Burrator
BEACON Summer 2018
What’s going on at St Mary’s Walkhampton? See page 9.
Photo courtesy of Revd. Preb. Nick Shutt
2 Burrator Beacon Editorial – Karen Batson
The Walkhampton Community Plan Steering Group recently canvassed all Walkhampton residents to seek their views on diverse matters affecting the village. A couple of the questions concerned the Burrator Beacon. I thought it would be interesting for our readers to see the outcomes. Clearly, the responses are solely those of Walkhampton residents and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the rest of our readers. • Do you think the Burrator Beacon is of value to the village of Walkhampton? Nearly all respondents thought the Burrator Beacon was of value to the residents of Walkhampton. Most of the comments were highly supportive of the Burrator beacon and the efforts of the editor. There was a comment about the reliability of delivery, and that was reflected in verbal feedback. • What Improvements would you like to see made to the Burrator Beacon, if any? There were relatively few comments indicating that by and large the majority of respondents were happy with the current format. A number of suggestions for additional articles were made. It’s good to know that the Burrator Beacon is of value to the residents of Walkhampton, at least. Suggestions for changes or improvements are always welcome from any member of our parish. So please do contact me if you have any ideas.. The autumn issue of the Burrator Beacon will be published at the end of August. Deadline for copy will be Tuesday 7th August, at the latest. That issue will cover the months up until the end of November 2018. Don’t forget, this is your magazine for your parish, so we would like to hear from you! Do consider writing a piece about any of the events you have participated in, or visited, in our area. We need to spread the word about all the great things that happen around here. Please send all submissions as Word attachments, as this makes the cut and pasting process much simpler!
Parish Clerk’s Report – Lucie Luke
The Planning Committee have recently been consulted on the following applications with the Parish Council’s comments in bold: 0134/18 Proposed erection of rear extension to existing two storey house detached house, Lower Dittisham, Sampford Spiney SUPPORT 0126/18 Proposed erection of two box stables with associated landscaping and change of use of land to equestrian and keeping of sheep, Field east of Iron Mine Lane, Dousland SUPPORT 0135/18 Proposed erection of single storey side and rear extension and carport at 1 Dousland Terrace, Dousland NO COMMENT DUE TO PLANS NOT ARRIVING IN TIME 0139/18 Proposed erection of rear extension at Willake, Goodameavy, Roborough SUPPORT Burrator Beacon 3 0159/18 Proposed rear extension to replace existing conservatory, roof pitch to extend from existing hip, 28 Springfield, Woodlands, Dousland SUPPORT The Contractors have successfully completed the works to the trusses at the Royal Oak Inn. A small chimney fire was reported in April with the flue requiring replacing before further use. The Parish Council are in receipt of £500 award from the Woodlands Trust Competition to be used to maintain the tree. A professional survey report is due shortly which will be run by DNPA before any maintenance is carried out. Meavy War Memorial has now been prepared by the DNPA stone mason making space for the authorised inscription to proceed and removal of the existing. A new parish notice board has been purchased for Walkhampton which we all look forward to seeing in use as soon as it is erected. The Parish Council continue to attempt communications with Devon County Highways over blocked drains throughout the Parish especially in Walkhampton & Meavy where flooding occurs all too often after heavy rain fall. We are yet to gain any response despite referrals to senior officers but will continue to try and get these matters some attention. Huckworthy Bridge has been badly damaged by a sizable lorry trying to get across; luckily a local resident witnessed, photographed the lorry on the bridge and reported the Police enabling all of the evidence being sent over to DCC Highways for, hopefully, some action and repair.
Village Halls Please support our local village halls for your meetings, parties and activities. All the halls have disabled access and they vary in size and facilities so one of them will suit your requirements. All the Halls are run by willing volunteers who strive to keep them in good repair providing vital facilities for our communities. Meavy Parish Hall Alison Stoker 853389 Sheepstor Village Hall Patrick Drennan 853186 Walkhampton Memorial Hall Sheila Glanville 859215 They will be able to advise you on availability, hire charges and terms & conditions of hire.
