Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust An environmental charity dedicated to the recognition, protection, enhancement and enjoyment of Peninsula

Friends of the Lizard 1997-2006 Registered Charity No 1092934 Patron: Jill Morison DL

Newsletter No 63, April 2015

Chairman’s Message

With this Newsletter, you will find our Events Programme for 2015. Once again, my thanks to Lynda Blackman and her Events Committee for their hard work in putting this together. As last year, we are travelling out of area for one event - to Mount Edgcumbe and we will be car sharing again. Please notify us if you intend to come on any event in case of last minute changes to the arrangements. We have already had a successful lunch at the Prince of Wales PH and I hope to see as many of you as possible during the year. Geoff Blackman

Events before the next Newsletter (due in July 2015)

Friday 24 April: Town Trail Lynda & Geoffrey Blackman

Meet: 2.00 pm outside The Guildhall in Helston. (OS ref SW 659 275) We will follow the Helston Town Trail, after which we will seek out some Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park refreshment at the Helston Boating Lakeside café. The trail will take between 1½ and 2 hours and is on pavements or paved/cobbled lanes. Across the water from the historic city of Plymouth lies the great There will be frequent stops but many up and down hills as is the nature Cornish House of Mount Edgcumbe, set in Grade I Cornish of Helston. Not suitable for dogs. Gardens, within a 865 acres Country Park on the Rame Peninsula. The house was built between 1547 and 1553, for the Tuesday 19 May: Visit to Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park renowned Edgcumbe family of Cotehele, and became the home Gill & David Richardson ( see next column and page 2 in this Newsletter ) of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe. For the first time in England, a Meet: 9.30 am Mawgan Village Hall car park. (OS ref: SW 702 244) house was built to take advantage of the wonderful situation and Booking is essential by Monday 11 May. We will take as few cars as views, rather than as a defensive house around a courtyard. necessary. Cost: Admission fee to the park, a guided tour of the House and Earl’s The banqueting hall adjoining the house was damaged in the Garden is £6.50 block booking price for concessions payable on arrival. Civil War, and the house saw many changes to its structure over (Depends on numbers of at least 10). We plan to lunch in one of the the years, none more dramatic than in 1941, when gutted by cafes at Mount Edgcumbe. For more information visit http://www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk enemy action. 1958 saw the beginning of reconstruction, when the 6th Earl restored the house to its original 16th century Thursday 4 June: National Trust Windmill Farm Project proportions. In 1971 the house, together with 865 acres, was David Richardson sold to County and Plymouth City Councils and has Meet: 2.00 pm National Trust Office at Poltesco. (OS ref: SW 725 158) been open to the general public on a regular basis since 1988. Nick Marriott (West Cornwall Reserve Manager for Cornwall Wildlife The house has now been restored to the 18th century style, in Trust) will talk about the project at Windmill Farm. Afterwards, Rachel keeping with the furniture and family treasures it holds, all of Holder (National Trust Ranger) will lead a short walk around Poltesco, which have family connections. Features include paintings by (sturdy shoes essential for the walk). Sir Joshua Reynolds, Gerard Edema and William van der Velde, Friday 12 June: Botanical Walk with Steve Townsend Irish Bronze Age horns, 16th century tapestries and 18th century David Richardson Chinese and Plymouth porcelain.

Meet: 11.00 am Higher Bochym (Natural England Estate Offices) The Earl's Garden was created beside the Tudor House in the (OS ref: SW 704 202) Bring: walking boots or strong shoes and a picnic lunch. 18th century. Ancient and rare trees including a 400 year old We will begin with a short introduction and coffee at the Natural England lime, a splendid Lucombe oak, and a Mexican pine, set among Offices. After which we will, in a small number of cars, drive to the walk - classical garden houses and an exotic shell seat. Colourful starting near Kynance Farm where Steve will show and discuss flora. flowers and heathers grace the recreated Victorian east lawn No dogs on this occasion please. terrace, which has spectacular views over Plymouth Sound.

