Feniton History Group 28th Meeting

Feniton History Group held the 28th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 8^th Mar. 2012

Very pleased to see so many join us for a talk and slide show given by Philippe Planel from the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Phil explained to us how the ANOB project is using the work of Peter Orlando Hutchinson to survey a then and now picture of East Devon. 

Peter Orlando Hutchinson, born in Winchester in 1810, lived his adult life in East Devon, he was a man of many talents, a tractician, author and artist who documented and painted our area giving a wonderful record to compare with the shape of the landscape today.

This web link explains things better than my note taking in the darkened room !!

http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/trail-Victorian-blogger/story-11728674-detail/story.html

Phil explained that the tithe maps are a useful tool for land analysis, we have a useful set of maps for Feniton drawn up by Geoff, I will bring these to the next meeting.

The slides Phil showed explained the very early archaeology sites found around the area, some standing stones, which may have  been moved due to the need to grow crops, a flint ring burial site on East Hill and the work to date and clear vegetation to reveal the mounds. The changes brought with the land enclosures. The team have talked to the local villagers and farmers who would remember where the old sites were. There are opportunities for volunteers on the ground or transcribing in the Devon Record Office.

There is to be a conference on this work at the Norman Lockyer Observatory on 14^th April 2012

Details available from this link:

 http://files.devonhistorysociety.org.uk/X1289_POH_2012_conference_leaflet_lowres.pdf

This is the link to the Characterization maps that are the result of this project.

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environmentplanning/historic_environment/landscapes/landscape-characterisation/historiclandscapecharacterisationmaps.htm

Thank you to Phil for giving us his time to talk to us and also to Brenda and Keith for the use of the projector screen.

Also we must thank Mike and Rosemarie of the Nog Inn for making the Lounge Bar (pool room) available to us.

The next meeting will be at Colesworthy on 15th March 2:30 pm to plan the DRO table.

The next Nog Inn meeting will be on 12th April at 8 pm. 

Feniton History Group 27th Meeting

Feniton History Group held the 27th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 9th Feb. 2012

  

We discussed the events we are involved with:

Invite to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum 29^th Feb 2012.

The Nog Inn meeting on 8^th Mar 2012.   Since the meeting I have been in touch with Philippe Panel and he will be coming to talk to us.

The DRO event 17^th March. We will be taking a display board to  display the railway, War Memorial, and  the church. Jenny and Allan’s books will be on display, I will ask Rosemarie if we can loan her Scrapbook. My laptop will be there to show any files folk may ask about, and anything else the Group would like to put out.

David then told us about his research of the Church and the finding of a brick structure underground at the side of the wall with Feniton Court, intriguing as to its purpose, a vault, or a septic tank!!!  The brick size is smaller than the ones made in the village in 1599!!!

The low height of the door into the side porch was discussed, could be due to cost, or the fact folk were shorter in those days. David passed around his folder of notes and the idea of publishing it was mentioned.

David asked us to follow up on who Thomas Denys was, was he  a “Sir”, it turns out he was, and more about him can be found on the internet. Thank you Maggie for doing this.

In the Church there is a memorial to the Wright family of Curscombe, I have no knowledge of them, so this something we can work on. The Wright family still in the area at Talewater.

The last unidentified coat of arms on the screen behind the pulpit is that of the Acland Family, and not Clifford as first thought. We did not think to check the Aclands as they were a later family, coming to Feniton in 1925/6.

Next Alan entertained us with his dialect snippets, teacher asks boy in class, “ If you have 50 sheep in the field and one escapes, how many would there be left? Boy speaks up, “Well maister, there be none, if they be anthin like ower sheep once one goes them all goes”.

The use of the letter “H” was discussed, some drop them, others add them. All very interesting. Many thanks Alan.

St Andrew's Church Organ

Thought this set of photos showing the dismantling of the old organ may be of interest.

https://picasaweb.google.com/107560330293436102358/FenitonOrgan#

Had a email from a chap researching organs and he passed on this.

http://www.ohta.org.au/confs/Qld/Bulimba.html

Many thanks to Mr Geoffrey Cox for permission to share this with you.

Feniton History Group 26th Meeting

This was a good get together to confirm arrangements for the year ahead.

It was decided that the East Devon AONB request for help in an Orchard Survey was far too detailed and too complicated for our small group to undertake.

The meeting  gave full support  to the possibility of a Craft  and Hobbies Weekend  in the Church, but  felt it was not in our remit to organize.

.

The Group will be attending the Devon Record Office Open Day on 17^th March 2012. Brenda, Geoff, Maggie and myself will attend, taking down one of our display boards, with each of us bringing items of our own Feniton research to display. The farm history, the Station, the Nog Inn, the pew ends, the War MIs etc.

The details of the Arts Fund Event in June was also confirmed.

It was thought to try and arrange an evening in the Church with John-Michael Kennaway talking about Escot, a date will need to be fixed for this.

David mentioned that an Organ Concert will be held in the Church on 24 Feb 2012.

It was decided to adjourn the meetings in Honiton Museum until the opening for the new season.

The business having been dealt with Brenda told us about her research into the History of the Greyhound Hotel at Fenny Bridges, the naming coming from the badge worn by the King’s Messengers, dating back to the reign of Charles II. It is said that the Inn is mentioned in the Domesday Book, but I have not found this in the online editions!