What’s on in Sheepstor…
Sheepstor Village Hall Report Spring 2018 Patrick Drennan - Chairperson Sheepstor Village Hall
There was an excellent turn out for the AGM held in April, almost certainly due to the dire warnings of possible ‘trouble at mill’ if support was lacking. We learnt that the Committee has been agonising for four years over the Constitution, and the implication that individual members of said august body were liable to penury and destitution if there was a massive claim against the hall. I for one, as a previous committee member of quite a few years, must hold my hands up to being rather
4 Burrator Beacon naive about and ignorant about the possibility of what is apparently called ‘the George Clooney factor’, blithely believing that everybody accepts that the function of village halls is to spread altruism in its truest form out to the local community. Fortunately there seems to be enough good will amongst Sheepstor residents, and a desire to see the Hall through this difficult period whilst we tackle the problem of an outdated constitution and trust deed without incurring unaffordable legal fees! A start has already been made by Simon Sheard, who has managed to track down the mislaid deeds for the Hall with the help of Suzanne Seabrook’s long-term memory capabilities, and discussions are being held with interested parties for the position of future Holding Trustees to replace the founding signatories. I hope the history of the village hall as being the village Poor House for a period is not a premonition! On a more positive note, the biennial Sheepstor Open Gardens 2018 will hopefully have been a success, despite the doom and gloom merchants prophesying catastrophe because of the unexpected clash with royal events. Unfortunately our preferred usual dates of the first week end in June was likely to be badly disrupted by yet another application from the road running fraternity to close Sheepstor down for a day. My thanks to Betty Palmer, who reminded everybody that Denise Bayly is about to reach her centenary and organised a whip round for some flowers to mark the occasion. She is making sure that the occasion is recorded for posterity with photographic evidence. The generosity of the donors has meant that Betty Palmer has asked for the surplus to be given to the Village Hall for the purpose of creating a permanent display of the occasion, together with photographs of the Sheepstor Open Gardens events. I hope we will be able to stage a late summer BBQ event, and we will be discussing potential speakers for an autumn and a spring village hall supper. If anyone has suggestions, or even a burning desire to enlighten us all with their hidden wisdom please get in touch.
Sheepstor Villages in Action/Carn to Cove Report Patrick Drennan
Adam Bulley and Chas Mackenzie, formerly known as Wingin’ It, lived up to expectations on Friday April 6th, and 78 ( I even managed to sell my first ever family ticket!) lucky people turned up to hear their outstanding repertoire. The banter between them, and their pains to involve the audience, was as good as I remembered from their Ullapool performance some years back, and their varied choice of songs went down very well. They were also lovely people to entertain afterwards. Feedback was excellent, and several concert goers said that they now don’t bother to look up the performers beforehand because they know that the Sheepstor events are always brilliant. I hope that reputation continues. My thanks to Rich for the photo of performers plus promoter – yes I was really enjoying it! My thanks as always to Annie for hosting the performers for dinner B & B, to Simon for helping set up the refreshments beforehand, to Kay, Suzanne & Pat for serving, Mark for managing the car parking traffic and to all those who helped behind the scenes donating food for the evening. Burrator Beacon 5 As a result of the good turnout, and the audience’s generosity with their donations for the refreshments, C2C/VIA received a cheque for £550+, and Friends of St Leonard’s Church Sheepstor and Sheepstor Village Hall £200+ each. Our next concert will be on Wednesday October 24th, when Ninebarrow will be returning at their request. Since their first concert here, which was a sellout, in 2016, they were nominated for the BBC Folk Awards 2017, and have released a new album called “The Waters & the Wild. Anybody who looks at their web site will quickly realise that they are incredibly popular, and very busy as a result, so I consider myself very fortunate that they asked to come back to play here. This will not actually be under the VIA/C2C banner but that federation is well and truly storming ahead so I hope to promote a concert from their next Menu launch in Spring of next year. I’m also exploring the possibility of Wurlitza returning in the not too distant future to perform another of their silent film scores, as they were also a sell out concert, and attracted a slightly different audience than our usual punters.
and Walkhampton…
Walkhampton Memorial Hall - What does the future hold? Peter Shapcott
As many of you will know, the new kitchen is almost complete. The new area allows for free movement of people and offers the facilities to cater for a full hall. We are now looking to the next phase of the works. The Committee is finalising the plans which will see the building work to the rear of the hall being undertaken. There will be an area which can be opened out to make one larger hall area or used as two separate venues. The flexibility to add changing rooms and shower has been taken into account and will be undertaken when needed. The Committee are keen to provide a versatile space for the village and surrounding area.Following the completion of the plans and costing of this work, the Committee will be working to secure the grants and awards to finance the work. We are continuing to raise funds with Project George events and general fund raising at the Saturday market. May bank holiday will see the 10th anniversary of the Market. The Committee would like to thank all those who help and support us every week.
