Tristan Nichols
Congratulations! It appears that because of the support that you the public have shown in this year's local activities next year should be a bumper year for community activity - fitting really for the beginning of the new millennium! This edition of the Beacon features the usual bundle of goodies plus a number of success stories from around the area, including Meavy Oak Fair, Walkhampton Wasps FC and many others.
Also with all eyes to the skies in August this edition features a special eclipse spread focussing on the once-in-a-lifetime event.
Over 700 households in the Parish now read this publication so what better way is there to publicise an event?
The response to the publication's competitions and stories this year has been outstanding and I hope to take this newfound relationship forward into the next century. Keep in touch.
by Michael Spry (Clerk)
The past few months seem to have been relatively quiet in general terms, with the exception that we have had Council Elections and you therefore have a new Council!
It is worth pointing out, and congratulating electors, on the numbers who voted - we were the second highest in the County, well done.
We said goodbye to a number of Councillors who chose not to stand for re-election, Councillors Davey, Dey and Wakeham deciding that time and other interests meant leaving - many thanks for your appreciated work.
We have at the helm a new Chairman, Michael Parle, who will be a busy man in the future judging by the positions he has willingly taken on. Michael lives in Meavy, is very approachable and extremely keen, and it is probably true to forecast, will bring a new style to The Council.
The arrival of a new Chairman meant the departure of another, and Mrs Elizabeth Hopson stood down having fulfilled more than her fair share of public responsibility, although she has remained on the Council.
We welcome to the Council two totally new faces and two who have served on the Council previously. Mrs Daphne Button will represent Sheepstor Ward and will look after our interests with The Citizens Advice Bureau, as well as being the Parish Monitor for the Arts – does this mean we can now look forward to her getting us "Kennedy on The Green"? – And Mrs Kate Luffingham, who many will know because of her local connections, not least with the Meavy Oak Fair. Kate has joined both the Finance and General Purposes Committee and Footpaths so will be able to keep an eye on where the funds are going while roaming our patch!
Derek Lavers and Ted Whitehead have both been this way before; Derek is a born and bred local, and like Ted, is very much aware of how things were and how most people would like to see them remain. Both have joined the Planning Committee, whilst Derek is a Footpaths man and Ted brings his experience to the new Publicity Committee, which has in its charge the Burrator Beacon, a publication he ran very successfully for many years. His input will be most welcome.
New Committees were formed to look after Publicity (Chaired by Michael Parle) – mainly The Burrator Beacon, but also our Website – whilst there are the earliest signs that they would also look after the publications side of another new Committee, already mentioned – Footpaths (Chaired by Mike Dobson). The latter Committee was felt necessary to 'Get to Grips' with maintaining the existing Footpath and Bridleway system and to encourage their use – hence the idea carried out elsewhere of producing leaflets, brochures etc. of the existing routes. The Dartmoor National Park Authority are themselves detailing the routes at present so we can anticipate close liaison and a good guide as the end result.
In the Borough Council Elections, Nicholas Waterhouse was returned as Councillor by a substantial margin – it must be of benefit to us to have a very experienced representative living in the very heart of the Parish.
If anyone would like a list of Council Committees and the "Who’s Who" on them please contact me for a copy.
The other major event to take place within the Parish is undoubtedly the gas pipeline currently being installed. It would be true to say that the rapidity of its arrival was a shock all round, going from the discussion to commencement stage in no time at all. However, the benefits will be that a large number of people will be able to convert to gas, should they chose to do so.
Various Planning items have been processed of a generally routine nature, whilst further plans are in abeyance in respect of the Old Trathens Yard site, an area that has been a long time reaching fruition.
Huckworthy Bridge
One unfortunate episode recently was the temporary closure of the bridge here at Huckworthy. The upstream buttress was damaged by a road roller sufficiently for the bridge to be closed by the Bridge Inspectorate for repairs; sadly wider and wider loads are attempting to squeeze through the parapets and repairs are becoming more frequent.
