WOODBURY NEWS
HOLIDAY ISSUE/ JANUARY 2024
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3 EDITORIAL We have been overwhelmed with excellent copy and photos this month, for which we say a huge thankyou to all our contributors. Please don’t be offended if your submission has been cut, or your photo omitted. And don’t let this stop you sending in your articles! Almost without exception, our schools, clubs and organisations have ended their reports by wishing everyone well for the festive season and thanking their volunteers for help given – so please take their sentiments as read. Most organisations, in promoting next year’s events, extend a warm welcome to visitors and guests – so do go along to the advertised meetings, and if you yourself are already a member, do make a note of the dates of forthcoming AGMs. It’s been a delight to read about the Christmas activities undertaken by both children and adults in our villages. No Christmas is complete without the singing of carols, unwrapping of presents and eating together as members of a family or a social group. It was a first for members of Connections and Cornerstones (page 28) who all sat down together to enjoy their Christmas meal – and what a noise was made! It is to villagers’ credit that in these difficult times we have been able to look outwards towards the less fortunate. How lovely to read again, after a short absence, about the Dumbutu Link (pages 20/21); about the quiz evening held by Hope4Kibera (page 13) raising funds towards providing education for girls in slums outside Nairobi; about shoe boxes being sent to children in Moldova and support for Children in Need (page 14); and of course funds raised through the RBL’s annual Poppy Appeal (page 16). As this issue of Woodbury News will hopefully reach you either in time for Christmas or at least by the end of December, we would like to extend our thanks to Roo and Jules for organising an enhanced Woodbury Living Advent Calendar this year. The cover picture this month is of window number 10 – Ten Lords a-Leaping – and a report can be found on pages 8 and 9 with photos of other windows throughout the magazine. We end this editorial by sending grateful thanks to all contributors, deliverers, advertisers and members of the Board of Directors, and wish you a Happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year. Woodbury News is a Private Company Limited by Guarantee No. 5263356 Secretary: Karen Squires, Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. 233299 Registered Office: Willowfield, Oakhayes Road, Woodbury EX5 1JT. Tel: 233299 Chairman: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072 Editor: Sue Bury, Mayflower Cottage, 37 Greenway, Woodbury EX5 1LU. Tel: 233753 Deputy Editor: Val Arndt, Castlehaye, Castle Lane, Woodbury. Tel: 233175 Subscriptions: Jeremy Boyden, Rosemary, Broadway, Woodbury EX5 1NR. Tel: 233072 Deliveries: Chris Bowers, chrisbowers88@yahoo.co.uk or 01395 239338
4 ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH, WOODBURY Administrator: Jill Dupain dupain@hotmail.co.uk CHURCH SERVICES FOR CHRISTMAS AND JANUARY 24 December - Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass at St Swithun’s, 23.30. 25 December - Christmas Day, Holy Communion at Exton, 09.30. Morning Worship at St Swithun’s, 10.30. 31 December - Christmas 1 / Epiphany Mission Community Service to say farewell to Revd Bill at St Swithun’s at 11.15, followed by refreshments. 7 January - Epiphany 1 - Baptism of Christ. Holy Communion at Swithun’s, 11.15. Evening Worship at Exton 18.00. 14 January - Epiphany 2 - Holy Communion at Exton 09.30. Holy Communion at St Swithun’s 11.15. 21 January - Epiphany 3 - Morning Worship at Exton 09.30. Sung Evensong at St Swithun’s 18.30. 28 January - Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Family Worship at St Swithun’s 10.30. Further information will be available on the church noticeboard and in the monthly Digest. To receive this by email please send your email address to st.swithuns.digest@gmail.com. FLOODLIGHTING ST SWITHUN’S CHURCH John Fisher - 80 years young on 11 January 2024. Very Happy Birthday and love from Elspeth and all the family. For your special event, contact Mike Jeans on 01395 232544. Floodlight dedications are displayed on the church noticeboard at the lych gate. FoSS (FRIENDS OF ST SWITHUN’S) As we approach Christmas, supporters of St Swithun’s Church are busy with musical events and social activities. Members and supporters of FoSS will have to wait until 19.30 on Saturday 3 February for the next supper concert, which follows the AGM at 19.00. Bel Canto will offer new and familiar music and there will be another opportunity to hear Woodbury Handbells. Following the concert, there will be a hot casserole and mulled wine — all this for £10. On Saturday 27 April at 19.00 there will be a concert including the Devon County Junior Choir, under the direction of Andrew Downton, joined by our own Bel Canto. Pat Browne
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5 ST SWITHUN’S CHRISTMAS FAIR The church hummed with activity on Saturday 9 December when parishioners and visitors raised over £1,000 towards church funds. On sale were jams and cakes, books, bric-a-brac and handicrafts, as well as refreshments and tickets for a grand raffle.
6 WOODBURY GARDEN CLUB In November we were treated to a fascinating talk on The Secret Life of Dartmoor by Paul Rendell, who leads walks on the moor. Paul was a mine of information about the moor. Ten thousand years ago, it was covered in stunted trees, as may still be seen in areas such as Wistman’s Wood. Peat gradually replaced the trees, which were cut down by the first settlers in the Bronze Age about 4,500 years ago. Any trees that started to grow were quickly grazed away by animals. Trees on the moor are frequently host to many interesting and beautiful forms of lichen, but the ‘string of sausages’ was new to us, although we have very likely seen it without realising, draped over branches along the Dart valley below Dartmeet and near Newbridge. Interesting plants include the carnivorous plants butterwort and sundew. We have the round-leaved form on the common, but not the great sundew with long leaves which is found on Dartmoor. The rare greater butterfly orchid can be found along with the southern marsh orchid and in old hay meadows the yellow rattle; this is semi-parasitic on grasses, which helps to reduce their vigour and allows more flowers to grow. How many of us knew that the navelwort Umbilicus rupestris with its distinctive leaves was used as an antiseptic dressing on newborns’ navels? Or that the Yellow rattle starry white greater stitchwort was once called milkmaids as it was thought to improve the yield of cows? Or even that foxglove seeds can lie dormant for 100 years before being triggered into growth by a temperature change? The rare yellow pimpernel can be found in some woods. The moor has two kinds of sphagnum moss, the familiar green sort and also a red form which is much Did this really improve milk yield? rarer. Sphagnum (which eventually forms peat if left alone) can hold huge amounts of moisture, and was collected during the First World War, dried, and sent to the front to absorb blood from wounds, with the additional benefit of being antiseptic. Ferns that can be seen include polypody, maidenhair spleenwort and the royal fern, and of course the ubiquitous bracken which dies down in winter, allowing the bluebells to be seen before it grows up again in the summer. There are many kinds of fungus in the different habitats on the moor, such as the tiny pixies’ matchsticks (Cladonia floerkeana) which is known as devil’s matchsticks on Exmoor.