6 Burrator Beacon
Cream Tea Walkhampton Memorial Hall Sunday 8th July from 2.30. £4.50 - In aid of Project George, for the next phase of building work. Raffle Stalls Phone Mave Goddard 07387388814
Walkhampton Market – How It All Began… Julia Curry
We are celebrating the tenth anniversary of Walkhampton market / coffeeshop on May 26th. In 2007 the village shop closed leaving a large gap in the practical and social life if the village. Beer Ferrers, which had had the same experience two years earlier, had responded by opening a community run market and coffee shop which was proving to be a great success. Having learned all the secrets of their success from the very enthusiastic instigators of their scheme, Jenny Edge and Julia Curry, with the support of the Memorial hall committee, made the necessary preparations for our own venture, deciding on the May bank holiday Saturday, only three weeks away, as our opening date. This is the formula for success we had learned from Beer Ferrers: 1. Open at a regular day and time every week 2. Make it special: tablecloths, flowers, cafetieres of coffee, pots of tea, homemade cakes and waitress service.
3. Keep prices really low so everyone can afford it. 4. Keep price of hiring a market table low so anyone can give it a try. 5. Arrange teams of six volunteers to run the coffee shop so no one would feel burdened. 6. Arrange a list of cake makers and pay them adequately for each cake. 7. Ask the following week’s team to wash the tablecloths to remind them of their turn. Bearing all this in mind, and having no time to fund raise, we borrowed and scoured charity shops for cafetieres, teapots, milk jugs, flower vases and table cloths. We sourced Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar and recruited cake makers. Each member of the Hall committee put a team together hoping to find more team leaders once the project was up and running. We leafleted the whole village and displayed posters in the surrounding area. We found stalls to cover the essentials hoping to find more when we became established. Our opening day was a great success with a representative of the youngest and oldest members of the village cutting the ribbon. It was proof that the expression ‘Just do it’ is the best way to make things happen.
Burrator Beacon 7 Ten Years On… We now have several stalwart regular stall holders and many occasional craft and white elephant stalls. Anyone is welcome to have a go at only £1.50 a stall and a friendly welcome. We have increased our seating from 24 to 42 with some people opting to stay all morning. We can achieve two sittings in the two hours sometimes having to squeeze in extra tables. Our teams never let us down, serving a variety of delicious cakes with a smile and even those washing up seem to have fun. Many people, especially the elderly have said it is the highlight of their week, proving that we have achieved the main purpose of our venture, giving a heart back to the village after the closure of its shop and giving the community somewhere to meet every week to share highs and lows. We celebrate birthdays, meet new babies, help the bereaved and enjoy special occasions together. Our seven-point plan has proved its worth and could be followed by any village. We all hope that our village will never loose this vital community facility.
8 Burrator Beacon
Walkhampton Cottage Garden Society Richard Dixon - Chairman
We are sorry to announce that Kay and Tim Miall have decided to stand down from their roles as Joint Presidents of the society. The committee would like to thank them for their support over many years. We are however pleased that Linda and Barry Landick have agreed to become the new Joint Presidents. Linda has been Honorary Vice President and prior to that was a long-standing committee member of the society. We are also pleased to announce that Wendy Swinburne has agreed to become the new Honorary Vice President. Wendy was also a long-standing committee member and one of the show’s most prolific and successful entrants. We are looking forward to our 75th Flower & Produce Show and hope to see as many of you there as possible as entrants and visitor
What’s going on at St Mary’s Walkhampton? Revd. Preb. Nick Shutt
It is hard not to notice that St Mary’s Church Tower is completely covered in scaffolding at the moment, you can see it for miles. What is happening? The tower is being repointed with lime mortar and remedial work undertaken to prevent the water ingress which the tower has suffered for decades. In the distant past, the tower was pointed with a very hard mortar which stands proud of the stonework. This has meant that water has gradually seeped into the tower walls and made its way internally causing damage. This essential work will start on 23rd April with a contract period of 12 weeks (hopefully less if the weather is good). We are constrained as to when the work can be undertaken because of the breeding seasons of the various bats in the belfry and we have been guided by experts in this regard. This is a very expensive piece of essential work and we are grateful to the late George Eggins for his generosity which has allowed us to carry out this work.
