Country News Oct 2020

From the Rectory at Christow I am writing this in August to make sure I don’t miss the October copy date whilst I am on holiday in September! And in reflecting on October, I am mindful of the need to plan for the end of year services in November and December. The passage of time can be quite frightening if we let it! Better, perhaps, to root ourselves in the rhythm of the seasons, in the comforting reassurance that whatever else is happening in the world around us, ‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.’ (Gen 8:22) That rhythm of spring, summer, autumn and winter mirrors the cycle of birth and growth, flourishing and abundance, ageing and death to which we are all subject in this world. ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven’ (Eccles. 3:1) - Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man gives it a more of a bitter- sweet twist. We see the leaves, all gold and red and bronze, dressed up in their party best, celebrating as they prepare to fall to the ground and die. They fall from the trees in a blaze of glory to reveal naked branches, skeletons in a winter of death. So too, the cross, stripped bare of life, bridges past and future, transforming death into resurrection, as if the Tree in the Garden of Eden becomes the Tree of Life in Revelation’s vision of heaven. In the same way, the new birth at Christmas promises the return of spring, teaching us to look forward to resurrection. So let’s look out our party clothes and make the most of the rest of 2020, secure in the rhythm of the seasons that speaks to us of God’s life and love. Teign Valley & Haldon Hill Mission Community The Teign Valley & Haldon Hill Mission Community includes the parishes of Ashton, Bridford, Christow, Doddiscombsleigh, Dunchideock and Dunsford. Rev’d Ruth Frampton (Priest-in-Charge) can be contacted on 01647 253164 or [email protected]. Pastoral Care If you would like, or know someone who would be glad of, a call or “virtual” visit from Rev’d Ruth Frampton, or another member of the church community, please contact the rectory (contact details above), or the Churches’ Administrator (see Ge#ng in uch…,
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Coronavirus Some of our church buildings are now able to open for private prayer and reflection:  Please do not come if you are suffering any symptoms of coronavirus, but contact NHS 111  Please ensure that you clean your hands on entering and leaving the church building  Please observe social distancing and follow all the safety guidance inside the church Private Prayer - Days and Times of Opening: Monday Dunsford 10:00am - 12 noon Tuesday Bridford 12 noon – 2:00pm by appointment* Wednesday Christow 2:00pm – 5:00pm Thursday Dunsford 2:00pm – 5:00pm Friday CLOSED Saturday Ashton 10:00am – 5:00pm Bridford 10:00am – 12 noon by appointment* Sunday Christow 2:00pm – 5:00pm Doddiscombsleigh 12:00pm – 6:00pm (on Sundays only if there has been no service in the morning – see below) * for Bridford please telephone 01647 252180 / 252515 / 253239 to make an appointment Sunday Services At present we are still able to hold services of worship in church, but only with strict measures in place to ensure people’s safety e.g. the wearing of face coverings, increased cleaning, hand sanitisers, social distancing of 2 metres, no singing, communion in one kind only, no refreshments or meeting afterward. You will be asked to give your name and contact details in order to comply with “track and trace” requirements. This information is covered by GDPR and will be destroyed after 21 days. Details for planned services are as follows: 9:00am Telephone worship – Service of the Word* 10:30amMission Community Holy Communion 4 Oct Harvest with Communion – St John the Baptist, Ashton 11 Oct St Michael, Doddiscombsleigh 18 Oct St Thomas Becket, Bridford 25 Oct St James, Christow 01 Nov St Michael & All Angels, Dunchideock 10.30am Dunsford - Service of the Word (when Holy Communion is elsewhere) 3

