Feniton History Group held the 49th Meeting in the Nog Inn
The topic was the ancient boundary between the village and
Ottery St. Mary. This was highlighted during the Planning inquiry. There is a
general consensus that in light of the history
it would be beneficial to the heritage of the area to mark this in some
way.
I raised the point at last night's Parish Council meeting and it received full support. We will
need to find funding and the form it would take. The Chairman also pointed out
we would need permission of the land owner and select a suitable place for
it.
At our meeting I suggested we could hold a "Beating of
the Bounds" event in Feniton. This web link gives a plan on how to hold
the ceremony: http://www.farmingmatters.org.uk/seasons/ben.html
The village boundaries hold a very important detail for the
villages to know where these lines ran before mapping became established. Some villages hold the event on Rogationtide 25th April or Ascension Day 29th May.
This website gives the history of the event: http://www.strangebritain.co.uk/traditions/bounds.html
It seems we need to take the choir boys with us and gently
beat their heads on each tree, stone or marker on the way round to engrain the
youngsters with the memory of the village boundary!
George has kindly checked out the lay of the route around
the village on his mapping software and estimates it to be some 14.6 kilometres
= about 9 miles and if we kept to the roads and footpaths rather than crossing
private land it would extend to 18 kilometres = about 11 miles!
Thinking of various boundaries, Brenda related that the old
privy at Yellinghams Farm is over the boundary between Feniton and Payhembury,
so when the wedding banns were read the bride sat there so to be in the right
parish! It was also mentioned that a pub on the Wales \ England
boarder had to close the bar on the
Welsh side on a Sunday, whereas the English side could open.
Should we go ahead with the event we should involve our
neighbouring parishes.
Somehow Geoff and I started to reminisce about the Portsdown
Hills and Harry Pounds Scrapyard!!! I knew the area well as a child, as did
Geoff from family holidays there. We also discussed with the Admiralty
Telegraph Station was still there. This website has the details:
Jenny mentioned a Vicar from Broadhembury who ended up in
jail, Mr Josiah Bangor. This was due to the Five Mile Act (1665), Acts were intended
to stop office-holding by dissenters. The Acts made it unlawful for more than
five people aged 16 and over, besides the household, to ‘be present at any
Assembly.
The BBC have shown a local program about worker's strikes
taking place during WW1, and we all were surprised that this had happened in
war time. This led toa natter about the cost of living and the wages we were
paid in our first jobs.
The WW1 research is nearly complete, and now we need to work
out the form of the display, this will take place in the Church over the Nov
11th Rememeberancetide, with a coffee morning. This to be agreed with Rev Cate
and the Churchwardens.
Talaton are having a WW1 Exhibition ‘Lest We Forget’,
Sat12th July 2014 12noon - 8pm in the Church of St James the Great, Talaton.
Tony told us about the Community Play he is involved with.
Based on Exeter Football Club, "The Day we Played Brazil". This is from the website: http://thedayweplayedbrazil.com/about/
The Day we Played
Brazil will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the football match between
Exeter City and the Brazil national team – the first-ever game played by
Brazil. The play is based on the extraordinary true story of Exeter City FC’s
tour to South America in 1914. Chosen by the Football Association as a typical
British football club they became the first side in history to play the
Brazilian national football team and in so doing not only made history
themselves but also founded possibly the greatest force in world football.
The next meeting will be the 3rd July.
