Libbett’s Chairman's chat Members well and Friends This will be my final contribution to our Newsletter We are grateful newsletter as your chairman, a post from which I will be standing down at the AGM. to Dr Christine August 2014 Bennetts of We have come a long way since we came Church Street into existence in 1984 with the aim of for letting us providing Crediton with a museum. Thirty South Zeal know that years on we have a flourishing society, a Family History fun! David Nation Libbett’s Well, which is on Chris’s land at the museum, a research facility and an archive, guided walk together with a supportive membership George Palin rear of her house, ran totally dry a month or One Saturday morning stint at the museum so ago. The impact was also seen a few managed by a hardworking committee. We doors away, which also has the stream hope to provide you, the members, and the produced several interesting cases. One man We enjoyed a very running through the back garden. No-one can wider community, with an appreciation of our wanted to find out more about his father's informative visit to recall this happening before. Chris reported past and a look forward to the future. Worl War 1 record. We traced a fair bit about the 'village' of South Today’s events are tomorrow's history and it the incident to various authorities, including the family that the customer hadn't been Zeal, near Okehampton in May. is important that this is not forgotton. This is the Environment Agency who took a keen aware of and then discovered a photo of his interest in it. We also expressed our concern your society so, if you have topics you There has been a settlement at South Zeal to the authorities. Discussions have been had would like explored or discussed, or you war medals that had been sold at auction last since before Roman times, but in the mid- and a number of likely causes are being would like to contribute in any way, please year for £2,200! He had been a founder thirteenth century the site was designated a investigated. let us know. Circulated with the AGM papers member of the tank regiment, a contemporary ‘New Town’, one of many established to take is a list of tasks to be completed, several of of Lawrence of Arabia and awarded the BEM. account of increasing population. The town's which can be carried out by members not on site was important, as it was on the main road Sandford Group visit the committee but all of which are necessary through Devon to Cornwall . The new towns if we are to continue to operate at our A woman from Newton St Cyres had paid for Fursdon House Jim King provided not only accommodation but present comprehensive level. some time on Ancestry and got stuck. facilities for trade. The properties were on Reluctant to take out a subscription, she came burgage plots and resident craftsmen or Ten members and friends of the Sandford Thank you all for your support. to us. We found the missing tradesmen paid a rent for the right to live and Heritage Group enjoyed a sunny afternoon at work there. Others were tied to the land as link and she left re-enthused. Fursdon House on 13 July. They were serfs working for the local lord of the Manor. welcomed by David and Catriona Fursdon and Her grandfather had been a Some of these "new towns" survived and given a conducted tour of the house, after local police constable in flourished but South Zeal did not. Today it is which, they were able to walk around the George J. Palin North Devon. very much a community whose residents gardens and take in the stunning views of the Society Chairman. work away. But it still retains the original Exe valley. The afternoon concluded with a layout from the mid thirteenth century Another local man learned much more about cream tea. The visit was organised by Richard including the burgage plots on which the and Renate Johnson. Our Corporate Friends his family in an hour and was so pleased he properties are situated. Please don’t forget to support the local booked in another session to continue the firms whose logos work. After this splendid guide by their local history groups we retired to the Oxenham Arms (see appear in our Crediton Museum AGM photo) for refreshments and the landlord literature - see below. & Heritage Centre showed us around the mediaeval building. A Without them we Members will find enclosed with this large granite pillar in one of the lower rooms would not have a is a feature reputed to be many thousands of newsletter the papers for our AGM on years old. If you hold your hand away from it museum. Our Monday 8th September income is insufficient you can feel heat being emitted from the at the Boniface Centre. stone. A fascinating building with a long and to cover the Please do your best to attend and colourful history. expenses. hear about the progress we are Supported by: making and our plans for the future! My thanks, as usual, to Judy Tucker for Edited by David Nation 01363774441 arranging the visit. Email [email protected]