There is also a telephone service of evening prayer at 6pm each Wednesday evening*. * For telephone services, you do not need internet access, but simply a landline or mobile telephone. Between 5 and 10 minutes before the service begins, please dial 0333 011 0616 and enter the code 334 7721, followed by the # key, when asked. You will also be asked to give your name. The cost of the call is the standard cost for any 01, 02 or 03 number, but will vary according to your telephone contract. It may well be covered by your “inclusive” minutes, or by free evening or weekend calls, but you are advised to check. Giving It is now possible to make a donation towards the general mission and running costs of each of our six churches through an online giving page on the “A Church Near You” website – see https://www.achurchnearyou.com and search for the relevant parish. The “Give Now” button will enable you to make an online donation, which can also be Gift Aided. This national Church of England website also holds a wealth of material about individual churches, including times of services and copies of orders of service, and is a good place to look for up-to-date information. APCMs – Annual Parochial Church Meetings At the tie (f g(ing t( press, annual ieetngs (APCMs) t( elect wardens f(r the year and ieibers t( represent the wh(le c(iiunity (n the Par(chial Church C(uncil (PCC) can stll g( ahead. The elect(n (f church wardens precedes the APCM and is a ieetng f(r all parishi(ners wh( are listed (n the l(cal g(vernient register (f elect(rs. The APCM is (pen t( th(se wh( are listed (n the church elect(ral r(ll. The ieetngs will take place in church subject t( the usual safety precaut(ns (f wearing face iasks, sanitsing hands and s(cial distancing. N(iinat(n papers f(r the elect(n (f wardens iay be (btained fr(i the PCC secretaries. Please supp(rt y(ur churches by taking part in these ieetngss church exists f(r the wh(le c(iiunity: church is 24/7 n(t just Sundays! At tie (f g(ing t( press the f(ll(wing APCMs were c(niried: Asht(n – Fri 25 Septeiber at 3pi (in the church) Bridf(rd – Wed 23 Septeiber at 2pi (in the church) Christ(w – Tuesday 22 Septeiber at 7pi (in the church) D(ddisc(ibsleigh – Thu 24 Septeiber at 7pi (in the church) Dunchide(ck – M(n 21 Septeiber at 6pi (in the church) Dunsf(rd – Wed 23 Septeiber at 4pi (in the church)’ Please watch y(ur church n(tceb(ard f(r the (fcial n(tce (f y(ur church ieetng. Daily H(pe – a free ph(ne line (f hyins, refect(ns and prayers – 0800 804 8044 4

Recording of Rev’d Ruth Frampton’s “Refeccono from the previous Sunday – 01647 407047 If you are anxious about the current situacon or would like prayer or pastoral support (e.g. because of illness or bereavement), please do not hesitate to contact Rev’d Ruth Frampton or the Churches’ Administrator (Steve Cook) – contact details above and below. There is a separate nocce elsewhere in the magazine giving details of how the churches are working together with local parish councils and others to co-ordinate shopping, collect medicacon etc for those who need to “self-isolateo or who can’t leave their homes. Teign Valley Larder Please see the separate informacon in the magazine about the Teign Valley Larder in the porch of Christow church and elsewhere - where people can donate food, and those in need of food can pick some things up for free. Anyone can use it – it’s for the whole Teign Valley area, not just for Christow! We’d like to help reduce food waste, and we especially hope it will help people who are struggling at the moment. This inicacve is supported by Dartmoor Naconal Park Authority. From the registers… Funerals: 18 September – Bety Rice (Dunsford) and Rosalyn Gray (Dunchideock) Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have died. Getng in to7ch… If you wish to discuss plans for a postponed or future bapcsm/christening, banns of marriage, wedding, funeral, interment of ashes or memorial service, or have any other enquiry, please contact Steve Cook, the Churches’ Administrator, on 01392 832332 or email [email protected] 5

Services in the Teign Valley and Haldon Hill Mission Community October Bridford Christow Ashton Doddiscombsleigh Dunchideock Dunsford 4 9:00am Worship at Home: Scattered Church by Telephone Trinity 17 10:30am 10:30am Harvest Thanksgiving With Communion at Ashton Service of the Order 1 Word Other 11 9:00am Worship at Home: Scattered Church by Telephone Trinity 18 10:30am Holy Communion at Doddiscombsleigh 10:30am Order 1 Service of the Word Other 18 9:00am Worship at Home: Scattered Church by Telephone St Luke 10:30am Holy Communion at Bridford 10:30am Order 1 Service of the Word Other 25 9:00am Worship at Home: Scattered Church by Telephone Last After Trinity 10:30am 10:30am Holy Communion at Christow Service of the Order 1 Word Other November Bridford Christow Ashton Doddiscombsleigh Dunchideock Dunsford 1 9:00am Worship at Home: Scattered Church by Telephone All Saints 10:30am 10:30am Holy Communion at Dunchideock Service of the Order 1 Word Other For Telephone Service, please dial 0333 011 0616 and enter the code 334 7721, followed by #, when asked