7 Plant remains can give clues to the wildlife in the area. Hazelnuts are eaten by several species and you can identify the animal – for example dormouse, bank vole or wood mouse - from the distinctive bite marks in the discarded shells. Otters can be found in nearly every river and the fox is common. There used to be silver foxes breeding on the moor, escapees from long-gone fur farms, and they interbred with the familiar red fox, but now only red foxes are to be found. Reptiles present include adders, grass snakes, lizards and slow worms (a legless lizard, although it looks like a snake). Twentytwo species of butterfly have been recorded, such as orange tip, speckled wood and green hairstreak. There are many interesting moths too, such as the chimney-sweep. Paul showed us a picture of a large caterpillar with distinctive eyespot markings, which it uses to startle birds which might eat it. There were murmurs of ‘elephant hawk moth’ as several members had found it eating their fuchsias! The shallow fast-flowing waters typical of the Dartmoor rivers are home to dippers. Plenty of common garden birds are found on the moor, such as the wren, dunnock, greater spotted woodpecker, and bullfinch, as well Elephant hawk moth caterpillar as jay, buzzard, and tree creeper, and also summer visitors such as the wheatear. The Dartford warbler, one of the species on Woodbury Common, has spread to the moor, which is a stronghold of the cuckoo, sadly rarely heard around here now. The cuckoo is parasitic on several species of small birds, and on the moor, the meadow pipit is particularly vulnerable. The female removes one of the pipit’s eggs and replaces it with her own which has a similar pattern. When the chick hatches, it levers out any other eggs or nestlings and, even though it is many times larger than the host birds, they are completely taken in by the imposter chick and will feed it until it fledges. Climate change is affecting wildlife on the moor – there are no longer any black grouse, and this year there were only two red grouse nests – not only is it too warm, but also the heather is not managed for them as it is on the more northerly grouse moors. Paul camps on the moor a lot, but prefers to call it ‘backpack camping’ – a backpack is all you take with you, and you leave nothing behind when you leave — as opposed to controversial wild camping. In December about 30 members enjoyed an excellent Christmas meal at the Maltsters Arms – thanks to Sam and her crew. Our next meeting is on 9 January in the village hall, 19.15 for a 19.30 start. Caradoc Doy will be speaking on Plants Behaving Badly. Visitors are most welcome (£3). Debby Mullier
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WOODBURY LIVING ADVENT CALENDAR At the time of writing, Woodbury Living Advent Calendar has ‘opened’ 12 windows and we’re delighted to see our community out and about enjoying the trail.
Our window volunteers have been so creative with their designs and the effort involved is evident at each reveal. We hope that you have enjoyed taking an evening stroll with friends to see the beautiful scenes popping up in windows around the village and enjoyed some of the festive treats on offer too. As custodians of this year’s event, we were able to offer a small range of WLAC merchandise to raise some extra funds along the way.
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Huge thanks must go to Emma at @randomtaggart for allowing us to reproduce her WLAC logo design. We look forward to the grand reveal of the Community Advent Window at the Church Rooms on Christmas Eve. We were delighted that our idea of using this fabulous village resource was accepted and we can only imagine that the 32 mini window creations will have been a roaring success. We will be back next month with our final report including an update on the total amount of money raised, but for now thank you all so much for your support. We will be looking for new custodians for Christmas 2024 ~ a chance to take over the reigns with your own spin on what has become a grand village tradition. Jules and Roo FRIENDS OF WOODBURY SURGERY Our AGM will be held on Monday 12 February at 14.30 in the Church Rooms, Woodbury. All are most welcome to attend and find out what's been happening over the past year. We continue to provide transport for patients of the surgery to hospital, clinic, surgery, dental and optician appointments, and we also do a weekly delivery of medications to those unable to collect their prescriptions. The charity is run entirely on a voluntary basis, so although we do not charge for the transport service, we welcome donations from patients to help us finance our services. We are also very grateful to the Parish Council for support through grants. We have a small team of drivers who meet the requirements of the surgery for safeguarding and DBS checks, but would welcome new volunteers. If you feel that you would like to become more involved with FOWS, either as a driver, a committee member, or a volunteer, please get in touch with us on 07546 347311. This is also the number to call if you want to book transport or request other kinds of help. Val Arndt, FOWS coordinator
10 THE MAYTREE COMMITTEE Many thanks to everyone who has supported Maytree Preschool over the years. It was with a very heavy heart that, due to inadequate funding, we had to close our doors in August. However, we were able to donate the last of our funds (which came from selling off our assets) to a charity which supports children of the same age — Vranch House in Whipton. The money is going to be put towards providing a Saturday morning play group session for under-twos and their parents. Whilst their children are playing or taking part in sensory activities, it will provide an opportunity for parents of children with disabilities to learn how to tackle tricky subjects such as sleeping and eating. The Maytree Committee WOODBURY COMMUNITY ORCHARD IN 2023 A special thankyou to the wonderful singers from Woodbury Community Choir who joined us again at our Wassail and led some seasonal singing amongst our trees, and to Kate, our Wassail Queen, with her beautifully crafted stag. Save the date - Saturday 6 January 2024 for the next WCO Wassail. The procession to the orchard starts at 17.00 from Woodbury village hall car park. Check our FaceBook page for updates. Pruning the trees and caring for the orchard space is an ongoing task. With over 60 trees and a beautiful space to maintain, there is always something to do — bug hotel maintenance, bench and table oiling, pruning and hedge-care — which all provide opportunities for learning in fresh air and in the company of like-minded people. We will be putting weekend maintenance session times on our FaceBook page soon, starting with pruning which is always best done whilst the trees are taking their winter nap. A new mud kitchen for our very young orchard fans. Younger children visiting the orchard can now extend their outdoor play around the trees with the addition of a mud kitchen kindly donated and built by Donna Godfrey, WCO and Cheryl McGauley. The kitchen has some toy pots, pans, utensils and food — please remember to tidy them all back into the mud kitchen before you leave, so that the next children can enjoy them. Grass pathways. Rhys has continued to mow and maintain pathways and social space in and around the orchard this year. Without this work, it really would be quite difficult to walk and play safely and comfortably in the orchard. Thank you Rhys.
11 Extra help from Bicton College. We have been lucky enough to have had some extra help with weeding and clearing space from a lovely group of students from Bicton College. A community space for all. This year the orchard and the adjoining cricket pitch played host to Wild Woodbury’s Festival of Wildness. Over a weekend in April, wildlife lovers were treated to opportunities to learn and get closer to the wildlife right here in our village. Activities included bat and harvest mouse displays, a bioblitz, birding, forest school, art in the park and wild flower, tree and coppice surveying.
We won an award! Devon Wildlife Trust has given our orchard one of its Wilder Communities awards. The trust said "We've been inspired by your community group creating space for nature, protecting wildlife, and connecting people and landscapes." Ten year anniversary. It was ten years ago that Alex’s dream of a community orchard came to life with the first set of trees being planted next to the cricket pitch. The orchard has grown to more than 60 trees, including many old Devon varieties of apple, crab-apple, pear and plum with most suitable for eating, cooking and of course, making cider. Each tree has a hand-written metal name tag. Look among the branches to find old names such as Duke of Devonshire, Pitmaston Pineapple, Red Sentinel, Tydemans Late Orange, Whimple Wonder and Cheddar Cross. In late September, after calling off the first attempt due to heavy rain, we celebrated this special tenth anniversary with a party in the orchard where all were welcome to try their hand at pressing apples. Music was provided by Topsham Folk and refreshments were enjoyed. Alex was thanked by the committee for all her hard work and her vision for a beautiful orchard space that has now come to fruition and is being enjoyed by the local community. Charlotte Goddard
12 1ST WOODBURY SCOUT GROUP How have the younger members of your local Scout Group spent the autumn? The Beavers have been working towards their Skills Challenge badge and the Cubs their Emergency badges. The Cubs started the term exploring the village, and demonstrating their Road Safety Skills. The Beavers learnt how to light a candle and made s’mores.
