Netherway STREAMSIDE LEAFLET.indd 1 LEAFLET.indd STREAMSIDE Netherway 04/04/2012 09:21 04/04/2012
rint and design www.matrixprintdesign.com design and print Leaflet 2012. Council Church Parochial Swimbridge by Published
The Dedication The to this special place special this to
finish! To December 2011 December
A History and Guide and History A
Changing Spaces initiative. Spaces Changing
the Big Lottery Fund. Community Spaces is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Fund’s Lottery Big the of part is Spaces Community Fund. Lottery Big the Young volunteers Young
as an award partner to to partner award an as uk Groundwork by managed programme Spaces
The major part of the funding for the project came from the Community Community the from came project the for funding the of part major The
by Annette Shilling. Annette by
contactor Gerald Davies Ltd from Port Talbot. Illustrations for this leaflet leaflet this for Illustrations Talbot. Port from Ltd Davies Gerald contactor
Peter Leaver of the Barnstaple based David Wilson Partnership and main main and Partnership Wilson David based Barnstaple the of Leaver Peter
The design, management and construction was by landscape architect architect landscape by was construction and management design, The
Planting underway Planting
and others. and
by Devon County Council, North Devon Council, South Molton Rotary Club Club Rotary Molton South Council, Devon North Council, County Devon by
This project by Swimbridge Church PCC was made possible through funding funding through possible made was PCC Church Swimbridge by project This
u O Y k N A H T
the works. the
Peter Leaver discussing discussing Leaver Peter
Ready to start ! start to Ready
t Augus
2011
Volunteers in 2010 in Volunteers
describes the vision the describes
n e d r a g
Jack Russell terrier. Russell Jack Rev Bowers Bowers Rev
2009
Victorian Rector, who bred the the bred who Rector, Victorian
(“Parson Jack”) our famous famous our Jack”) (“Parson e d i s m a e r t s
grave of the Rev John Russell Russell John Rev the of grave
don’t forget to look out for the the for out look to forget don’t e g d i r b m i w s
of the finest in Devon and and Devon in finest the of
From St James Church? It is one one is It Church? James St
start
S E M A J T S H C R u H C
why not spend some time in in time some spend not why Whilst visiting the garden garden the visiting Whilst
t H e o l d c H u r c H ya r d t H e s t r e a m Project History
On the north and west side of the church and where The Landkey Stream, also known as the Venn Stream, After over 120 years the Old Churchyard, despite some the garden now stands there were once addresses rises in the high ground to the north near Stone Cross occasional attention, had become overgrown, the such as Gourdshayes, Coldharbour, Crooked Street, and flows via Riverton along the valley to Swimbridge railings rusted through and the gates were still locked. Quick’s House and Trout’s House. and on to Landkey and then by Venn Quarry to join the Many of the trees planted in 1973 had died. In 2006 River Taw at Bishops Tawton. David Netherway suggested a project to Rev Peter The graveyard was full - in fact it had been buried over Bowers (then Rector), and the Church Council to bring many times - and in 1877 the area up to the stream On its way the river’s water once powered mills at the space into use for everyone to enjoy. With no other was cleared and the church yard enlarged. Riverton, Mill Court and the Tannery at Swimbridge and significant public open space in the village, it seemed Town Mills at Landkey. a shame that this area was unused. The footpath from the bridge to Watergate originally ran beside the north wall of the church. The church The stream used to cause flooding in the village centre. With extensive local consultation, the support of the magazine in 1890 records: “The new footpath has been In the planning of the A361 North Devon Link Road, Exeter Diocese and the community, designs were made, and is awaiting the iron railings”. There was built in 1989, it was realised that this could be made prepared. Thanks to grants from the local County and one small gate near the top of the railings, into the worse by the faster run off from the new road drainage District Councillors, work on firming up these plans churchyard for the Sexton, who at that time occupied and so a flood prevention scheme was built. Flood was begun. With National Lottery funding applied for no 4 Church Cottages rent free. There was also a small water is now directed into the large grilled culvert and achieved, a more ambitious scheme than initially gate, half way along the other side, leading into the inlet and through a 1.8 metre wide culvert under The envisaged was planned. Once all the consents had piece of land that in later years became known as “The Square to join the stream clear of the village centre. been obtained and finance confirmed, work began at Old Churchyard” even though it had never been used The flood relief works include a flow measuring station last in August 2011. for burials, and would never be as it was too close to which provides data for the Environment Agency’s flood the stream. warning service. Data can be viewed on the web site www.environment-agency.gov.uk under ‘Flood’ and Mervyn Dalling of 2 Church Cottages remembers that ‘River and sea level’ links. “Both these gates were kept locked when I was a child in the 1940s and 50s, by which time the piece of unused land had become covered in brambles, and it was known for children to squeeze through the railings to pick blackberries!”