Burrator Beacon 9 Walkhampton Open Gardens
Sunday 29th July 2018 11am - 5pm
On the 29th July you have the opportunity to explore some of our beautiful gardens, with everything from small to large gardens, minimalist to well stocked, classic and contemporary styles. Let our gardens inspire you! Car parking, tickets and refreshments will be available at Walkhampton Memorial Hall, PL20 6JX from where you can follow the route around the village on foot, most of the gardens are within easy reach of each other and we will provide a map to guide you.
We plan to have 10 gardens for viewing. £5 per adult (under 16’s free, regrettably, no dogs)
All proceeds raised go towards the 75th Annual Flower & Produce Show + Project George.
Walkhampton Open Gardens supported by the Walkhampton Inn.
Contact event organisers: email [email protected]
www.walkhamptonshow.weebly.com
and Meavy…. MEAVY GARDEN SOCIETY MEETINGS Monday Brian Carlson talk on ‘Growing and Showing 18th June Fuchsias’ Plants for sale. Brian gives talks on all aspects of growing and showing fuchsias and pelargoniums, including hanging baskets. Monday Roger Hooper (from Cornwall Butterfly Conservation) talk 16th July on Butterflies and Moths.
Saturday Summer Flower Show 1-4pm Schedule not yet available 11th August All meetings start at 7.30pm Meavy Parish Hall. Refreshments, time to chat and often plants for sale from 7pm. Enquiries 01822 852672 and 01822 852984 Visitors very welcome
10 Burrator Beacon
Visit by Burrator Twinning Association to Mathieu, Normandy 4th-7th May 2018 Jenny Gray, Secretary
“Le weekend” started with travellers making their way from Devon by ferry, train or car to a warm welcome at Mathieu. The group shared drinks and light refreshments followed by an evening meal at the homes of host families. On Saturday various French attractions were visited: markets, artisan pottery, artwork, chapel windows by Rene Lalique, local villages and shops. We were fortunate to have warm weather to visit the long sandy beaches north of Mathieu where the Normandy landings took place. Sadly we had learned of the passing of one of our French friends on 1st May and his funeral took place during our visit. Some of our party were honoured to attend to represent the twinning association from Burrator. We mourn the loss of Claude Lenorais, a cheerful, pleasant man who, over many years, had welcomed countless British visitors to his home. On Saturday evening we all met at a restaurant in Cruelly for 7 courses of Normandy fare. The leaders of both sides delivered speeches in both languages and there was much laughter and enjoyment. A visit to the Victory museum had been arranged for us all on Sunday. We had the services of an interpreter who was very knowledgeable about the wartime history of the region. There were displays of artefacts discovered and collected over many years and a great deal of information about the lives of the French before and after the country’s liberation. We thank our French hosts for their kind and generous hospitality. The Burrator Mathieu twinning association has existed for 42 years. If any readers are interested in biennial visits or would like to host a French couple please contact us on 01822 854888. Burrator Beacon 11 Yelverton & District Local History Society Nigel Rendle (Chairman)
The Roman Excavations at Ipplepen 2007-17 (coins, slate and daub)
The discovery of some Roman coins by local metal detector enthusiasts in 2007 and a subsequent application by the farmer to put up some new buildings on the site has led to a remarkable 10 year project of tremendous historical importance. Derek Gore related how further geo-physical surveys and trial excavations discovered many unusual archaeological features spread over a large field area near a minor road junction outside the village. The resulting project, led by the University of Exeter and funded by the British Museum has since uncovered evidence of settlements from Iron Age and Roman periods. Initial finds included a 7 metre deep pit which suggested a Roman quarry containing slate and pottery sherds and a coin dating from the 3rd century. More coins followed and as a larger excavation got underway, trenches and prehistoric field systems were exposed – features such as an Iron Age pit dated c400BC probably used for metal smelting. One of the most exciting discoveries was that of a Roman road 4 metres wide in places complete with wheel ruts and probably built by their army, which appeared to lead towards Haldon ridge; Derek surmised that this could have led on south westwards towards the River Dart and the coast. Within a side trench the neck of an amphora was unearthed – was this an offering to the Roman god of roads? In 2014 more excavations uncovered bones from 37 inhumation burials carefully arranged in what appeared to be family groupings and thought to be post Roman c600-800AD. By 2016 burnt bones had been identified of a young female from the mid Iron Age; also a circular building of the Roman period, further trenches, wells, rubbish pits, building post holes plus daub clay and animal dung used in house construction and an intricately designed brooch pin. Later finds included more bracelets, brooches and Samian pottery, all normally the possessions of wealthy people.