Halloween saw us holding a spooky night with games and squashed spider biscuits. On Remembrance Day we joined the village to pay our respects. We spent two nights at Huish Woods scout camp site, and took part in activities including caving, archery and whittling. We have visited the Exmouth Fire Station, and the Beavers have made Christmas puddings. For more information contact: donna@1stwoodbury scouts.org.uk. Bernice Sinclair
13 HOPE4KIBERA Breaking the Cycle of Poverty through Education <hope4kibera.org.uk> Charity Number 1189029 Quizzical fun and success The Hope4Kibera Autumn Quiz was a great success. We were sold out and, sadly, there were more groups than we could fit in. Over 80 people came to support us and enjoyed an evening of socialising, drinks, nibbles and cakes, whilst trying to figure out the answers to Richard Workman’s quirky questions.
It was a very close run thing, with several teams vying for top spot ending with the winners scoring 81.5, and two teams tying for second place with 81, and fourth place with 80.5. There were lots of raffle prizes too and we raised £975 towards building the new toilets for our school in Kibera. Thank you all so much for helping us ‘Build a Bog 4 Kibera’. Our next event is the (legendary) H4K Barn Dance with Spinach For Norman on Saturday 23 March. It will be another evening of great fun. Join the journey for regular news @ www.hope4kibera.org.uk Please consider becoming a regular donor. Charlie Collins, Chair H4K Editor’s Note : In order to maximise submitted copy and photographs into Woodbury News, it may be necessary to reduce the size of some items. The Editorial team will attempt to do this as carefully as possible.
14 WOODBURY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL Throughout November and December, we have been thinking of Generosity and explored different ways in which we can all show generosity to others. Children who demonstrate our values gain certificates at Collective Worship and enjoy spending time with our animals.
Fundraising Efforts As a school community we have demonstrated our generosity by proudly raising £229.72 for the Poppy Appeal this year, and for Children in Need we raised £314.80. We have also supported Christ Church’s Annual Shoebox appeal, helping children in Moldova. Parents and children have also supported our PTFA in their fundraising efforts by donating prizes for the tombola, rainbow hampers and jolly jars to be won at the Christmas Fayre. Our Christmas Fayre, held after school on Friday 8 December, was a huge success and these funds make such a difference to the school.
15 Choir Our choir sang at Greendale’s Christmas Tasting Evening, with a wonderful repertoire of Christmas songs. Mrs O’Donnell spends every Wednesday lunchtime practising with the choir and her efforts really paid off - the children were superb! They also sang at our Christmas Fayre.
We would like to say thankyou to Kings Garden Centre who donated our beautiful Christmas tree this year. The Ethos group helped Miss Hogan decorate it and it looks superb in our school hall.
By the time this edition reaches your doorsteps, the fun of Christmas will have happened with decorated classrooms, Christmas lunch and the PTFA Christmas Fayre with a special visit from Santa. Our Nativity and Carol Services will have been held and our Living Advent Window will have been on full display. cont’d/... Woodbury News attempts to represent a variety of views within the community, but does not accept responsibility for anything but editorial comment. While it may publish unacknowledged material, nothing is included unless the editor knows the name and address of the author(s).
16 WOODBURY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL cont’d./...
Christmas is always a very special occasion in any school, but we always take time to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and how this is reflected in our values. Gillian Pyle, Head of School WOODBURY AND DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION To date the Annual Poppy Appeal has raised over £2,300, of which over £1,300 came from the three pop-up shops we held at Greendale Farm Shop — the credit card and QR card results will take a while to come in. The Annual Appeal involves a huge amount of work, particularly in setting up the boxes and tins, delivering and then collecting them, and counting the money. As we no longer have a door-to-door collection we are particularly thankful to Greendale for allowing us to use their premises. Three volunteers have kindly come forward to help and support us next year. Sandra Huish, Chairman JOIN THE COFFEE CLUB Whether you're a coffee lover or prefer alternatives, we've got you covered! In partnership with Devon Carers Time for You, we're creating a welcoming space for you to pop in, chat, and connect with others. Mondays, 10.30 - 12:30 at Seachange for £10 (includes refreshments). It's more than a coffee break – it's a chance to unwind, share stories, and build connections. We look forward to seeing you there.
17 WOODBURY PUPPY TRAINING Our six-week session of puppy training for 2023 is nearing its end and our group of puppies and owners are well on their way to becoming obedient dogs and responsible and caring dog handlers. Our next six-week puppy training course will commence on Wednesday 10 January 2024 at 18.45, Woodbury village hall. For further information and/or to book a place, contact Margaret at: margaret6 goldens@gmail.com.
Margaret Edwards
WOODBURY TENNIS CLUB I was hoping to report that the new pavilion was in place at the top of the playing fields. The base has been built with Russ Gibbs and his team getting the concrete in place despite wet and soft ground. With the help of Adam Jones, who organised a dumper truck, concrete was brought in from the road. The pavilion has been built, but needs to be erected on site which requires suitable weather conditions. We hope that it will be in place before Christmas. It then needs to be fitted out; we are still hoping for the donation of a kitchen sink and cabinet (which is no longer required by its owner!). Despite the weather, play has taken place. We are pleased that the mixed and men’s teams have recorded their first victories and are mid-table halfway through the season. We hope to have lighting back on court in January. The AGM of the club will take place on Wednesday 7 February in the Church Rooms at 19.30. Pat Browne WOODBURY TWINNING ASSOCIATION Our AGM will be held on 23 January at 19.30 in the Church Rooms. If you wish to raise anything, please contact the Chair — Nita Goffron at nitagroffron@live.co.uk. Jan Owen WOODBURY WOMEN’S INSTITUTE We have erected our beautiful Christmas tree on the green and smothered it in decorations made by members. These include very many pompoms, many white crocheted snowflakes and other striking items of craftsmanship, or should that read craftswomanship?! We have our annual Christmas meal to look forward to — this year at lunchtime in the Maltsters. The following week our monthly book group will discuss A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor. On 11 January, members will be demonstrating hand-made items at 14.00 in the village hall. Lin Milsom
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2023 was a very interesting year. Claire and I sold our house in Fulford Way and started searching for premises that we could use to develop a much larger wildlife rescue centre. We spent over a year living in a motorhome travelling around the area and looking at properties. We have now purchased a small cottage with an area of woodland and several outbuildings that is ideal for what we are planning. We have a lot to do before we can start treating animals here, but we are still carrying out rescues and are working closely with rescue centres outside the area. We would like to thank everyone who sent good wishes regarding our recent nomination for a Wild about Devon Initiative award. It was a great honour to have been nominated and we were overjoyed to receive an Outstanding Individual award. Along with many residents, we were extremely disappointed that the Parish Council supported the planning application 23/1600/MOUT for 28 residential units and a new parish council office. It is tragic that an area that has some of the highest environmental protection in the village (the site is part of the Woodbury Conservation Area and is designated as an Amenity Area) is being given up to provide yet more development. Thank you to all of our supporters for making 2023 such a great year. Tony Bennett Tel: 07971 082384 info@wild-woodbury.org Website: http://www.wild-woodbury.org/Facebook: Wild-Woodbury. SAUSAGE AND MASH SATURDAY 27 JANUARY 2024, 19.00 for 19.30 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL Rhys McGauley (Cheryl McGauley’s son) is running 12 marathons, one of them being the London Marathon in aid of The Brain Tumour charity. Bar available, vegetarians, coeliac catered for. Tickets @ £10 are now available from Cheryl McGauley 07786 706546 / 01395 232057 cheryl@woodburybreakers.co.uk Chris Lear 07941 045918 / 01395 232772 / chrisalear06@gmail.com WOODBURY HISTORY SOCIETY AGM THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY AT 19.30 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL To be followed by a short presentation on the churchyard records by Chris Sheppard and Jim Champion. Social and refreshments.
