entertainment

Wimborne (A)

____________________________

Saturday 29th

____________________________

Saturday 29th 7.30pm

Poole (H)

Monday 24th 2.30pm

Cinema: Judy (12A)

____________________________

Storms, Flood & Fires

Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA.

07747 142088 george@

Bridport United Church Hall, East St.

Presented by the Golden Cap Association (West Dorset). Non-members £5 incl. refreshments. 01308 863577

____________________________ 12 | Bridport Times | February 2020

£6 in advance. £7.50 on door.

To include your event in our FREE

____________________________

listing in 20 words max) by the

01297 442394 marinetheatre.com

Planning ahead

listings please email details (whole 1st of each preceding month to listings@homegrown-media.co.uk

PREVIEW In association with

THE LAST BAGUETTE: ‘THE BIRD SHOW’ With frolics and foraging, flitting, flying and two unusual

with upcycled set and costumes by designer Bronia

birds facing changes to their habitat. The Bird Show uses

is suitable for children aged 3+.

feathery friends, this is a madcap and touching show about live music, puppetry and lots of silly bird jokes in this

Housman and original music by Catherine Burke, the show

heart-fluttering physical comedy. We follow Henry the

evolver.org.uk

become friends while contending with ecological threats

Wednesday 19th February 11am

the impact of humans on nature and asks the question,

Village Hall, Wootton Fitzpaine, DT6 6NF

playwright T.A. Woodsmith, directed by Susana Alcantud,

____________________________________________

Heron and Sally the House Sparrow on a zany journey to

____________________________________________

to their habitat. This colourful, visual show gently explores

The Last Baguette: ‘The Bird Show’

‘What can we do differently?’ Written by award-winning

£6/£5. 01297 560948 artsreach.co.uk

14 | Bridport Times | February 2020

ORIGINAL WORKS • FINE ART PRINTS BOOKS & HOME • COURSES & EVENTS

Thoughtfully sourced, carefully chosen.

ELEMENTUM GALLERY SOUTH ST, SHERBORNE • 01935 813776 ELEMENTUMGALLERY.CO.UK • @ELEMENTUMGALLERY

A SPACE for LIVING SPIRITUALITY at The Quaker Meeting House 97 South Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3NZ

Series 9 : “Spiritual Practice”

Meditation Practices from different Faith Traditions Event 1: Saturday March 14th, 10.00-4.00 “One River, Many Wells” led by Gary Pulman (One Spirit Interfaith Minister) Exploring our relationship with the essence through movement , prayer, meditation and chant.

Event 2: Saturday April 18th, 10.00-4.00 “Arriving At The Ground At Our Feet” Lesley Collington (Dharma Teacher. Thich Nhat Hanh} Meditat ive Pract ices to arrive at the ground at our feet and learn to be at home; fully present in mind, heart and body.

Event 3: Saturday May 9th, 10.00-4.00 “Christian Centering Practice and the Wisdom Tradition” led by Janet Lake Increasing our capacity to be ‘in th is world but not of it’.

Event 4: Saturday June 13th, 10.00-4.00 “An Introduction to the Jewish S iritual Path” led by Rabbi Danny Newman Exploring Jewish Spiritual Practice & Ideas such as Meditation, Prayer, the Sabbath & Teshuva (returning).

Space is limited so booking is required.

Donations £10-£40 per day: bring-and-share lunch.

Contact Janet Lake: iona.lake@aol.co.uk for more information and bookings. bridporttimes.co.uk | 15

Arts & Culture

WHAT’S ON THIS WINTER, AND WHY Mick Smith, Director, Bridport Arts Centre

Hashmat Sultana

T

he last time I ran an arts centre I was somewhat constrained by the inflexibility of our brochure.

Every event was set in stone many months before, leaving no room for spontaneity. The inevitable proof errors and occasional cancellations meant that, by the end of each season, I hated that brochure with a passion.

After a while I drew our audience towards the idea of ‘off-brochure programming’, a tongue-in-cheek title for a radical concept where, if an event was worth putting on and I could garner a potential audience, I’d get the word out and do it! This brought a freshness and vitality to programming - and saved a lot of paper. It also proved to me the value of moving beyond a brochure and has played a part in my decision regarding Bridport Arts Centre. The seasonal brochure cost around £20k per year to produce and there was a lot of waste. With two out of our three funders declaring a climate emergency, I seriously questioned what we were doing.

For now, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about upcoming events here and on our website. Of course, I’m also relying on Bridport’s reputation for loving the arts to help spread the word. As Director, the challenge is to engage and attract audiences in a variety of new ways, creating a rich, vibrant mix of unmissable programming.

16 | Bridport Times | February 2020

Here’s the inside story on what you can look forward to.

Armenia to Zimbabwe via Portland

The new decade charts a necessarily eclectic mix of visual arts. Our programme launches with a fascinating exhibition by veteran photographer George Wright.

His work has appeared in the Observer, Independent, Telegraph, Sunday Times and Country Life. He features in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery and has exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Twenty years ago, his exhibition A Way Of Life, which documented rural life in West Dorset, appeared in the Allsop gallery to much acclaim. George returns with Another Way Of Life, a bold series of colour photographs of people, many of which were taken from the back of a motorbike on his travels from Armenia to Zimbabwe and Djibouti to Irian Jaya.

In keeping with the gallery’s theme of having one foot in the community and one eye on a wider context, we follow George’s photography with work from Artwey, a visual arts community in Weymouth and Portland. Treasure Planet is an exhibition created from an open call to their 90 members to showcase the beauty

and precious nature of our Dorset home: the places, people and geography. We’ve selected some innovative pieces from a range of media including paintings, batik, sculpture, enamelling, pottery and driftwood.

H A N F O R D A GIRLS BOARDING & DAY PREP SCHOOL

“Othering”

In an environment that often seems to promote conflict and division, Othering is the first in our series of crossart forms, and it feels timely. The Exiles exhibition features visual artists Ricky Romain and Cedoux Kadima, and filmmaker Robert Golden with the theme explored through related theatre, spoken word and music. There’s a talk from Samantha Knights, a Human Rights QC and former journalist for an English language newspaper in Tallinn, Estonia, who has worked on a number of civil liberty cases against the Russian and Georgian governments.

As well as music in the gallery, we showcase powerful theatre in the shape of Medicine’s Monstrous Daughters.

Inspired by real life events, these two plays expose unpalatable truths about the treatment of people deemed ‘different’ or ‘damaged’ and provoke questions about how much of our humanity is lost in search of ‘the cure’. Song and dance are represented with Sitaraha, The Stars, with moving stories of three women living in Afghanistan through different periods of history.

Hardy and HandleBards

We have a truly exciting array of plays. The Remains Of Logan Dankworth by Luke Wright charts the final part of his political trilogy about trust and privilege in the age of Brexit. Classic theatre comes from HandleBards, with an all-female cast’s take on Macbeth - ‘a genuine treat from start to finish’ according to The Stage.

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School performs Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd and explores the world of one of literature’s most intriguing female characters, Bathsheba Everdene. To brighten dark winter days, Hashmat Sultana perform traditional and contemporary Punjabi folk and Sufi music. Finally, we present the Yoruba Women Choir whose soulful harmonies and joyful songs lift the spirit.

I hope you will come along to support the arts centre and enjoy our thought-provoking winter programme — listings are on our website. Do tell your friends and neighbours and please let us know what you think about what you see. bridport-arts.com

LEAP INTO OUR OPEN MORNING Saturday 29th February 2020 9.30am-1pm call Karen on 01258 860219 or email admissions@hanfordschool.co.uk

H A N F O R D

FOREST SCHOOL DAY Saturday 7th March for girls aged 7-9 years Places are FREE - for information or to book call 01258 860219 or email admissions@hanfordschool.co.uk www.hanfordschool.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 17

Arts & Culture

COUNTERPOINT

Anna Powell, Director, Sladers Yard Gallery, and Café Sladers Martyn Brewster, Shadows and Light, acrylic with collage on canvas, 120 x 100 cm

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e all see the world differently. I met a man the other day who said he loved words and music but wasn’t visual at all. The only way he can interpret what other people see in visual art is by imagining that it is an amazing piece of classical music.

Our current exhibition, entitled Counterpoint, shows paintings by Martyn Brewster, Daisy Cook and Brian Graham. These are abstract, or almost abstract, landscapes inspired by trees, hills, cliffs and coastline. All three painters respond to the natural world lyrically, as in a song, expressing their thoughts and feelings in their own language of colours and marks. Like music, painting communicates on a level that is beyond words. It slips past the defences, heart to heart, eye to eye, gut to gut.

‘When you make a mark,’ Martyn Brewster comments, ‘you have to create a balance, set it in tension, with another. Over time, you come back over it again and again and make it more exciting, more multilayered.’

Those colours, textures and marks, like smells, tastes and musical notes, cause responses in us, evoking memories and attachments, intriguing us and drawing us to them.

Martyn Brewster walks the coastline looking at light on 18 | Bridport Times | February 2020

the sea, cliffs, woodlands and harbour. He makes drawings on site or comes back to paint in his studio, music playing, working and reworking canvases with colours and marks that recur and work off each other to create something new and strong, continuing until it sings.

Brian Graham lives just along the coast from Martyn in Swanage. His mind is drawn to the ancient past, clues to which are hidden all over the Dorset landscape.

Brian’s paintings are visceral, deeply textured, referring to rocks and weather, ancient hearths, hill tops and horizons. In the Baltic region, a permanent fire was kept alight close to an ancient oak. Brian’s new series of tree paintings began with the idea ‘Oak and Ash’ and then developed into a celebration of other venerated species, birch, thorn, yew, holly, pine and, inevitably, ash - the living tree and the hearth looking back in time as well as forward to the years ahead.

Daisy Cook’s unerring sense of colour combines with her courage to be quiet and subtle in painting the pared-back geometry of landscape and trees. At a moment when our relationship with nature is in the spotlight, Daisy Cook’s non-interventional, still, >

Daisy Cook, Tree with Olive Green, 40 x 30cm bridporttimes.co.uk | 19

Arts & Culture

Brian Graham Oak and Ash, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 21 cm

simple observations of time unfolding into natural history may point a way forward. ‘I am aware of man’s place within the environment, the person looking, as well as his or her impact on it,’ she says. To quote her aunt, the poet Elizabeth Cook, in her essay for Daisy’s Sladers Yard catalogue, ‘It is simply the life that the light discloses and which in turn initiates change’.

Set against the paintings are the richly textured, almost barnacled, ceramics of Paul Wearing. Each one seems to contain and embody a landscape, be that sub-aquatic, coastal or mist-enshrouded. Their strong, classical forms could be from any time in man’s history while their abstracted, unspecified, deep-time presence seems particularly resonant now.