Roman Excavations An application in 2017 for a new stable by the farmer in the adjacent field prompted further excavations with similar discoveries but also a granary, a blacksmith’s forge containing iron workings and slag, another trackway into the fields and a burial with hobnails from boots thrown in! There was also the incredibly rare find of a pottery sherd from the Romano-British period known as South East Glazed Ware not previously found west of Wiltshire. It was traditionally thought that Romans never ventured further west than Exeter, however the discoveries near Ipplepen show otherwise. They also show that 12 Burrator Beacon settlements existed here even well before the Romans, providing new insights into the history of Devon itself. Further Open Days are planned at the site in the future.
The Last Copper Miners of Dartmoor: a unique legacy.
With the scheduled speaker unavailable through illness, Dr. Tom Greeves stepped in at short notice with another talk from his vast repertoire of researches. Tom stated firstly that although copper made up 90% of bronze, there were fewer records available and no evidence of prehistoric mining for it on Dartmoor, unlike tin. Copper mining was in fact concentrated in 3 main areas on the edges of the Moor: Tamar/ Tavy/ Walkham valleys, Ashburton and to the north around South Zeal. Morwellham was a very important port around 1900 for the export of copper from the nearby huge Devon Great Consols Mine and Wheal Friendship at Mary Tavy. Tom had obtained some amazing drawings of the latter which had 6 shafts more Morwellham was a very important port around 1900 for the export of copper from the nearby huge Devon Great Consols Mine and Wheal Friendship at Mary Tavy. Tom had obtained some amazing drawings of the latter which had 6 shafts more than 1,000ft deep in the mid 19th century. The remains of this mine lie hidden in thick vegetation today. Other mines of note were the Druid mine in Yarner Wood, Wheal Forest under Meldon and the Blackdown on the Redaven Brook – the only true moorland one. Another significant mine was the Ramsley at South Zeal, although it underwent many name changes from its origins around 1780. Tom shared his collection of remarkable images of the mine with its waterwheels, tramways and associated buildings. It seemed that despite the Oxenham Philanthropic Friendly Society being involved, the village and area had a rough reputation, sometimes known as “Irish Town”. The mine closed in 1909 with a huge auction of over 400 items. Tom’s research does not stop at the mines and their buildings however and extends to the local miners themselves. Again with his extraordinary high quality image collection, Tom has explored their lives by talking to relatives and descendants. These pictures paint fascinating tales of how they far the miners were prepared to travel to find work. John Osborn born 1865, one of 11 children walked many miles to work each day to Golden Dagger mine, often dynamiting a few trout on the way! He also worked in Cornwall, Mary Tavy and India. A character called Rocky Mountain George travelled to the gold mines in the US. John Newcombe went to British Columbia and Tom read fascinating extracts from postcards sent by Newcombe to his wife in Devon. Another miner joined the Navy and went off to fight in the Boer War. Others worked also in Kelly Mine near Bovey Tracey (iron mine), plus coal mining in Wales and South Africa. The tales and pictures brought to life the characters and the tough working conditions of the mines. For example, images of men with bunches of candles around their necks in preparation for the long descent down ladders in the dark, but also the women on the surface, the “bal maidens” breaking up the ore with hammers. Tom’s excellent talk and his collection of drawings and photographs also emphasised the resourcefulness of these mining communities. Full details of our 2018 programme are available on our website. Also summaries of other past events are available at www.yelvertonhistory.org.uk
Burrator Beacon 13
Watercolour Art Sessions With local artist Janet Farrage - suitable for beginners & experienced artists The Burrator Inn, Dousland, nr Yelverton Tuesdays 10am-12noon
The Brook Inn, Plympton St Maurice -Wednesday 10am-12noon
Chaddlewood Farm Community Centre, Plympton - Thursdays 10am-12noon
£7 per session – pay as you go – Free easy parking For more information call or text Janet on Mobile: 07742 983311
We meet at Princetown Community Centre on the first Tuesday of the month, at 19:00 for a 19:30 start. 5th June Andrew Crabb Hound Tor Medieval village. Meet at Hound Tor car park, SX 7400 7925. 3rd July Paul Rendell Haymeadow walk. Meet at DNPA car park, Postbridge. Booking essential. Numbers limited to 15. The new owners of the meadows have asked "do we want a basic BBQ (hot dog/burger) and a hot drink for £4.00 per person." Please inform me well before the date. 7th August Simon Dell Tavistock Town Walk. Meet 19:00 at Court Gate Arch, outside the museum. princetownhistoryclub.weebly.com
14 Burrator Beacon Speed Shear Linda Landick
Tavistock Young Farmers have joined forces with Yelverton Friends’ Group for C.H.S.W to host the speed shear. This is a competition involving shearers from around the country racing each other against the clock which creates a real spectacle. This will be the third time the event has been held at Lake Farm. Previous events in 2014 and 2016 have raised a total of £16,000 for local charities - Tavistock stroke club, The Prince’s Trust and Children's Hospice South West have benefited from this event. This year will be C.H.S.W and Devon Air Ambulance. The event is dedicated to the memory of John Bone a valued member of the committee.
