Spring 2004

Walkhampton Community Play Park

Kay Miall

Just over a year ago in December 2002 an Open Meeting was held in Walkhampton Memorial Hall to gauge support for a play park which was attended by over 100 people. That was then, and now, a year later, we have a trail for bikes under construction and a basketball post ready to be installed. The play equipment for the under 7’s has been ordered and will, hopefully, be ready for Easter.

All this has involved a huge amount of work from a band of committed helpers, both amateur and professional, and great support from the community for all the fund raising events.  We have liaised closely with the pre-School group who are looking forward to direct access to the new play park from their existing play area.

Two boys, James Toop and Thomas Clutterbuck (with support from the Play Park group) successfully applied for a grant for a bike track and basketball area. This project is funded by the Tarka Country Millennium Awards which are partly funded with lottery money through the Millennium Commission.  This means that everyone who takes part in the lottery can actually see where some of the money is going.

The Play Park has also had a grant of £3000 from West Devon Borough Council and £2,933 from Awards for all. Our monthly fundraising events have been so well supported that in the course of the year we have raised about £4000, which is an amazing amount.

The year culminated in the Carol Evening with Father Christmas in the glory of his grotto. An organ accompanied the carols and further music was played on a keyboard. The atmosphere, with fairy lights, tea lights and the scent of mulled wine was described by a visitor as “truly magical”. Just over £1000 was raised, much to the delight of the committee, and it is hoped the Carol Evening will become an annual event, as the Play Park will always need a maintenance and insurance fund.

During the year we have also received several donations and these have given our spirits as well as our coffers a good boost.

Editorial

Ted Whitehead

This edition contains something for everyone - a well researched article by Keith Scrivener about the Sheepstor pub, which will come as a surprise to many of you; the return of a commemorative medal to its home at Burrator; an explanation of how the Parish Council proportion of our Council Tax is spent, and profiles of two of our local residents. Plus, of course, the otter showing us what a lovely area this is by playing in the stream at Walkhampton!

There are lots of group activities taking place during the summer. For maximum publicity please do plan ahead and get the details to me by 25th May for inclusion in the next edition.

Clerk’s Report

Mike Spry

Planning
The Inquiry Inspector’s Report into the Devon Local Plan will have been received by DNPA by the time you read this and his decision in respect of the Selected Rural settlement Status as applied to Meavy may be known to us - although I understand that there is in fact, no obligation on the part of DNPA to accept the Inspector’s findings! An Application by South West Lakes in respect of the toilets at Burrator Lodge caused some consternation, with people being concerned that, if approved, it may be the “thin end of the wedge” resulting in more commercial activity than is desirable. The Planning Application was granted by DNPA on 5th March.

B3212 Dousland - Woodman’s Cross Footpath
A Plan Display evening was held in the middle of February to give everyone an opportunity to inspect and air their views in respect of DCC Highways’ proposals. Two officials from DCC were in attendance, as were our County & Borough Councillors (Gretta Madigan & Diana Moyse), twelve Parish Councillors & myself, whilst forty-one members of the public attended - an excellent number. There are, understandably, mixed opinions on the proposed route (basically behind the hedge on the left of the road approaching from Yelverton). However, the funding required to remove the hedge, quite apart from the fact that DNPA (& no doubt others) are against that happening, is way beyond the amount of money that may be made available. Bearing in mind the huge cuts being made in the County budget in the next year (eleven million pounds) we will no doubt be very lucky to get the funding to match the present proposals. Further negotiations are necessary with the land-owners and it is hoped that they will appreciate the importance to the community and put that before any financial considerations, particularly when one considers that the land is little more than a sliver off the side of the fields.

Meavy Conservation Area
Suggested by DNPA, this is a new matter for consideration which has only just, as far as the Parish Council is concerned, come to light and which will involve further discussions, and no doubt Public Meeting(s) with officials from DNPA and the local electorate. As usual, the relevant Notices will be posted on all seven Parish Notice Boards.

Royal Oak Inn
A fire alarm & emergency lighting system has now been installed whilst more external work will take place after Easter. Scaffolding will be needed but it will not spoil the looks for long!