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WOODBURY SALTERTON NEWS HOLY TRINITY CHURCH Christmas at Church By the time you read this, carol singing around the village and the Carol Service will have taken place. Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve will begin at 23.30. Coffee Mornings Throughout the winter months we will continue our pattern of two coffee mornings per month on the first and third Saturdays from 09.30 until 10.30 in church. On the first Saturday bacon butties are on offer and on the third it will be coffee and cake. So for January, the dates will be 6th and 20th. Film Evening Another very popular and successful film night was organised by Debbie Jung and Jill Dupain when 28 children and some adults enjoyed the film Sing 2. The children love coming to church in their onesies or pyjamas, carrying duvets and pillows, watching the film and buying popcorn, crisps, bottles of pop and hot chocolate. £135 was raised for church funds. Katharine Wheeler WOODBURY SALTERTON BANGERS AND MASH Woodbury Salterton Bangers and Mash evening on 18 November was enjoyed by 46 village people. We were especially pleased to see new faces. Sausages cooked, potatoes mashed, mushy peas mushed, beans heated, all topped with onion gravy — what's not to like! Lovely puddings — crumbles, gateaux, apple turnovers, millionaire's shortbread, trifle, profiteroles, coffee and walnut cake, ice cream and custard. Sincere thanks to everyone who helped in setting up and serving, and to everyone who attended, making the evening a success and raising £479 towards our new kitchen. Gill Bricknell
20 WOODBURY SALTERTON PRIMARY SCHOOL Woodbury Salterton Primary School has had a busy half term preparing for Christmas. The children are all buzzing with excitement and are enjoying learning the songs for our Nativity performance. In November, Class 1 marked Remembrance Day by making poppy wreaths and decorating biscuits and, as part of our Friday Sharing assembly, they held a two-minute silence. The children also learnt about Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light, and made some beautiful paper lanterns and clay diva lamps. For Children in Need, the children in Class 1 worked collaboratively to create some transient art for forest school by assembling an impressive Pudsey Bear using natural materials. In our English lessons, the children in Class 2 have absolutely loved learning about Rosa Parks and many of them have been inspired to stand up for what they believe is right. The children produced some thoughtful writing. In maths, the children have enjoyed learning about 2D and 3D shapes and knowing the differences between them. The children have been developing shading techniques and have practised creating light and shade in their pieces of artwork. They enjoyed using the computer software Kleki to produce digital images and are now currently working on their end-of-unit black and white masterpiece! During anti-bullying week, the children discussed how important it is to make a noise about bullying. The class discussed what bullying is and learnt the acronym STOP: Several Times On Purpose. We discussed how important it is to tell a trusted adult if you or somebody that you know is being bullied. The class then wrote a class poem (poetry has taken over Class 3) reminding people what to do if they are being bullied. THE WOODBURY SALTERTON DUMBUTU LINK (WSDL) “To weep is to make less the depth of grief: Tears then for babes; blows and revenge for me.” Shakespeare (Henry VI, Part II) The last few years have been tumultuous. The optimistic among us may have hoped for a global unity that might emerge from the Covid pandemic (any Watchmen comic fans here?) but 2023 presented us with more global conflict, more division, and more uncertainty. How do we take revenge on inequality and instability in our world? For many of us, nonprofit support is the elegant solution. Fortunately, our beloved village of Dumbutu in The Gambia has been the recipient of much support, not to mention that they have been working hard themselves to brighten the future of their children. Many school-aged children missed full terms of school as sweeping Covid lockdowns reached rural villages across the region, and the villagers have rallied to fill the gaps.
21 The Good News In 2023, the WSDL sent its annual bursary donation to Dumbutu to support school-aged children with their essential school supply costs. Furthermore, UNICEF has been busy in Dumbutu, implementing new solar panel boreholes, improved toilets and handwashing facilities as well as a new school fence and wall. Much of this builds on WSDL projects, including our implementation of the school itself, and the development of, and training for, the Women’s vegetable garden in collaboration with BOAT. Long-term Plans We in Woodbury Salterton are in the early stages of planning a trip to Dumbutu between 2024-25. This trip will mark 35 years of the link, an exciting milestone that will provide an opportunity to re-establish relationships with our friends in Dumbutu and allow us to have conversations about what the next decade of the WSDL will look like and achieve. Members and trustees will be invited to join; watch this space for updates! Virtual AGM date The WSDL annual AGM will be held online in early 2024. More details will be sent via email. If you wish to join as a member and are not currently on our mailing list, please contact Gemma. Get Involved We hope this refreshing news brings you joy as we start 2024 with renewed hope and vigour. If you would like to get involved with the link, we are seeking a sponsorship secretary and a minutes secretary. If you think you would be suitable for either of these roles and would like more information, please contact Gemma. Support Us As ever, we are seeking sponsors to support the education of our friends in Dumbutu. An annual sponsorship is typically £30 a year / £2.50 a month. Monthly, annual, or even one-off donations can make a meaningful impact to our brothers and sisters in Dumbutu. Gemma Bennett, WSDL Chair Email: gemjoyben@ hotmail.com. WhatsApp: +263 77 214 3605.
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EXTON NEWS ST ANDREW’S CHURCH - SERVICES See page 4. EXTON GARDEN CLUB December meeting Local resident Bella Given presented Dahlia Mania, taking us through her journey from Dahlia Denial, Dahlia Disaster, Dahlia Delight to Dahlia Devotee. Bella, who trained as a garden designer, demonstrated how she had transformed her plot in Exton into a wonderful garden full of colour, including a separate cutting garden and a vegetable garden. We were introduced to Bella’s favourite dahlia colours, textures, forms and shapes, along with her encyclopaedic knowledge of plant names, all beautifully presented with a range of sumptuous images of dahlias growing in beds, pots and arranged in vases. We also had a glimpse of her plans for her 2024 cutting garden. Bella’s talk covered the dahlia calendar, how to manage slugs and snails, winter storage, partner planting and when and where to buy. Dahlia Mania continued with an enthusiastic membership and group of visitors having tea and mince pies. Exton Garden Club hopes to visit Bella’s garden in the summer of 2024 to see the results of her inspirational vision. Sarah Kellagher EXTON GARDEN CLUB Flowers of Argentina & Chile - Richard Horswood FRIDAY 2 FEBRUARY 14.00, EXTON VILLAGE HALL
WOODBURY NEWS to your door … If you are a new resident to the area, or would like your Woodbury News to be delivered to your door monthly, just call Chris Bowers on 01395 239338 or email chrisbowers88@yahoo.co.uk and she will put you in contact with your local deliverer. Any queries regarding delivery of Woodbury News within Exton to be directed to Ann Morris on 01392 875666.