Petter Southall’s graceful furniture designs are made in the solid hardwoods that grow in Northern Europe, particularly oak in its many variations. Combining steambent curves with smooth, straight lines, he allows the wood to speak of its own individual story as well as its reassuring warmth and strength. Working with ethically sourced timber, he makes furniture to last hundreds of years, extending the lives of wonderful ancient trees.

20 | Bridport Times | February 2020

All five artists are concerned with landscape, the coast, trees and woodland. Martyn Brewster, Brian Graham and Petter Southall are Dorset-based and to some extent occupied particularly with the Dorset landscape and sea, on which Petter sails in his beautiful steam-bent boat. Martyn Brewster’s work focuses often on light and water in the moment while Brian Graham has a feeling for the long-distant past, looking for belief patterns, mood and memory of early man. Londonbased Daisy Cook is deeply connected to the natural world and woodlands which she carries in her head and paints in their simplest abstracted forms, a thing both very new yet also reminiscent of Ben Nicholson and the painters of St Ives. Paul Wearing works in Cardiff and is one of Wales’ foremost ceramicists.

Counterpoint is open every day at Sladers Yard, West Bay, until Sunday 1st March. Entry is free. Café Sladers serves fabulous seafood, vegetarian and vegan lunches and homemade cakes with a full wine list and great organic coffee and teas. sladersyard.co.uk

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?

WEDDING SHOWCASE - SUNDAY 8th MARCH 11am - 4pm

SY M O N D SBURY E S TAT E

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

Arts & Culture

Image: Kit Glaisyer

LESLEY SLIGHT SECRET GLIMPSES

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Kit Glaisyer, Artist

esley Slight moved to Dorset with her sculptor husband, Nigel, and two young children 47 years ago. Based in London at the time, they often came to Dorset for holidays and had chanced upon a B&B room at the old rectory, known as Oakhayes, in Symondsbury - the very same place, in fact, that I first moved to after it grew into a lively art community in 22 | Bridport Times | February 2020

the following years. Back in the 1960s, Bridport had a thriving artistic community with a buoyant folk music scene and enjoyed the arrival of a new generation of visual artists including Brian Rice, John and Sally Miles, and John Hubbard. A few years later, a member of the Barnes family sent Lesley and Nigel a small newspaper clipping with details of an old farm for sale near Toller

Placid Empire oil on linen, 60 x 60cm

Porcorum, close to Eggardon Hill. They managed, with two friends, to purchase the near-derelict farm which took many years to fully refurbish, including the conversion of two outbuildings into studios.

Lesley grew up in Somerset and then went to college in Nottingham, where she trained as a painter and met Nigel who was studying sculpture. Nigel got a place at the Royal College of Art, so they moved to London, where Lesley began teaching art and design at the then very progressive Vauxhall Manor school. After graduating, Nigel became a part-time visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths, whilst Lesley left her teaching post to start a fashion design business with an RCA graduate friend.

After the birth of two children Lesley continued designing accessories for the American market under her own label, including the gloves presented by the Worshipful Company of Glovers as a wedding gift for Princess Diana. She continued with her design work after the move to Dorset but also became a part-time visiting

tutor at Yeovil School of Art. Meanwhile Nigel had resigned from Goldsmiths, taking up a visiting lecturer’s post at Cheltenham College of Art. Lesley’s design work is represented in collections at the Bath Costume Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

In 2001 the painter Gigi Sudbury invited Lesley to show with her and a colleague at Leighton House London, the first of two successful shows at this venue.

It was these exhibitions which confirmed a decision to focus all her creative energy on painting.

There is something rather magical and ethereal about Lesley’s imagined landscapes, which are so evocative of familiar views across West Dorset yet which emerge entirely from her memories and imagination. These are rich, deeply emotive and rather moody paintings, with gently worked surfaces, colours redolent of muddy, rainsoaked fields, and fallen leaves and overgrown hedges tumbling across wildly undulating hills and valleys. Her views feel remote and untamed, often with darkness > bridporttimes.co.uk | 23

Arts & Culture

Split Tree, Oil on Linen, 60 x 60cm

approaching and a scattering of light illuminating a path or hilltop. Her compositions echo many elements of the views in the countryside around her home, over the ancient hill forts towards the horizon of the sea to the south. Sometimes sullen atmospherics betray those moments before a rainstorm, when the sky becomes slightly threatening, hastening a retreat to a sheltering home and warm kitchen.

‘My work is focused on the landscape of West Dorset, where I have lived and worked since 1973 in a remote and very rural situation. This landscape, with its sea cliffs, secret valleys, old woods and rounded hills, is the focus and catalyst for everything that I do and is absolutely central to my painting. It has an ancient and primordial being, and a timeless quality not quite of this century – so much of it seems relatively untouched by developments evident elsewhere.

For me it has ever-changeable moods, sometimes welcoming, sometimes disturbing and forbidding. It is these very qualities which fascinate and intrigue, dependent as they are upon two crucial and interchangeable factors – light and weather. The time of day itself will present a different aspect according to the season, in rain or sun, mists or brightness, at dawn, dusk, or night - each capable of transforming a 24 | Bridport Times | February 2020

familiar view into a strange unknown world, a phenomenon evident when views of the sea appear, glimpsed between or beyond the hills, valleys and cliffs. It is the mystery that I constantly seek to investigate and explore in my work and is pivotal to its continuation.’ (Lesley Slight) Lesley is currently represented by Kelly Ross at the Art Stable Gallery in Child Okeford, alongside the likes of Brian Rice, Liz Somerville and Celia de Serra. She also regularly exhibits with The Arborealists group of artists. Tim Craven, painter, curator and founder of the group, initially invited Lesley to join them after seeing her work at the Art Stable. Tim formed The Arborealists in 2013 following the exhibition Under the Green Wood: Picturing the British Tree that he co-curated at St Barbe's Museum and Art Gallery, Lymington, Hampshire. The group includes esteemed artists Sarah Gillespie, David Inshaw and Michael Porter and has regular exhibitions across the UK and in France. lesleyslightpaintings.com theartstable.co.uk arborealists.com kitglaisyer.com

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History

LOST DORSET

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SYDLING ST NICHOLAS

ooking north along Sydling Brook towards the Congregational Chapel at Downs End. Congregationalism flourished in west Dorset from the mid-18th century, with meetings in village houses and cottages. In 1834 the congregation was forced to move from its first meeting house, which was converted into a school, and a new chapel was built on a site given by Samuel Devenish, the minister. It opened in 1837 with seats for 160. When this photograph was taken in about 1880, John Thomas Smith was the minister at both Sydling and Cerne Abbas, preaching three times on Sundays and running a large adult Bible Class. Writing many years later, a Mrs Bushrod recalled that the singing, ‘could be heard right down the village.’ The last service, attended by just two people, was held in 1969 and the chapel is now a private house. The barn on the left has been demolished.

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 | February 2020

BRIDPORT ANTIQUES Situated on West Street, in the heart of Bridport, the historic building that was Joseph Gundry and Co Ltd now houses one of the finest antiques showrooms in the south-west of England. With its diverse range of furniture, art, silver and collectables from the 1600’s through to the 1900’s there is something to cater for everyone’s tastes.

OPEN DAILY 10am to 5pm EARLY CLOSING Thursday at 2pm CLOSED SUNDAY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE OUTSIDE OF THESE HOURS THE OLD COURT, 41 WEST STREET, BRIDPORT, DORSET DT6 3QU TELEPHONE: 01308 455646 WEBSITE: www.bridportantiques.co.uk

bridporttimes.co.uk | 27

History

CYRIL BENONI HOLMAN-HUNT (1866-1934)

Alison Johnstone, Research Volunteer, Bridport Museum

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ridport Museum was opened in 1932 by Captain Alfred Percy Codd. One of the first Trustees was Cyril Holman-Hunt, son of William Holman-Hunt (1827-1910), one of the three founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood of painters in the mid-19th century.

Cyril, due to ‘his advice and practical interest prov[ing] invaluable’ was co-opted onto the committee of the museum when it opened. Cyril loaned two of his father’s paintings to Codd for the museum’s opening: a portrait of Cyril as a boy and one of his mother, Fanny Waugh (1833-1866).

They remained in place until Cyril’s death in 1934 when, under the terms of his will, they were donated to other collections. The painting of Cyril now belongs to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.

A small legacy was left to Bridport Museum along with some of his entomology notebooks.

What do we know about Cyril? His parents married in December 1865 at Christ Church, Paddington and in August 1866 left England for the Holy Land, where William intended to paint sites of biblical events. However, due to an outbreak of cholera, they changed their plans and went to Florence, where Cyril was born in December 1866. Six weeks later his mother, Fanny, died from complications at birth. William was distraught at her death and a wet nurse was engaged for Cyril.

At the outbreak of scarlet fever in Florence, William and Cyril, who was less than a year old, travelled back to England. Cyril nearly starved to death on the journey, probably the fault of a negligent nurse.

In 1871 William was abroad and Cyril is recorded as living with his grandparents, George and Mary Waugh, in Paddington. He was sent to boarding school near Oxford, then went to Harrow School before graduating from St. John’s College Cambridge in 1888 with a BA. He enrolled as a medical student but decided to move abroad instead where he is described as a tea planter in Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka). He made numerous journeys across the Atlantic visiting the USA, Canada and India. Cyril was a noted authority on natural history with a special interest in entomology. He held important roles with the Government of the Federal Malay States, where he was engaged in botanical research for medicinal purposes. Between 1905 and 1907 Cyril was a curator at Selangor Museum, Malaya.

Between 1928 and 1931 he is believed to have been in Dorset, living in Great Toller where his father had lived for several years with his second wife, Marion Edith Waugh, sister of his first wife. In 1931 Cyril moved to Walditch, where he lived until his death in 1934. He died aged only 67 in Bridport Hospital having caught a chill following surgery. His friends lined East Street, Bridport to pay their respects as his coffin left the town on its journey to London to be cremated at Golders Green. bridportmuseum.co.uk @bridportmuseum facebook.com/BridportMuseum

28 | Bridport Times | February 2020

Cyril Holman Hunt by William Holman Hunt, Š Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge bridporttimes.co.uk | 29

Wild Dorset

A GOOD SPOT FOR WILDLIFE Sally Welbourn, Dorset Wildlife Trust

Victor Tyakht/Shutterstock

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s 2020 unfolds, Dorset Wildlife Trust is asking the residents of Dorset to keep track of wildlife on their doorsteps. The Species of the Month species list for 2020 is shaping up to be a really interesting one, with mammals, plants, birds and insects to spot in your garden, or local green spaces (including nature reserves!). All you need to do is let us know when you see something.

For February, we’re asking for sightings of the lesser celandine flower – a true sign that spring is on its way.

This flower is in the buttercup family and is one of the first spring woodland flowers to appear. It’s also a really important early source of nectar for emerging pollinators such as queen bumblebees, who will need an energy boost! After flowering in May, the plant enters a six-month dormancy. They can be found along streams, in hedgerows and in gardens.