Finally, nothing to do with Clerking - I saw an Otter here at Huckworthy in early March whilst Mike Dobson saw one at the end of February in Walkhampton Mill leat. Wonderful that they are about.

Meavy Friendship Group

Jenny Sharp

Meavy Friendship Group (formally Meavy Ladies Group) is a long established group of people in Meavy Parish. Throughout the year we run events to raise money for charities and for the Christmas parties which we provide for the people of the Parish. Fiona Eastel had been a long standing and hardworking member for many years and she will be sadly missed by all.

Throughout 2003 the group, under the Chair of Rosemary Hill, ran three fund raising events for charities;

• a beetle drive raised £70 for Plymouth Lifeboats,
• a children’s disco raised £30 for CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) and
• the Christmas Whist Drive raised £375 for the Diabetes Centre at Derriford Hospital

We also ran two Jumble Sales during the year with the profits of £500 going towards the cost of the Christmas Parties. Each Christmas we had organised and run, free of charge, a lunch for all senior citizens in the Parish, a party for all 3-7 year olds and a disco for all 8-11 year olds. MFG would like to thank all those individuals who give the group donations to help contribute towards the cost of these parties and also to Meavy Oak Fair for their generous donation of £120.

Plans are ahead for the group’s activities for 2004. We had a Jumble Sale at Meavy Parish Hall on 6th March and the profits of £200 are going to the Primrose Appeal (the Breast Cancer Centre at Derriford). The first of our fundraising events for the Christmas parties is a family Beetle Drive at Meavy Parish Hall on 19th April - look out for posters! This year we have decided not to run the older children’s disco but the Senior Citizens’ Lunch will be on 3rd December and the children’s party is on the 11th December with the Christmas Whist Drive being on 6th December. If you know any new members of the Parish who qualify for the Senior Citizens’ or the children’s party then please let us know so we do not miss any one out!

We urgently need more people who are willing to help. You can either join the group or simply give a hand at the events that we run, such as the Jumble Sales. The Senior Citizens’ lunch is an event which requires a large number of people to prepare, serve and clear up afterwards. If you can volunteer a couple of hours on the day we would be most appreciative - please contact the Chair of the group - Val Smith on 855909 or myself.

We look forward to seeing you at our fundraising events and at the Christmas Parties.

Contact Jenny Sharp on 853652 for further details.

Parish Walks 2004

Michael A Parle

We have planned a series of six Parish Walks. We hope as many people as possible will join us when we walk along some of the Parish Paths and over local access areas on the moor with its varied interests. All are circular walks. Those on a Sunday will start at 10:30 am and those on a Friday will start at 7:00 pm. The duration will be 2 to 3 hours dependent on the route taken.

Sun 4 April - 10:30 am, from Norsworthy Bridge then Down Tor, Cuckoo Rock, Deancombe, Sheeps Tor, Narrator Plantation, and back to Norsworthy Bridge.

Sun 9 May - 10:30 am, from Walkhampton Inn then Church Path to Holewell, Criptor Cross, Routrundle, Goatstone Pond, Gypsy Rock, Welltown, and back to Walkhampton.

Fri 11 June - 7:00 pm, from Ringmoor Cottage then towards Brisworthy Plantation, east across to Legis Tor, along the Plym valley to Ditsworthy Warren, then by bridle path west back to Ringmoor Cottage.

Fri 16 July - 7:00 pm, from small car park near Eggworthy then Criptor, Swelltor Quarries, King's Tor, Foggintor Quarries, via disused railway line to Ingra Tor then back to car park.

Sun 12 September - 10:30 am, from Dousland via Rockleaze, Walkhampton, across Knowle Down to Huckworthy, by Walkhampton Church, Welltown, across Yennadon Down to Yennadon Quarries, down Iron Mile Lane and back to Dousland.

Sun 17 October - 10:30 am, from The Royal Oak Inn, Meavy to via Lower Meavy Bridge to Lovaton, Brisworthy Plantation, Ringmoor Down, Marchants Cross, then back to Meavy. (or possibly in the reverse direction)

Do please come and join us. Bring your friends and visitors. We hope also that these walks will give you the opportunity to meet and chat with some of your Parish Councillors.