For the “Plant a Tree in 73” campaign the Parish Council planted trees and shrubs on this land. The ground was kept trimmed by Mervyn Dalling and his father Owen entirely at their own expense until 1988.
Cottages used to exist where the garden now stands
04/04/2012 09:21 04/04/2012 1 LEAFLET.indd STREAMSIDE Netherway
rint and design www.matrixprintdesign.com design and print Leaflet 2012. Council Church Parochial Swimbridge by Published
The Dedication The to this special place special this to
finish! To December 2011 December
A History and Guide and History A
Changing Spaces initiative. Spaces Changing
the Big Lottery Fund. Community Spaces is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Fund’s Lottery Big the of part is Spaces Community Fund. Lottery Big the Young volunteers Young
as an award partner to to partner award an as uk Groundwork by managed programme Spaces
The major part of the funding for the project came from the Community Community the from came project the for funding the of part major The
by Annette Shilling. Annette by
contactor Gerald Davies Ltd from Port Talbot. Illustrations for this leaflet leaflet this for Illustrations Talbot. Port from Ltd Davies Gerald contactor
Peter Leaver of the Barnstaple based David Wilson Partnership and main main and Partnership Wilson David based Barnstaple the of Leaver Peter
The design, management and construction was by landscape architect architect landscape by was construction and management design, The
Planting underway Planting
and others. and
by Devon County Council, North Devon Council, South Molton Rotary Club Club Rotary Molton South Council, Devon North Council, County Devon by
This project by Swimbridge Church PCC was made possible through funding funding through possible made was PCC Church Swimbridge by project This
u O Y k N A H T
the works. the
Peter Leaver discussing discussing Leaver Peter
Ready to start ! start to Ready
t Augus
2011
Volunteers in 2010 in Volunteers
describes the vision the describes
n e d r a g
Jack Russell terrier. Russell Jack Rev Bowers Bowers Rev
2009
Victorian Rector, who bred the the bred who Rector, Victorian
(“Parson Jack”) our famous famous our Jack”) (“Parson e d i s m a e r t s
grave of the Rev John Russell Russell John Rev the of grave
don’t forget to look out for the the for out look to forget don’t e g d i r b m i w s
of the finest in Devon and and Devon in finest the of
From St James Church? It is one one is It Church? James St
start
H C R u H C S E M A J T S
why not spend some time in in time some spend not why Whilst visiting the garden garden the visiting Whilst
t H e o l d c H u r c H ya r d t H e s t r e a m Project History
On the north and west side of the church and where The Landkey Stream, also known as the Venn Stream, After over 120 years the Old Churchyard, despite some the garden now stands there were once addresses rises in the high ground to the north near Stone Cross occasional attention, had become overgrown, the such as Gourdshayes, Coldharbour, Crooked Street, and flows via Riverton along the valley to Swimbridge railings rusted through and the gates were still locked. Quick’s House and Trout’s House. and on to Landkey and then by Venn Quarry to join the Many of the trees planted in 1973 had died. In 2006 River Taw at Bishops Tawton. David Netherway suggested a project to Rev Peter The graveyard was full - in fact it had been buried over Bowers (then Rector), and the Church Council to bring many times - and in 1877 the area up to the stream On its way the river’s water once powered mills at the space into use for everyone to enjoy. With no other was cleared and the church yard enlarged. Riverton, Mill Court and the Tannery at Swimbridge and significant public open space in the village, it seemed Town Mills at Landkey. a shame that this area was unused. The footpath from the bridge to Watergate originally ran beside the north wall of the church. The church The stream used to cause flooding in the village centre. With extensive local consultation, the support of the magazine in 1890 records: “The new footpath has been In the planning of the A361 North Devon Link Road, Exeter Diocese and the community, designs were made, and is awaiting the iron railings”. There was built in 1989, it was realised that this could be made prepared. Thanks to grants from the local County and one small gate near the top of the railings, into the worse by the faster run off from the new road drainage District Councillors, work on firming up these plans churchyard for the Sexton, who at that time occupied and so a flood prevention scheme was built. Flood was begun. With National Lottery funding applied for no 4 Church Cottages rent free. There was also a small water is now directed into the large grilled culvert and achieved, a more ambitious scheme than initially gate, half way along the other side, leading into the inlet and through a 1.8 metre wide culvert under The envisaged was planned. Once all the consents had piece of land that in later years became known as “The Square to join the stream clear of the village centre. been obtained and finance confirmed, work began at Old Churchyard” even though it had never been used The flood relief works include a flow measuring station last in August 2011. for burials, and would never be as it was too close to which provides data for the Environment Agency’s flood the stream. warning service. Data can be viewed on the web site www.environment-agency.gov.uk under ‘Flood’ and Mervyn Dalling of 2 Church Cottages remembers that ‘River and sea level’ links. “Both these gates were kept locked when I was a child in the 1940s and 50s, by which time the piece of unused land had become covered in brambles, and it was known for children to squeeze through the railings to pick blackberries!”