Tuesday 23 June: Withan Woods and Kestle Barton The formal gardens are in the lower park and were created over Lynda & Geoffrey Blackman 200 years ago in the English, French and Italian styles. They have recently been added to with an American plantation and a Meet: 2.00 pm Kestle Barton. (OS ref: SW 753 254) New Zealand-styled garden, both countries having strong family Bring: Strong shoes or walking boots. A pole for the creekside walk may be useful. connections. In 2002 a Jubilee Garden was established to From Kestle, we will walk along the creek and through Withan Woods, commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. A series of returning for a look around Kestle’s current exhibition and a cup of tea ponds enhance the Amphitheatre, a small valley garden from their kiosk. overlooking Plymouth Sound with its shingle beach. The lower pond near Milton's Temple is a great haven for bird life. Early Saturday 4 July: Annual BBQ plantings of camellias are found in the area. Events Committee

Meet: 12.30 pm Ruth & John Thompson, Mellan House, North Corner, The Stables Cafe, with seating inside and out, has a menu that Coverack TR12 6TH. (OS ref: SW 781 186) focuses on homemade, freshly prepared and locally sourced Cost: Booking is essential by 29 June - £12 per person- all in price. dishes, catering for breakfasts, light lunches, hot dishes, drinks Details: Send cheques, payable to ‘Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust’, to and homemade cakes and scones. The Orangery , in the Italian Geoffrey Blackman at 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion, TR12 7JG. Garden, serves local seasonal food for brunch, lunch, Sunday Special dietary requirements, call Lynda on 01326 241722. roast, local coffee and homemade cakes. (continued over)

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Coprophilic Canines

Those of you who take the West Briton might have noticed an article in it just before Christmas concerning doggy demises on The Lizard.

As you know, (Lizard Trust Newsletter 61, October 2014, page 2) we lost our dear Yussi (named Beauty in the article in case her former owner read it) in July, but there then followed a spate of further incidents, also involving sudden sickness and death with no apparent cause. Other dogs suffered similar symptoms but pulled through.

The W.B. article was instigated by our neighbour, with the full support of both Helston veterinary practices and the police, and we hoped it might shine a light on the mystery. There was very

little response until January when another Lizard resident Mount Edgcumbe - The Orangery & Italian Garden suggested that sheep wormer might be the cause. The following

For this visit to Mount Edgcumbe, we need an early start, meeting to is based on an internet article: share cars at Mawgan Village Hall. We are hoping that priority of lifts can be offered to members who would otherwise be unable to go. Sheep droppings won't harm your dog in any way (nor will their Please contact me with offers or requests for transport. worms). However, depending on your breed of dog, if the sheep have been wormed in the last two weeks, the droppings could David Richardson be deadly. Generally sheep are wormed with ivomec which is