As a Plymothian who has lived at Huckworthy for 14 years, it was with great pleasure that I was able to attend the recent Fishing Feast at Burrator, a tradition I remember from my youth but, not knowing much about it, never imagined I would attend. It was very enjoyable and very sociable, a nice link to tradition reaching back to Drake – fantastic if you stop and think about it.
I would like to take the opportunity of mentioning that I have now been The Clerk for a full 12 months, have enjoyed it immensely. I am extremely grateful for the assistance given to me by my predecessor, June Woodland, the past Chairman and everyone, both on the Council and off, who have been so helpful to me in my getting to grips with the DNPA, WDBC & DCC and the many, many organisations with whom we are in regular contact.
It is a pleasure to be able to say everyone everywhere has been helpful and positive.
Finally, there remains a VACANCY for a COUNCILLOR; there must be someone out there who is interested in taking up this interesting position, surely? For further information, please give me a call or drop me a line.
For those who haven't picked up a paper recently and didn't take astronomy class in school, a total eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon interrupts the direct line between the earth and the sun blocking out all available light.
Although partial eclipses are fairly common the last total eclipse of the sun witnessed in England was in 1927 and there will not be another one until 2090 - that is how few and far between they actually are.
We who live in the West Country are particularly lucky to have this opportunity to witness the event for the longest duration in the whole of the UK.
Weather permitting of course, we will see the sun disappear and re-appear between approximately 10am and 12.30pm on Wednesday 11th August.
This depends on where you are actually situated in the south west as different areas will witness a longer or shorter duration.
I may not have paid enough attention in my astronomy class (not to mention maths) but I have been able to discover that the figures show us that we (in the Burrator parish) will get approximately 1:15 seconds of totality between 11:12 and 11:14. Our partial eclipse will begin and end at the same times as both Tavistock and Plymouth.
After 12.34 the path of the eclipse will move from the tip of the south west before heading off towards Europe, the Middle East and to fade, finally, over India.
With approximately four million people expected to descend on the south west during the eclipse week police are advising residents of the area to leave plenty of time if they are intending to make a journey further down into Cornwall. They are also advising people to lock up their property - be it cars or houses. They are also asking people to be considerate - an influx of people means delays, queues and congestion. STAY COOL!!
Safety tips for the eclipse
Anybody can tell you that looking directly at the sun can cause serious damage to your eyes. And on August 11th the temptation could prove to great for some people as the once-in-a-lifetime event is to be experienced.
Don't let it, warn the Local and County Council, who have issued a Solar Eclipse Safety Code.
When the moon passes over the sun, either before or after the eclipse, you must only look at it indirectly or through special filters, which should be properly approved for safe solar viewing.
There are a great many different filters currently on the market and if you do invest in one make sure you:
For more safety information, contact West Devon Borough Council.
by Kate Luffingham
Just one more success story from the local calendar of events!
This year's Meavy Oak Fair was well attended and a good time was had by all. The St. Peter's Church Bell Ringers rang beautifully before the Meavy School children's pageant opened the event. In music and dance they gave us a wonderful view of the earth, moon and sun in their inimitable way.
All through this the Burrator Horseshoe runners were preparing for the seven-mile cross-country run. A fast field was led by Mark Croasdale of Bingley Harriers, setting a new course record of 37 minutes 47 seconds.
First woman back was local runner Jenny Urquhart of Tavistock Athletic, with a time of 50 minutes 56 seconds. Jenny has been in the first three in all three years of the run.
The Royal Oak Challenge Tug of War brought four teams to the field, all in fine form! In the first round the Royal Oak team was knocked out by Buckland and the Walkhampton Inn lost to The Burrator.
In the final The Burrator Inn proved to be the stronger side. The contest was admirably controlled, once again, by Ned Griffiths.
Many enjoyed trying their skill at archery with The Bowmen of The Tors and not only the children enjoyed the antics of Mr Showers with his stilt walking banjo playing!