A discussion of drawing up family trees in the 21^st C ensued, and how difficult this would be with the modern family groups we have today. Also how some children, although born in a marriage was not accepted by the vicar, who baptised them as base born due to the widowed father marrying his dead wife’s sister. I gave an example of this in one my own families on the Isle of Wight, and I can confirm that folk who are born and bred on the Island are “Caulkheads”. In the same way as “Devonshire Dumplings” and “Hampshire Hogs”.

David told us about the book he is reading “A Devonshire Gentleman”, relating to the Carew family, one of whom married into the Feniton Kirkham family. 

The next meeting will be in the Nog Inn on Thurs. 9^th Feb 2012.

Devon Record Office Open Day

Saturday, 17 March 2012
The Feniton History Group will be in attendance at this event.

The Open Day at the Devon Record Office at Great Moor House in Sowton, Exeter.  This is being held on Saturday, 17 March 2012, and will run from 10 am until 4 pm.   There will be lectures, tours of the strong-rooms, a family history advisory service and tables are being provided to local groups to display their activities.  The Open Day will be open to the public.  There will be no admission charge to the public nor to groups for their tables.  We expect that many hundreds of local people will attend the day.  There will be hot drinks, cakes and sandwiches available for sale.  Free parking is immediately outside the building.

Feniton History Group 25th Meeting

Feniton History Group held the 25th meeting at the Nog Inn on the 10^th Nov. 2011

 Brenda  kindly took these notes due to my absence.

We had a lot of chatter on all sorts of topics, including some history of the Nog Inn. Frances said the name changed about 1953, when she & John were licensees The brewery decided on the name.

I reminded everyone to look at the WW1 WW2 display in Church. Bill showed us a lovely carved depiction of the Church & Lych gate he has made from lime wood, which he will be offering to the Church.

Some memories exchanged about Feniton in war time, such as when the Nog was hit, and the Spitfire in the Powell's garden.

Looking ahead to next year's Diamond Jubilee we tried to get Alan & Frances to recall what took events if any took place here in Coronation year. They remembered the 1937 Coronation better!

Next meeting booked for January 12th 8.00pm

We are at the Museum on the Tue. 22^nd November 10:00 to 1:00pm and again on Tue. 6^th December

Brenda attended this meeting: 14^th Nov 2011

 Just been to the East Devon Local History Workshop in Honiton & my head is buzzing! It was very interesting and everyone friendly.

There were 25 people from 12 History societies/ organisations. Some were from towns like Beer and Colyton. We all gave an account of what we do etc, and It was fascinating to hear how many members they have and what they do. How I envy Whimple who have 150 members (population about 400 less than Feniton!).

First we had a talk from Chris Woodfuff of AONB about a new project to create a Historic Environment Action Plan. This is to record all areas of historic interest in parishes such as ancient fields, sites etc. The information could be used by Parish Councils and in Parish Plans in respect of planning applications etc.

Next we heard about the on-going work  'In the Footsteps of Peter Orlando Hutchinson', a Victorian man who sketched and wrote about his geological and other finds in East Devon. The project has been recording the scenes he described as they are now and also looking for 'silcrete' standing stones that he had found, which occur in places like Salcombe Regis and on the commons around Farway and Northleigh. (Read all about it on AONB web site)

The Group will meet again next year. It is hoped to have a joint project, to give a purpose to the Group. One suggestion is the recording of orchards throughout our area.

Feniton History Group 24th Meeting

Lady Dionne Palmer addressed the Group to ask for help in staging an Art Fund Event in the village on the 13/14 June 2012. She has asked us to put up a display of the history of Court Barton Farmhouse, the village and a short presentation on the Prayer Book Rebellion. David is also involved doing a talk on the church.

The Group have accepted the challenge! Money raised by the Art Fund enables art work to be purchased so that it can stay in the UK. The fund has purchased Honiton Lace for the Honiton Museum and this will be on display. Over the coming months we will need to put our thinking caps on, George has kindly offered to help with an oral talk, should we need someone used to public speaking. Brenda suggested a guided tour around the old village.

The work of Cotswold Archaeology  on Camp Field was discussed. We have been given custody of a box of horse bones, some flint tools and a metal shoe, some think it could be from an Oxen. Our appreciation of this goes to Val Stringer for arranging the donation of this to the Group.  This link gives details of shoes found by metal detectorists;

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=47522

The one on the left in from Camp Field, the other being from my own bits and bobs.

Cliff has also found a flint tool on his walks and that is also in our collection. Thank you Cliff.

David has found a reference to there being a Church House in Feniton, and the Yates papers also confirm this. This website gives more on the subject and some illustrations of  this type of building.

http://www.buildinghistory.org/buildings/churchhouses.shtml,  thank you Brenda for finding this.

David has also been able to confirm that the cadaver tomb was moved around the church. It was in its current position. by 1877.

Remembrance Sunday on 13^th Nov. will see the dedication of the WW1 roll of honour, carved by Bill. To mark the occasion we will put up a display of what we know of the men who lost their lives and incorporate this with the RBL Poppy Appeal. 

I will set this up on Monday the 31^st Oct. at 2:30 pm.

I did offer my resignation should anyone else want the coordinator’s post, but there were no takers!!!!

Alan closed the meeting with more of his lovely Devon Dialect says, “well us all be preddy vitty”. Thank you  Alan.

Then a general rant about the failing of modern day politics rounded the evening off!!