Housing Needs Survey

Val Sharpe

A big thank you to all in the Parishes of Meavy, Sheepstor and Walkhampton who have already completed and returned the survey form. A big thank you too to the Post Offices in Walkhampton and Dousland and the Royal Oak in Meavy, all of whom are helping West Devon Borough Council by acting as local collection points.

WestDEN have now delivered forms to all homes on behalf of the Council and for those of you that have not yet completed them, the deadline for return is 28 March. Please try and find 20 minutes to do this. If you did not receive a form or for any reason need another one, please phone the Council on 01822 813515 and one can be sent out.

Parish surveys provide the Council with very important information about the housing needs across different communities and help to inform the Council’s decisions about using scarce resources to provide or support the provision of affordable housing. All the Parishes in West Devon are being surveyed about their housing needs on a rolling programme. In addition to the Burrator Group, the other Parishes being surveyed this year are North Tawton, Bere Ferrers and Bridestowe.

The Council really values the information gathered. Thank you again for your help.

(Val Sharpe is Housing Services Officer, West Devon Borough Council)

Chairman of Finance Report

Gerry Falvey

No doubt you will all have received your Council tax bills for the coming year and are wondering how and why they increase by more than the rate of inflation, each year. Well, there is an old saying that “small is beautiful” and it appears that the larger organisations get, the less control and more wastage occurs. There is no doubt that the system is long overdue for an overhaul and that the sooner we realise that bureaucracy comes at a heavy cost, the better.

I am very pleased that your parish council has taken a lead by not increasing its precept this year, despite a number of planned heavy expenses to come. New laws and edicts from government have filtered down to the grass roots and caused some increased pressure on our local groups. Improved access to village halls for the disabled and more stringent fire safety measures at The Oak are welcomed, but the inevitable need to insure everything up to the hilt, just in case somebody sues, are not.

Your Council is continually seeking ways to limit expense and provide better quality of life for the parishioners but sometimes we cannot afford what we really need. For example, we investigated the prospect of getting a 30 mph warning light for the B3212 through Dousland, in an effort to reduce speed. These have proved very successful in other areas but without help from Devon County or West Devon Councils, the cost of £5000 each is prohibitive.

We now have a proper saving-schedule for works at The Oak and will no doubt seek ways to save for other ventures, as we have for the funding of the 30 mph limit at Walkhampton and the B3212 Footpath, the latter project being now ‘hot on the boiler’. It is timely to remind organisations that applications for grants have to be submitted to The Clerk by 12th July. Section 137 of The Local Government Act limits funding in certain cases and we consider need and benefit to the parishioners as a whole. Where specific expense or projects can be identified, we will endeavour to provide assistance but we are not in the business of adding to the coffers of healthy groups or propping up badly run ones.

The mere submission of a grant application is no guarantee that monies will be forthcoming and the Council will always listen to representations made at its meetings. We need authenticated accounts in support of grant applications and cannot work on hearsay, which leads to misunderstanding and error. Even if plans are not fully formulated, we would like to know your Groups’ intentions should you have a foreseen requirement for a grant within the grant year.

Finally, I would like to refer to the Winter Edition of the Burrator Beacon and Rev Nick Shutt’s article. The Burrator Twinning Association is just one of the many independent Parish Organisations that has received significant financial assistance over the years and although it is open to all members of the electorate, like all such groups, only a small minority choose to join.

This group is not acting on behalf of the Parish Council, in name or otherwise, but we continue to support children from Walkhampton School in the form of an enabling subsidy for exchange visits. The minutes of our last F & GP Meeting reflect our position.

Burrator medal returns to the parish

Keith Scrivener

A rare medal which was struck to commemorate the official opening of Burrator Reservoir in 1898 has come to light and been returned to the parish.

The medal, now more than 105 years old, was found in a tray of old coins and military decorations in an antique shop in Bath by a man who recognised the item and purchased it as a birthday gift for a friend living in Burrator.