Music during the afternoon was provided by New Generation, a young steel band from Estover Community College who brought a carnival feel to the afternoon.
There were a record number of entries for the Exemption Dog Show, judged by Mrs Sue Boylett. The Ram Roast and barbecue meant that no one went hungry and the cream teas prepared by the WI proved very popular as well.
Although the weather wasn't brilliant, it didn't stop anyone's enjoyment. The whole day was only possible because of the enormous support and enthusiasm of everyone who helped with the organisation, the running of the day and the clearing up afterwards!
We are sorry some offence was caused by a few of the signs not being removed immediately and hope that this did not upset too many people.
This sort of event brings out the best in everyone and the Committee is very grateful to the many individuals and groups who made the day such a success.
There are no financial details yet but takings on the day were £2,300. This will probably mean improved profits yet again.
Now is the time for those of you with interests in local charities to be thinking about letting the Committee know. All profits are distributed to local organisations with a percentage for a special charity.
Any enquiries about this should be addressed to the Chairman, Kate Luffingham, at Woodleigh, Meavy Bourne, Yelverton PL20 6AR.
It is 18 years since Pauline Hemery, with her class at Meavy School, wrote the book about Meavy village. Pauline is now writing a comprehensive book about the Parish, village and river, with help from the community.
Pauline said: "I am heartened by the proverb which runs 'the weakest ink is stronger than the strongest memory'. Inadequate though I may be to record the memories of the folk in Meavy Parish, through research and love of the Meavy valley, I feel it is the right time to write the history before the land and people change beyond recognition.
"Quotations from many sources written over the centuries help to put the locality into the wider historical context. Cheered by the adage 'a picture is worth a thousand words', I am delighted the publishers have allowed me to use hundreds of photographs.
"Many years before I taught at Meavy Primary School my husband and I walked and researched in the valley. The beauty of the river valley at every turn is crowded with social history.
"The Parish of Meavy, with Walkhampton and Sheepstor Parishes, has been part of Burrator Parish since 1973.
The book covers the valley of the River Meavy and the Parish of Meavy, sometimes wandering over the border.
Man has built his home and lived with his family in the Parish for about 4,000 years. Families have worshipped in Meavy from Saxon times, parts of the church dating from the 11th century.
Tin and iron were mined in the Parish, medieval farmers lived on the hills, china clay was dug from the ground and the River Meavy supplied the people of Plymouth with fresh water for over 400 years.
Through the centuries the Parish of Meavy has provided families with work but almost all the parishioners today travel out of it to find employment.
"Whether a visitor or resident in Meavy Parish, lean on a field gate or stand on the moor and look around, there are not many pieces of land as full of history and beauty as that of Meavy."
The book will be published by Devon Books at the end of the year.
If you have any information, stories or photographs on your house or family, or know someone who does, Pauline will be delighted to hear from you.
Contact her on 01822 852584.
Once again the annual Walkhampton School Fete was an outstanding success with a large number of local people contributing towards a fun-filled day.
This year the attractions included the Walkhampton School pageant, pony rides, coconut shy, and refreshments amongst others.
On the day anyone visiting Walkhampton immediately knew that there was something happening, as the streets were full of both children and adults who were looking forward to the event.
As this publication went to press official figures had not been released but on the day the school was hoping to raise around £800.
I am sure that many of you were aware (whether you took part or not) that the local and European elections took place a couple of months ago.
While the Torridge and West Devon area recorded one of the lowest turnouts in recent history for European elections, the Burrator parish eclipsed figures with numbers reading higher than the national average.
329 residents of the parish voted scoring 46.0% of the electorate. This figure is compared to the overall Torridge and West Devon figure which realised 33.63% (which, it turns out, is the ninth highest scoring Region in England and Wales).
The local elections on the other hand also revealed some startling results as, out of a possible 1,250 voters, 679 voted which equates out to 54%. It is interesting to note also that, all in all, only 38% of West Devon voted at that time.