4 1 Silk Embroidered Postcards Sandra Cooper Downes archive Each week a group of members is working on our archive at Downes (in the museum over the cold In our current exhibition "Echoes of the Great winter months!) to better organise the storage and cataloguing of our collection. Apart from the War" there are a number of examples of silk practical benefits of this in that it helps researchers and others to locate relevant material, our postcards which were bought as souvenirs by helpers find learning more about what we hold quite fascinating. If you can spare a few hours most soldiers serving on the Western Front, two of weeks to help, please let us know because this is a huge job! which are shown here. They were hugely popular and it is estimated some 10 million of these postcards were made. ‘Echoes of the Great War’ - Newton St Cyres display now in place

Novelty postcards crafted from card and silk Since we opened in April, the Parish Corner first appeared around 1898, originating from They became very popular with soldiers visual display has featured Shobrooke France and Switzerland. Prior to the war billeted in foreign towns and sent home to material, mostly prepared by Len Darling. convents around Belgium and northern convey their strong feelings of love, patriotism Now Jean Wilkins has made available France were used to embroidering church and for special occasions. There were three another splendid display, this time featuring vestments and articles for sale to visitors. main design groups: the experiences of the people of Newton St. With the demand from soldiers for souvenirs sentimental, patriotic, Cyres during World War One. the nuns organised refugee workers and local and military. The women to embroider these attractive but cards may have had a affordable items. panel design, sometimes with a Identical designs were embroidered with ribbon attached; a coloured silk onto a starched strip of silk pocket design with a organza. Once embroidered they were sent to card or silk hanky finishing factories for mass cutting and inserted; or a panel mounting onto cards. An embossed frame design with photos of was secured over the top of each card and notable persons Sandford School initiative then trimmed. amongst flags. Sandford Heritage Group have done a useful piece of work with children from Sandford School. Richard Johnson and Jim FORTHCOMING EVENTS King taking a group of children on a Heritage Tour of Sandford Village, All commencing 7.30 pm, at the Boniface Centre, Thursday 16 October ‘The history of Eastholme’ describing how it would have been 100 unless otherwise shown. Richard Stephens’ - Peter Kaye, Parish Hall, Newton St Cyres. years ago (picture below). Saturday 25 October Social Evening - Bow Thursday 28 August, Sandford Heritage Group ‘yomp’ to the Great History Group (contact Geoff on 82383 for details). This sort of work is so important and we are meeting, Dowrich House. Saturday 25 October - ‘Devon’s 50 Best pleased that several local primary schools Sunday 7 September (2pm-5pm) Dowrich Mill Churches’ - Dr Todd Gray. Admission £6 (in aid War cemeteries Open Day in aid of St Swithun's Church Path of Church Roof Fund). are visiting our ‘Echoes of the Great War’ Funds. Monday 27 October ‘Geology’ - Dr Richard exhibition at the musuem. Richard Stephens, assistant organist at Monday 8 September (7pm) AGM and Scrivenor, former District Geologist. Admission £6 Crediton Parish Church, is ‘yomping’ his way ‘CAHMS - the next 30 years’. (in aid of Church Roof Fund). to Ypres, Belgium, in aid of the church roof Thursday 18 September - ‘World War 1 impact Monday 10 November ‘Impact of WW1 on appeal, He is visiting war graves and laying on Newton St Cyres’ - Roger and Jean Wilkins. Farming and Women in Devon’ - Judi Binks Parish Hall, Newton St Cyres. Town Trail leaflet poppies on the graves of local soldiers. Thursday 13 November ‘The Monmouth In connection with the 2009 Cathedral Richard was involved in the planning of our Monday 22 September ‘Wartime Food; rebellion’ - Roger Mortimer. Parish Hall, Changes and Influences’ - Dr Paul Cleave. celebrations, Bill Jerman and others ‘Echoes of the Great War’ exhibition and a Newton St Cyres. produced an excellent leaflet with a walking Bow Village Hall Monday 24 November - Bow History Group sponsorship form is in the museum and will Monday 6 October ‘From Crediton to AGM, Bow Village Hall. tour of the town. The history of the town be at our AGM. Charlemagne’ (Boniface Link Association) - Dr features strongly so we stock it at the Please Monday 8 December 30th Birthday & Christmas Levi Roach, Margaret Harris and Judi Binks. museum. Recently we discovered that there contribute as Sunday 12 October (2-4pm) ‘Old Views of Party (details will be in the museum or contact Sandra Cooper, 776502) are none left so we have spent some time generously as Crediton’ (largely taken from the Charles Luxton redrafting it. We are hopeful that a grant you can to help collection). Donations to Church Roof Fund. Monday 12 January ‘History of the Ownership and Governance of Crediton Parish Church’ - from our County Councillors will cover the maintain the Monday 13 October cost of printing and the new edition will be ‘General Buller’s Other Campaigns’ - Michael Robin Langhorne fabric of our Pentreath . out soon. great church. 2 3