Clapper Close

This is the name of a field on the old part of the village. The Group had a question as to the derivation of the name. It is given as a medieval word in the OED.

It is a name used for the old stone slab bridges found on the moors in the South West. Did one take the road over the nearby Vine Stream? It is thought there was a sheep wash near the field at one time.

A tool used for bird scaring, similar to the “rattles” used at sports matches.

There is the Home Farm on the Escot Estate known as Clapperentale, the “Tale” part is the name of the river that runs through the farm and the estate. Did a “clapper bridge” exist near the farm?

Claper also is the term for a rabbit warren. Clapper of cronies, a heap of stones. Clapper Board House. Run like the clappers. Clapper in a bell, the church is nearby.

A lady called Miss Fry who ran the shop down Sandy Knapp.  She used to say that Clapper Close was not really Clapper Close but "a clap of crows".  It would make sense as there are always a lot of crows around.

Love to hear any other ideas.

St Andrew's rededication 4th, 5th 6th March 2011

The church interior was destroyed by a freak flood caused by hailstones blocking drains, it affected a lot of the East Devon area on the night of 31st October 2008.

Thursday.

The team gave the church a good clean through, I had the lovely task of polishing the medieval pews. Then the servery was laid up ready to serve the drinks and biscuits for the 220 school children. Then Brenda, Alan and I put up the History display, the boards were a nightmare, the panels did not all come from the same set!!! Phillip came over and gave us a hand, bless him.

Friday.

The older children came down about 11am and worked in groups around the church, with various worksheets on the stained glass windows, the graves, the images in the carvings, and then after lunch the rest of the school came down and they had a story time all about the church cat and the church mouse. Then the parents arrived for what would have been the school assembly. The children did readings all based on the word “heart”, using the spelling.  The school music club sang so beautifully.

The next service was the funereal of Mrs. Nora Chipperfield, aged 96 and her  burial in the churchyard.

Saturday.

The team came in and put the portable pews back in and re laid the servery ready for tea, The village gathered at the Nog Inn for the Big Parade about 1:30 pm. Some 200 or more, not that many dressed up, but we all followed the piper through the housing estate, banners from various groups and clubs held aloft, down to the church, the parade garnered another 100 or so as folk joined from the streets and houses we passed. We all crowed in to the church, where Rev Cate gave a welcome speech and blessing, Val Stringer spoke to launch the “Friends of St. Andrews” charity and we spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and serving tea and cakes.

Sunday.

The church was cleaned through and made ready for the Rededication service with Bishop Bob, Bishop of Crediton. He is a lovely man and wondered all around the church greeting folk and talking to all  during his address, all very relaxed with laughter and applause, good rousing traditional hymns. The choir struggled with the hymn tune “Feniton Court”, they did not ask the congregation to sing and I can see why it is not popular, very tricky!!!! It does not flow.  The churchwardens were thanked for all the hard work, as was Rev. Cate, all very emotional. Then we set to and served the finger buffet.

The pews were then all turned to face the font ready for the christening of young Isaac, his family waited until the church re opened to get it done he is a school boy now and did a reading at his own christening, I did not stay for that, but took the chance to go home and walk the dogs.

Then it was back gain for Evensong, boy this was different, very different, all very relaxed and you’ve guessed it, clappy happy, dancing, shouting out prayers as and when, voicing random praises, singing very repetitive verses. At times felt very uncomfortable with it!!!! But did enjoying the singing, as I can’t sing, but no one could hear that!!! And……… there was my son playing the Saxophone. He has not played that since he left school!!! But he had been practising and made a good fist of it. He did not want a mic on it, so that if he did get it wrong it would not be heard, but those sat near the band said they loved hearing it. So very chuffed with that.   Then we served all the food left over from the lunch. I don’t want to eat any more cake for a while.

A wonderful weekend was had by all. I just hope the village will come back and help keep the church in the main stream of village life.

Bricks In the Feniton Area

Long Park

Escot House

                 

When Exeter’s trade with the Netherlands was at its height in the 17th and early 18th centuries, ships returning to Devon were commonly loaded with mixed cheap cargoes including bricks, which acted as ballast on the journey home. Dutch bricks were much smaller than English ones, and were often cream or fawn in colour, contrasting with the red bricks of Devon, so they can easily be distinguished nowadays.