On the front of the medal is an engraved view of the reservoir with the inscription “Belongs to the people of Plymouth”. Around the outside are the words: “Commenced 9th August 1893. Area 116 acres. Capacity 651,000,000 gallons.” On the reverse are the words: “Plymouth 21st September, 1898. The Burrator Reservoir. Constructed to avert the danger and hardship to which the town was formerly liable, was this day completed. Gift of J.T.Bond, Mayor 1891-1896-1898.”

It is thought a number of the medals, struck in a base white metal, were ordered and given by the Mayor to several of the principal people involved in the construction of the Burrator and Sheepstor dams.

Mayor Bond was the chief dignitary at the opening ceremony along with landowner Sir Massey Lopes, who presented a silver Loving Cup to be used at the annual ‘Fyshynge Feast’, an ancient celebration of the Plymouth waterway which goes back to the time of Sir Francis Drake. On that warm and sunny opening day in September 1898, Alderman Bond unveiled the commemorative stone in the parapet of the Burrator Dam. A contemporary description from that time speaks of the dam at Burrator as “one which will last as long as the hills.”

The cost of the reservoir and its associated works was £178,000. The Burrator Dam cost £102,00 and the Sheepstor Dam £24,000. In modern terms, the project would cost millions of pounds.

Although the commemorative medal does not have great monetary value, its new owner said: “It is an interesting antique and a unique record of a momentous building achievement on Dartmoor. It seems fitting that after all these years it has returned to the parish.”

The Burrator Beacon would be interested to hear from anyone who has any further information about the commemorative medals and their origins.

Burrator Arboretum and Horse Riders

Ted Whitehead

Since the Crosbie gates were replaced by conventional Hunter gates to provide easier access, horse riders have been going through the Arboretum. There are no bridleways here, and the horse riders know this. A lot of money has been invested over two years resurfacing the paths to make them better for walkers and people in wheelchairs but they are being eroded by a thoughtless few. Ranger Glyn Bradbury informed me that signs are being made, but as a last resort height restriction bars would have to be created. The Dartmoor Horse Riders Group have said they will raise the issue at their next meeting. There are ample bridleways on Dartmoor without spoiling this beautiful area.

Meavy Garden Society

Doris Potter

Following the Society's Annual General Meeting the Meavy Flower Society has become the Meavy Garden Society. Chairman Douglas Henderson emphasised that there was no intention to change the direction of the Society's activities; the outings and monthly speakers will continue to cover a wide range of topics of general interest to all types of gardeners. With a healthy bank balance there has been no change to the subscriptions of £3 for individuals and £5 for couples.

The programme for 2004 includes an outing to The Lost Gardens of Heligan, and speakers on Beekeeping, Hardy Geraniums, the Scilly Isles, and Agatha Christie's garden at Greenway. The Summer Show is on August 14th.

Potential new members, and visitors, can be assured of a warm welcome at meetings in Meavy Parish Hall, 7-30 pm on the third Monday of most months.

For further details, Contact Dorris Potter (programme secretary) on 853255.

Meavy Village Hall

Following the sad death of Fiona Eastell, I now deal with bookings for the hall and the key should be obtained from me.

Val Smith (Kilnford, Meavy Tel: 855909)

Walkhampton seat to stay where it is

Keith Scrivener

A PROPOSAL to move Redhill seat in Walkhampton to a new spot on the village green has been halted after objections from regular users of the wooden bench.

The parish council thought the seat might be ‘better used’ if it were on the village green rather than at the top of Redhill. However, after one elderly lady in the village wrote to say she regularly used the seat to rest upon after walking up the hill, it has been decided to leave matters as they are.

The parish council is now currently looking at buying a new seat for the village green, thus providing a resting place in both areas of the village.

Another seat is also being considered to replace one that seemingly “disappeared” from Meavy Green some years ago. It is hoped DNPA will put down some granite bases for us.