For the “Plant a Tree in 73” campaign the Parish Council planted trees and shrubs on this land. The ground was kept trimmed by Mervyn Dalling and his father Owen entirely at their own expense until 1988.
Cottages used to exist where the garden now stands w i l d l i f e a n d t H e b i c k l e r o l l e r P l a n t i n g The Elworthy family at Bickle Farm, Swimbridge, gave an old granite roller to enhance the garden. The roller The garden was designed with advice from the Devon sits in the grass as a useful seat and reminder of Wildlife Trust to improve and enhance the wildlife agricultural times past. habitat and diversity with mainly native planting and wild flower rich meadow grass. The maintenance Christopher Elworthy remembers this and similar stone regime is designed to look after and improve its such as oxeye daisies and many more. The hedgerow rollers being used on the farm and that his father used attractiveness to wildlife whilst ensuring it is a place plants provide flowers for insects and butterflies, and horses to pull the rollers. Rolling the grass fields at to be enjoyed by visitors to this part of the ancient berries for the birds and other wildlife in the winter. sowing and before haymaking time were important church yard. A log pile has been left for insects and hibernating tasks. creatures. The hedge alongside the stream Now farmers use much larger steel rollers, ballasted includes a wide range of native A list of recorded species is available on our website with water. The same jobs are done and there is the species such as hawthorn, www.swimbridgeparishchurch.org. Do let us know via same pride in seeing a line of straight and even spindle, holly, dog rose, guelder the website if you spot anything not mentioned or any stripes, but the rollers are now towed by powerful rose, and field maple. The interesting wildlife sightings. tractors. grassed areas are rich with wild flowers in their Adding to the interest, a noted North Devon sculptor seasons such as primrose, and monumental mason Gabriel Hummerstone added native daffodils and the text which scrolls across the granite. The well summer flowering plants known words from Psalm 23 were chosen as fitting the setting: “In pastures green he leadeth me, the quiet waters by” Gabriel’s work was inspired by the letter cutting and sculpting of Christian iconography, the tradition of local vernacular lettering artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, and type designers like John Baskerville.
m azzard trees t H e b e n c H e s s t e PP i n g s t o n e s
The two Mazzard trees, (North Devon Cherry) at the The benches were specially designed and made for the Swimbridge Primary school children working with lower end of the garden were given by David Luggar. garden by Swimbridge resident Yves Clarke. The timber Gabriel Hummerstone produced the poem about the They were taken from wood of an old tree at Bembridge is from a tree that grew in the neighbouring village of garden which they carved into the stepping stones Farm, Atherington and grafted onto a modern dwarfing Chittlehampton which was blown down in a gale in 2006. along the path: rootstock. Mazzards, only grown in parishes around here, were a important crop for centuries. They almost The wood is spalted beech. This refers to markings in “God’s garden, peaceful, magical free became lost during 20th C but have been rescued by the wood which result from fungal decay producing the enthusiasts for our heritage and the unique fruit. characteristic colouring and dark lines, which will get Sweet smelling grass, whispering trees even more attractive as the wood ages. Rippling, rushing brook, bubbling by Twittering bird songs, warm, sunny sky Wild flowers, dew drops, chattering stream Mythical paradise, lush and green.”
t H e P l o u g H
The horse drawn plough was given by Sid Bartlett who was a former church warden at St James. The Bartlett G ARDEN M ANAGEMENT family had farmed in Swimbridge for generations and The Streamside garden is part of Swimbridge Parish still do today. Churchyard. The space has been developed by St James Church and the Diocese for everyone to enjoy. We do ask for The 1860’s single furrow plough by R Hornsby and this special place to be respected as it is consecrated ground. Sons Ltd of Lincolnshire was used to work the fields Please feel free to use the space but leave no litter, and avoid by Sid himself before featuring in the Plough Service any damage to the garden, its wildlife and plants. each January when prayers are said for the success of If you wish to use the space for an organised event please farming in the parish for the coming year. contact the Rector or churchwardens.