Looking ahead to March, as spring starts to pop up everywhere, we’re looking for sightings of the blackcap. With one of the most melodic bird songs, the blackcap is very distinctive. Not surprisingly, the males have a black cap, and the females have a brown cap. They have a rich, flute-like song and can often be heard calling from dense scrub in early summer.

They used to be considered a summer visitor but they are fast becoming known as a resident bird, spending 30 | Bridport Times | February 2020

winter in the UK more and more. Some ‘stop over’ in the UK, rather than migrating all the way to the Mediterranean; possible reasons for this include milder winters and supplementary garden feeding in the UK. Although a woodland bird, blackcaps are frequently seen in gardens and parks, or anywhere with good shrub cover.

By letting us know what’s been seen, and where, in Dorset, you are helping conservationists identify trends and create management plans for wild spaces in order to help wildlife thrive where you live. If you would like to take part in the Species of the Month project, you can sign up on our website to receive the e-newsletter and find out which species we're looking for each month.

FACTS: • Lesser celandine flowers close at night. It is believed this is done to reduce the rate of grazing by deer and slugs. They also close for protection when it rains, which is why they have been believed to predict the weather!

• Blackcaps are nicknamed the ‘mock nightingale’ due to their varied song.

dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/species-month

Adopt us Fall in love this Valentines Day and Adopt a red squirrel or seahorse www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/shop

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST

Photos © from the top: Studland Bay by Tony Bates MBE & Spiny seahorse by Emma Rance, Brownsea island by Margaret Osborn & Red squirrel by Paul Williams.

Wild Dorset

PINK SEA FANS Alison Ferris, Deputy Head Warden, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre

Unterwegs/Shutterstock

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ver this winter the Heritage Centre is developing the marine displays to include what lies beneath Lyme Bay. It is easy to overlook what you can’t see but there are some wonderful creatures lurking in the bay. A while ago a visitor presented us with a pink sea fan that had washed up onto the beach, unfortunately wrapped in fishing wire.

This does happen occasionally and is one of the reasons Lyme Bay became a protected area: to bring back the health of the reefs caused by dredging and trawling.

The pink sea fan, ‘Eunicella verrucose’, is a type of 32 | Bridport Times | February 2020

horny coral (known as ‘gorgonian’), made up of tiny anemone-like polyps that can filter nutrients out of the water, and which share a hard skeleton. They are common in the south west of England, Wales and Ireland, living on rocky reefs where there are strong currents. They can also grow on metal, concrete and timber, and with approximately 200 shipwrecks in Lyme Bay they have good structures to colonise. Not many animals prey on them as the pink sea fans have stinging cells in their tentacles. They use these tentacles to catch plankton from the water column, often growing at right

angles to the current to maximise their catch.

At full size they can be 30cm tall and over 40cm wide. The growth rate of colonies seems to vary; some years in Lyme Bay they have been known to grow up to 6cm while in other years they don’t grow at all.

They may be affected by sea water temperatures. The corals grow very slowly, making them vulnerable to damage; some grow so slowly they can be up to 50 years old! Their reproduction has been little studied.

Sea fans form an important part of their ecosystem as catsharks attach their egg cases to the fans. After fans

die, they often remain attached to the seafloor, providing habitat for other animals. They are not always pink and can range from white to orange. Sea fans are related to jellyfish, corals and sea anemones.

In the past sea fans were collected as souvenirs and today suffer from scallop dredging and trawling.

Under UK law, sea fans are now a protected species and it is illegal to have one, dead or alive. The Lyme Bay Conservation and Fisheries Reserve is a collaboration between fishermen, conservationists, scientists and regulators in Lyme Bay to achieve a win-win situation for all parties involved. This has allowed the recovery of the pink sea fan while allowing fishing to continue.

Awareness is slowly increasing and divers are warned not to touch them while diving. They are susceptible to disease and, after Lundy Island suffered extensive damage in the early 2000s, research continues to monitor them. The University of Plymouth, University of Exeter, Marine Conservation Society and Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Association are monitoring the recovery of the pink sea fan in different areas. Since the designation of the Lyme Bay Marine Reserve in 2008, monitoring has shown a good recovery, with 7 times more sea fans found now on the reefs and an overall increase of 84% in all marine species in the Bay. Seasearch has been monitoring pink sea fans since 2001. As well as the health of the fan itself, they look for species which live on the fans. The sea fan anemone and sea fan nudibranch are two inhabitants of the pink sea fan.

Seasearch data suggests that less than 1% of anemones inhabit the pink sea fan. The nudibranch, although more common than the anemone, is still rare in Lyme Bay. Both are now recovering alongside the sea fan.

What can you do? If you find entangled fans washed up on the beach you can hand them in to your nearest Wildlife Trust. If you see damaged and entangled fans while diving, report them to the Wildlife Trust. Fans can become entangled in household rubbish and balloons always dispose of your rubbish correctly. Why not join a beach clean to help clear up any fishing gear, balloons and other rubbish from the beaches? There are also groups which carry out sub-tidal seabed cleans if you are a diver, so look out for those. We carry out beach cleans regularly at the Centre so check on our website or, to join one closer to you, try the Litter Free Coast & Sea website. litterfreecoastandsea.co.uk seasearch.org.uk charmouth.org/chcc bridporttimes.co.uk | 33

Wild Dorset

TAWNY OWL

SILENT ASSASSIN Colin Varndell, Photographer

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s dusk fades into night and the avian community settles into slumber, a winged predator takes centre stage in a secret world of darkness. The mournful, quavering hoot of a tawny owl pierces the night-time air, resonating through every copse and woodland as it proclaims its presence.

The tawny owl is a nocturnal hunter of small rodents. The bird kills in a pattern of stages. First, it sits motionless on a low branch, patiently waiting in the dark, listening for signs of movement on the woodland floor. Second, it tilts its head from side to side in order to accurately pinpoint the precise location of a rustle in the undergrowth; this is enabled by the unique positioning of its ears, set at slightly different positions on each side of the head. Finally, it glides silently on thistle-down wings to strike its victim with its needle-sharp talons.

The tawny owl is roughly the same size as a woodpigeon but more stocky in shape, with rounded head and dark, forward-facing eyes. The upper parts of the plumage are chestnut brown, mottled with patches of darker and lighter tones creating a camouflage effect.

Females are slightly larger than males. Their typical lifespan is around four years. The well-known call of the tawny owl is a long-drawn-out, quavering hoot; mostly given by the male, seldom by the female. Both sexes utter the familiar ‘kewick’ contact call. Males also occasionally hoot in daytime.

Tawny owls are strictly nocturnal and are only seen flying in daylight if disturbed. When this happens, the bird is followed by a cacophony of woodland bird species, frantically uttering their predator alarm calls.

The tawny owl spends the daylight hours in hiding, sitting bolt upright, often pressing itself against an ivy-clad tree trunk, with eyes firmly shut, its mottled plumage blending into the immediate surroundings.

It is often given credit for intelligence, for example

34 | Bridport Times | February 2020

in the well-known phrase ‘wise old owl’, however this is a fallacy as the tawny owl is not the most intelligent of birds. It is a habitual executioner, reacting to small animal movements on the ground and striking regardless of whether or not it can eat the prey. I have witnessed tawny owls kill prey much larger than they can eat, such as fully grown rats and young rabbits.

Tawny owls are often associated with churchyards, linking them to creepy superstitions, but this relationship with graveyards is due to such places being grassy habitats in built-up urban areas where voles and mice are more easily found.

Tawny owls nest early in the year, in tree hollows.

The eggs are laid at two-day intervals and incubation begins straightaway with the first egg. This is known as asynchronous hatching, resulting in owlets of different sizes. This size difference ensures that at least one owlet can survive prolonged periods of heavy rain by eating its smaller siblings.

Tawny owls are famous for their fierce defence of their young. I was once attacked by a tawny owl after spending several hours photographing them at a nest in spring.

I emerged from my hide sometime in the small hours of darkness and felt the rush of air as the bird struck me in the face with its talons. Upon reflection of this experience I realised how lucky I had been not to sustain serious injury to my eyes, but I also felt it a privilege to have made contact with a wild owl at night! colinvarndell.co.uk The Dorset Hedgehog Conference: Working Together to Help Hedgehogs will take place on Saturday 4th April, from 9.45am to 4.15pm, at The Dorford Centre, Dorchester. Email hedgehogs@dorsetmammalgroup.org.uk for details or book online via eventbrite.co.uk

Image: Colin Varndell bridporttimes.co.uk | 35

Wild Dorset

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY‌

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Adam Simon, Tamarisk Farm

o you remember playing with water and building dams as a child? Something we all learned very quickly was that water runs inexorably downhill. You can channel it, slow it down or hold it temporarily but ultimately it insists on going downwards. On our farm, water ends up harmlessly in the sea quite soon, but it can be troublesome en route.

Readers will have noticed that, after the dry summer, we had a lot of rain early this winter and we have needed to help some of our water find the ways we wanted it to take rather than letting it choose its own.

Anyway, the big child in me rather enjoyed the idea of hiring a mini-digger for a week and addressing the overdue drainage repairs. A couple of blocked culverts were cleared, a silted-up ditch was re-opened and a damaged field drain repaired. Three new shallow drains were created to reduce the spread of boggy patches, two new micro-ponds were dug, providing new habitat which will be valuable for at least a few years, and a water pipe was laid to service a new trough. I did score one own goal: water flowing off a steep, scrub-covered slope was elegantly redirected away from the arable field it had been water-logging onto a piece of permanent pasture where it could disperse. I found later that I had misjudged the slope and missed the right line so it was actually flooding onto the crop in the next field over! Fortunately, the problem was easily solved with an hour of hard sweating with a spade, and without burning more diesel.

Underneath our farm are limestone layers topped with heavy clay. The limestone is porous, and water flowing through it dissolves channels, rather like a miniature cave system, that can erupt at the surface as a spring. Some of these stay constant for many years.

Such a spring provided the water for the original village reservoir until the mains were connected in 1960 and it now waters five fields effectively. However, these springs can also pop up suddenly in unexpected places, run for a few years and then stop again. These flushes can be a blessing: a wet place in the field can bring in extra 36 | Bridport Times | February 2020

wildlife and be a great enhancement but they can be troublesome too, making access or cultivation tricky.

The traditional answer to problems such as these is to drain the land. Surface ditches intercept water and protect the land below them. To make the most of this pattern of drainage ditches underground field drains can be constructed to break through natural water routes or collect percolating soil water. Here at Tamarisk Farm we find a pattern of drains laid and maintained over centuries emptying into the surface ditches. They are mostly of clay pipes but some earlier ones were made with flat stones placed to line and roof a channel, forming a network under a whole field. Over the years some have become damaged and, with no maps, repairs are difficult. We have had a few notable successes but it is a big job with a lot still to do.