Walkhampton Cottage Garden Society

Mike Dobson (Secretary)

The Society has been in existence for over 70 years and exists to run an annual show in the village hall, with classes for Vegetables, Flowers, Produce, Cookery, Home Brewing, Flower Arranging, Art & Craft, Photography and a whole host of children’s classes. We have a very keen and friendly committee who organise the show but we need and would welcome new members. If you have an interest in gardening and maintaining village traditions, please come and join us. Membership of the Society costs just £2 per year per person, and apart from helping to stage the Show, this enables you to purchase Seeds at 40% discount and plants and sundry items at a discount of 10%. We only have 6 meetings per year, including the AGM and we usually have 2 or 3 social events through the year.

If you are interested in joining, please contact one of the following members:
Mike Dobson (852937), Wendy Swinburne (853765), Trish Spry(854046) or Mary Geen (855887).  We look forward to hearing from you. This year’s Show will be held on Saturday August 28th at the Memorial Hall, Walkhampton.

Sheepstor quiz night

Keith Scrivener

Around 30 people attended a quiz night and supper in Sheepstor Village Hall in February. Quizmaster Corinna Legassick successfully had everyone ‘scratching their heads’ as brain-power was harnessed to deal with the many questions, particularly the ‘local knowledge’ section. A bring-and-share supper completed the very enjoyable evening, which raised £20 towards hall funds. Watch out for news of a Sheepstor summer event in the weeks ahead.

Backalong - When Sheepstor had its own pub

Keith Scrivener

ONCE upon a ‘time gentleman please’, Sheepstor had its very own thriving public house. This issue’s front-page illustration of the village’s former Park Cottage Inn is taken from a watercolour by Ted Whitehead.

The Inn prospered during the years of the great building work undertaken to construct the Burrator and Sheepstor dams, and then subsequently to raise the height of the reservoir’s capacity.

Park Cottage was converted to an Inn during the 1890s at a time when Sheepstor’s population was much greater than ever, thanks to the presence of the many workers on the dams, the surrounding wool and tin mining occupations, and the flourishing farms and homesteads around Burrator valley.

The occupier of Park Cottage saw a heaven-sent opportunity to do business with these thirsty men. Many of the dam workers bunked down in wooden barracks in the vicinity or walked in to Sheepstor from accommodation in Yelverton and the district. In those days, before the motor car or public transport, tin miners from Whiteworks would regularly walk to homes in places like Walkhampton and Yelverton via Sheepstor, stopping for a refreshing drink along the way. Also, the ‘Jobbers’ path from Buckfastleigh to Sheepstor still brought wool traders and merchants to the village, as it had done for hundreds of years.

The licensee at the Park Cottage Inn who benefited from all this activity was Joey Nelder. His memory lives on today as his name was given to both ‘Nelder’s Lane’, part of the perimeter road around the reservoir, and ‘Joey’s Lane’, the rough bridle way leading from the site of the old inn up the green lane onto the slopes of Sheepstor.

The Inn’s water supply was taken by a duct from the Longtone Leat which still dispenses water, cascading from a nearby metal pipe, at a spot called Park Gate. Just opposite where the water now falls into the gutter, on the green sward is the site of the old inn. A few foundation stones on the ground and the outline of some ruinous walls hint at the former shape of the building, now demolished.

Photographs of the Inn which survive show it to have been a substantial house, a mixture of stone, slate and corrugated iron. An early metal advertising sign on one end wall emblazoned the title of ‘The Western Morning News’.

Inside, the Inn must have been a ‘rough and ready’ place with simple tables, settles and stools, next to an open fire, where strong men took strong drink in the rooms of what was the Nelder family home.

Sheepstor village has a history of drinking and song. Indeed a couple of hundred years ago the place was renowned for its fiddle players who played for the church services before the organ was installed and at rustic events in the Bull Ring vicarage field. At these jolly occasions much ale was no doubt consumed along with the dancing and barbarous festivities which once included bull baiting.

During these times there was an even earlier ‘pub’ in the village. The old Priest’s House below the church became vacant at a time when there was no resident incumbent and was turned from a place of holiness into an alehouse where beer was brewed and dispensed. Later it became the parish room, the modern precursor of today’s village hall

The end came for the Park Cottage Inn in 1928. The enlargement of Burrator Dam had been completed in 1926, increasing the capacity of the reservoir to over 1,000 million gallons, and the workmen were sent home for the last time. Whiteworks Mine had also closed down, and the old homestead farms had been deserted - either because of the flooding of their lands or the decision of the old Plymouth water authority to force the remaining farms into eviction on the grounds of the ‘threat of hygiene and contamination to the city’s water supply.’