Many examples of such bricks can be seen in the buildings and garden walls of Topsham, close to the quays where they were unloaded. They are found in smaller numbers at Exeter and in the neighbouring villages and towns.

The cottages and the Escot estate properties built by the Kennaways have red brick with white or cream bricks as decoration. The Kennaway family were merchants and I wonder if the white bricks used to build Escot House, dated 1838 rebuilt after the fire, came from trade with the Dutch. One other house in the area has a white brick, which is Long Park, near the railway station. A fine example of the red brick with white is Colesworthy House built by the Wheatons c. 1890, but sadly now it is painted white, and the fine brickwork is lost. A recent owner came from the North and hated all the brick back to back housing, so had it painted. The Talewater Brickyard was part of the Escot estate.

A seem of white ball clay runs across the county from Peters Marland to Newton Abbot. The white clay was used in the making of fine pottery, china pipes, for tobacco. The less valuable stoneware clays to produce the pale cream bricks that are a feature of many West Country buildings, as well as drain pipes, chimney pots and wall tiles - notably Candy & Coin of Heathfield, near Bovey Tracey, Hexter Humpherson in Newton Abbot and the Marland brick works in North Devon. http://www.clayheritage.org/pages/welcome.htm

W.G.Hoskins in his book “ Devon” states that brick was very rare in Devon. George Rolle rebuilt Stevenstone in St. Giles in the Wood in the 1540s using brick. Brick was not used in any quantity until the 1690s.

The Customs House on Exeter Quay is of red brick, built in 1681, one of the oldest brick buildings.

There is a field in Strete Raleigh, near Whimple, called “Brickfields” a look at the old tithe map for that area may be useful. There were brickworks on the way out of Ottery St Mary up Chimeway.

Jo Chown received a Christmas Card from a distant relative called Raymond Harris who Alan Powell knows too.  In the card they included an old photo of the family and said it had been taken in front of 'Bricklands' now Appletree Cottage behind the Nog Inn.  I don't know if this is of any interest but will try to get to the next meeting and bring it with me. I do know that there is a considerable seam of very dense clay which runs in front of Myrtle Cottage which one could easily make bricks from! [Jo. Chown]

Heraldry

Members of the Group have been researching the coats of arms in the Church. The pillars carry the Malherbe and Ferrers on the capitals.

On the screen behind the pulpit are two small bosses, we now believe this to be of the arms of the Acland Family, who lived in Feniton Court.

The 18^th meeting on 17^th Mar 2011 at the Nog Inn

Many thanks to the folk who came on parade.  It was a good event Pam, thank you. The photos were run the lap top. If anyone wants copies give me a shout.

The Rev. Danny : Has asked us to be custodian of the old chapel sign board, I have yet to collect this . Brian Stork has kindly said he will look at the repairs it needs. Thanks Brian.

Jenny, while in the Museum raised a query as to what Mocaden is, it is a light woollen fabric used for under garments.

The canon at Feniton Court:    Yes it was on the front of Feniton Court,. The barrel was about 4 ft long and stood on a chassis with solid iron wheels. [John Bishop] It was presented to Beatrice Acland for her service during WW1 for setting up an Australian Field Hospital in Hertfordshire. Its whereabouts now are unknown.

Further to our discussions on bricks and brickyards, the white bricks used in the local houses built by Kennaway may have come from the seam of white ball clay runs across the county from Peters Marsland to Newton Abbot.  Escot house is of white brick , as is Long Park.

I was able to glean more about the Rev. Smith from the Crockfords Clerical Directory. He drove the last car up to Hembury Fort from Curscombe. [John Bishop], but Brain remembers driving a rally car up there in the 1970s!!

The Malherbe family talk, is now arranged for the  Fri 6^th May in the church. Pam has very kindly taken on the publicity for this event. Please let all your friends and family know!

The second of our talks is about Cadaver Tombs, David is to confirm the date of this, more details next month. It will be a general talk lasting some 30 mins + Q & A.