fine for most dogs but in certain dogs their blood/brain barrier Planning Matters - Community Right of Appeal can be breached by the ivomec and cause problems such as A new alliance of Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), vomiting, lethargy and death. The toxicity is not limited to Civic Voice and the National Association of Local Councils ivomec but to a broad class of drugs that includes medicines (NALC), has called on all political parties to make a firm such as that in immodium (which you might give to a dog with manifesto commitment to introduce a “community right of diarrhoea), ace, atopica etc. appeal” into the planning system. The ivomec is out of the sheep's system within 24 hours, but the The alliance believes that all political parties should support local drug can stay active in the droppings for up to two weeks. If ambitions by introducing a limited community right of appeal in your dog is not among those affected by the mdr1 gene it's not a areas where a development is non-compliant with a problem. If your dog is in the breeds listed, get your dog tested neighbourhood plan or local plan. Parish councils and other because the class of drugs includes those that might be community groups have the power to produce neighbourhood (inadvertantly) prescribed by a vet - and you should not expect plans, but no scope to stop developers overriding this by putting that your vet will test your dog or warn you about this. in speculative planning applications for approval by the district As to whether vets know about this, and should warn dog council. Budget cuts within local authorities mean that they are owners, the jury is still out. There is also no firm evidence that under increasing pressure to allow large developments, even sheep poo was the culprit, but we do have one flock locally when these are not in line with the community's aspirations for which is constantly performing Houdini acts and littering public the future of its area. paths with poo. The theory is strongly supported by another The introduction of a Community Right of Appeal could be local resident who was warned by her vet, when she lived in triggered when a high threshold of community opposition was Wales, on no account to let her dog eat s.p. The counter reached. Grounds for appeal could include insufficient argument that immediately springs to mind, “What about sheep infrastructure, non-compliance with government guidance and dogs?” might be answered thus: Yussi was indeed one of the non-compliance with a local neighbourhood plan. breed (Belgian Shepherd) affected by the mdr1 gene (50% frequency), but Border collies are far less so (5%). The planning system needs to be rebalanced to give communities the right to stand up to bullying developers and I wrote to both veterinary practices in Helston and have had a appeal against planning decisions which ignore local or reply from Dr Paul Cockerham of Rosemullion, the practice we neighbourhood plans. The grounds on which developers can use. He has gone into some detail on this, and more can be appeal should be restricted. The vast majority of planning read on the Rosemullion Facebook page. He is also going to applications would be unaffected by such measures, but they cover the subject in a monthly newsletter he writes for a paper would provide important safeguards to ensure communities can with a Falmouth distribution, and liaise with Head & Head, the resist unsustainable development proposals. other Helston veterinary practice, to get some publicity in the West Briton or Packet. If anyone would like yet more detail, feel At present, the only recourse for the public against poor planning free to email me. decisions is judicial review. A right of appeal would give local people a real opportunity to have a say and would rebalance the No-one is about to start a witch hunt, but I for one shall be doing planning system and help deliver true localism. all in my power to prevent Tilly helping herself to any delicious ovine offerings on future walks. NALC Chairman, Cllr Ken Browse said “The voice of local There have been, so far as we know, no further illnesses or people through the local (town and parish) councils should deaths of dogs on the Lizard in recent months – just one very always be at the heart of planning. To some extent this is being sad one from a spaniel who ate slug bait. It took very little of the achieved through the statutory neighbourhood plan. But stuff to kill her, so this is another area about which we gardeners communities via local councils feel that their planning demands should be vigilant. If you would like a useful, slightly yucky, tip – are being ignored and there is still the potential for developers to go round your garden at dusk with a trowel and a bucket of try and ride roughshod against the neighbourhood plan. So a soapy water. Scoop up the slugs, drop them in the bucket and ‘right of appeal’ would stop this planning injustice”. they go instantly to slug heaven (or the alternative). A squeeze The three organisations have published their own individual of washing up liquid is all that is needed. As to where you tip the manifestos and are each calling for a community right of appeal bucket’s contents afterwards, that is up to you! within them. Jane Grierson Civic Voice [email protected]

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Left to right: Chriss Chatfield, Colin Chapman, Ann Chapman, David Seller, Kath Cafferty, Anne Roberts, John Brazier, Brenda Moreland, John Girdlestone, Jill Morison, Tony Vyvyan, Heather Girdlestone, Ruth Thompson, Jo Seller, Avril Evens, Tony Chatfield, Tony Hilton, Lynda Blackman, Geoff Blackman, Gill Richardson, John Thompson, Mary Vyvyan, David Richardson, Adele Brazier.

Prince of Wales Spring Lunch Gunwallow Vicarage

After hours of pouring over astronomical charts to find an The Royal Cornwall Gazette for August 4th 1837 carried a notice that a auspicious date for the LPHT Spring Lunch, the Committee parcel of land, 1 acre, 2 roods in area, bounded on one side by the road from Cury to Gunwallow Church, forming part of Parc Venton, eventually decided upon the 20 March 2015. So it was that was to be purchased to enable a parsonage or glebe house to be built exactly three hours and five minutes after the shadow from the for the occupation of the vicar. I have been unable to find out exactly partial solar eclipse raced across Cornwall, the members when the Vicarage was built. Lake's 'Parochial ' began to assemble at “The Prince of Wales” at Newtown-in-St. (1868) records that 'a good residence has been built for the incumbent Martin. in this parish, near Cury Churchtown'.