Tavistock Young Farmers present......
SOUTH WEST CHARITY SPEED SHEAR
Lake Farm, Dousland, Yelverton. PL20 6LZ (sign posted from Yelverton roundabout) By kind permission of Mr & Mrs Eggins
SUNDAY 26th AUGUST 2018.
Sheep shearing competition, BBQ, Hog Roast, Raffle, Bar,Live Band
Gates open 5 pm, shearing starts 6 pm. For more info contact Linda 01822 852142.
All profits to Children's Hospice South West + Devon Air Ambulance.
The event is dedicated to the memory of John Bone, a larger than life character in the world of sheep shearing.
www.dartmoorsociety.com Burrator Beacon 15
Exciting events coming up at Burrator Evening Talks Please book your place in advance. Tuesday 19 June: 7.30pm-8.30pm – ‘Working with willow’ by Richard Kerwood, from Windrush Willow. £4 per person (Inc. refreshments). Tuesday 17 July: 7.30pm-8.30pm – ‘Devon’s Small Mammals’ by Peter Cooper from Devon Mammal Group. £4 per person (Inc. refreshments). Friday 3 August – 7.30pm-9.30pm – ‘Butterflies & Moths of Dartmoor’ and will include looking in our moth trap, by Megan Lowe from the Butterfly Conservation Trust and Tony John. £4 per person (Inc. refreshments). Exhibition: Sunday 15 July – 10am-4pm – FREE Exhibition on ‘The Fishing Feast’. A historic ceremony that celebrates Sir Francis Drake's role in first bringing a reliable water supply to Plymouth in the 16th century, at Burrator Discovery Centre. Family Events: Sunday 1 July: 12pm-4pm - Burrator Family Day and Fundraiser for our Lower Lawn Project. Activities will include: Woodwork, Environmental Art, Outdoor Cooking, Letterboxing, the chance to buy handmade stools, homemade cakes. £3 entry per person. No need to book. Saturday 4 August: 10.30am-12.30pm – ‘Butterflies & Moths’ Monthly Family Wildlife Watch session, including opening up our moth traps. We will meet at Burrator Discovery Centre. Please wear outdoor clothing. £3 per child, £2 per adult. No need to book. Butterfly Training Day: Wednesday 6 June: FREE Butterfly Training Day at Burrator Discovery Centre. Come & learn how to identify and survey for butterflies with the Butterfly Conservation Trust. Please book your place in advance.
Volunteering At Burrator There are lots of different volunteering projects to get involved in to suit your interests and time availability. These include site maintenance, practical conservation and archaeological preservation projects, monthly bat surveys, assisting with educational visits and family events, or as a visitor guide in the Discovery Centre, plus much more. Dates for the practical group days are below:
Midweek Days – 10am-3pm • June: Mon 4, Tues 12, Mon 18 and Fri 29 • July: Tues 3, Mon 9, Tues 17, Fri 27, and Tues 31 • August: Mon 6, Tues 14, Mon 20, and Fri 31
Weekend Days – 10.30am-3.30pm • Sun 17 June • Sun 15 July • Sun 19 August
To find out more please pop into Burrator Discovery Centre (open Tues, Wed, Thurs & alternating weekends), ring 01822 855700 or e-mail Emily at [email protected].