I once met a farmer with a very wet field which he said had drains he could not repair. His explanation was that the drains had been laid by hand by Italian prisoners of war. The trouble was that the supervising sergeant-major treated them very badly, including forcing them to dig 6 feet down. This would have been too deep to be useful anyway, but by way of revenge they had placed slates across the drains every few yards before covering them, so the whole project was doubly futile.

Most of my work with the digger was simply taking away excess surface water so that it did no

harm, but there are times through the year when there is not enough water. The work I did of moving water away swiftly fails to make use of it. Permaculturalists and modern soil scientists quite rightly remind us that we should treat water as a resource, not a problem.

Taking advantage of the water system, cared for by the authorities, by installing troughs on mains water isn’t always a perfect solution either. Firstly (and quite rightly) it costs money and it is silly to pay for a commodity we have anyway, but there are other reasons to avoid depending on it. The pressure in some places is too low to reach to the top of the farm. Channels dug to bury the pipe can intercept ground water and carry it downhill, often emerging inconveniently at the next trough to make it wet just where the stock congregate to drink.

Leaks spring up and are wasteful and expensive. Even if it were perfect, we would need to use it with care: our mains water is extracted from the chalk hills above Litton Cheney and taking it is lowering the water table and diminishing the chalk streams and winterbournes, taking water from both farmers and wildlife on the downs.

The systems laid out by earlier farmers are fascinating and impressive. Here, probably about 250 years ago, ditches and drains were set out as a carefully engineered system to capture water from the whole hillside above and around the village and collect it in the mill pond. There it was stored until it was needed to

run the water-wheel in the farmyard, grinding grain for the stock. The pond is still here but sadly the wheel and mill are long gone. At the same time on Labour-in-Vain Farm, the various drains formed a complex web which are connected to numerous small ponds, nine in total.

A small reservoir on Tulks Hill fed two old troughs in the fields and another in the farm yard, as well as supplying the farm cottages. One of the ponds was almost certainly another, smaller, millpond. This system provided all the water for the whole 200 acres until the late-twentieth century. Sadly, many of the drains have deteriorated so many fields have wet patches and some of the ponds dry up early in summer. We have repaired or reinstated some and hope to do more. Even in poor repair the ponds are useful for the animals, both farm stock and wild animals, to drink from (or sometimes to wallow in!) and they are a haven for smaller wild things, great crested newts and dragonflies especially.

We have done plenty to improve the use of surplus water over the years, creating drains and ponds with triple purpose: landscape, wildlife and back-up water for stock, which have been very successful and given great pleasure. We have had the help of diesel-burning machines: how much more impressive it is that the older systems were all done by hard hand labour. tamariskfarm.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 37

Outdoors

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On Foot

MARTINSTOWN AND MAIDEN CASTLE Emma Tabor and Paul Newman

Distance: 5 miles Time: Approx. 2½ hours Park: By St Martin’s church in Martinstown Walk Features: A straightforward, linear route from Martinstown to nearby Maiden Castle. There are some impressive burial mounds to see en-route, giving you a flavour of the age of this ancient, settled landscape, one of the richest in Britain. The route to Maiden Castle is fairly level with a small climb as you enter. There are good views across to Dorchester (Durnovaria), which the Romans settled after conquering and then eventually abandoning Maiden Castle.

Refreshments: The Brewer’s Arms, Martinstown >

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 February we take in some of the ancient remains which mark the landscape in this corner of Dorset. It’s a landscape scattered with features from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, as well as some Romano-British activity, including the outline of a Roman temple within the confines of Maiden Castle.

The southern ramparts of Maiden Castle are particularly impressive when delineated against a low winter light. It’s also worth visiting Dorchester after your walk to visit the impressive remains of the Roman townhouse at Colliton Park; the townhouse was built in the fourth century AD and has some fine mosaics as well as a hypocaust.

Directions

Start: SY 647 889 40 | Bridport Times | February 2020

1 Park outside St Martin’s church in Martinstown.

2 With the church on your left, follow the main road in the direction of Dorchester and after 100 yards look for a bridleway sign on the left, by Fisher’s Barn. Turn left up this track and pass between houses. After a few yards, just after a bungalow, you will see a footpath and bridleway sign on your right and a small metal gate. Go through this to go along the right-hand edge of a field. In the far right-hand corner you come to another small metal gate. Go through this into the next field, keeping to the right-hand edge of the field.

Again, in the far right-hand corner, go through a small wooden gate and onto a side road.

3 Head diagonally across the side road and then the main road. After crossing the road, follow the bridleway and footpath signs up a stony track. Head up the track and soon, on your right, you will see Clandon Barrow burial mound. Keep straight ahead and after 250 yards you will reach farm buildings. Follow the blue footpath

and cycle path signs located on telegraph poles and the sides of the farm buildings as the track threads between the buildings. As you approach an old barn, the track goes to the right and then left around the barn to meet the farmhouse. Go straight past the farmhouse and stay on the track, with Maiden Castle now visible on your right. Follow the track, passing a huge burial mound on your left and walk for another 500 yards to meet the road coming from Dorchester to Maiden Castle. Here, turn right and sharply back on yourself, heading towards the car park near the west entrance of Maiden Castle.

4 From here, it’s up to you which way round the hillfort you go but one option is to leave the car park from the top left corner and follow the narrow footpath which goes left and heads up steeply into the castle, then start to make your way clockwise around the fort. You’ll soon come across the remains of a Roman Temple. There are various information

boards sited around the castle pointing out different features. The south side of the castle is particularly impressive, with the ramparts and ditches making dramatic patterns of contrast and shade in low light.

Continue clockwise around the fort.

5 Leave Maiden Castle via the west entrance, looking for the track which comes up from the car park.

Instead of heading down this track, walk across to a small wooden gate set in a fence, with the west entrance behind you. Go through this gate and turn right, following the path beside the fence between trees and bushes as it heads down towards the car park. After a few yards leave this path and turn sharp left, then slightly back on yourself before bending right and heading back towards the bridleway you walked along earlier. From here, turn left to follow the route back to Martinstown. english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/maiden-castle/history/ bridporttimes.co.uk | 41

Archaeology

ANCIENT DORSET TREASURES SERIES

NO.2 MIRRORS: LOOKING AT OURSELVES

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

irrors are well-known objects from the British Iron Age. They fascinate because they are so familiar. When we look in a mirror it performs the magic of showing us to ourselves, however mirrors are limited in that they only show a reverse image of our face. We can never see ourselves as others 42 | Bridport Times | February 2020

see us in any given moment, even in photographs and film; we are separated from that image. How did our ancestors see themselves and did they use mirrors just for personal use?

In the deeper past mirrors were complicated objects made of bronze or copper alloy. They comprised a

Fotofojanini/iStock

handle and a plate, the plate backs sometimes being decorated with complex designs. Mirrors have been found throughout the Iron Age British Isles, most commonly in graves, and they date from around 300BC – AD70. In Dorset we are fortunate to have some of the best examples.

The Portesham Mirror was found in a Durotrigian inhumation of a middle-aged woman. Such rich burials are found throughout the county, except in the north, and date from both before and after the Roman invasion. Made of copper alloy, the mirror is characteristic of the Late Iron Age and fewer than thirty have been found in the UK. The handle is made

of four rings: one medium-sized ring attached to the mirror plate, two small rings in the middle and then one large ring at the end. The plate of the mirror is held in place by a ring of copper-alloy and the back is chased, or inscribed, in finely detailed swirls. The face would have been plain and highly polished to act as the mirror. The Chesil Mirror was discovered between Abbotsbury and Chickerell in 2010 and again is wonderfully decorated.

As with the Portesham burial, the grave contained brooches, armlets, tweezers, coins and beads. These inhumations are two of the richest of the Durotrigian graves to be excavated.

In the Iron Age mirrors would have been prestigious, owned by only a few people, but their functions, plural in society, are not clear. Mirrors have been used to reflect light into dark spaces or to signal across distances, as well as to apply make-up or check one’s hair. In many cultures, mirrors are magical objects which reflect an alternative view of, or act as a portal to, another world.

Some experts believe this may well have been the case in Iron Age societies and mirrors may be connected to fortune telling or shamanic activity. Some have been found in association with cremation burials, so mirrors may also have had a function connected with death or the afterlife, such as communicating with the dead.

Those mirrors that have been found in burials normally have the reflective side towards the person’s face. Experts agree that no two decorated Iron Age mirrors look alike, so they were clearly specially made for the individual.

Mirrors can be water, metal, stone, or glass. They are said to repel evil, bring good fortune, and protect a person from certain death. Mirrors have been the focal point of myths and stories throughout human history.

The Romans brought with them stories of Vulcan, the god of fire, forging a magical mirror that could show him the past, present and future. Perseus, one of the most well-known Greek heroes, was sent to fetch the head of Medusa. She was a frightening gorgon who could turn a man into stone if he looked upon her face. Perseus carried with him a sword and a polished shield and used it to defeat Medusa, using the reflection to help him cut off her head which he then presented to King Polydectes.

In this myth the mirror was an agent of protection.

So, when you look in the mirror first thing in the morning, remember that past peoples have also looked into that reflective surface for similar and myriad purposes. dorsetdiggers.blogspot.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 43

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CHIDEOCK CHAMPIGNONS Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

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ome of the best ideas come together over a pint.

When Chris Gasson and Nick Phillips met, Chris laid down a gauntlet: ‘There’s nothing I don’t know about mushrooms,’ he said. Nick, a Chideock man, born and bred and also, as it happens, a mycologist, was content to let the gauntlet lie. Their friendship grew and Chideock Champignons was born – a gourmet mushroom farm supplying the region’s most discerning chefs. One does sense, particularly when later joining the pair on a foraging trip, that the gauntlet might yet be taken up. I am reassured however that any hint of rivalry is merely friendly mushroom geek banter. >

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In a disused dairy just outside the village, they have set up a ‘fungarium’ – Nick’s word, not mine. When you enter the tightly-sealed growing rooms, the humidity greets you with a thump. In these giant, spring-fed fungi incubators huge tendrils hang like swollen fingers, each one stuffed with mycelium-filled wood compost, the fungi’s favoured diet. Walking through the room, we can spot the tiny heads of mushrooms sprouting from their pendulous hammocks. There are many exotics here – pink and white oyster and shitake to name but three, all beginning to unfurl into life. The fungi in these growing rooms need to be cultivated as they don’t grow in our local climes, so here in this bizarre nursery Nick and Chris carefully tend their crop.

It was Nick’s grandmother who introduced him to mushrooms. ‘Every season she foraged,’ he says. ‘She would educate us about where to go and what to look for. Then she’d pick one poisonous one and say to my Dad, “Look what I found you”.’ It was a family joke but also a way to learn which ones you shouldn’t eat. Nick studied in Chester firstly but then lived in London, where he would spend his spare time foraging as a ‘hobbyist’. He later travelled and lived in South Korea before settling back in Dorset and

then, two and a half years ago ‘finding his thing’.