23 THERE’S A BEAR BEHIND YOU!!!! Exton Drama Club’s 2023 Pantomime After the Covid-induced absence of the village panto (last production 2019), it was a real joy to see things get back to normal – that’s if anything in pantomime can ever be described as normal! This year it was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (please note: not vertically challenged people!). A wonderfully energetic cast, with lots of new Exton residents, treated us to a slightly re-worked version of the familiar tale, but most of the panto essentials were there: Prince Ferdinand, the ‘principal boy’ was actually a girl, Edna Bucket, the ‘pantomime dame’ was actually a man (oh yes he was!). Sadly there was no pantomime horse or cow shedding tears (or worse) over the audience, but maybe that could feature next year.
The seven dwarfs were a delight, in an eclectic array of costumes (sequins why not?), with at least three of them nearly as tall as Snow White herself. Queen Avarice, the legendary wicked step-mother, exuded evil, while Chuckles, the court jester, offered us toe-curling jokes and the chance (or threat?) of audience participation. The legal duo of Quill and Scribbles gave a very slick performance, based mainly around the challenges of modern technology. Snow White was suitably sweet and gentle, Merlin of the Mirror, Slurp and Fairy Fortune clearly enjoyed their different roles, but the prize for the cameo role must surely go to The Bear who, while he stole things from a picnic basket, elicited almost deafening feedback from the audience! cont’d/...
24 THERE’S A BEAR BEHIND YOU!!!!
cont’d/...
Where to start with thanks after such a production? Director, stage manager, costume designer, publicity officer? What a splendid team they all made. And thanks, too, to the dwarfs’ parents who must have been involved with the learning of lines, the ferrying to and from rehearsals, the digging out of bed for school on the Thursday and Friday mornings… I could go on and on. It was a wonderful, hilarious evening’s entertainment and a real community project. Thank you Exton Drama Club – all of you! Liz Williams
COFFEE AND CAKE EVERY 3RD TUESDAY, 10.00 - 12.00 CHURCH ROOMS, WOODBURY All the coffee mornings will raise money for local charities. All are welcome. Contact Di Phaby 07933 787055
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WOODBURY PARISH COUNCIL Woodbury Parish Office
Greenside, Greenway, Woodbury, Devon EX5 1LP. Telephone: 01395 233791. Email: clerk@woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk The Parish Office is open: 09.30 - 12.30, Mon, Tues, Weds and Thurs. Clerk to the Council: Anne-Marie Bates www.woodburyparishcouncil.gov.uk https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084814840341 X@ParishWoodbury (formerly Twitter) Woodbury Parish Council would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Parish Council Update It has been a busy time of year and Parish Councillors have been involved in several meetings, not just regarding Planning, but in respect of Levelling Up, Devolution and Resilience, and have participated in Code of Conduct and Planning Training. During our November meeting, the Parish Council agreed improvements to both allotment sites, which included a new noticeboard, plot numbers, a new gate (W) and a designated manure area (WS). The Allotment Sub Committee has been disbanded and incorporated into the Asset & Estates Committee. Plot rents have been revised and increased marginally. Neighbourhood Plan In the New Year, we will be holding a public consultation for you to have your say along with other statutory bodies. The consultation will run for at least six weeks and at the end of it comments will be collated, and the Neighbourhood Plan amended accordingly. It will then be submitted again to the Parish Council for their consideration as to whether it is ready to be presented to East Devon District Council, which is the next stage in the process. Exton The Parish Council is looking for a volunteer to become an Exton Ward Councillor. Are you interested in taking an active role in the community and to help shape it? If you are 18 or over, British/eligible citizen, live, work or occupy land within 3 miles of the Parish for at least 12 months, and can spare a few hours a month, then you meet the criteria. Please contact the Parish Clerk for more information and look at our website to see what we are all about. Closing date is Monday 5 February 2024. Save the Date - more details to follow for a Flood Resilience event on 31 January 2024 in Exton village hall. Recent flooding issues have been forwarded to the relevant bodies. cont’d/...
26 PARISH COUNCIL cont’d/... Woodbury Friday 1 December saw the Parish Office Christmas window revealed, part of the Living Advent Calendar. The event was well attended. Thank you to all those who braved the cold weather; I am sure the mulled wine kindly donated by Chris Lear helped! Special thanks to Kate Turner who was instrumental in the design of the window which was based on the Community Orchard; her son Harry also assisted along with Lucas, Thomas and Chloe Harris, and Giles and Iris Mckenna. The Green Christmas lights, sponsored by Woodbury Parish Council, were also turned on. Thanks to Graham Joyce and his team at Dartmoor Tree Surgeons for putting them up. Planning The Councillors have been very active with regard to Planning, as several major applications have been submitted for the village of Woodbury. EDDC Planning Committee held a meeting on Tuesday 21 November in respect of the Broadway application 22/2838/MOUT: outline application for the construction of up to 70 residential units including open space, affordable housing and offsite highway works (all matters reserved except for access). Thanks are due to our County and District members for all their work behind the scenes and to Daphne Roberts, Julia Whyte and Henry Freeman, residents who spoke at the meeting, as well as Councillor John Pyne, Woodbury Parish Council Planning Chairman. Together, our concerns were considered and although the committee approved the application, they added several conditions which included: offsite highway works, provision for bus stops, appropriate management of foul sewage arising from that phase and details of a controlled means of pedestrian crossing of the B3179 adjacent to the application site to be submitted to the Local Planning Authority and considered in consultation with Devon County Highways Department. Unfortunately, this Ward must have some development. However, Woodbury Parish Council continues to work tirelessly towards only having development that is in the right place, with the best scheme possible, having community benefits including traffic calming measures and safe pedestrian access to the village amenities. This Council has adopted a “build for benefit” policy, so the community gains something from a development to mitigate its impact. New Bus Stops Two new stops have been installed in the Broadway, near to Town Lane and Meadow View Close. New timetables will be available shortly.
27 Parish Office The Parish Office will be closed from Thursday 21 December 2023 until Tuesday 2 January. Normally the Parish Office is open to residents from Monday to Thursday between 09.30 and 12.30, so please pop in and say hello or raise any ideas or concerns that you may have. Information is available about, for instance, bus times, Community Transport events and services. The Woodbury Village Walking maps (4 walks) can be purchased at the Office for £2. Queen’s Jubilee Mugs – last few available at a special price of £3.50 each. Our New Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084814840341 Our Full Council meetings are usually held in the Church Rooms, Woodbury, on the second Monday of each month and our committee meetings when held are on the fourth Monday. No meetings during August (recess). All residents are welcome to attend.
ROUND AND ABOUT CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to Tony Bennett, who was one of six people from across Devon to be presented with an Outstanding Individual award by Devon Local Nature Partnership.