16 Burrator Beacon Burrator News Emily Cannon – Community & Learning Officer
Along with some stunning snow scenes the ‘beast from the east’ kept our warden and volunteers busy clearing rights of way and cutting up fallen trees. Some of the wood has been used for the Centre’s woodburner, but the majority has either been milled for a new signage project, or upcycled into planks for our future lower lawn project. Amidst the changeable weather the fly fishing season got underway in March and mid-April saw Kevin catch a 13lb 6oz rainbow! Definitely one for the record books. In February our midweek and weekend volunteer groups completed our work for this season at Riddipit Gully, hoping to return this winter to remove some final conifers off the top of the mine adit to release the weight on this important structure. In March they moved onto working in Peekhill Plantation to clear and burn redundant brash to lessen issues of antisocial behaviour regularly found here. For 2 days we were also joined by ‘Hydrock’ and a team form ‘DWP’ to assist our regular volunteers. Our visitor centre guides have also been busy, in addition to greeting visitors they have spent weeks creating a new set of information panels for the arboretum. Have look out for them when you are next visiting, and please remember to report any wildlife sightings at the centre where we are collecting them on the chalkboard out front. In addition to our regular school visits, this spring we have had the chance to be part of a unique partnership with Tavistock College and Tavistock Police. We have delivered 3 out of 4 rural skill training days to a group of Year 10 students. So far they have covered coppicing, bushcrafts and charcoal making, hopefully to do more together in the future. The evening talks have been well attended, and in March we had the opportunity to have a guided walk along Wembley Walk and learn more about its’ history, as the former Sheepstor Road. We have now planned our programme of talks until December 2018. In April, Mike Glinn, one of our long-term volunteers, hosted a tree planting morning at the Arboretum, inviting those who had won the raffle at our open day last year, to come and plant the 8 oak trees he’d grown from acorns. He said “The hope is the younger members will see the trees grow and perhaps say to their children, I planted that tree when I was your age.” Coming up over the next few months we have a number of school visits planned; several volunteers have been working on creating a Burrator Wildlife Guide with the aim of getting it printed and on sale in the Centre this summer; and we are busy planning our ‘Family and Fundraising day’ on Sunday 1 July to start raising money to build an easy access footpath around the lower lawn to make it easier for families with pushchairs and our friends at Dame Hannah’s to access and enjoy it. If you would like any more information about Burrator please do pop into the Discovery Centre, ring 01822 855700 or e-mail Emily at [email protected]
Burrator Beacon 17
Charcoal making with Year 10 students Team of Year 7 students from Tavistock from Tavistock College and Tavistock Police College on their last volunteer day receiving a thank you certificate for volunteering
CLASSY K9’s Professional friendly dog grooming service.
One to one personal care for every dog. All breeds/cross breeds welcome. Call Paula 01822 853446
18 Burrator Beacon
John Boylett Electrical Services The Smithy, Meavy, Yelverton. PL20 6PJ. Tel: 01822 853456 / 07748 513469 Domestic Electrical Installations - Rewiring - New Builds - Smoke Alarms Consumer Units - Lighting - Electric Showers - New and Replacement sockets All work tested, certificated and guaranteed Very Competitive Rates Friendly local service Part ‘P’ Elecsa Approved Contractor
P. J. Shields OIL BOILER SPECIALIST - OFTEC REGISTERED SERVICE - REPAIR - MAINTENANCE Tavistock 614664
Burrator Beacon 19
20 Burrator Beacon
Got a computer problem at home or
office?
We are the LOCAL help you have been looking for!! Based at Crapstone, we come to where the problem is We are a computer shop on wheels Virus and spyware removal a speciality Expert with wireless networking we can give advice about Broadband We have a broad range of experience with people of all ages/abilities Take a look at the website for all you need to know
Since 2003 Call 01822 855822 for an appointment
Burrator Beacon 21
WRIGHT WINDOWS
The local tradesman for uPVC, double-glazed windows, doors, porches and replacement double-glazed units.