Likewise, Chris, who hails from East Sussex, also spent a childhood foraging. ‘I would roam the fields picking field mushrooms with my Dad when I was a kid,’ he says. ‘Later, as an adult, it was for truffles, so when I moved here six years ago I continued.’

Evolutionary-speaking, fungi are far more closely related to humans than they are to plants and Nick is keen to advocate the health benefits of our eating them.

‘Trees use fungi as a super organism,’ he explains, ‘and that might hint at what we could use it for too.’ We are sipping on Turkey Tail tea, an infusion said to have anticancer properties and made from the fungi of the same name. Nick chats about the ‘mycorrhizal fungi networks’ that trees use below the ground. Much has been written about the ‘wood-wide web’ and the role of the earth’s fungi network that helps the trees to communicate and heal. It has lain in the soil for thousands of years; a knowledge base left by sick and dying trees so that others may adapt, raise their defences and fight off the disease. Therefore, so the thinking goes, fungi might be used to help bolster our own bodily defences. Suffice to say that mushrooms have been found to help fight > bridporttimes.co.uk | 49

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inflammation and aid the immune system.

While they grow the exotics indoors, the pair are also keen foragers. Until around a century ago virtually everyone foraged, it being a perfectly natural and normal way to supplement one’s diet. Being outdoors and finding food is part of our common heritage and Chris and Nick are keen to revive this by offering public foraging days. ‘We are also hoping to engage with forward-thinking landowners who will give us foraging rights,’ says Nick. ‘In return we can not only give them a basket of fresh mushrooms but also check on the condition of their trees through the evidence of parasitical fungi that might have taken up residence.’

‘We have lost our connectivity with the land,’ he continues. ‘Big farming has moved us away from the stuff that is under our feet.’ Chris and Nick are eager to reintroduce us to the value of fungi that can be found right here in West Dorset. ‘We find things on every forage, not just fungi but plants such as wild chamomile,’ says Nick. ‘We always use a willow basket so that, as we walk, some of the spores fall through and spread around the land. Foraging is very therapeutic,’ he adds. ‘It is inspiring; nature always throws something beautiful at you.’

Outside, in the yard, Chris shows me the bags where they recycle the unwanted wood from joiners, thatchers, tree surgeons and anyone who may have it. Matter is broken down by the elements and then used as food for the fungi to grow in. Nearby on the farm they are building an outdoor kitchen and dining area, where later this year they hope to hold pop-up suppers with local chefs (they have already hosted one with Andy Tyrrell of The Lyme Bay Café) and provide a space to enjoy platefuls of healthy fungi al fresco.

It’s still early days for Chideock Champignons and when Nick isn’t tending the mushrooms he makes ends meet as a gardener and actor (recently appearing in the Sam Mendes’ film 1917). Despite these occasional glamourous intervals, the mushroom farm remains at the front of his mind.

Nick and Chris’ plan is to stay local. They supply The Green Weigh, Felicity's Farm Shop, ‘Fruit n’ Two Veg’ in Beaminster and chefs nearby are in constant in touch. They intend to grow the business over the next year and encourage as many people as possible to discover the joy of gourmet mushrooms or, as they say: ‘Eat like a champignon!’ chideockchampignons.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 53

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Food & Drink

FUDGE, RAISIN & HAZELNUT BRITTLE PARFAIT Gill Meller, River Cottage

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his pudding is for those with a sweet tooth. It’s basically frozen meringue, embellished with double cream and laced with raisins, fudge and praline. As a result, it’s incredibly naughty and not for the faint of heart! I’d enjoy eating this on the sofa with a blanket and a decent film as much as I would with a black coffee after a good supper with friends.

Ingredients Serves 12

50g (2oz) hazelnuts 300g (10½oz) caster sugar good pinch of flaky salt 6 egg whites, at room temperature 300ml (10½fl oz) double cream 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped 150g (5½oz) soft fudge, cut into small pieces 1 good handful of plump raisins Method

1 Heat the oven to 175°C/330°F/gas mark 6.

2 To make the hazelnut brittle, place the hazelnuts in an ovenproof dish and roast for about 10 minutes, then place them in a clean tea towel and vigorously rub them to remove the skins.

3 Place 75g (2½oz) of the sugar in a smallish, heavybased pan and set it over a medium heat. Leave it until the edges start to liquefy, resisting the urge to stir it. It will melt unevenly at first but a little shake and a swirl of the pan at this point will help.

4 When the sugar is an even, light golden colour,

56 | Bridport Times | February 2020

add the salt then add the skinned hazelnuts and stir to coat them.

5 Pour the contents of the pan out over a non-stick baking sheet or oiled tray and allow to cool.

6 Crush up the cooled nuts into small pieces. I use the end of a rolling pin for this job.

7 Whisk the egg whites, until they begin to form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar, a little at a time, and continue whisking until you have a soft, smooth meringue.

8 In a separate bowl, whisk the cream with the vanilla seeds until just beginning to thicken. The whisk should leave ribbons that disappear after a few moments.

9 Fold the cream into the meringue, followed by the pieces of hazelnut brittle, the fudge pieces and the raisins.

10 Line a 1 litre (35fl oz) loaf tin or terrine with cling film, leaving plenty of overhang. Spoon in the mixture, level it out, then fold over the overhanging cling film.

11 Place in the freezer for 24 hours.

12 To serve, cut or spoon the pudding out onto individual plates or into bowls and serve immediately.

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

Image: Andrew Montgomery bridporttimes.co.uk | 57

Food & Drink

URUGUAY

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Steven Spurrier, Co-owner, Bride Valley Vineyard

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ompared to its neighbours, Uruguay is tiny, almost pocket-sized, with just over 3 million inhabitants, half of whom live in the capital city, Montevideo. Yet it has the widest river in the world – Rio de la Plata, 45 kilometres bank to bank at its broadest – and, at 2,500 million years, the oldest bedrock vineyard soil on the planet. It also produces top-class footballers who they can’t afford to keep and makes excellent, European-style wines that are also more appreciated abroad than at home. The landscape is as attractively charming as the people and there is an easygoing feel to the place due to the hard work in keeping it that way. Just six full days on a first visit that was made almost 20 years ago, when the London Embassy presented a tasting with just a handful of estates, left me with a lasting impression that Uruguay is in the top league of the ‘3 Ps’, where the Place and the People blend together in the Product.

Vineyards can be found all over this little country which straddles the 30-35 South Parallels, the same latitude as the best vineyards from Argentina, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. However, Uruguay is the only wine producer in South America with an Atlantic climate which brings the cool nights that lead to balance and elegance. The main grape varieties are international: Albarino, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier for the whites, Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and especially Tannat for the reds. Tannat, the major grape of Madiran and Irouléguy in south-west France, was introduced to Uruguay in 1870 by Basque immigrants and is the country’s flagship grape, as Malbec is to Argentina and Sauvignon Blanc to New Zealand. It is also, in my view, more expressive than its French ancestor and more varied in style. Indeed, at the first presentation in London of the wines from Bodega Garzon five years ago, I complimented their internationally-known consultant-enologue Alberto Antonini for being the ‘first man to tame Tannat.’

My wife and I visited four wineries on our short trip, the first being Narbona in the Carmelo district to the north. The wines are quite full-bodied, a deep-coloured Tannat Rose 2018 going down well at lunch and a southern-France style 2019 Sauvignon Blanc being a good aperitif that evening. The 60/40 Tannat/Cabernet Franc 2018 blend showed promise for the future and their top wine, 100% Tannat Luz de Luna 2014, was the most impressive. Fabiana Bracco, Narbona’s export director, then drove us south to Montevideo where

we spent three nights at the Alma Historica Boutique Hotel, a superb conversion by Italian owner Dario Distefano of a 1900 private mansion in the old town.

The first evening Fabiana took us to her own vineyard in Canelones, Uruguay’s largest wine region, where vineyards alternate with farmland and beaches, and which she had recently inherited from her father whose ashes were scattered along his favourite row, No 13, of Cabernet Franc. Here, quality and complexity were evident under her Ombu (‘wine without concepts’) brand. Starting with a 2019 Moscatel as fully-flavoured and dry as a Fino Sherry, there followed a floral 2019 Sauvignon Blanc, an un-oaked 2018 Tannat that could be compared to a Chianti Classico, a brilliant 2018 Cabernet Franc and a spicy 2017 Petit Verdot, and we ended with the Gran Ombu Cabernet Franc 2016 from old vines which could see out this decade. Both Narbona and Bracco Bosca wines are distributed in the UK by Hispamerchants.

The next day was spent with Daniel Pisano of Pisano Wines. Daniel’s grandfather emigrated from Italy’s Liguria to produce his first vintage in 1920; the current third and fourth generations represent Uruguay’s bestknown brand, with the moustachioed Daniel himself already a legend. The family’s agronomic and winemaking philosophy is sustainability, their 30 hectares of vines never seeing harmful treatment of any kind.

The wines are just very good indeed, totally true to the grape and vineyard. For whites, the 2019 Torrontes is unique in the country, from vines smuggled in by Daniel from Argentina, the 2017 Pinot Noir showed a lifted, Burgundian black cherry fruit, and the 2018 Tannat was all spice and depth. After a deliciously fruity sparkling 2017 Tannat, Daniel produced two 2011 Tannats from different vineyards of velvety smoothness, before ending on a 2002 Don Cesar, named after his father, as youthful as it was memorable. Pisano exports all over the world and are distributed in the UK by Ellis of Richmond and in Dorset by Bonafide Wines Ltd. Our final visit was to Bodega Garzon (imported by Liberty Wines) a 250-hectare vineyard, the vision of Argentinian businessman Alejandro Bulgheroni and his wife Bettina, which will be the subject of a later article. hispamerchants.com elliswines.co.uk bonafidewines.co.uk libertywines.co.uk bridevalleyvineyard.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 59

Body & Mind

WINTER SOLACE Jane Fox, Yogaspace

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t the end of last year, it was with great sadness that I heard Ram Dass, a teacher very dear to me, had passed away. Born Richard Alpert in 1931, he went onto become a prominent Harvard professor of psychology and psychedelic pioneer along with Dr Timothy Leary. In 1967 he went to India, met his Guru, Neem Karoli Baba, and changed his name and life. He became a guiding light for three generations, sharing his path with humour, love and tenderness. He taught that we can all begin to walk ourselves to a place of Be Here Now (his seminal book) and live in love.

Not being in love with something or someone but living IN love, immersed in such a way that you are in love and you are love at the same time.

As I have been listening to his teachings through the holidays, it is with Ram Dass in mind that I am painting my daughter’s bedroom wall and, as I disappear into a sea of Dulux Honey Mustard, I am wondering, ‘Am I here?’