Congratulations, also, to Murrough MacDonnell who has constructed a giant Perspex mobile, suspended from the rafters in St Swithun’s church. It consists of 15 angels, some complete with boots or socks.
28 THANK YOU A great big thankyou to Sam, Matt and their team for delivering a great Christmas meal on 4 December at the Maltsters, especially as it should have been their night off.
They kindly opened up to look after the ladies group, Connections, and also the Cornerstones men who had been invited to join the ladies. Nothing seems too much for them, even an extra one or two people turning up at the last minute. We are so lucky to have them in the village. Sam was presented with a thankyou bouquet. Chris Lear Have you got an interesting photo to illustrate your article? If so, we'd love to see it, but please remember that we need high resolution photos - not too dark, but clear and sharp - as low resolution photos do not reproduce well on non-photographic paper. Please remember to ask permission from any people included in your photos, and that photos of children require parental permission. Send all submissions to karensquires100@gmail.com.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
From Gill Selley Did readers see the error on page 27 of the November issue concerning the Devon CPRE award? Gulliford Burial Ground is not, and never has been, in Lympstone. It is in Gulliford in the parish of Woodbury. Ed: The certificate itself is wrong!
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS Margo and Ken Crundwell wish all their friends a very pleasant Christmas and a healthy and happy 2024. This year we are donating to RNLI instead of cards. Carolyn and David Keep send Christmas greetings and good wishes for 2024 to all their local friends. We have donated to Christian Aid for Gaza.
WEATHER REPORT FOR NOVEMBER The rather wet autumn continued in November with another 133mm (5.2ins) of rain here at Ebford; this month less precipitation during the last ten days, in fact only 7mm (0.3ins). November is usually a wet month, the exception in recent years showing only 15mm (0.6ins) in 2021. In spite of that, the average between 2018 and 2023 at Ebford was in fact 123mm (4.8ins). Norman Cann
WOODBURY NEWS CLOSING DATES 15 JANUARY. 19 FEBRUARY. 18 MARCH. 15 APRIL. 20 MAY. 17 JUNE. 15 JULY. ALL MATERIAL FOR THE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE SENT TO KAREN SQUIRES, WILLOWFIELD, OAKHAYES ROAD by 19.00 on the closing date, with a name and telephone number, or email to karensquires100@gmail.com
30 RSPB AYLESBEARE RESERVE East Devon's diverse landscapes, ranging from heaths to woodlands, may look a little bleak during the winter months, but they are stunning and home to a variety of interesting bird species. So, make the most of winter, particularly on days when the sun is shining as it is likely to be the best time to see some of the more elusive species living on your doorstep. Up on the heaths keep a look out for the small but very distinctive falcon, the merlin, the UK’s smallest bird of prey. Numbers normally increase during the winter as the Icelandic breeding birds migrate south to relatively warmer climates and should be easily sighted by anyone walking regularly on the heaths. Our team of survey volunteers will be out and about completing fortnightly winter bird transects. We have followed the same route for the past 37 years, incorporating open dry heath, woodland edge, wet heath and mire. Monitoring any species population requires repeat year-on-year surveys. It is only through these activities that an assessment can be made of how the diversity of species is faring. One of our regular winter species-specific surveys has recently been started and there will be a follow-up survey in late February to early March where we will again complete nine sweeps that cross the wet heaths and mires to flush snipe, jack snipe and woodcock. These three species are as different as they are similar, and you definitely need to know your beaks and stripes to confidently tell the difference. Anyone interested in learning the differences should visit the British Trust of Ornithology website and search Identifying Common Snipe and Jack Snipe and watch the very useful video. We have good numbers of each but the common snipe far outnumbers the jack snipe. Just recently on a still Sunday afternoon in mid-December, one of our very conscientious volunteers took a walk out over one of the wet heath areas and managed to flush 116 snipe in one short go. Other larger bird species that you could be fortunate enough to see while out on the heath might be the short-eared owl or hen harrier. We partake in a nationwide roost-watch scheme coordinated across the UK on the same monthly weekend. This involves being out an hour before dusk at strategic high points with good views, to observe if hen harriers drop into the heath to roost. Most years there have been intermittent sightings of hen harriers, a species of particular interest. It is often on these watches that we will see other raptors out and about, including merlin and short-eared owls. You just need to make the effort to stretch your legs and take a walk on the heaths; you might well be surprised at what turns up in your field of vision. So perhaps while entertaining those new year resolutions, you may well be lucky enough to get a glimpse of something very special. Toby Taylor
31 ORIGIN OF NAMES OF LANES IN WOODBURY VILLAGE (PART 2) This record of road names includes Ebford, since that village was a hamlet in the parish of Woodbury from its beginnings until it was removed and given to the parish of Clyst St George in the late 20 th century. Any further information about lanes and roads would be appreciated. Rydon Lane The lane stretching from the Sowell turning down past Rydon Farm was named after the lands there, on which the farm was built, probably in the 16th century. One of the meanings of Rydon was where rye was grown – some of the fields named Rydon had sandy soil, which evidently was ideal for growing rye. The ‘don’ part of the word could be a shortened form of ‘down’ the area being fairly hilly and parts used as pasture. Sowell/Sowhill Lane and Muddy Lane In 1811 this was described as being a turning off the highway from the Globe Inn to Sowell Meadow. The name of Rydon Lane seemed to apply only to that part below the Sowell turning. The lane took its name from Sowell Farm (now known as South Hill Farm). In 1811 the parish of Woodbury was taken before the Justices ‘for not mending a highway in the parish which was 400 yards long and 14 feet wide called Sowell Lane, branching off from the turnpike road from Woodbury to Exeter by an inn called the Globe. The lane to Sowell Meadow is very deep, broken and founderous and because of the decay dangerous to pass along.’ In 1849 the Vestry Accounts recorded that the parishioners considered a certain road, near Sowhill, commonly called Muddy Lane, to be a parish road and to be repaired as such. This is the lane that leads from Rydon Lane to Ebford. Town Lane and Flower Street Since the parish of Woodbury comprised the main village and several hamlets, the church village was known in many documents in earlier times as Woodbury Town. This would account for the name of this lane. Until the late part of the 19 th century the only building on the lane was Springhayes. The lane extended down to Greenway past the village hall – Flower Street was a later name dating from the middle of the 19th century, possibly because there was a small market garden selling flowers which was owned by the Wheaton family who lived at Preston House in the late 19th century. The former address of the old houses in the present Flower Street was Town Lane which included Drakes Farm and the cottages. The Golden Heart Brent Close Robert Brent was the doctor of Woodbury from 1846 until he retired through ill health and other interests in 1868. He was born in Wiltshire into a Baptist family, the son of a master woolcomber who leased a mill near Westbury. cont’d/...