Val Stringer would like a history article to place in the “Friends” Newsletter, ie one of the families. Any volunteers to set about this task please?

Leslie Alford of Payhembury   asked me about a  photo of football match in the 2008 display. Geoff has the display in his loft and will look it out in due course, thanks Geoff.

Sadly the two village websites have not seen any improvement, so George has kindly offered to carry on with this, despite his hard drive failing. Thank you George. I am to look into running a “Blog” for the group.

We  will discuss the display in the church at the next meeting, it will be good to have it up in time for the May talk. I have a set of display boards now for the Group’s use.

Alan entertained us with some very local dialect sayings from the villagers who coined them, Frank Gibbins, George Gear, Cyril Hill, this was of great interest and sparked a lively discussion. Thank you Alan.

The 17^th meeting on 17 Feb 2011 at the Nog Inn 

As there was so few of us we had a good natter over a glass of beer!!

Alan discussed with us about the alignment of the Straight Way Head Road to Taunton. The lanes in the old village, had been altered, the left hand lane into Green Land from the Old village was an old quarry and the original road would have passed through the property known as Beechwood.

In 1841 the Turnpike Trust proposed a road from Fenny Bridges to Broadclyst Heath, and also from Fairmile to the Country House Hotel.

The Ottery /  Payhembury road four cross way, now known as Patteson’s Cross was called Spence Cross. Now with the monument to  John Coleridge Patteson (1 April 1827 - 20 September 1871) was an Anglican bishop and martyr. Patteson was educated at The King's School, Ottery St Mary, Eton and then Balliol College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1853 in the Church of England. His old tutor at Eton, George Augustus Selwyn, was the first Bishop of New Zealand, and he persuaded Patteson to become a missionary to the South Seas. In 1855 Patteson set out to found the Melanesian Mission. He founded a college on Norfolk Island for native boys, toured the islands on the ship Southern Cross, and learned many of the local languages. In 1861 he was made Bishop of Melanesia.

On 20 September 1871 he was murdered on the island of Nukapu in the Solomon Islands, where he had landed alone. Natives killed him as revenge against the abduction of some natives by white men months earlier. Two Norwegian historians (Thorgeir Kolshus and Even Hovdhaugen, 2010) have claimed he was murdered because he had an inappropriate, non-sexual relationship with the chief’s wife  Patteson’s brother confirms this in a letter. His death became a cause celebre in England and increased interest both in missionary work and in improvement of the working conditions in Melanesia.

His life is celebrated in the Church of England as a saintly one, and he is commemorated with a Lesser Festival on 20 September. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Coleridge_Patteson 

Now don’t forget we are taking part in the Church Parade on Sat 5^th March, 1:30 pm at The Nog / Station in dress suitable to depict the 1800s.

The 16^th meeting on 20^th Jan 2011 at the Nog Inn.

Good to see everyone after the Christmas and New Year break. Welcome to Sylvia Harper, we hope you will be able to come again.

David and Val spoke about the plans for the church in March. The men who died in WW1 to be carved give them a roll of honour. 

There was a good response to ideas for our role the parade. Featuring the 1800s. We will need a placard or poster to carry on the day. Can someone come up with a design please?  Brenda suggested we brought along our chosen costumes to the next meeting. [17^th Feb]

The Group will put up a table and may be a board display in the church over the weekend. [4^th – 6^th Mar] If you have anything to put on display please give us a rough idea of it at the next meeting, this is to gauge the space we need.  My thoughts are, the list of Rectors, the pew carvings, photos, the stain glass windows, the flood, churchwardens, church accounts etc.

The holes in the pew ends were for a “dickie seat” a servant would sit on the end of the Master’s pew.

Professor Gordon, a keen researcher of the Malherbe name will be giving a talk on his research in the church on the 6^th May 2011 at 7:30pm. David is arranging this. I will arrange a visit to the Devon and Exeter Institution in June.  

George has been busy with the website design and is looking for files and photos to add. Thank you for taking this on for us. For ideas on this these sites are worth a look:

http://www.westendlhs.hampshire.org.uk/

http://www.kingston-bagpuize.com/about-site.htm

http://www.moretonhampstead.org.uk/

George  - the Rootsweb Organisation host websites, this link gives more detail.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~websites/ 

The 15^th meeting on 9^th Dec 2010 at the Nog Inn.