Or am I cooking lunch; in my workshop; with friends or shopping? I am probably doing all of these whilst rushing to get the job done. I did finish on time, but I’m left with the resonance that I could have been more present with my task and perhaps done it differently in order to come out the other side less shattered and dissipated.

Winter’s Gifts

In the yogic tradition there are various practices to help us with this kind of dissipation and the winter months are perfect for them. Nature is quiet. The days are dark and the weather often too uninviting to be outdoors.

They feel the magic fit for being with ourselves.

Contemplation and Meditation

The yogic practice of contemplation, or deep reflective thought, is an exercise that can help us find out what’s going on and what’s needed. The philosopher and spiritual teacher George Gurdjieff said, ‘If you wish to 60 | Bridport Times | February 2020

get out of prison, the first thing you must do is realise that you are in prison. If you think you are free, you can’t escape.’ If we don’t take time to check in and ask ourselves what’s going on, how can we know what needs to be sat with, adjusted, or dissolved?

In childhood we grow a framework with which to deal with our young lives and very often we take it into adulthood. Yoga allows us to witness this infrastructure that is long out of date. It can help us take off the masks and take down the scaffolding we had to grow to protect ourselves, then help us to find new ways that are supportive and loving for our adult lives.

Take time to find ways to adjust your schedule and fit a little quiet in the day: • Take 5 minutes to read something in the morning; • Keep a journal each day, writing down thoughts and feelings, ideas and aspirations or goals;

• Use your phone to assist your contemplations/ meditations by using Headspace or Audible to make the commutes or school runs a sacred moment of quiet and learning.

Silence

In the winter months there is a silence that is not present at any other time of year. The darkness of the evenings brings its gift of quiet and the teachings tell us that silence is a vital ingredient to nurture our souls.

In a noisy world that can’t stop talking, how do we find this silence? Our days and nights are full of the noise of sirens, cars, phones, fridges, kettles and washing machine notifications. We have to work at it and find the outer silence maybe late at night or early morning, little droplets to nourish ourselves. These moments of outer silence can help us find the inner silence.

‘Once you experience the inner silence you never feel empty, because in the inner silence you can hear the stars speak, you can hear the voice of the water, you can hear the voice of the great Self.’ (Gurumayi Chidvilasananda) As we move into a new decade let us practise finding this outer and inner silence and recognise that we are here to help each other, to learn from each other and to assist each other towards living in love.

‘We are all just walking each other home.’ (Ram Dass) Janie teaches Flow yoga classes on Thursdays and Fridays at 9.15am at The Bull Hotel, Bridport. headspace.com audible.com RamDass.org yogaspacebridport.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 61

Body & Mind

NORDIC WALKING Gillian Butcher, Lyme Bay Nordic Walking

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ordic Walking is an activity that is growing rapidly in popularity, not just because it is an effective form of exercise and accessible to all but also because it’s fun! What’s not to like about walking in nature (especially in our beautiful area of the country) whilst exercising the whole body, all in the company of others? It truly is a workout for the mind, body and soul.

Nordic Walking originated in Finland in the 1930s, where it was developed as a summer training exercise for the Olympic Cross-Country Skiing team, so it can be a very vigorous form of exercise. Specially designed poles (not to be confused with trekking poles which don’t activate the upper body) with glove-style attachments enhance natural walking and posture, turning an everyday activity into a genuinely wholebody exercise. With good technique, 90% of the body’s muscles are used, burning up to 46% more calories than walking without poles. The core muscles, triceps (back of arms) and shoulders are activated as you push off with the poles and the effort is spread over the entire body, hence Nordic Walking feels easier than normal walking, enabling you to walk further and for longer. The use of poles reduces strain on the joints, helps improve posture and reduces tension in the neck and shoulders.

It is suitable for all ages and fitness levels and is now enjoyed by an estimated 10 million people worldwide.

For obvious reasons it is very popular in the Nordic countries but the Chinese have also embraced it big time!

Recent advice issued by Public Health England and the charity Centre for Ageing Better encourages strength-bearing exercises for muscle and bone strength.

They cite Nordic Walking as one of the best types of exercise to achieve this. The UK Chief Medical Officer’s Physical Activity Guidelines recognise Nordic Walking, indeed there is a considerable body of research-backed evidence supporting the benefits, which also include: • Improved posture and balance • Weight management • Sculpting of arms and trimming of waist • Cardiovascular workout.

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It is also an ideal activity for women recovering from breast cancer treatment.

I began Nordic Walking after becoming concerned about my lack of fitness. My weight was creeping up and, although I walked miles with my dog, I didn’t feel fit or strong. I’ve never been one for the gym or any form of indoor exercise so a friend suggested I try Nordic Walking. As soon as I had the poles in my hand and began to push through them, I could feel it working, especially the muscles of the core and triceps.

I now have much improved upper-body strength and cardiovascular capacity, not to mention losing a couple of stones in weight along the way.

I decided to turn my hobby into my day job and qualified in 2017 as a Nordic Walking Instructor with the British Nordic Walking Association, a community interest group. Later that year I began ‘Lyme Bay Nordic Walking’ and now enjoy teaching others about Nordic Walking. I hold regular 90-minute ‘Introduction to Nordic Walking’ courses to learn good technique as this is important to maximise the benefits. I also lead several regular weekly Nordic walks around the area from Eype in the east to Branscombe in the west and inland around The Vale of Marshwood covering a variety of distances and terrains. The groups are friendly and welcoming, and we often enjoy a coffee with the occasional cake after.

I am very pleased to have been walking with Axminster and Lyme Cancer Support Group and in 2020 will be offering Nordic Walks in association with the National Trust. New for 2020 are 'High Intensity Interval Nordic Walking with Resistance Training' sessions which offer an alternative to gym based exercising. The only equipment required is a pair of walking shoes or boots with a good grip, a waterproof jacket and, of course, the Nordic poles which I supply.

Courses are held in Uplyme and will be starting in Bridport in the near future. lymebaynordicwalking@gmail.com Lyme Bay Nordic Walking

bridporttimes.co.uk | 63

Legal

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN EXECUTOR Stephanie McCulloch, Porter Dodson Solicitors

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o, you have been named as an executor in someone’s Will. This means you have the legal authority to deal with their assets and to undertake the administration of their estate on their death. An executor can be a family member, friend or professional. Being chosen as an executor is an honour; however, it also comes with certain obligations.

A common misconception is that you cannot act as an executor if you are a beneficiary. This is not the case. However, you must ensure you act in the best interests of the estate, which can sometimes conflict with what your wishes may be as one of the beneficiaries!

It is a great responsibility to take on the role of an executor and it is a lifelong appointment.

Some estates will be relatively straightforward to administer but others can be extremely complex and can take several years to complete.

Some of the duties and responsibilities expected of an executor include, but are not limited to: • Accurately identifying all assets and liabilities of the estate; • Obtaining formal valuations of the assets (where appropriate); • Calculating the value of the estate and any tax liability; • Claiming the available allowances to offset against any tax liability; • Settling any tax due within six months of the date of death and before interest starts to accrue (where possible); • Ensuring the assets of the estate are safely preserved for the beneficiaries until distribution; • Settling the personal taxation of the deceased; and • Completing the estate in a timely manner.

You could be held personally financially liable for any loss resulting from a breach of duty, even if the mistake is a genuine one.

You must ensure you have carried out sufficient investigations in relation to any creditors or debts the deceased may have had. If you pay any of the deceased’s debts and additional creditors come to light which then exceeds the value of the assets, you may become liable to settle all debts in full.

Similarly, if you make distributions from the estate to the beneficiaries too early and a successful claim is then brought against the estate, you may be personally liable to settle the claim from your own resources.

Before distributing the estate to the beneficiaries, you must carry out checks as to their respective financial positions. If a beneficiary is bankrupt, their entitlement may instead be payable to the trustee in bankruptcy.

As you can see there is a lot to consider when taking on the role of executor and it can seem rather a daunting prospect. However, the law does have procedures in place to protect executors. You should consider instructing a firm of solicitors to assist you with the administration of an estate and to navigate you through the process. Any legal fees are due from the estate, not you personally. Do not get caught out and open yourself up to unnecessary risk! porterdodson.co.uk

64 | Bridport Times | February 2020

Because no one can predict the future, we can help you prepare

When it comes to protecting you and your family, we can help: • Wills • Lasting Powers of Attorney • Probate Talk to Stephanie McCulloch stephanie.mcculloch@porterdodson.co.uk

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Interiors

INDIVIDUAL STYLE

Annabelle Hunt, Colour Consultant, Bridport Timber and Framing

W

ell, here we are in February and the festivities of Christmas and the New Year are well and truly behind us. Now is the time to take a deep breath and move forward into spring, with its promise of brighter, longer days.

At the start of a new year, and particularly a new decade, there’s always a lot of talk about new trends in interior design. For the last decade, pared back Scandi minimalism has been the dominant look for interiors. Moving into the 2020s, individuality is set to be huge.

Although we may not like to shout about it, here in Bridport, with all the treasures of the Vintage Quarter, we are at the cutting edge of cool. The sustainability movement continues to grow and buying more from vintage shops and eBay inevitably leads to greater originality, even eccentricity. Why not update and repurpose old pieces of furniture with paint or re-upholster with a piece of fabulous fabric? An earlier generation would have called it Make-Do-And-Mend.

True over-the-top maximalism, with its witty mix of pattern and colour, may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but this is a look that allows for interpretation. You could start with a palette of pale neutrals and then add colourful accents with soft furnishings and accessories. Alternatively, create a more dramatic look with a background of darker tones such as deep greens, inky blues or rich chocolate on the walls.

Small changes to your sitting room can have a revitalising effect on your whole house, although rooms that are not used regularly such as guest rooms and cloakrooms are great places to experiment with. You can be really brave and choose bolder colour and pattern that you may not feel confident to use elsewhere in your home.

Many of us choose to err on the safe side and choose neutral fabric for sofas but it’s easy to change the look by swapping plain cushion covers for something bolder. Layer on interest by mixing pattern, texture and shapes. Footstools are an easy update – re-upholstered and finished with some amazing passementerie. Likewise, lampshades can either be revamped with fabulous fringing or even made from scratch from almost any fabric you choose.

Window dressings can make a dramatic statement and the possibilities are almost endless, from sumptuous, interlined curtains to a simple blind made up in a beautiful fabric. If replacing curtains might be stretching the budget, you can update plain curtains by adding a gorgeous trim to the leading edge.

If you want to whet your appetite for a new project, or if you’re in need of help or inspiration, wander up the narrow stairs to the Aladdin’s Cave that is Livingstone Textiles - from loom-state natural fabrics to feather trims and printed velvets, you will not be disappointed.