Netherway STREAMSIDE LEAFLET.indd 2 04/04/2012 09:21 w i l d l i f e a n d t H e b i c k l e r o l l e r P l a n t i n g The Elworthy family at Bickle Farm, Swimbridge, gave an old granite roller to enhance the garden. The roller The garden was designed with advice from the Devon sits in the grass as a useful seat and reminder of Wildlife Trust to improve and enhance the wildlife agricultural times past. habitat and diversity with mainly native planting and wild flower rich meadow grass. The maintenance Christopher Elworthy remembers this and similar stone regime is designed to look after and improve its such as oxeye daisies and many more. The hedgerow rollers being used on the farm and that his father used attractiveness to wildlife whilst ensuring it is a place plants provide flowers for insects and butterflies, and horses to pull the rollers. Rolling the grass fields at to be enjoyed by visitors to this part of the ancient berries for the birds and other wildlife in the winter. sowing and before haymaking time were important church yard. A log pile has been left for insects and hibernating tasks. creatures. The hedge alongside the stream Now farmers use much larger steel rollers, ballasted includes a wide range of native A list of recorded species is available on our website with water. The same jobs are done and there is the species such as hawthorn, www.swimbridgeparishchurch.org. Do let us know via same pride in seeing a line of straight and even spindle, holly, dog rose, guelder the website if you spot anything not mentioned or any stripes, but the rollers are now towed by powerful rose, and field maple. The interesting wildlife sightings. tractors. grassed areas are rich with wild flowers in their Adding to the interest, a noted North Devon sculptor seasons such as primrose, and monumental mason Gabriel Hummerstone added native daffodils and the text which scrolls across the granite. The well summer flowering plants known words from Psalm 23 were chosen as fitting the setting: “In pastures green he leadeth me, the quiet waters by” Gabriel’s work was inspired by the letter cutting and sculpting of Christian iconography, the tradition of local vernacular lettering artists of the 17th and 18th centuries, and type designers like John Baskerville.
m azzard trees t H e b e n c H e s s t e PP i n g s t o n e s
The two Mazzard trees, (North Devon Cherry) at the The benches were specially designed and made for the Swimbridge Primary school children working with lower end of the garden were given by David Luggar. garden by Swimbridge resident Yves Clarke. The timber Gabriel Hummerstone produced the poem about the They were taken from wood of an old tree at Bembridge is from a tree that grew in the neighbouring village of garden which they carved into the stepping stones Farm, Atherington and grafted onto a modern dwarfing Chittlehampton which was blown down in a gale in 2006. along the path: rootstock. Mazzards, only grown in parishes around here, were a important crop for centuries. They almost The wood is spalted beech. This refers to markings in “God’s garden, peaceful, magical free became lost during 20th C but have been rescued by the wood which result from fungal decay producing the enthusiasts for our heritage and the unique fruit. characteristic colouring and dark lines, which will get Sweet smelling grass, whispering trees even more attractive as the wood ages. Rippling, rushing brook, bubbling by Twittering bird songs, warm, sunny sky Wild flowers, dew drops, chattering stream Mythical paradise, lush and green.”
t H e P l o u g H
The horse drawn plough was given by Sid Bartlett who was a former church warden at St James. The Bartlett G ARDEN M ANAGEMENT family had farmed in Swimbridge for generations and The Streamside garden is part of Swimbridge Parish still do today. Churchyard. The space has been developed by St James Church and the Diocese for everyone to enjoy. We do ask for The 1860’s single furrow plough by R Hornsby and this special place to be respected as it is consecrated ground. Sons Ltd of Lincolnshire was used to work the fields Please feel free to use the space but leave no litter, and avoid by Sid himself before featuring in the Plough Service any damage to the garden, its wildlife and plants. each January when prayers are said for the success of If you wish to use the space for an organised event please farming in the parish for the coming year. contact the Rector or churchwardens.
Netherway STREAMSIDE LEAFLET.indd 2 04/04/2012 09:21