It was good to see you all such a cold night.

There were several points discussed. One being the body found under the church porch, I remembered reading about a body in similar circumstances at Christow, near Exeter:

Nathaniel Bussell, the parish clerk, is said to have been shot by the Roundheads on February 19th 1631, and to have been buried in the porch where he fell, because he refused to deliver up the keys of the church for the building to be ransacked. The stone is there with the inscription:—Nathaniel Bussell 46 years clark here dyed 19th February, 1631. The date seems a little too early for him to have lost his life at the hands of the Roundheads [cf. Civil Wars 1642-1651].  Ref: http://www.wissensdrang.com/stabb049.htm

Chris. Saunders brought up a previous item regarding local brickworks, there was one situated at Street Raleigh, being a field name in that area. It would  be worth checking the tithe map for the field.


The research into the coats of arms on the church pews was passed around. The ones relating to the Northcote family have been found and indentified. But there are two that seem rather elusive, a single shield which fits to the name Chatterton, does anyone know of this name in relation to the village church? The other is has the arms of the Baldock on the right, one Elizabeth Baldock married William Gore, but the arms on the left of the carving seem to be of O’Connell, so some confusion there!!


There is to be a weekend of events to mark the re-dedication of the church over the week end 4^th,5^th and 6^th March 2011. The History Group have been asked to take part in the community parade on the 5^th. The theme is the 1800’s. We discussed various roles we could depict, the railway, farming, perhaps a pony and trap. Chris. Saunders suggested that Ottery Community Theatre would be able to help with costumes, contact Nora Palmer. The local Morris Dancers, perhaps they would be able to take part, I understand Colin Payne, one of our members is the man to ask.
Ideas for next year, a talk by John Michael Kennaway, a visit to Exeter and the Devon and Exeter Institute.


Mike Spry popped in to tell about the old Chapel sign board, it was repaired about 1980 ish from iroko wood and there is an older sign under the current “onion” one.
Alan gave us one of his fascinating talks, this time on “Sidmouth Road”, this road is shown on the OS Map as running from Langford to Weaver. The road was improved to take passengers from the trains at Hele to Sidmouth before the line to Sidmouth was built.


We had a chat about setting up a website for the Group, the Rootsweb organisation currently offer free space:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/  We will need a web master / mistress!!


Bill Knollman told us a bit about his life as an undertaker and of living near one of the London Airports leading to a discussion on aircraft!!
Mince Pies and Christmas Greetings were passed around to mark the season. 

The 14^th meeting on 18 Nov 2010. 

David gave us an update on the progress at the church, all going as planned. Ideas for the use of the building with the new variable space. One being the provision of “Quiet Time”, something lacking in the hurly burly of life and a christening party may stay in the church for the tea afterwards.

The pew carvings of coats of arms are being researched, the quality of the carvings vary, those done by Mrs. Hart being the more amateur.

The plans for the re-opening on the 6^th March, Pam asked for ideas of periods of local history to portray in the parade from the Nog Inn to the church. Suggestions were the 1877 restoration, the Fenny Mead Battle, farming, the railway, the chapel and the persecution of the clergy during the 1645 troubles.

The History Group has given up the plans to buy the Chapel for the village, it will be a burden to fund raise for and repair, the asking price is about £90,000, plus an estimate of £130,000 to repair it. Rev. Cate and David have kindly agreed that we can have a permanent display in the church.

Alan kindly followed on last month’s discussion of the Roman road through the area to Taunton. It ran from Daisymount past Larkbeare to Colestocks via Talewater and up past Hembury Fort. A steep hill for horses!! The state of the roads was better before the use of carts, when the transport was pack horse or sledge. The 17^th C saw the stage coach come into use along with the associated coaching inns Colestocks House being one example. The 1720’s saw the introduction of carts and wagons on the roads.

During the war the “Exon Book”, part of the notes made to compile the Domesday was stored in the cellar of Feniton Court.

The Lytch Gate at the church is the village memorial for the fallen in WWW1. To help the school children understand this we are to research the soldiers’ names.