The Park Cottage Inn was given the same notice to quit as it fell within the so-called area of threat to the watershed. But finding itself with the lack of any customers and with Sheepstor’s return to a tranquil moorland idyll, the Inn’s closure was probably inevitable anyway. So the licensee and his family moved out and the Inn was pulled down.

Footnote: After the building work on the dams had ended, and with the farmhouses now abandoned, a great peace and quiet fell upon the now flooded valley. From 1926 until the arrival of the practising troops during the Second World War and the beginning of the tourist drive in the 1940s, Burrator Lake was once more a calm solitude. Such became its remoteness that in February 1934 a golden eagle was sighted over the lake by several independent observers and reported to H. G. Hurrell, the Dartmoor naturalist, who published the account in 1935.

Meet Your Councillors

Ray Lander

I am a West Country person born and educated in Bath, Somerset, and, having lived in both Devon and Dorset, there is one to go to make the set!

I originally trained as a Mechanical Engineer with a subsequent move into Industrial Engineering, and ultimately into HR management in the early 80s.

My entire career was spent in manufacturing, with products ranging from Pork Pies and Sausages to Component supply at 1st tier level into the Automotive Industry. It is fair to say that we have travelled up, down, and across the country during this period with homes in East Anglia, the Midlands, and Southern Counties.

I am married to Chris and we have three children, two living in the UK and one in New Zealand. Grand children are in short supply but those we have keep us on our toes! We have recently retired and returned to Dousland where we last lived in the 70s; and in fact we are within a short distance of our original house in what was Merrivale View, now Merrivale View road. My hobbies are mainly centred around DIY and gardening with a strong interest in Photography and Conservation issues.

I joined the Burrator Council in the early part of 2003, and I also serve as their representative on the Southern Parishes Link Committee and in turn as the Link representative on the Tavistock and Villages Initiatives Steering Group.

My purpose in becoming a Councillor is to give something back to the community and to utilize my management skills to that objective. Hence if you have any concerns which affect the Burrator Parishes please do give me a call.

People of the Parish

Peter Gibbings

I was born in Stoke, Plymouth in 1928 where my family lived while my father served in the Royal Navy, and for a very short period we lived in London when my father left the Navy and took up a position in the civil service. They returned to Plymouth at the outbreak of war when my father was called back into the services. He was killed fourteen days after war was declared when his ship, “Courageous”, was torpedoed by U29 in the Atlantic. I was educated at the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk, which prepared the sons of RN personnel for naval service. I was trained as a medic at the Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse, but in 1948 was discharged with a serious lung condition. I then trained as a Chiropodist/Podiatrist and qualified in 1951, thanks to the very thorough training given by the RN. In 1953 I set up practice in Plymouth until I retired in 1996.

My wife Doris and I came to live in Walkhampton, with my son Richard and daughter Ruth, in 1978 after having lived for over seven years at Hecklake Farm, Sampford Spiney, and we have never regretted the move. Richard, who had served his apprenticeship at Farm Industries, set up in business as an ornamental and agricultural blacksmith soon afterwards. When we first came into the village, the number of children attending the Lady Modyford School had dropped to such a low number that there was doubt about its future viability. Shortly afterwards Richard married, and with his wife produced five sons and a daughter in less than 12 years. When a friend remarked that he had probably saved the school from closure, Richard replied, “It was a pleasure”.

Since coming to live in Walkhampton I have taken a keen interest in village life, serving on the Flower Show committee as a steward for a number of years, and both Doris and I frequently entered the various handicraft sections. Doris won several prizes in the knitting, tapestry, crochet, soft toys, painting on fabric etc and needlework classes and I twice won the Rolleston Cup in model making. Later, I served for 5 years as a Parish Councillor for Walkhampton, including both the Finance and the Planning Committee which I chaired for two years, and I am proud to say that I never missed a meeting, leaving only to indulge my love of music.