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Dunchideock Parish Council Newsletter (14 September 2020) Changes to your Council At the parish council meeting on 8 September, James Griffin was unanimously co-opted as a parish councillor. He was one of three applicants. There is still one vacancy which may be filled by co-option, so if you are interested to contribute to your community, please contact Norman Harvey our parish clerk (422390) or Stephen Moor our current Chairman (832697). The date for the deadline will be announced in due course and the interview will be held during the next meeting of the parish council on 10 November. Website Progress Good progress has been made on the design of the new website by the provider and it is still hoped that this will be ready to replace our existing website within the next few weeks. It will look different and include a revised Dunchideock Directory. It should be more accessible to all and capable of being read on a mobile phone or tablet. The address www.dunchideock.org.uk will take you to the new website when it is available but in the meantime you can still access the existing website at the same address. Parish Council Meetings During the current pandemic crisis, meetings will continue to be held virtually on Zoom until further notice, as we are advised not to hold physical meetings in the Village Hall. Details for joining will be published in the Agenda for the next meeting which will be published on the notice boards, our website www.dunchideock.org.uk or by contacting any councillor or our parish clerk. Footpaths The parish council has managed to obtain a grant of £1,100 from Devon County Council for some minor improvements to our four footpaths. Unfortunately, this will be insufficient to cover all the proposed works. We are in discussion with the footpaths officer to see whether the grant can be increased so that all the works can be carried out before the end of the current financial year in March 2021. Forthcoming Road Works The parish council has been informally notified of proposed repairs and maintenance by Devon County Council, as follows:- Blacksmiths Hill – drainage issues and surface repairs – January 2021 Between Underdown crossroad and Brenton Road junction at Clapham – road surfacing – September Ide High Street – Desilting, fibre optic cabling works and clearing blockages to take place out of hours only on 17 & 18 September (although we are informed that five days have been allocated) Formal notices giving the timing of these will be placed on our notice boards and on our website, www.dunchideock.org.uk, once published by DCC. 8

DUNCHIDEOCK PARISH COUNCIL There is a vacancy for a Parish Councillor that can be filled by co-option Applications are invited from any legally qualified person who is willing to serve the community and wishes to be considered for the vacancy If you are interested and would like to know more about the skills and role of being a Parish Councillor, would you please contact the Chairman, Stephen Moor, 01392 832697, [email protected] or the Parish Clerk, Norman Harvey, 01392 422390, [email protected] for further information You must be legally qualified on the date of your application as follows: You must be 18 years or older You must be a British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union You are not subject to a bankruptcy order or interim order Within five years before the date of your application you have not been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and not have had a prison sentence (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine You have not been convicted of offences involving corrupt or illegal practices You have not been convicted for the failure to register or declare disclosable interests under the Localism Act 2011 To be eligible for co-option you must satisfy at least one of the following requirements on the date of your application: You are registered as a local government elector and continue to be so for the parish During the whole of the preceding twelve months you have occupied as ownesr, or tenant, any land or premises in the parish Your principal or any place of work during the preceding twelve months has been in the parish You have during the whole of the preceding twelve months resided in the parish or within 3 miles or 4.8 km of the parish Application forms are available from the Clerk. The closing date for applications to be returned to the Clerk is Wednesday 4th November 2020 Candidates will be invited to speak in support of their application at the virtual Parish Council meeting to be held on Tuesday 10th November 2020. The successful candidate will be invited to remain for the duration of the meeting. 9

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DUNCHIDEOCK PIXIE HOUSES The families and children of Dunchideock would like to say a very big thank you to Rod Farnaby. Rod very kindly hand carved pixie houses out of wood and and hid them around the village over the summer. The children have loved searching for them on walks round the village. It has given them such joy at a very difficult time for us all. Thank you Rod!’ Hopefully we found them all! Thank you Rod from us all. Heather and Edward Ellis DUNCHIDEOCK RURAL SKIP SERVICE CANCELLED Teignbridge District Council has advised the Parish Council that the Rural Skip Service planned for October has been cancelled. At present it is not known if another date will be arranged. Norman Harvey Clerk Dunchideock Parish Council 13