The thoughts of how to handle all the notes and research we have gleaned were aired. A book was thought to be too big a project and it would be better to put together small chapters to sell and then perhaps collate into a full size book at a later date.

Geoff has set up a template so that the folk with laptops who work in the Museum can digitise the Baptisms from the Late Eric Yates files. This will be wonderful asset and will complete the set, as we already have the marriages and burials done by Geoff.

We are pleased to welcome two new members Denise and Michael Banks. 

The 13^th meeting at the Nog Inn on 14th Oct. 2010. 

Thank you all for coming and making it such an interesting evening.

The coffee morning went very well and I have phone calls thanking us for putting it on. 

Caroline Cousins asked if we could locate her “Rats Castle” folder missing from the 2008 History Event. How did the name come about?

The BBC have asked if we would like to take part in a series relating to the history of the “High Street”, but as we don’t have a High Street it was decided the program was not relevant to us.

A question raised by Jenny while working in the museum, what does the term “oupes” mean, the answer is Bull Finches, classed as vermin as they eat the buds on fruit trees. This would not be allowed today.

A discussion on Roman roads in the area and the old road from Taunton, via Dunkeswell, Hembury Fort, Talewater and onto Exeter. The farm house at Talewater, known as Half Moon was once a Inn, as was Colestocks House. Before the railway came to Feniton folk would ride by horse or carriage to Cullompton to catch the London train.

A debate about the lane from Buckerell Cross to Fenny Bridges being closed off by the new A30 should not have been permitted.

Mention was made of the cold war observation tower at the high point towards Cheriton where the water reservoir is, this was c. 1950 to 1960, the command post being at Poltimore. Dunkeswell had a nuclear missile bunker near the Mansell Racetrack, this had a rainwater plant to give fresh water to the occupants.

The Group discussed how to present our notes and histories, booklets thought to be more beneficial rather than a big book.  I have mentioned the idea of a permanent History display in the church, once it has opened and this has had a positive response from David and the Rev. Cate. Rev. Cate has asked for help with planning for the re opening of the church on the 6^th March 2011. This will be a major event running all weekend Friday through to the Sunday. I am sure we can get become involved. Geoff has replied to Cate to this effect.

David updated the group on the work at the Church.

The builders have found a burial partially under the porch, a large male. The tower and the porch are later additions, c. 1500s. Medieval tiles of green, brown and cream have been uncovered, roughly dated 1400 / 1500. Small slates with wooden pegs.  The Reredos screen erected in the 1891 is being repaired. The old carved pew ends will be reused in the box pew area. Very old bricks have been saved from the removal of a wall and are for sale along with some long later pews.   The organ has been removed. Some bad repairs done in the 1960s or so, with the wrong paint are to be tackled. The quality of the stonework on the outer walls is rather rough, giving an indication that the walls were plastered and it would have been a white building.  The Parish Council are responsible for the Lynch Gate and will make good any repairs it requires. More bones have been found under the paving slabs. The flag pole is rotten and damaging the lead on the tower. This will be replaced with a lighter design and with the flag being raised from ground level, saving a climb up the narrow worn stair case.  The font is very unusual, having a shelf for the christening oils. Damage to the font had been repaired with plaster of paris and some time, which was washed away by the hosing down after the flooding. The stonemasons, A. Real are to repair it and replace a missing rose. The font is made from Beer stone.

  

We discussed the bricks found in the old wall and the known locations of brickworks, Ottery St. Mary and Talewater.

The bones found near the porch may be that of an early rector who was said to have been buried by the church door, "The burial described as being by the church door was that of John  Prynge, rector,  1524  -  1559.  As described in the List of Rectors as printed for the 2008 event." But this would need more evidence to prove.

This was most interesting, thank you David.

Hymn no. 247 in Hymns Ancient and Modern is played to the tune called “Feniton Court”. I hope it can be used at the opening of the church. 

The 12^th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 21 Sep 2010. 

The meeting, albeit a small one went very well and we are very pleased to welcome three new members, Pam, Bill and George.

The coffee morning was discussed, So many said they were sorry to miss the July event so the idea of repeating the display was adopted.