32 ORIGIN OF NAMES OF LANES IN WOODBURY VILLAGE cont’d/.. Brent founded the 1st Devon Royal Artillery Volunteers and became its Captain, serving with it until his health prevented him. He involved himself in many ventures, including Secretary of the Exmouth and Exeter Railway, as well as running many events in the parish. He was a wealthy man who owned several large properties in the village of Woodbury, having been left money by his father being a beneficiary of Sir Trayton Drake’s will (for whom he had acted as an agent for many years). He died in 1872, aged 52, as a result of an epileptic fit – he had suffered from epilepsy since being injured by an explosion from one of the guns when on military manoeuvres on Woodbury Common. Apart from his achievements in the parish, he is also remembered for his incessant wrangling with the Reverend John Loveband Fulford. Bretteville Close This road is named after the town in Normandy with which Woodbury is twinned. Critchards The Critchard family was an ancient one in the village and the men were well-known carpenters whose work was mainly done in St Swithun’s from the early 1600s. A house named Critchards, later Izel Cottage, was demolished in the early 20th century and the large brick houses of Westthorpe and Greenside were erected on the land. Fulford Way Named after John Loveband Fulford, the vicar of Woodbury from 1846-98. John Fulford, from an old Devon family, was first sent as a curate to the aged vicar, the Reverend John Edsall, before being appointed the vicar on the death of Edsall. From his first appearance in Woodbury there was controversy since he was a high church Anglican in a low church evangelical parish. He rescued the church of St Swithun’s, which was in a very dilapidated state, discovering ancient features that had been covered up with plaster and wood, the result of which is the beautiful, peaceful church the parish now has. Furze Road John Furze was for many years the parish clerk. He came from a family that had first lived in Woodbury Salterton as carpenters, but by the middle of the 19th century had moved to Woodbury and lived in what was Drakes Farm (now Myrtle and Woodbine Cottages) at the top of Flower Street and ran his carpentry business there. Salcombe/Silcombe Lane in Ebford. In 1770 three Woodbury farmers appeared before the Justices concerning a lane which passed between their lands. ‘A common and ancient way called Salcombe Lane, along which from time immemorial the parishioners and their ancestors on horseback and on foot could pass, labour and drive their cattle at will, leading from the village of Ebford to the orchard of one George Barons and to other fields etc. was to be repaired by Barons and two other farmers whose land adjoined the way. Part of the way (80 yards in length and 6 feet wide) was deep, founderous and in such decay that it had become impassible.’
33 Thirty years later William Salter and Joseph Wrench were indicted for not repairing Silcombe Lane, 34 yards in length and 3 feet wide, which was in deep founderness and in decay and unusable. It was recorded that in the memory of man the tenants of the land lying alongside this stretch were liable for its repairs. Mill Lane in Exton. This lane is a sad indication of the complete destruction of the ancient mill, which is named in documents of the 16 th century. It ceased to operate as a watermill in the early 20 th century and fell into ruin. The millhouse was still standing and was occupied until the early 21 st century, but was bought and, unbeknown to most people, was demolished together with all evidence of the mill. At least the name of the lane has survived. Meeting Lane in Gulliford. This lane runs from the Exeter Road to Nutwell Road, skirting the grounds of Nutwell Court. It is named after the Presbyterian/Unitarian Meeting House which stood on the corner of the two roads in Gulliford, just inside Woodbury Parish. The Meeting House was demolished in the early 1900s but the old Burial Ground still remains and is open to visitors to explore. Hangman’s Lane in Nutwell. In 1802 a deed of lease records a parcel of arable land called Horse Park (4 acres), lying in a certain lane called Hangman’s Lane. There appears to be no record of why the lane is so called – possibly a gibbet hung there to display dead men in chains. This is one of the two lanes opposite the Royal Marine Camp on the Exmouth Road. Porters Lane in Nutwell. This is the other of the two lanes on the Exmouth Road opposite the Royal Marine Camp. It is called after the Porter family who owned and occupied Upper Nutwell Farm, or what is now called Nutwell Lodge Motel. This lane could be the old Hangman’s Lane - it is certainly one of the two lanes. It is difficult to know which one as Horse Park stretched between the two lanes. The Porter family was very wealthy, having acquired their money through slave plantations. Three generations owned not just Lower Nutwell, but also Winslade House and Rockbeare Manor. The Nutwell house was let for many years due to the family travelling – a newspaper account of 1840 describes a small cellar of wine (consisting of 100 dozen of old hock, claret, sherry, Madeira port, a Portuguese wine called Bucellas, a few bottles of fine rum, Holland and brandy), 150 volumes of books, several valuable maps and charts, 20” globes, double-action harp and numerous miscellaneous effects to be sold as the owner was ‘going on the Continent’. Bonds Lane in Woodbury Salterton. This lane stretches from the village road, close to Cooks Farm, to the Exmouth Road just out of the village of Woodbury. On the corner of the lane as it leaves the village one can just see the remains of a structure – this was an ancient farm called Bonds Farm. cont’d/...
34 ORIGIN OF NAMES OF LANES IN WOODBURY VILLAGE cont’d/.. This was one of Woodbury Manor farms and appears in a survey of 1605 to have been leased by John Bond. In 1860 a disastrous fire completely destroyed the dwelling house, outbuildings and all the contents – the destruction was so complete that it was never rebuilt, but the name lives on in the lane. Honey Lane in Woodbury Salterton. This lane acquired its name because there were evidently hives in the adjacent fields – on the north side of the lane was a field of 3 ½ acres called Honey Mead Field. The dimensions of the lane given in 1811 were one mile long and 14 ft wide, and stretched from Woodbury Salterton to Greendale Farm. In 1617 a tithe case against John Terry of Bridge Farm for not paying the annual tithe on his honey, being 16 quarts of honey and 10 lbs of wax, a tenth of the produce from his hives. This large amount of honey would indicate that his hives probably stood on Honey Lane Mead. The farmhouse of Bridge Farm was originally where the school now stands, but was sadly burnt down in the 19th century. Toby Lane in Woodbury Salterton. This lane which runs between White Cross Road and Castle Lane is named after the Toby family who inhabited the old cottage. In 1807 Mary Bazely married a Benjamin Toby – he died in 1837 and Mary remained in the cottage. Mary was an eccentric woman and accused by many people of being a witch. Her strange behaviour and appearances in the law courts were reported in full in the local newspapers, and caused much amusement. She is remembered with not only the cottage surviving in her name, but also the name of the lane. Walkidon Way in Woodbury Salterton. This is an historically important lane which appears in the charters of Torre Abbey (who had been gifted parts of Woodbury Salterton in the 13th century). The lane skirts the golf club from Castle Lane and is recorded as Warkedunesweye in 1240. Grindle (Greendale) Barton Farm was given to the Abbot of Torre by William Brewer, the nephew of the Lord of the Manor in. The land given at the same time included the area known as Hogsbrook, as well as that around Greendale. White Cross Road in Woodbury Salterton. This road leads from Woodbury Salterton to the Sidmouth Road. It must have been an important road from the villages of the parish giving access to a major turnpike road. The name of this lane is intriguing – White Cross is a name that is often associated with the salt trade, and the White Horse Inn at the junction of the lane with the Sidmouth Road was earlier called White Cross Inn. It is possible that in medieval times, when salt was such an important commodity, that this was part of a salt trail from the salt marshes on the River Clyst at Ebford. I have mentioned earlier that there was a track known previously as Silcombe or Salcombe and this could have linked up with White Cross Lane. The name
35 of Woodbury Salterton is shrouded in mystery as there is no obvious connection with salt. There is no positive evidence for the White Cross theory and it would be interesting to hear if any parishioners have any other ideas about the Salterton part of the name. Gill Selley COFFEE & CAKE MORNINGS ON THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH IN WOODBURY CHURCH ROOMS, 10.00 – 12.00. DO JOIN US!