It’s not difficult to refresh your home by making just a few small changes. Inclination and budget allowing, you could do any or all of these things depending on the final look you want. You could even add a patterned wallpaper for good measure. As I’ve said before, when it comes to decorating your home there is no right or wrong. Finding your own individual style is far better than following a trend.

It’s all about finding colours you love and not being afraid to do what you want in your own home. @bridporttimber @annabellehuntcolourconsultant

68 | Bridport Times | February 2020

Paint: Farrow & Ball Inchyra Blue No. 289 and Railings No. 31. Printed velvet fabric available from Livingstone Textiles.

bridporttimes.co.uk | 69

Gardening

PARSNIPS AND CELERIAC Will Livingstone, WillGrow Pastinaca sativa

No winter kitchen garden is complete without a few rows of parsnips. Deliciously sweet and with a unique depth of flavour, they have a long season and are certainly worth the wait. Parsnips are a good candidate for filling the hungry gap. If you sow a late variety in well-drained soil, they will happily hold right through winter into the spring, giving you something to eat from the garden during the leaner months. Poorly drained soil combined with root fly damage can cause parsnip canker, a fungal disease which causes the shoulder of the root to become brown, mushy and inedible, ruining the chance of overwintering.

Parsnips are notoriously difficult to germinate; this is usually solved by starting with fresh seed. Seed older than a year will not germinate and is the most likely reason for failure. Purchasing new seed each year or saving your own will ensure good germination. Waiting the month it takes for germination with not a peep of a seedling is very disheartening and might put you off growing parsnips for life! Exercising patience in the spring is good practice with all sowing and parsnips are no exception. I usually wait until late April/May to sow them, waiting for the soil to warm up before station sowing* roughly 5cm apart into drills 30cm apart.

Giving them a good amount of space will reduce the need for thinning and will make them easier to weed.

Slugs will happily dine out on newly emerging parsnip seedlings but companion planting with calendula and nasturtium can divert the feasting elsewhere.

As germination is slow, why not try growing a catch crop** of radish in between rows? If you sow at the same time as the parsnips, you should be harvesting the radishes just as the parsnip seedlings emerge. I have always been told to wait for the first frost before lifting parsnips, as the cold weather intensifies sweetness. There is truth in this, as sugars held in the foliage travel down

70 | Bridport Times | February 2020

into the root for winter storage. If you can’t wait until then, roast them with honey and thyme to sweeten them up as an essential accompaniment to a Sunday lunch.

Apium graveolens

This hardy kitchen garden staple sits high in my top-ten vegetables. Challenging to grow and deeply rewarding when it works, I have become almost obsessed with producing this gnarled winter beast. With one of the longest seasons of all the vegetables, celeriac needs dedicated space and regular attention during the summer months. Keeping young plants weed-free and well-spaced is important, as I find overcrowding really inhibits growth.

Sow in February undercover into seed trays and then prick out into modules in March. Plant out in May at 30cm apart once 2-3 true leaves are present. Planting in fertile soil with consistent moisture and full sun should give you good-sized celeriac in November. Water well in August and September when the heads are growing.

Remove the lower leaves as the stem base develops, allowing swelling and reducing distortion. Check regularly in the autumn/winter as slugs can hide in the base of the leaves and bury holes in the root. The most widely available organic variety is Prinz, which I tend to stick to as it offers a medium-sized, deliciously sweet winter vegetable. If you’re looking for something a bit bigger try Giant Prague. Every bit of the celeriac is good to eat. The leaves and roots are delicious deep-fried and salted as a celeriac crisp, and the rest adds a delicious creamy celery flavour to mash, purées, soups and stews. willgrow.co.uk @willgrow *Station sowing - to sow individual seeds **Catch crop - a quick crop, usually sown between wider spaced rows, to utilise bare ground and maximise productivity

bridporttimes.co.uk | 71

Gardening

FEBRUARY

Charlie Groves, Groves Nurseries

T

here are some things I like about February.

Both my wife and my daughter have birthdays in February – phew, that’s that out of the way and me not in trouble! It’s also when the Six Nation’s rugby tournament starts. I like this not just because it’s a fantastic, if slightly stressful, celebration of rugby (which sometimes involves a visit to the pub) but also because I know that when it finishes (14th March) we will be back into springtime. It’s one of those indicators that shows you spring is on the way. Snowdrops and early daffodils do the same job (but with less beer). Hopefully you get one or two days where the sun starts to shine and there is that little bit of warmth that reminds you to get back out in the garden.

It’s not just me that feels like this. In the garden centre, both February and March can be very hard months to get right. I am proud to say that we have some pretty hardened gardeners who will carry on with the jobs that need doing whatever the weather but there is no doubting that a little bit of sunshine 72 | Bridport Times | February 2020

gets everyone in the mood for a spot of gardening. So, a few days of sun in February make all the difference and people are bursting to get out into the garden. You have to be careful though, these are still winter months and things can still get very cold – remember, the Beast from the East didn’t set in until March. There are, however, some lovely little jobs that need doing at this time of year.

The best, and most satisfying, is having a go at growing your own food. Potatoes are where most people start. These are really easy to grow but you must wait until things are more or less frost-free before you put them in the ground. Luckily gardeners have come up with something to do so that they have an excuse to get going. ‘Chitting’ is the process of getting your seed potatoes growing before they go in the ground.

Put them in an egg box or a seed tray with the rose end up (that’s the end with the most ‘eyes’ or dimples) and place them in a cool, light, but frost-free area so that they grow little shoots and leaves. This gives them

John Williams RUS/Shutterstock

a good head start so they can start growing without having to worry about any frost that is still around.

It’s only gardeners who do this process; I have never seen a farmer chit 5 tonnes of potatoes before he starts sowing them!

Technically, seed potatoes aren’t seeds and neither are onion sets or shallots, however they can go in the ground now (providing the ground isn’t frozen) and are another simple crop that are really easy to grow. Fun fact: my grandad worked closely with the government to help trial onion sets in the 1960s right here on our nursery in Bridport and Groves were one of the first nurseries to sell them! Personally, I prefer to grow shallots over onions sets. You only get one onion for each set you plant whereas shallots split into multiples and, I think, are nicer (and a bit different) pickled.

The potentially erratic weather means that a little bit of protection goes a long way in February. You may or may not have the luxury of a greenhouse but even if you don’t a small cloche or plastic tunnel can keep the worst

of the weather off anything you have sowed early, direct into the ground. Early carrots, peas, radish and spring onions are all worth taking a (small) risk on if you can provide protection and the ground isn’t frozen, especially down here in deepest, darkest Dorset.

It doesn’t have to be all about seed sowing. It’s also a great time for planting fruit. Raspberry canes and blackcurrants are much cheaper if planted now as they are essentially bare root (even though we do sell them in pots for protection) and can be bought in bundles of five.

We can only do this whilst they are dormant as spitting them up damages the roots too much.

One last job that you really must think about in February is buying any hedging you might need. Bare root hedging is so much cheaper than potted hedging but many people don’t think about it until they get back out in the springtime. By then the roots have started growing again and it is harmful to disturb them. grovesnurseries.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 73

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Raising

£850,000

To support the Appeal please contact us:

for the complete redevelopment of the Chemotherapy Unit at Dorset County Hospital

Tel: 01305 253215 Email: charity@dchft.nhs.uk

www.justgiving.com/campaign/ChemotherapyAppeal Registered Charity Number 1056479

74 | Bridport Times | February 2020

Karen Buckingham, Junior Sister, Fortuneswell Chemotherapy Unit: “We want everyone to receive their treatment in the way which suits them best and this appeal will make that possible.”

Prime Shop/Office To Let

Community

Members of the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust presenting £100,00 to the Chemotherapy Appeal with Mark Addison and Patricia Miller (Chairman and CEO of Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust) and members of the Chemotherapy Team.

THE CHEMOTHERAPY APPEAL AT DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL Rachel Cole, Fundraising & Communications Manager, Dorset County Hospital Charity

D

orset County Hospital Charity exists to enhance patient care at Dorset County Hospital (DCH). The Charity raises nearly £1,000,000 each year, launching and sustaining programmes over and above those the NHS can fund and raising money to improve care for the 300,000 patients treated annually.

The charity team works closely with nurses, doctors and other staff at DCH in order to fund wonderful facilities, pioneering medical equipment and research, thereby improving the hospital environment and supporting enhanced training opportunities to make DCH and its services the best they can be.

76 | Bridport Times | February 2020

The Chemotherapy Appeal

Closely following on the heels of its successful £1.75 million Cancer Appeal, Dorset County Hospital Charity has launched a new £850,000 appeal to fund the complete redevelopment of the Chemotherapy Unit at DCH. This unit currently receives approximately 7,500 patient attendances each year which equates to over 500 individual patients, many of whom attend with a family member or a friend.

The Chemotherapy Appeal will provide the best possible environment for patient care, including increased space for individual patient treatment. This means that a family member or a friend will be able

to sit with patients while they are receiving treatment, something which is currently difficult to achieve due to the lack of space. In addition, there will be improved facilities for staff and an upgraded waiting area which will improve the experience for all relatives and carers on the unit.

Fundraising for the appeal is going well – half of the money has already been raised in just 12 months, putting the appeal well on track to achieve its full target of £850,000 by the end of 2020. Dorset County Hospital Charity is working in close partnership with the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust who recently donated £100,000 to the appeal.

Staff and Patient Views on the Chemotherapy Appeal

Karen Buckingham is an experienced Junior Sister on the Fortuneswell Chemotherapy Unit and is well known by many patients and their families, having worked on the unit for over 30 years.

Says Karen, ‘We always try to create a calm environment in the unit, without hustle and bustle, as this helps to promote a positive atmosphere for our patients and visitors. The new layout will be designed around the needs of all our patients and will help us look after them even better. The extra side rooms will also make a big difference to patients on all-day regimes as we know it can be reassuring for them to have their own en-suite facilities. We want to make sure the appeal creates the best possible environment for the future so that everyone can receive their treatment in the way which suits them best.’

Fran Arnold is a chemotherapy patient and also a major fundraiser for the hospital. During her chemotherapy treatment Fran wrote several poems as her way of saying thank you to the staff who had looked after her. Sales of her book have helped raise thousands of pounds to support the care of cancer patients at DCH. ‘This is a fantastic project,’ says Fran, ‘which will make a huge difference to people like me. Unavoidably, when you have chemotherapy treatment, it’s a very emotional time as everything is unknown. When the nurses and your family are able to be by your side you feel encouraged and protected.

‘The nursing staff are already outstanding but the changes the redevelopment will make will be the icing on the cake. It will make the physical and environmental aspect as good as it can be for people going through a testing experience. Cancer is a reminder that life is short and you have to make the best of every day.’