We meet at the Village Hall at 9:15 am to set up. Alan asked if we had a room full of people that we could keep the event open for longer. This was agreed.

This is on Sat. 25^th Sept. Cakes most welcome. No charges, just donations.

The general discussion ebbed and flowed on various topics, all very interesting.

The Battle of Fenny Meade.

Flooding.

St Anne’s Chapel.

The age and use of Sherwood Villa as stabling for horses in relation to the railway.

Castle Hill near Fenny Bridges, it’s age and archaeology.

The bungalow known as “Chequers and the Railway Cottages overlooking Camp Field.

The new members would like to see older maps of the village to understand the locations we talk about.

Books written about the village were asked about, Mr. Chown and Alan’s are the known ones, there is also “A Village in Olden Days”. I must scan in a copy of that to share. I have also scanned a copy of Peter Acland’s personal biography from a copy given to Mrs Myrtle Cumin of Feniton Court, in fear that this may be the only copy.

The hymn tune “Feniton” and how it came to be written? And is there one called “Escot”?

An Archive for the village, the chapel is still thought to be worth saving for the village, so we will and try and find out more ways to do this, if possible. Val mentioned a small store room in the village hall that may be a possibility, more to be found out about this. 

The 11^th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 6^th Jul 2010.

Another lively meeting, taken by Geoff. He set out all the little details for the day, hope you can all remember your respective roles!!!

We will open the chapel at 9:30 am on Saturday to get everything set up.

The prizes so far are:

SWT  ticket for the lucky program

Branch Line Video, a DVD of "Memories of the Bodmin & Wadebridge  Railway"

Escot passes, one family one, = 2 adults, 2 children

3    child goes free

9    2 for 1 Senior Citizen Offer

Spar shop. Don't know what yet! Bradfords, Otter Nurseries, a planter.

If we can rustle up a few more prizes please, this list looks good on quality, but perhaps a bit short on quanity!!

To sell on the day.

Admission, Programs, Raffle Tickets

 25 DVDs of the "Memories of the Sidmouth & and Budleigh Salterton Branches" to sale.

Retail price £18.95. I have done a display stand for the day.

Alan’s Book.

Valerie Stringer to be the treasurer on the day. Float and cash box in hand.

Items to display, promised, so far:

12 ft long station sign,                              Brenda

Posters                                                       Brenda’s son

Signal Arm, owned by Seaton Tramway, Roger Pinnuck

LSWR sign                                                Roger Pinnuck

Diesel name plate                                      Mark Goodenough  

Drivers’ Uniform                                      Maureen Jones

Poster, South Downs                                Anne Kendon

Platform Display, various items               Brenda

Collection of 60 photos                            Alan

Navvies                                                     Ann Payne

Workers and families                                Brenda

Hotel  & Station History                          Chris Gibbins

Nog Inn Scrapbook                                  Rosemarie Davis.

Collection of articles & Photos                Chris Saunders 

South West Circle

Video: “Train Now Departing”

DVD:   Branch Line.

Brenda and her team have all the catering in hand.

May we ask for cakes to serve on the day. Thank you.

Hope folk will help with any rush in the kitchen and with the washing up.

Sets of Display Boards from Ottery Volunteers and Margaret at Honiton Museum, plus the oak room dividers in the chapel, use White Tack only on these please.

I would like to thank you all for the help and support in getting Brenda’s “Plan” off the ground. Here’s to a very good weekend. It has been fun getting it all together.

The 10^th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 22 Jun 2010

We had a very lively meeting, so much enthusiasm!! 

Posters and program are now all in hand and nearly ready to go. Many thanks to all for your time and input.

The various research projects for display are going well. Feeling very excited about it all.

Brenda has some lovely Art Deco posters to put up in her “Platform Corner”.

The catering is all organised. Brenda has worked her magic on her chums!!

I have a rough layout of the room in my mind, just hope we have enough space, if not,  I will ask Mike if we can spill over into the pool room at the Nog. I want to thank Mike and Rose for hosting our meetings. Toilets will be available in the Nog.

Welcome to our new chums, Simon, Arnie and Brian.