Supporting You in Your Local Community
NOTE TO CONTRIBUTORS FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM We are most grateful to all contributors for sending in copy and photographs for inclusion in Woodbury News. Without your efforts, our monthly publication simply would not exist. However, please may we remind you to help us by sending in your contributions by the closing date, and even more importantly, before the deadline of 19.00 on that day. If you are not yet on the list of people who have already provided me with their email address so that I can send you a reminder each month, please do so now. This arrives in your inbox one week before the deadline. Emails go out bcc, so no-one knows who else is on the list. Sue Bury (Editor), suebury@aol.com
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BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENTS BEGINNERS 8 WEEK POTTERY CLASS IN WOODBURY Tuesdays 23 January - 08 March (10.00 - 13.00). Contact Bernice 07494 502726. WOODBURY EVENTS TEAM For Hire. Gazebos, Chairs, Crockery, wine glasses, tumblers, champagne glasses, KFS Cake stands, Brick wall which helps to raise money, £1 a brick Bunting. Contact Chris Lear 07941 045918 chrislear06@gmail.com (2/6) CARPENTER Chris Isaac Property Maintenance, Kitchens, Doors, Flooring, Fencing, Fascias/Guttering, Tiling, General Repairs. Free Estimates. Reliable tradesman. 07855170674/01395 233933 chrisisaaccarpenter@gmail.com. (9/12) BED AND BREAKFAST Peaceful location situated in Exton. Website riverdownbedandbreakfast.co.uk. Please contact Tim on 07779 715222 or email timdashwood@yahoo.co.uk (10/12) ACCOUNTS AND TAX SERVICE Sole Trades, Partnerships, Limited Companies and Personal Tax. Full range of advice. Fixed fee plans and free initial consultation/quotation. Wheelers Accountants. Tel: 233184. (11/24) BEE SWARMS COLLECTED FREE OF CHARGE Also cash paid for unwanted bee keeping equipment - hives, tools, smokers, clothing etc. Call Nigel Moore on 07815 514997. Email:nigemoore007@gmail.com. (11/12) RUBBISH REMOVALS Domestic and Commercial. Environment Agency licensed. No job too small. Tel: 07979 841376. www.rubbishremovalsexeter.com. (20/24) ELECTRICIAN James Sliman Local, reliable, fully qualified and experienced. NAPIT registered and insured. From a socket to rewire 01395 276323 07866 313812 www.jslimanelectrician.co.uk. (5/12) HOME HELP Mrs V. A. Perry: Experienced, reliable. Support with transport to social/community events, trips out/medical appointments. Support with shopping, household management. Companion service. DBS Enhanced Certificate, Insurance and references available. For a confidential, no obligation discussion of your individual needs and requirements ring 01395 232865 (3/6) WOODBURY HANDBELL RINGERS FOUR COURSE ITALIAN MEAL SATURDAY 9 MARCH 2024, 19.00 WOODBURY VILLAGE HALL £15. Vegetarian / coeliac catered for. Bar available. Tickets will be available in 2024 from Chris Lear.
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS 21 Dec. - 2 Jan. Parish Office closed. 23 Dec. Lympstone Mummers. 17.00 White Hart; 17.30 The Maltsters 24 Dec. Reveal of Advent Windows, Church Rooms, 17.30. 2024 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 11 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 31 Jan. 1 Feb. 2 Feb. 3 Feb. 7 Feb. 8 Feb. 8 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 7 March 9 March 14 March 23 March 27 April 30 June
Woodbury Community Orchard Wassail. 17.00 from Woodbury Village Hall car park. Woodbury Garden Club - Plants Behaving Badly. WVH, 19.15. Woodbury WI I made it myself, 14.00, WVH. Woodbury Twinning Association AGM. 19.30. Church Rooms. Sausage and Mash fundraising evening. 19.00, WVH. Exton village hall Flood Resilience event. Woodbury History Society AGM. 19.30, WVH. Exton Garden Club. Flowers of Argentina & Chile, 14.00, EVH. FoSS AGM, 19.00 and Supper Concert 19.30. Woodbury Tennis Club AGM, Church Rooms, 19.30. Woodbury WI Birthday Party, 14.00, WVH. Woodbury Golf Society Annual Dinner. The Maltsters. Friends of Woodbury Surgery AGM. 14.30, Church Rooms. Woodbury Garden Club AGM and Supper, 19.15, WVH. Woodbury History Society Tombs & Headstones. 19.30, WVH. Woodbury Handbell Ringers. Italian Meal. 19.00 WVH. Woodbury WI, RSPB, 14.00, WVH. H4K Barn Dance with Spinach For Norman. FoSS Concert, 19.00. FORCE Cancer Charity. The Nello. Bide Ride & Festival.
WOODBURY NEWS ADVERTISING RATES SMALL ADS: (3 lines) private £2.00. (3 lines) Business £5.00. (£50.00 p.a.) DISPLAY ADS: £20.00 ¼ page (£200 p.a.) £50.00 ½ page (£500 p.a.) To: Karen Squires 233299 karensquires100@gmail.com The Woodbury News accepts no liability for:i) Any claims made by the advertiser; ii) Any errors or omissions in the advertisement as submitted by the advertiser; iii) Any legal action as a result of the advertisement.
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Willow Hair and Wellbeing offers a place of calm within its green and botanical environment. We specialise in hair services offering professional service using eco conscious products to create hair that you’re proud to wear. Our team are passionate about their education to always be at the top of the craft. We welcome Gemma back from maternity leave in January 2024 working 3 days a week. We also announce our new team member joining us, Marcus who will be opening the salon on alternate Mondays and working with us 5 days a week. Both look forward to seeing you. Our address: The Retreat Stores, The Arch, Woodbury Our telephone: 01395 233844 Website: www.willowhairandwellbeing.co.uk Email: info@willowhairandwellbeing.co.uk Online bookings available through our website Willowhairandwellbeing on instagram or FB
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Woodbury Village Hall Hall and two meeting rooms, Fully equipped kitchen WIFI, sound system and projector Available for: Dances and Parties Meetings and Classes Exhibitions and Craft Fairs Badminton, Plays, Business Lettings For bookings please contact: Robin or Marian Lennox Tel: 01395 232126 email:- woodburyvh@gmail.com www.woodburyvillagehall.org
Woodbury Salterton Village Hall Hall –Tables and Chairs, Well equipped kitchen with cooker and fridge, crockery and cutlery inclusive in the hire. Tables and chairs available for outdoor hire. Modest Rates. For bookings please contact: Pat or Gill Bricknell 01395 232463 Or email woodsaltvillage hall@outlook.com Further to many recent enquiries:
Robert Miller Local Painter & Decorator of many years, is still in business. A lifetime of experience! All painting and decorating jobs considered. Contact Bob on
01395 233773 or 07800 854839 THORNS COTTAGE, WOODBURY
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Royal Academy of Dance and IDTA Ballet grades and majors Start to Dance from from 2½ years Dottie Markham RAD CBTS Frankie Rowsell RAD CBTS Tel: 07885829531 Tel: 07713243369 woodburydancestudio @outlook.com Classes at Woodbury C of E Primary School
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