After a complimentary drink in the bar, the twenty-four There was also a letter published c1836 to the Bishop of Exeter signed members lined up for a group photograph taken by the by the churchwardens of Cury and Gunwallow that the then priest-in- Newsletter’s own photographer who, like Banksy, normally charge was so well liked that at Sunday Services there was now only standing room at the two churches, and praying that the Bishop could remains anonymous and does not appear in any of his own see his way to appointing an incumbent. This notice seems that the works of art. However, on this occasion he may have been Churchwardens' pleas were heard. exposed, thanks to a waiter who offered to take a group Tony Hilton photograph that included the photographer, despite that individual protesting that it was not necessary. At the time of Landewednack Poor Houses writing this article it is not known which will be used but, as the The Issue of the Royal Cornwall Gazette for August 1839 carries an photographer is rumoured to have considerable editorial advertisement for the sale of Landewednack Poor Houses. Now this influence, the waiter’s may yet be spiked. was not a workhouse, the Helston Poor Law Union had been in (No, the waiter's effort is shown above - Ed) existence for several years, and had set up a workhouse for the sick and the poor in the area. This was, on the face of it, the parish's The group then returned to the restaurant where the pre- efforts to provide housing for the poor. There were 15 acres of arable ordered food was served by very attentive waiting staff who, land in the sale, together with 6 acres of Croft land, but of interest it despite some confusion created by the usual suspects, was determined on the deaths of 3 lives, aged 38, 37 and 34 years, ensured that everybody received the appropriate courses in a which was the usual Cornish custom. Were these three houses timely fashion. The food and the ambience were excellent provided by the parish for the benefit of the sick and old, or was the rental income used for this purpose? I think the clue must be in the and, judging by the myriad conversations, the company three ages, these were all reasonably young people. Only a little more achieved the same standard. research will tell us. Tony Hilton After the calorie-free desserts, such as Treacle Tart and Clotted Cream, the President read out a letter from Lady Diana Trant ("Tink"), widow of our former Patron, General Sir Richard Trant ("Dick") (see note below), with which she had generously enclosed a donation towards the cost of drinks for the members attending the lunch and which the Committee had decided to use to provide complimentary tea or coffee.

The consensus seemed to be that the event had been a great success. The 16 th Century inn had truly lived up to the motto of its eponymous prince, “ Ich Dien “ (I Serve) and that several members announced their intention to add the “Prince of Wales” to their list of restaurants to use again in the future.

John Brazier

Tink's communication was prompted by the tribute to Major Tony Hibbert in our previous Newsletter. Tony had been a particularly close friend of Tink & Dick and brought the Hunting Art Exhibition to Trebah. Opposite, is Tink's charming pen & ink sketch of a roe deer, on the reverse side of which she had written her message.

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A Cornish walk - features

Field parc or pras

Valley nans or glyn

Well puth

Farm bargen-tir

Wood koes

Stone men

Waterfall dowrlamm

Path hyns

Lynda Blackman Mostly Fowl Talk

We settled back in Cornwall at the end of 1978; my husband was from Devon, so it was not too far from the Yealm River area where he came All Bran Fruit Loaf from. One day, I happened to drive past Trevassic Quarry when I saw a ewe on her back and, being a long wool breed with very heavy I used to make this fruit loaf when I was first married as it was fleece, I knew she could not get up. I sped down to the farmhouse and quick, easy and a good keeper. It is also perfect to take on a met Jacob and Pat Lory who were pleased that I had taken the trouble. walk or picnic as it travels well either whole or in slices. You I was offered some goose eggs, with a choice of Embden or American can vary the flavour by using flavoured teas and different dried Buff; I chose the latter. He gave me four eggs to put under a broody; fruits. You can also make it bigger if you use a mug rather three hatched and that was the beginning of my breeding geese. I had than a cup. It really is very versatile. intended to continue with pottery, but that went out of the window. Jacob was a poultry and waterfowl show judge, I learned a lot from Ingredients: him. Pat was a top Shetland Pony breeder, also a show judge, and 1 tea cup All Bran sent ponies to Saudi Arabia and to Princess Anne for her children. 1 tea cup caster sugar I have had quite a few different breeds of geese, ducks and hens, obtaining eggs from Germany and elsewhere. It was a great way to 1 tea cup mixed dried fruit make friends and go to international poultry shows in Holland and 1 tea cup warm tea or milk Belgium. They would visit Cornwall for the County Show and be invited to judge by the and Poultry Society. I was 1 teaspoon mixed spice very successful with Embdens, Steinbachers (a beautiful blue grey with yellow bill and legs), American Buffs and Pomeranians, grey and Method: white. Nowadays, I only breed Czech geese as I cannot lift a heavy 1 Put all ingredients into a bowl except the flour breed, but also Swedish Blue ducks and several breeds of fowl. 2 Mix well and leave to stand for 1 hour or overnight if using tea I love to exhibit and admit to striving for the best, winning Supreme Show Champion three times with my Embden geese. I also had some 3 Sieve in the flour and mix well again lovely silver spangled bantams and almost always won with their 4 Pour mixture into 1lb loaf tin beautiful pure white eggs, even at the Royal Cornwall against tough competition. I have even judged egg classes. Waterfowl are at their 5 Bake for 40mins at 180ºC best in winter, so that is show time for waterfowl - we never went 6 Take out of tin and allow to cool. further than Malvern; too much effort ! Avril Evens Lynda Blackman