Karen Buckingham and Fran Arnold

Fundraising for the Chemotherapy Appeal

Many people have already supported the appeal including individual donors, families, community groups, local companies and members of staff at DCH. Fundraising events have included cake sales and coffee mornings, garden parties, auctions, concerts and physical challenges such as sponsored walks and marathons. Dorset County Hospital Charity is always looking for fundraising partners who wish to support the work of DCH. The charity can support all events and fundraisers with collection buckets and other fundraising collateral, and are always happy to give advice and support to those considering running a fundraising event.

If you would like to make a donation to, or fundraise on behalf of, The Chemotherapy Appeal please visit our ‘justgiving’ page, contact a member of the Charity Team on 01305 253215 or email us on charity@dchft.nhs.uk. justgiving.com/campaign/ChemotherapyAppeal bridporttimes.co.uk | 77

Philosophy

THE NATURAL CONTRACT

E

Kelvin Clayton, Philosophy in Pubs

very now and then you come across a book that changes your thinking, or even the course of your life. The effect may not be instantaneous – the ideas shared by the book may have a long incubation period in your mind – but one day you become aware that, had you not read that book, you would not be doing what you are currently doing, and would not be thinking the way you are currently thinking. The book that had this effect on me was Michel Serres’ The Natural Contract. Serres was a French philosopher who died last June at the age of 88, but a philosopher who wrote with a prose style that at times felt like poetry - a style that was simultaneously both accessible and perplexing.

The basic argument of The Natural Contract is very simple. Throughout the course of human history, we humans have been obsessed with our relations with each other and, consequently, have largely ignored our relationship with our planet, with our natural environment. In so ignoring this vital relationship we have not noticed the damage we have been doing to the planet — our only home. He beautifully illustrates this idea by including a painting by Goya, a painting of two boys fighting with clubs, so focussed on their competition that they fail to notice the mud they are creating under their feet – mud that is slowly swallowing them up.

Serres sees very little difference between actual armed conflict and modern economic relations, both are focussed on competition; economic relations are simply, ‘the pursuit of military operations by other means’. As many other writers and campaigners have started to argue since he wrote this book in 1990, this blind focus on either military or economic ‘success’ has been slowly destroying the very earth upon which we stand and upon which we depend. This blind focus he terms our social contract. However, he does not say that we should simply abandon this contract. Instead he argues that we need a natural contract to sit beside it, a contract that fully incorporates the science that actually explains our relationship with our planet. Such a contract is necessary in order to establish a balance and reciprocity in our relations with it. In fact, for Serres, the survival of humanity depends on the extent to which we can join together and act globally.

So what could such a natural contract look and feel like? Well, to my thinking, the short answer is that we could all do a lot worse than personally adopt the attitude expressed by Aldo Leopold in the late 1940s and change our general perception of humanity’s role on Earth from ‘conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it’, a change that ‘implies respect for its fellow members, and also for the community as such’. In other words, we stop viewing our fellow life forms, together with the physical planet itself, as simply a resource to be used, and start viewing the whole as a global community that is intrinsically linked and interdependent.

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 | February 2020

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW Antonia Squire, The Bookshop

The Lost Pianos of Siberia by Sophy Roberts (Doubleday, 2019) £16.99 Bridport Times reader price of £14.99 until 29th February at The Bookshop, South Street

P

art history, part travel essay, The Lost Pianos of Siberia is the tale of a quest to find a piano, in Siberia, with provenance, that could be bought and transported to a concert pianist in Outer Mongolia. A strange circumstance indeed, but a fascinating tale to tell. In order to tell the tale we must first understand the history of Russia, Siberia and its people, and of course the piano.

How did the piano first come to Russia, how did it cross the Ural Mountains, how was it transported, and how did it survive the rise and collapse of the Soviet system?

As she chronicles two years of travel around the towns and villages of the vast expanse of land that makes up Russia east of the Ural Mountains, following leads and hunches, Roberts weaves the brutal, beautiful, tragic and uplifting history of Siberia, first through the exile system of the Tsars and how the last of the Romanovs fell victim to their own punishments under the Bolsheviks, then through the horrifying Soviet Gulag system and finally through the steady decline of post-communist Siberia.

Painting a vivid picture of the artistic, cultural and musical environment in Western Europe and Russia during the Romantic period, Roberts tells how Liszt himself toured Russia, performing in salons throughout Moscow and St Petersburg and destroying pianos as theatrically as any twentieth century rock star might destroy his guitar! Originally, pianos were imported into Russia but, as demand grew, so too did an entire industry.

As the Siberian exile system came into effect, many exiles’ wives chose to travel with their husbands to this

vast, inhospitable land, taking with them their most treasured instruments. Through towns and villages, concert halls were erected and performances given, a practice that continued through the Soviet era with the performers often the exiles themselves.

During the Great War and the siege of Leningrad, many Russian treasures, including musical instruments, were evacuated, and the story of the first performance of Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony is nothing less than profound. How mesmerising then that Roberts was able to hear the tale first-hand from a survivor now living east of the Urals.

Siberians are often an insular people, suspicious of outsiders – not surprising given the history of this vast, untameable region. Roberts was able to find guides and translators who could broach the initial introductions, but it was she herself who found ways to get the fascinating people she met to open up. It was her own curiosity these people found intriguing, especially those who had lived through the Soviet system when no-one was to be trusted. Who was this strange Englishwoman with such an odd interest in pianos?

I must be honest: if neither Sophy Roberts nor I lived in West Dorset I wouldn’t have given a non-fiction book entitled The Lost Pianos of Siberia a second glance. How fortunate she and I both ended up in the same quiet corner of England. This extraordinary book captivated me from the first page. dorsetbooks.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 79

Literature

EXTRACT

MADE IN ENGLAND

D

Dorothy Hartley (Little Toller Books), £15

espite the mass production of tinware, a great many tinkers still ply their trade in country places. In the north especially, you get numbers of wandering tinkers who work their way from one district to another. Of necessity they undertake repairs quite as often as they make new goods, and the competent travelling tinker knows his district so well that he can tell you to an inch the amount of wire required for the edging of a milk pan fifty miles away. These folk depend on their wits as much as on their skill, and are clever to notice new makes of stoves or milk-separating machines; they will, on one journey, perhaps make a Dutch oven to fit in front of a fireplace, or a splasher, or some gadget ‘as a free gift’ for some housewife, knowing that if she finds it useful, there will be half a dozen other jobs next time.

In certain districts special jobs keep regular tinkers occupied in making some particular form of tinware. For example, in a small mining village near us, a workshop employing three or four men (and the usual boy) is kept busy turning out the three kinds of colliers’ pannikins. Occasionally, they have an order for cans of another sort, but for the most part they go on pretty regularly turning out the perfectly plain round tin pans with a fitted lid for carrying the miners’ dinner, the oval bottleshaped tin for the cold tea, and the queer expanding horseshoe-shaped sandwich case, which keeps the dust out and the gravy in, and is the special case liked by all miners.

These articles are very strong and made for hard wear, and are therefore comparatively expensive.

The tinker workshops buy up old metal teapots and such things to make their own solder, and in winter when the iron stove is going full blast, and the winter sunlight flickers over the shining tin, it is a very pleasant workshop, though it gets pretty hot in summer because of its iron roof.

In real country places, where open fires and wood and peat are burnt, the heavy iron pots and pans last for years and the tinsmith’s job most commonly consists in replacing new tin lids to fit old

80 | Bridport Times | February 2020

pans, and dripping-tins and bake-pans to fit old-fashioned ovens, and there is not the same demand for light tin and aluminium ware as in districts where gas and electricity are installed.

But for examples of general tinsmiths’ work, I will describe some objects made by an ordinary travelling tinker. This man was working in the north; he travelled a very wide agricultural district where they burnt peat, getting his supplies wholesale on his occasional visits to Glasgow and sending them by rail to depots up country, to be conveniently collected by him later. He travelled by cart – that is, he had no van, but carried a tent which he pitched at will in some district that he could work on circuit with the light cart for a week or a month and then move on to the next place.

He worked to order, relying on making and selling things in the district, unlike some van-dwelling tinkers who make a quantity of stock and then rely on selling it off as they clatter along.

I located this particular tinker while lying half asleep at noonday on the sandy edge of a loch in Skye. I had been listening to a faint tapping that I took to be birds shell-fishing or seaweed drying in the sun. When I stood up, I could hear nothing, only the wind stirring the loch and the cries of the gulls following the rising tide. But a foot from the hot earth I could still hear it, tack-tack, tack-tack, and all of a solid two miles across the foothills slowly I tracked the sound till I found the tinker’s tent (see p. 190) about half a mile from the village.

His bench was the turf, his anvil an ordinary tinsmith’s light anvil, but adapted for him by some smith so that the long pointed leg would drive some depth into the earth. He had a couple of wooden boxes that fitted alongside the cart, and these, when lowered, fitted either side of the tent, holding down the canvas. The iron half-hoop that held the cover over the cart was now driven into the turf for the tent. Beyond the fact that he kept his tin in small sheets packed flat along the bed of the cart, and that his coils of wire were of smaller diameter, there was no difference between his small tent workshop and that of any other stay-at-home smith. He made me the rather deep-lidded cooking pot that I asked for. He used, by request, a fairly heavy sheet tin, a small rimming tool and the ordinary mallet and shears of tinsmith’s use. A small hole in the anvil accommodated the handle of the shears. He used a Primus for soldering: these stoves are in common use now among travelling tinkers, replacing bellows and brazier. He marked the sheet, bent up the shape, secured the seam, bent over the wire of the rim, bottomed and handled and completed the job with the simplest apparatus and the greatest skill. It took him about half an hour and it still wears very well.

Other things made by the travelling tinker include baths for babies, washbasins and washing-up bowls, cake tins, flat tins for ovens, toasting tins, toasting forks (of twisted wire, sometimes with wooden handles), milk pans for setting the cream to rise, milking pails with specially narrow tops for milking in the meadows and carrying, baking tins, dripping tins, small Dutch ovens to stand before the fire, cowls to fit the chimney and pull down over the wood or peats to make them burn up, and similar cowls for coal fireplaces. He does odd jobs on the mudguards of bicycles and perambulators, tun-dishes and funnels; sometimes he makes the special oil cans for cars or tractors in the fields. He usually makes, too, a few ‘regular line’ articles likely to sell locally, and hawks them about the village, booking orders for special sizes, and finding out whether it is likely to be a good district or not. They usually work in tin but occasionally use copper.

One tinker, whom I rebuked for his tardiness in returning my tea kettles, said, reproachfully, ‘I’ve been awaiting copper-bottoming them, mum.’ (It wasn’t until I tried to repeat the remark that I realised he was a master of elocution.)

Today there are fewer travelling tinkers than there used to be. More’s the pity: they did good work and lived a healthy, happy life till the Vagrant Laws herded them into crowded town tenements – where they usually died. The towns are too full already. Why drive more country people into them? littletoller.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 81

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