FENSA registered with insurance-backed guarantee. TERRY WRIGHT Sharpitor, Burrator Road, Dousland, Yelverton PL20 6NE Tel: 01822 852275 Mobile: 07977 631776 ‘A tradesman not a salesman’
22 Burrator Beacon
Burrator Beacon 23 Dates for your Calendar June See page 14th Walkhampton Inn- World Cup Football Competition 17th Walkhampton Inn – Fathers’ Day Hog Roast 18th Meavy Garden Society Talk 9 25th Natural Flora of Walkhampton Walk & Talk 8 29th/30th/1st Flower Festival & Craft Fair St Peter’s Meavy 10 July 2nd Walkhampton Inn – Wimbledon in the Garden + Strawberries & Cream 8th Cream Tea – Walkhampton Memorial Hall 6 16th Meavy Garden Society Talk 9 20th Chef’s Themed Weekend 29th Walkhampton Open Gardens 9 August 11th Meavy Garden Society Summer Flower Show 10 24th-27th Walkhampton Inn Sausage & Cider Festival 25th Walkhampton Flower & Produce Festival 7 26th South west Charity Speed Shear 14
To have your event included in future issues please send details (date, time location, contact name and phone number) to the Editor as soon as you have decided on the date. This will ensure maximum publicity and avoid clashes with other events. Parish Council Meetings Full Council Meetings are usually held at 7:30pm on the last Thursday of the month (but not always!). For the dates of the next few meetings, please visit the Parish website: www.burrator.gov.uk The Planning, Finance and Royal Oak Inn Committees meet on other dates throughout the year – please contact the Clerk: [email protected] for more details. How to advertise in the Burrator Beacon The Beacon is published quarterly at the end of February, May, August and November and delivered to all homes in Burrator Parish which covers Walkhampton, Dousland, Meavy, Sheepstor, Hoo Meavy and Lovaton. Business are able to advertise in the Beacon at the following rates: Single Issue Four issues Sixes in mm Size of advert to be (approx) when submitted (mm) printed* 1/6 page £12.00 £30.00 30 × 130 42 × 180 1/3 page £20.00 £ 60.00 60 × 130 85 × 180 half page £30.00 £90.00 90 × 130 130 × 180 full page £48.00 £144.00 180 × 130 260 × 180 *The Beacon is printed A5 size i.e. 210mm high by 148mm wide. However, adverts should be submitted A4 size. All prices are subject to VAT. Invoices will be raised by the Parish Clerk upon receipt of your booking and will be payable upon receipt. Adverts should be submitted to the Editor (details on the back page) electronically, i.e. as an attached Word document. 24 Burrator Beacon BURRATOR GROUPED PARISH COUNCIL List of Members and Telephone Numbers (Area Code 01822) Meavy Village Walkhampton Village Bridget Cole 854810 Graham Palmer 852524 Pauline Fisk 854853 Andrew Paskins 853377 Tricia Powell 854859 Barry Landick 852142 Meavy Dousland Walkhampton Dousland Brian Willis 853901 Corinna Legassick 852613 852613
Jackie Moorhead 854800 Richard Glanville 855914
2x vacancies Michael Ellis 853854 Robin Aves 852904
Sheepstor Clerk to Council Keith Scrivener 854518 Mrs Lucie Luke 614278 The Apartment, The Old Stephen Hopson 852979 Bedford Foundry, Lakeside Tavistock, PL19 0AZ Email: [email protected] Published and issued quarterly, free of charge by Burrator Parish Council. The next edition will be published end of August. Copy deadline Tuesday August 7th 2018. Copy to be sent to the Editor, Mrs Karen Batson, 10 Blackbrook Close, Walkhampton PL20 6JF Tel 855030 email: [email protected] as a Word attachment. If you require this publication in large text please contact the editor: Karen Batson on 855030 Burrator Parish Council is a body which complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Contact the Clerk, Mrs. Lucie Luke for specific details about parish business. Advertising: Local events are publicised free of charge. Businesses and clubs and societies (which have membership fees) can advertise in the Beacon and should contact the Editor for advertising rates. A note to advertisers: Please check your adverts as they appear in each issue. Every effort is made to include the correct information at the time of going to press, but omissions can result where adverts are sometimes moved around in order to fit new articles in. Burrator Web Site: The Burrator Parish Website is http://burrator.gov.uk/ You can find details of meetings plus other information. The opinions expressed in the Burrator Beacon are not necessarily those held by Burrator Parish Council. Every effort is made to ensure that information in these pages is accurate. However, the Council cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. Including information does not imply recommendation and any subsequent contact is made at readers' own risk. Burrator Beacon 25