Harvey's Mullyon Members of the Committee A copy of the Rev. E.G. Harvey's Mullyon, its History, Scenery and Antiquities recently passed through my hands. He quotes from Rev Chairman Geoff Blackman 01326 241722 G.C. Smith's work of 1827 'The Wreckers, or a tour of Benevolence Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG from S. Michael's Mount to the Lizard Point' and referring to the village Vice Chairman (vacant) of Predannack he writes: Secretary David Richardson 01326 280058 'This is a most excellent station for an itinerant; it lies in the parish of Bodlowen, 3 Bounder Treath, Coverack, TR12 6TP

Mullyon, about four miles from the Lizard. There is no preaching Treasurer Geoff Blackman 01326 241722 whatever in this village, and there are some who cannot walk far out of Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG it. The neighbourhood is sadly infested with the wreckers. When the news of a wreck flies round the coast, thousands of people are Committee Avril Evens 01326 290629 instantly collected near the fatal spot; pick-axes, hatchets, crow-bars, Tresaddern House, Ruan Minor TR12 7NA and ropes are their usual implements for breaking up and carrying off Ann Chapman 01326 221648 whatever they can. The moment the vessel touches the shore she is Chy Lean, St Keverne Road, Garras TR12 6AY considered fair plunder, and men, women and children are working on her to break her up, night and day. The precipices they descend, the Gill Richardson 01326 280058 rocks they climb, and the billows they buffet, to seize the floating Bodlowen, 3 Bounder Treath, Coverack, TR12 6TP fragments, are the most frightful and alarming I ever beheld; the Anne Roberts 01326 221243 hardships they endure (especially the women) in winter to save all they Pipers Green, Garras, Helston TR12 6LP can, are almost incredible. Should a vessel, laden with wine or spirits, approach the shore, she brings certain death and ruin to many, with Lynda Blackman 01326 241722 Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG her. The rage and fighting to stave in the casks and bear away the spoil, in kettles and all manner of vessels, is brutal and shocking. To Adele Brazier 01326 280171 drunkenness and fighting succeed fatigue, sleep, cold, wet, Chegwiddens, 6 Bounder Treath, Coverack TR12 6TP suffocation, death, and-what? an eternity! John Brazier 01326 280171 Last winter we had some dreadful scenes of this description. A few in Chegwiddens, 6 Bounder Treath, Coverack TR12 6TP this neighbourhood, it seems, having a little more light than others, scrupled to visit a wreck that came on shore last winter, on a Lord's President: David Richardson day, lest it should be breaking the Sabbath; but they gathered all their Vice Presidents: John Grierson, Peter Greenslade implements into a public house, and waited until the clock struck twelve-at midnight, therefore, they all rushed forth, all checks of Published by Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust, Bodlowen, Coverack TR12 6TP Tel: 01326 280058 Email: [email protected] conscience being removed.' Website: www.lizardpeninsulaheritagetrust.org.uk Tony Hilton

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