Teign Valley Larder update This month’s update comes in two parts. Firstly, the organisers of the Teign Valley Larder would like to thank everyone who has made our local food bank a big success. Whether you have donated food, swapped unwanted items for something you need, or volunteered with its upkeep, you have contributed to a vital piece of community support. It’s a sad fact that food bank use is increasing, but we should be proud that we have created a model in the Teign Valley that not only helps those in need, but also helps to reduce food waste and support local businesses, such as Teign Greens and Whippletree Farm who regularly provide fresh food. The second part to this update concerns a new way in which you can support the Teign Valley Larder. Up until now, we have shied away from asking for and receiving cash donations because we haven’t had a bank account to handle money. However, that has now changed, and we are in a position to accept regular direct debit payments or one-off gifts. Furthermore, we are applying for the status of a community interest company. This, together with the fact that we are run solely by volunteers, means donors can be assured that all donations will go directly into buying food, toiletries and other basics. The Teign Valley Larder will continue to accept your generous food donations, which can be dropped off at the six usual collection points up and down the valley. However, as we’ve become established and more experienced, we’ve discovered that some items need replenishing more regularly; while donors check on our website to see what we need more of, we still find ourselves having to buy specific stock. On top of our regular food donations, we currently spend £100 a week keeping the larders stocked up in Christow, Bridford and Dunsford. The Teign Valley Larder has been able to draw on various grants, some of which were distributed following the recent pandemic, but these funds are now running dry. Now that we have our own bank account, once we have raised some money, we can react more quickly to specific shortages, and buy in bulk from the cheapest supplier. While no-one wants to see food bank use increase, it is reassuring that help appears to be getting to those who need it the most, including several families with children. If you can regularly donate money – even a couple of pounds a month – you’ll be helping to ensure that fewer people in the Teign Valley will go hungry or have to worry about where their next meal will come from. Our bank details are: Teign Valley Larder; Unity Trust Bank, sort code 60-83-01; account number: 20428730. Thank you. Corony Edwards. 14



Shillingford St George Church Calendar for the period ……October 2020… Date Name Service Time 4 October Trinity 17 Harvest Morning Service 9.30 Sidesmen Nick Readers Nick Luke 12.16-30 Reading Deut 8.7-18 Prayers Christopher Manstree Lane & Manstree Terrace Date Name Service Time 11 October Trinity 18 9.30 Sidesmen Nick Holy Communion Readers Christopher Reading Philippians 4.1-9 Matthew 22.1-14 Prayers Nick Glebe Lane & Place Farm Date Name Area Time 18 October Trinity 19 Service 6.00 Sidesmen Peter & Liz Readers Patsy Evening Prayer Reading 1 Thessalonians 1.1-10 Prayers Clergy Matthew 22.15-22 Date Name Road through Shillingford St Time 25 October Last after Trinity George 9.30 Sidesmen Tom & Gwen Service Readers Di Reading 1 Thessalonians 2.1-8 Holy Communion Prayers Delia Matthew 22.34-46 Date Name Time 1 All Saints Day Surrounding parishes of 9.30 November Dunchideock, Kenn & Sidesmen Liz Exminster Readers Peter Service Reading 1 John 3.1-3 Prayers Christopher Morning Service Matthew 5.1-12 Barrack Lane & Barton Lane 16

Annual Parocial Church Meeting The postponed Annual Parochial Church Meeting will now take place in church on Wednesday 21 October at 7.00pm. Harvest Festival There is a Harvest Morning Service on Sunday 4 October at 9.30, but due to the Coronavirus restrictions we are unable to have a Harvest meal this year. Church social events will re-commence just a soon as restrictions allow. Shillingford St George & District Community Calendar for 2021 In support of The Shillingford Woods Purchase Appeal. This is an update of our article published in Country News September 2020 A big thank you to everyone who has submitted photos showing our beautiful countryside this year, your interest and contributions have been most welcome. A small group will be meeting shortly to consider and select pictures for the calendar, ready for printing. We are planning to have the calendar on local sale from mid -October and will publish details of sales points in the next edition of Country News. If anyone can o'er a safe sales outlet for the calendar we would be most grateful as the virus continues to make the usual sales opportunities di(cult.Please email your o'er to [email protected] . If you would like to help sponsor the Calendar please also use the above email address to contact us. Any contribution however small is appreciated. All profts raised will go to help the Friends of Shillingford Woods Appeal Fund . A LOCAL COMMUNITY CALENDAR FOR 2021 AN IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT IN THESE STRANGE TIMES 17