Simon and Arnie are doing the advertising board prints outs, thank you. Brian has a wealth of knowledge of the trains.

The sign boards, I will bring them to the next meeting. The PC have asked that we don’t put them out on the green and at Patteson’s Cross until 48 hrs before the event.

Ann Payne is doing some notes on the Navvies. Thank you.

Alan’s book reprint is going ahead, very pleased to hear to that. Thank you to Alan and Val.

Chris Saunders has been approached by the South Western Circle (Train Group) to have a table display on the day. What do you all think?

Maureen has offered to display her father’s train driver uniform, thank you.

Thank you to Maggie and Brenda for providing some pictures for the children to colour in, so we will cater for all ages!!

We have been offered a place at Feniton Fun Day. Sun 4^th July. I will set up at about 12:00. Love to see you all, if you have any bits and bobs to put on display, relevant to the village, we are not just about trains, hard to believe I know!!!!

Thrilled with all the enthusiasm and help from the team!!! Thank you all most sincerely.

The  9^th meeting on  8 Jun 2010  at The Nog Inn.

This was a most enjoyable and positive evening, the programme is taking shape very well and I want to thank you all for all your efforts, wonderful.

Geoff, Colin and Chris. Saunders  have the printing of the programme all in hand and financed by the regulars in the pub!!! Wonderful.

Each individual projects are all hand and going well. Ann Payne is doing the Navvies History for us.

Adverts and mentions have been sent to as many parish magazines, events listing and local papers as I can find. The poster design to be discussed at the next meeting. Colouring sheets for the children to be printed out. Catering all in hand.

I have a set of signs for Patteson’s Cross and the green by the chapel, just need someone skilled to paint them!!

There is a bit of a debate as to who the preacher at the chapel was, Mr. Lilley or Mr. Miller, can anyone help with this?

Parking to be in the station car park. Toilets at the Nog Inn, thank you Mike.

It was lovely to hear all the memories being spoken about, we all wished we had a recorder to take a copy!!

This was such a useful evening we will hold all our meetings here.

The  8^th meeting on 19 May 2010.

We met, firstly at the Chapel. It was a worthwhile visit, and we are very pleased with the venue. We met Danny, who was most helpful. The kitchen is very adequate and Brenda is to ask around for help with serving coffee, teas and salad rolls from there on the day. The screen and a projector will be available for us on the day.  But as this is rather dominate in the room, we think we may use a laptop to run the DVD, and the best bit is that the Chapel has a licence to run film and video, so we may be able to show the BBC video of the Station from the series “The train now departing” without paying a copyright fee.

The plans are shaping up well. Alan is hoping with Val Jones’ help to be able to re- publish his book. We have had promises of memories about the “Railway Hotel” and the station to write up and display. Alan will display his wonderful photos.

Brenda is working on the Railway staff families from the census. We also will have old newspaper articles, bits about the station and it’s architecture and the navvies who built the line. Geoff to do some maps of the line, before and after.

The Nog Inn, Rose has a scrapbook for us to display, other than this, with the Chapel answering all out needs, it is thought we will not need another space.

Car park at the Station, must check this with Alex. Signage for the day. Ask Fenny Signs.

Alan to ask if Mr Peter Tasker would be able to pass on his thoughts about the re-opening of the line.

We will need a few more raffle prizes, no alcohol please.

Chris Saunders has worked out the programme layout. Chris Gibbins to see the local businesses to ask for an advert in the programme, or sponsorship, Spar, Pizza Express, Hairdressers, Spence Excavations, etc.

We need to be ready to place adverts in all our local papers, parish magazines, BBC, TV, radio and What‘s on Listings. This will need to be done before mid June. Chris Gibbins to do this.

We will need volunteers for the day, the sales and admission table, raffle, the food etc.

The chapel is covered by insurance as a public building. The Church insures need a resume of the day and a “Risk Assessment”.

So all in all coming along very well. Thanks to the team for their support.

Does anybody know when the cottages adjoining the Chapel were built? What came first, chapel or the cottages,  also Sherwood Villa, how old would this be?

The 7th meeting 27 Apr 2010.

Brenda is setting up a small platform display of cases, trunks etc. in the Chapel.