I played with Tavistock Brass, prior to joining the Devonport Naval Base Band on trombone; later taking up the clarinet when running out of puff in later years, and also violin; I began to collect old violins until I had to decide to stop or find another house to accommodate any more.

Besides all this, Doris and I have an enormous garden to tend; she is the technical department, and I am the heavy gang and carefully follow instructions!

Doris and I celebrated our Golden Wedding in 1999 with a Mediterranean cruise, during which she also celebrated her birthday, all within three days. When on the way home we called into Tunis, we were shopping in the market, and a cheeky faced young stallholder looked over her shoulder from behind and, grinning broadly, offered me 70 camels for her! Well, my flabber was gasted; and when I asked him if his camels could cook, he said, “No”, so I brought her home again.

Doris has, I believe, another distinction. When we went to Germany to meet the commander of the U-boat that sank my father’s ship, in order to obtain information for the book that I was writing, he asked her to show him how to make tea properly; he had not much liked tea before this, preferring coffee, but by the time we left he was enjoying it as much as we did. In a letter to us he later remarked that he hadn’t had a decent cup of tea since we left.

Doris and I have always thought that Walkhampton was the most perfect spot in which to settle. Nice views, nice people, and nice climate - “Shangri-La”.

Coffee Morning

The Coffee Morning held at Welltown Cottage on 12th March by Lola and Michael Williams raised £70 for Walkhampton Church. Many thanks to them for their kind hospitality.

Obituaries

It is with regret that we record the passing of the following:

Grace and Louise Ash 14th January. Burial at Meavy Church.

Fiona Ann Eastel (63 years) 15th January. Funeral Service at Meavy Church.

Lilian Audrey Diana Peacock 31st January. Burial of cremated remains at Meavy Church.

Jean Beryl (Jo) Barrell (72 years) 6th February. Service at Walkhampton Church.

Patricia Elizabeth Lepper (64 years) 21st February. Burial of cremated remains at Meavy Church.

Our condolences go to their families and friends.

Letters To The Editor

from Patrick Drennan

Through the offices of the Burrator Beacon, I would like to thank the good folk of Burrator Parish for their help and support to Annie and myself when I was ill and off work for six months last year. We were overwhelmed by the offers of help, the good wishes given by phone, card, letter, and personal visits. The “piece de resistance” was being given Christopher Lloyd’s ‘Garden Flowers’ book by the Sheepstor Welfare Committee. That made me realise that we had really become part of the wonderful community which is Sheepstor.

I went back to work in December, albeit part-time, but I will be full-time from Feb. on, so will take on all comers in the welly-throwing at Sheepstor bull-ring for Summer 2004!

Holy Week Services

Maundy Thursday 8th April
6:00 pm Holy Communion at St. Peter’s Meavy
7:00 pm Eucharist of the Last Supper with meal at St. Paul’s Yelverton followed by short Vigil. Please bring a little food for the shared meal (finger food please)

Good Friday 9th April
10:00 am Liturgy of the Cross. St. Paul’s Yelverton
10:00 am Good Friday Service. St. Peter’s Meavy
10:30 am Liturgy of the Cross and Eucharist. St. Mary’s Walkhampton
1:00 pm Together at the Cross - Walk of Witness begins at Burrator Reservoir.
1:30 pm Short Act of Worship in Sheepstor Church followed by walk to the top of Sheepstor where the cross will be set up as a witness over the holiday period. Hot Cross Buns etc. in Sheepstor Village Hall.

Holy or Great Saturday 10th April
5:00 pm Lighting of the New Fire; finishing Easter Garden and Giving of the “Little Eggs” at St. Paul's Yelverton.

Easter Sunday 11th April
8:00 am Holy Communion at St. Paul’s Yelverton and St. Peter’s Meavy (both BCP)
9:30 am Easter Eucharist at St. Mary’s Walkhampton
9:45 am St. Paul's Yelverton
10:00 am St. Peter's Meavy
11:15 am St. Leonard's Sheepstor (BCP)
6:00 pm Easter Carols at St. Peter’s Meavy
6:00 pm Evensong at St. Paul’s Yelverton (BCP)

This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow!