THE KING MAKES A VISIT (Another piece of history researched by Jan Wood.) In 1789 King George III and Queen Charlotte, accompanied by their daughters, visited Haldon House, then in the parish of Kenn. The following account, taken from the Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post newspaper in 1846, recalled one rather touching memory on that very prestigious occasion. The story was inserted in the newspaper in memory of Lady Anna Eleanora Palk, the wife of Sir Lawrence Vaughan Palk (Sir Robert’s grandson), as she had just died. She also happened to be a grandchild of Sir Robert, as she and Sir Lawrence Vaughan Palk, who had been her second husband, were first cousins. Her mother Ann, who had married Sir Bourchier Wrey, had been the only surviving daughter of Sir Robert Palk, and marriages between cousins – whether they were members of the upper classes, or farmers and tradesmen - were not necessarily unusual in those days. Anna Eleanora Palk Wrey, born in 1787, was only a toddler when King George III visited Haldon House. The story in the Exeter Flying Post gives us a rather different picture of the King: The late lamented Lady Palk, as she was a remarkably fine woman, so was she from her birth particularly noted as a beautiful child. In August 1789, when King George the Third, with Queen Charlotte, and the Princess Royal, Princess Augusta and Princess Elizabeth, visited Exeter and the West of England, on his way to Plymouth, his Majesty particularly noticed the delightful situation of Haldon House, the seat of Sir Robert Palk, Bart., and on his return eastward visited it, walking for some time on the terrace, remarking on the picturesque beauty, and loveliness of the scenery around. The late Lady Palk, at that time an infant, was on a visit to her maternal grandfather Sir Robert, and being seen by the King, he was so much struck with her appearance, that he exclaimed “what a beautiful child”, made enquiries concerning it, and having requested to be permitted to do so, took the infant in his arms, and with evident pride in such a charge, walked for some time on the terrace with it!” Anna Eleanora Palk Wrey grew up to marry twice. Her first husband was Mr Edward Hartopp, of Dalby Hall in Leicestershire, who died in 1813, before he turned 30, leaving her with three young sons; so she then married her cousin Sir Lawrence Vaughan Palk, who was five or six years younger than she was. They married in 1815, and had three sons and three daughters of their own. Lady Anna Eleanora Palk died on 25th January 1846 in Dieppe, France, after she and Sir Lawrence had left England to escape increasing financial problems. Her body was returned from Boulogne to Dunchideock for the funeral and interment in the family vault, which was at that time inside the parish church. Jan Wood. A husband and wife are in church. The vicar notices that the husband has fallen asleep and says to the wife, “Wake your husband up!” The wife answers, “You're the one who made him fall asleep, you wake him up!” 18

Teignbridge District Council funds a Home Improvement Loan Scheme for homeowners and landlords (subject to eligibility). We understand the expense of maintaining your home. We want to help you to take the stress out of funding repairs, improvements or adaptations to your home. We see you as an individual, not a credit score. For a free, no obligation home visit or more information: Contact Wessex Resolutions CIC on 01823 461099 or visit: www.wessexresolution.org.uk 19

Friends of Shillingford Wood Present our logo which will be appearing on the back of merchandise such as the calendar which will feature photos from the wood taken during the recent “lock down” period. We are continuing in our efforts to explore fund raising options and hopefully we may be able to use the parish hall to facilitate this in the near future, though this may be prohibited due to the virus. There is scheduled an extra ordinary zoom meeting with parish councillors for us to present a management policy etc for the woods. Watch this space for an update. Thank you for the ongoing support from so many. Claire Dummett Frozen, oven-ready Muscovy duck Delicious flavour and very low fat Weights from 3lb to 6lb + Excellent value at £3.00 per lb Can be delivered locally free of charge (recipe included) Phone: Alexis Swain 01392 833 353 (Dunchideock) 20