By John Gardner
The 15th Walkhampton Art and Craft Exhibition will be opening its doors to the public at 9am on Thursday 2nd September 1999 at the Walkhampton Memorial Hall.
Visitors will find nearly 500 pictures to choose from and a wide range of craft items for sale as well as refreshments. Entry is free but a box will be available for donations to the Dartmoor Rescue Group.
A commission is taken on all items sold which provides a dedicated fund for the upkeep and improvement of the Memorial Hall.
The organisers, Bud Francis and Michael D'Oyly said: "The exhibition is now firmly established in the West Country art and craft calendar. All our exhibitors provide top quality arts and crafts - there is something for everyone!"
The exhibition will run from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th September and is open from 9am to 7pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and from 9am to 5pm on Sunday.
For further information contact: Joan Gardner on 01822 852467 or Michael D'Oyly on 01822 862268.
In preparation for the forthcoming euchre season a series of euchre school nights are being held at the Royal Oak Inn, Meavy, every Monday at 7.30pm. These school nights have been set up to teach people about the game whether they are experienced or not - all are welcome.
The new euchre season is starting in the autumn with the Royal Oak Inn A & B teams' first match in the Bere Alston euchre League on September 15th 1999.
In addition to this the Royal Oak Inn euchre team are holding a number of fundraising euchre events for the coming months. All funds go to a selected charity.
Anyone interested in joining either of the Royal Oak Inn euchre teams can contact Sue Delooze on 01822 854086.
*Check out the diary date pages for match info.
with Raymond Butler
The past season has been the most successful in Walkhampton Wasps Football Club's short history!
The under 12s finished a respectable fourth in their division, with the under 13s finishing sixth, with a cup-final place at Home Park.
The day at Home Park, (for those of you who do not follow football, this is the Home Park of Plymouth Argyle FC) was certainly a game that for everyone who watched it would never forget. It was indeed a great experience for the boys who took part!
The team played football as it should be played, and the large crowd were appreciative and entertained throughout. After extra time, the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate, and a replay was the result.
Unfortunately, Wasps did not produce the same standard of football in the replay, and went down 3-0.
The under 13s recently took part in a football tournament, hosted by Wesseling, which is Tavistock's twin town in Germany. This was a wonderful opportunity for the team to be able to sample the game they enjoy, played in a slightly more Continental way.
The teams they played however were older than the Wasps, some of them up to the age of 15, and the boys struggled at times, but nonetheless equipped themselves well, and enjoyed the experience. They also had the chance to visit Pantasialand, one of Germany's biggest theme parks.
The Germans have been invited to Walkhampton next year, to take place in a tournament, and will be put up by local families, which should be an enjoyable experience for everyone.
The club recently held their annual presentation evening, together with karaoke by Soundcity Roadshow, kindly provided by Bruce Millar, and individual trophies were given as follows:
| Under 12s | Under 13s |
| Manager’s Player - Chris Williams | Manager’s Player - Rikki Allen |
| Players’ Player - Dale Mullen | Players’ Player - Chris Spreadbury |
| Leading Goalscorer - Jordan Jenns | Leading Goalscorer - Richard Marshall |
| Most Sporting Player - James Hobbs | Most Sporting Player - Stuart Cole |
The Honor Evans Memorial Trophy for Loyalty and Commitment
This trophy is a new one given in memory of Honor Evans, who was Treasurer for the club. From the conception of the club, she was a driving force behind the scenes, never stinting in her help towards all things to do with the running of the club, she was indeed loyal and committed. Honor died earlier this year, and is sadly missed by all who knew her.
The boy who was awarded this trophy, for his loyalty and commitment to the club, was Mark Claridge, who plays for the under 12s squad.
Although Mark is still in primary school, he shows remarkable courage, and determination in his game, despite all odds, indeed all the characteristics displayed by the lovely lady, after whom the trophy is named.
Thanks to all involved in the running of the club, to the boys of both teams, and we hope for good things for the club for the following season.
| Burrator Beacon is published by Burrator Parish Council. 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. |