We need some notes on the Chapel history. It seems to have had various names. Can anyone help with this?

Chris. Saunders to ask Bradfords, formerly Miller & Lilley to sponsor the event.

The programme to have a lucky number, the prize being a SW Train  ticket. The charge for the programme to be £1.00.  We have to think about how many print, a 100 has been suggested. Val is looking into the cost of this. Admission £2.00, no charge for children.

Ian Hey publisher of Branch Line Videos has offered us the chance to sell the local title,asked him to send 25 copies, he has also offered one copy as a prize. Escot has given us a family ticket to use as a prize. The raffle and any sales we may want to make will be best done at the Nog Inn, if Rose and Mike are happy with this. The Baptists do not look favourably on this taking place in the Chapel. Danny has said that he would let this slide, but it would give the Nog a role on the day. 

The Chapel Trustees are pushing for the sale of the chapel to go ahead this summer, Danny is holding them off until after our event. Danny will still be part of the village community, but using the Youth Centre. So the share of any monies raised for the Chapel could be put to this end.

Advertising, Val to quote for 50 posters and100 flyers. I will send it to the local free papers and Val will do something for the Express & Echo. Also must contact Andy as give him an article to put on the website, and Facebook etc. I have booked display boards from Honiton Museum, but we will need more, can anyone help with this?

Julie Ann, from Feniton Fun Day has asked if we would like a “presence” at the event to promote the History Group and the Event. Any thoughts on this? No charge to us.

I have had a lovely chat with Frances Spence, ex land lady of the Nog Inn [The Railway Hotel] she is thrilled to be asked for her memories of life at the Nog. So with Rose’s kind offer of her scrapbook we have made a good start here.

I hope I have remembered everything!!

The 6th meeting on 6^th April 2010.

Sponsorship

Barclays will match fund monies raised in a “proper” ticketed raffle, i.e. numbered and promoted.

Need to contact South West Trains.

The SWT magazine “ e-motion” is no longer published

Need to ask the traders around the Crossing about sponsorship

Book

Alan is to talk over the feasibility of this with Val, as to costs, updates to text, and size of print run.

Catering

The mobile canteen is fully booked until the autumn with gymkhanas and the like. So how about tea / coffee and cakes in the Nog Inn?  Ask the ladies of the Inn to help with this. Please Geoff?

Insurance

This has been arranged with the help of David via the Church. Need to check that the Chapel and Nog Inn have 3^rd party cover.

Live Steam 

Brian Payne, has anyone contacted him yet? I can’t find him in the phone book. Jo or David please.

Chapel

This will contain the display: Alan’s photos, railway maps, family histories, the DVD of the branch line will be shown, old timetables etc. Anything we can lay our hands on. The architect who designed the old station building, I will do some work on him, Sir William Tite.

History of the LSWR. This website has an a wonderful page on Whimple, sadly not Feniton, have emailed the web designer,  David Glasspool, have, to date not had a reply.

http://www.kentrail.co.uk/south_western_division_infrastructure.htm

Display boards have been organised with Honiton Museum and Geoff

The chapel is set to close after this event, so it would be fitting to mark the history of this building.

A “room  raffle”  Some ideas required for this section.

We also need to have a bit of history on display of the Nog Inn , The Railway Hotel back then. Can anyone help with this?

Programme

Chris Saunders has kindly come up with a prototype for us. We had a discussion about charging for admission, and how much, the cost of the programme etc.  Would welcome your thoughts on this.

Other notes

We will need posters and flyers. Contact local press and radio and any Event listings we know of.

Find a copy of a Poem by Roy Packer, anyone know of this?

Brenda to ask about the school children taking part in some way.

The head Colin Butler who says he thinks the timetable is quite full for this term, that Year 6 have 'done' Victorians, but would see if they had any work that might be appropriate. I don't hold out much hope. 

Brenda will also represent the Group at the Parish Council meeting on 12^th April.

The Yates Archive.

As the Museum is now open for it’s summer season it has been decided that we visit there on an individual basis until the autumn. 

Battlefield Society

The churchwarden for Buckerell rang me regarding the Battle and Fenny Mead, Brenda is kindly dealing with this for me.