A Right of Way Dispute in Dunchideock in the 1830s (|Another piece of local history from Jan Woods) On the second day of December in the year 1836, a middle-aged agricultural labourer called Richard Bowden made his way along deep country lanes from his cottage near the church in Dunchideock to Haldon House, a short walk away, and at that time in the neighbouring parish of Kenn. He had been summoned to give evidence in a dispute between Major James Pitman, squire of Dunchideock, and the tenants of Sir Lawrence Vaughan Palk of nearby Haldon House, over a right of way across the Major’s land. It was a path across fields which had traditionally given them and others easy access between Mill Tenement (owned by the Palks), the Dunchideock road and the rest of the Parish. In this ongoing dispute, Bowden, as one of the Major’s occasional employees, had at one time become personally involved. He was not the only witness called to give evidence on behalf of Sir Lawrence. William Crispin, who had been a Palk tenant at Mill cottages for about 27 years, had already described how within the past decade or so, the Major and his tenant, William Strong, had increasingly restricted use of the pathway across the land. Farmer Strong had first put diagonal wooden stakes into the ground, to prevent carts passing from one field to the next, but this had only been partially effective. Therefore 3 or 4 years ago, the hedges had been ripped out and the Major had stopped all wheeled traffic by erecting iron railings and gates, including in one place a swing gate too narrow for a cart to pass through. For his own use the Major had erected a hurdle next to the gate which only he or his tenant could remove. Obviously the dispute had come to a head when William Crispin had been ordered by Sir Lawrence to pull down the swing gate and hurdle and take a cart through to Mill, an act which he had recently repeated on several occasions. (The Witchams Field today) The way in dispute ran alongside the hedge on the south side of three adjoining fields called the Witchams, which at that time were part of Dunchideock Farm, and leased to William Strong. It is still evident today that this path was by far the easiest and quickest route across to the Dunchideock road from Mill Tenement, and from Yeo’s Lane in the adjoining parish of Exminster - using it also cut the journey time to Dunchideock and the Haldon Hills from Clapham, Shillingford St George and Kenn parish beyond. From the end of the right of way, the lane north through Dunchideock to the church, cottages and the nearby buildings of Dunchideock Farm was fairly level. The alternative route was longer and more hilly; it took carts up a fairly steep hill to a lane (probably, like all of Devon’s small country lanes at that time, deep and rutted) which ran away from the centre of the parish, past a couple of cottages and along the back of the high wall behind Dunchideock House, where the Major lived. From Dunchideock House it was then a longer and hillier trip to the smithy and the school, the Church and Farm, or on to the Haldon Hills beyond 21

All of the witnesses agreed that after the first cart had been brought into the parish 40 years before, wheeled vehicles had been allowed for many years to pass across the Witchams. The Major’s tenant John Esworthy, at 74 years old still a farmer and one of the oldest inhabitants still living in the Parish, confirmed that he had owned the first cart, and that his sons had used the track. It was he that suggested Richard Bowden be called, for he remembered that as a boy he had been an apprentice to Henry Hutchings, William Strong’s predecessor at Dunchideock Farm - and in the words of William Hutchings, Henry’s son, Bowden had a memory that was “wonderful good.” Richard Bowden’s evidence gives the best picture of Major Pitman’s reaction to any encroachment on his rights as a landowner. About 3 years before, when working for the Major, he had been sent up to stop a cart from Kenn which was intending to pass across the Witchams on its way to Mill to collect a hogshead of cider. The driver refused to turn back, and in Richard’s words, the Major threatened that if he had been there, “…he would have rammed his fist down the damned rascal’s throat” - and added “a damned pretty marine you are in my service and could not turn back the path.” The Major was known as an irascible and passionate man, and Richard Bowden was one of the poorest labourers in the parish. Apprenticed by the parish to Farmer Hutchings from the age of 6 or 7 years, he had left the when his term expired, and had worked away for 14 years before returning to Dunchideock. From soon after his return, he and his family had relied on at least some poor relief to augment their wages in most years, and his own children had in their turn been apprenticed by the parish Overseers of the Poor, to save the parish from having to pay towards their support. His family lived in one of a row of cottages near the church, owned by Major Pitman. Nevertheless, if we can believe his evidence, he was not afraid to stand his ground against the Major, insisting that he knew the way was “…a leat path and a cart path, and that he [the Major] could not stop it.” As a young man working the plough for Farmer Hutchings in the Witchams, he had seen the way across the fields used continually by carts carrying turf down from Haldon, and his master had kept the road-way in good repair. He could recollect Sir Lawrence’s grandfather Sir Robert Palk sending wheeled vehicles across the same way during that time. When he refused to agree with the Major that day that the path had originally run along the southern side of the hedge, on Sir Lawrence’s land, his statement was angrily denounced as a “… damned lie”, and he as “…a damned liar for saying so” . The pages of evidence taken during that first month of winter in 1836 are the only record of this dispute which have survived; these are in the Kennaway, Solicitors collection, which includes the papers of many of their prominent clients, including the Palks, and is held at Devon Heritage Centre. There are no accompanying letters between the Palks or the Pitmans or their lawyers which relate to the conflict, nor does the fair copy of the evidence appear complete, so it is likely that the effort to keep the cartway open may have been abandoned. The dispute does not seem to have been presented at the County Quarter Sessions, the court where such disputes were dealt with - and it is likely that horses and eventually people were prevented from using the route, for the right of way does not appear on any later surviving maps, even as a footpath . Sir Lawrence may not have wished to carry the conflict with his neighbour any further. And possibly Sir Lawrence Palk’s steward, or his lawyer, felt that despite the evidence of the local inhabitants, the case for a cart road stood on shaky ground anyway. 22