Village Halls

Please support our local village halls. Each hall has disabled access.

Booking details can be obtained from the following:

Advertisements

YELVERTON BOWLING CLUB
Green and Clubhouse, Meavy Lane, Yelverton

PLAY BOWLS THIS SUMMER
The friendly way to enjoy your sport

Mens Matches, Ladies Matches, Mixed Matches, 
Social Bowls, Coaching Available

Experienced Bowlers and Beginners Welcome

New Members Open Days:
Wed. 21st April, 6 pm
Sat. 24th April, 2:30 pm
Club Night - Thursday 6 pm

Call Ron on 01822 854407

Walkhampton Post Office and Stores

Telephone  01822 853212

There’s a lot more going on down at Walkhampton Stores than you might expect.
In addition to all the usual goods and services you might expect from a village store, we also offer the following:

At Walkhampton Stores we are bucking the trend.  We are proving that a local store, serving the local community, can succeed in an environment dominated by the supermarkets.

Thank you for your support
Mon-Fri 8:00-5:30 (Thu 1:00), Sat 8:00-5:00, Sun 10:00-12:00

The Walkhampton Inn

Walkhampton, Nr Yelverton, Devon PL20 6JY

Telephone 01822 855556

Email:   info@walkhamptoninn.co.uk

WRIGHT WINDOWS

MOORHEADS

ELECTRICAL SERVICES : DIY : HARDWARE

17 Station Road, Horrabridge
Telephone: Day 01822 853610  Evening 01822 854800

DUSKHUNTER DOG GROOMING

Professional Caring Service with over 20 years experience

Clipping, handstripping, trimming, bathing etc.
Terriers & Gundogs a speciality

For all details and appointments: Tel Linda Minett on 01822 855445

TAYLORS
TREE AND HEDGE LAYING SERVICES

Competitive Rates - Free Quotations
Hedge laying and general chainsaw work undertaken
General Hedge Maintenance  No jobs too small

Tel. 01822 854276

GOT A COMPUTER?

New business - Yelverton based - Specialised visiting help service.

No more telephone Help-desks!
Local support in your own home or business from 11:00 to 20:30 hours.
Broadband set-up, client-led tuition, e-mail, internet, anti-virus & more.

Tim Lambie  01822 855822 or 07932 024096  chezvouspc.com

Burrator BEACON Editor  Ted Whitehead, 
Moorland House, Golf Links Road, Yelverton PL20 6BN  Tel. 01822 853435

Editorial Team  Anne Ellis, Keith Scrivener   Internet Edition Editor 

Published and issued quarterly, free of charge by Burrator Parish Council. Copy to be sent to the Editor by the 25th of May for the next edition to be published in June 2004.
Burrator Parish Council is a body which complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  Contact the Clerk Mike Spry for specific details about parish business.

Advertising

The charge for adverts is £10 (inc. VAT) per advert per single issue or £28.20 (inc. VAT) per advert for 4 issues. One full page advert costs £35.25 (inc. VAT) per single issue. Adverts must be booked and paid for in advance. Cheques made payable to Burrator Parish Council and sent to the Editor (address above). We have 800 copies distributed free of charge to every household in the Burrator Grouped Parish. The Burrator BEACON is also on the parish council website, so why not take the opportunity to publicise your business.

Please contact the Editor with any enquiries or adverts in writing. Please include any illustration preferably in the form of a clear line drawing.

Burrator Web Site

Apart from providing information from the council, the web site can be used by any business within the parish to advertise and attract new business. This service is provided free of charge to all council tax and business ratepayers within the parish.

We have many businesses that could benefit from the national and international coverage that World Wide Web provides. If you are interested in taking advantage of this offer get in touch with either the clerk Mike Spry or councillor Michael Parle.

The opinions expressed in the Burrator BEACON are not necessarily those held by Burrator Parish Council. Every effort is made to ensure that information in these pages is accurate. However, the Council cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. Including information does not imply recommendation.