The evidence presented by William Hutchings, son of former farmer Henry Hutchings, who had moved some years before to Farringdon, on the other side of Exeter, had raised some doubt about its validity. William’s father had bought a cart in about 1802, and he had driven to collect apples from the Mills and take them back to the main farm to pound for cider, but in his original evidence, he was loath to speak against the Major, or admit to crossing the fields by cart himself. Whilst apologising for his very poor memory, he claimed that as far as he could recollect, his father whilst never turning back any carts himself, had said that the way across the Witchams had only ever been a halter path. William Hutchings may have been interviewed twice, as a second version of his evidence, dated the last day of December, contained information more supportive to the case, and it was this later version which was copied out by the lawyer’s clerk. Nevertheless, it still justified to some extent the Major’s actions by raising the possibility that when carts had replaced pack-horses in the parish, they had only been allowed to use the right of way because no-one had bothered to stop them. This had probably been tolerated in the past by the Pitmans and their tenant Hutchings when the Witchams had been under tillage. But when the Major looked to make improvements to the land close to his house, he followed the precedent of his neighbours, and other landowners of the time, and began converting the arable land visible from his house to pasture. Even for a small country gentleman of the time, the surroundings were as important as the house itself, and effort was expended to create a pleasing environment. When viewed from the house, pasture and trees created an impression of a rolling parkland. He was united in purpose with his new tenant William Strong, who kept his stock on the Witchams. Neither wanted traffic across the fields. Before the iron fences were erected, Strong accompanied the Major down to the Mill cottages and confronted William Crispin and the other Palk tenants when the stakes he had placed there were broken down by carts still crossing the fields. At this stage the tenants at Mill, who were not farmers themselves, but merely labourers and craftsmen, did not involve their landlord Sir Lawrence nor his steward Mr Cartwright in the dispute. In supporting their case, their own landlord no doubt had his own interests in the parish in mind as well as theirs. Sir Lawrence was as bent on improvement of the landscape to his own designs as any gentleman, and heavily implicated in altering the face of the local countryside. He and his grandfather and father before him had already removed hedges and pulled down farmhouses to convert a sizeable portion of their own farmland in the neighbouring parishes to plantations, and lawns for riding and pleasure. Most of the fields which they owned in Dunchideock parish, and which lay close to Haldon House, were pasture land, and adjoined the tree-studded parklands surrounding the house. THE OPEN DOOR CAFE It was in February the last time the Cafe was able to meet for our usual coffee mornings! Due to restrictions and safe social distancing we still cannot get together until restrictions are lifted. We will keep you posted as to if and when this might change, in the meanwhile our best wishes to everyone. Keep Safe Daphne and Wendy 23

SHILLINGFORD ST GEORGE RECTOR Rev Mike Partridge, The Rectory (Day off Thursday) Alphington, EX2 8XJ The Parishes of Alphington Ide and Shillingford [email protected] 01392 491476 07751725306 Churchwardens Mr N. Mansell (832660) [email protected] Priest in Charge DUNCHIDEOCK Rev Ruth Frampton, The Rectory Dry Lane, Christow. EX6 EW Churchwardens Mr R. Mallett (833351) [email protected] Mr J. Cummings (832499) Administrator Steve Cook (832332) [email protected] COUNTRY NEWS Editor this month Tom Tompkins Editor for November Anne Barwell [email protected] Advertising Editor Michelle Saunders (07856 663696) [email protected] Front Cover Judith Travell (832600) [email protected] Treasurer Elizabeth Jenne, Webberton Meadows Dunchideock. (832240) [email protected] Main Distributers Peter and Liz Wareham and Mrs E. Jenne Articles for inclusion in the November edition of Country News please pass to the Churchwardens or editor by 15th October. Classified Adverts: £1 for up to three lines (for one month) Box Adverts: Full page £16 for one issue or £120 for one year (10 issues). Pro-rata for half-page or quarter-page adverts. For all adverts please contact the Advertising Editor – see above 24