Musbury Diary Summer 2020 MUSBURY PARISH · Special thanks are due to many people but several people have especially asked me to thank Julian and the team. So “A BIG THANK YOU”

MUSBURY PARISH NEWS

Musbury Diary Summer 2020 Watch the village web site http://musburyvillage.co.uk

Church website http://holyford.org And village notice boards for a resumption of normal service

Summer 2020

The Parish News is normally distributed free of charge to all households in the parish of

Musbury , but due to coronavirus this edition is only available by collection from Ann Veit’s

garage. It is also available online at the Village web site

http://musburyvillage.co.uk

If you know of any parishioner who may not be able to get out but would like a copy please

feel free to deliver one but remember to “stay safe”

A Covid 19 Reminder

Musbury Spar is offering a delivery service to Musbury residents for orders over £10. Phone 552292 for details.

The village already has a good network of neighbours , but if you feel anyone has slipped through the net , or are in need of anything yourself this is a reminder of a phone no you can call Emma at The Hind 553553



http://holyford.org


http://holyford.org


Rector Fr Steven Martin [email protected] 553180 Church Office Administrator Emma Laughton [email protected] 552307 Revd Preb John Lees (Associate Minister) 551351 Linda Joy (Children and Families Worker) 07599292449 Jan Lees (Reader) 551351 Emma Laughton (Reader) 551400 Revd Victoria Chester 07489882824 Charles Hill (Reader) 552141 Revd Canon Colin Preece (Retired Assistant clergy) 552154 Revd Nigel Freathy (Retired clergy) 22303 Revd Jeremy White (Retired clergy) 32299

St Michael’s Church, Musbury Church wardens Mrs Sue Irving, Cherry Tree House, Church Hill 552440 Mr Michael Pritchard, Knap Orchard, Combpyne Rd 552297

Treasurer Mr Robin Collis, Monmouth House 551105

MUSBURY PARISH NEWS Village Website: www.musburyvillage.co.uk

This magazine is published quarterly by the Parochial Church Council of St. Michael’s, and is distributed free of charge to all households in the Parish. The cost is borne by the PCC but is largely offset by advertising revenue and by a grant from the Parish Council. The Treasurer will always welcome donations by readers. The services provided by our advertisers are commended: when using them please mention the Musbury Parish News. Editor Jolly Sargent, Ruffles, Doatshayne Lane 552470 [email protected]

Distribution: Mr David Antell 553454 Advertising: Rod Powell 552681

Holyford Mission Community www.holyford.org

Contributors please note Deadline for next Issue 14th August

Virtual coffee mornings will soon be taking place on Zoom. There seem to be online singing groups, Pilates classes, quizzes and I am sure many other things.

As I write this it seems that there are signs of some restrictions being lifted and it is possible that the pub may be able to serve refreshment in the garden soon . One of the blessings of the past few months is the wonderful weather and I am sure every garden and allotment in Musbury has benefitted from extra attention .

Judging by the shortage of flour, yeast, Airfix kits, jigsaws, and seeds everybody is learning new skills and taking up new hobbies.

Special thanks are due to many people but several people have especially asked me to thank Julian and the team.

So “A BIG THANK YOU” to the Spar for going the extra mile with their amazing service to the village , above & beyond in provisions and helpfulness. The first place to have flour, Paracetomol and loo rolls readily available. Well done!

As mentioned before thank you to Annie and Graham for medication deliveries and thank you Emma for coordinating the Covid volunteers.

Thank you to all the sewers and stitchers for doing what you do and last but not least Thank you Ann for providing a library and game, jigsaw hub, and for letting the News use your garage as a distribution point.

Thank you to anybody I have not mentioned for doing your bit.

Stay alert, mind how you go!

Jolly

http://www.musburyvillage.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]





http://www.holyford.org


48 Musbury Parish News Summer. 2020 Summer 2020 Musbury Parish News 1

And Finally“My boy lollipop You make my heart go giddy up You are as sweet as candy You're my sugar dandy Ho, ho, my boy lollipop Never ever leave me Because it would grieve me My heart told me so” Millie Small 1947-2020

“Greed has taken the whole universe, and nobody is worried about their soul.” Little Richard 1932-2020

“There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.” Stirling Moss. 1929-2020

When I set out to get the summer edition of the News together, I thought it might well be a rather thin edition, but I have been proved completely wrong. Thank you to all contributors, who have certainly made a great effort and thank you to all the people who have encouraged me to go ahead with publication when I first muted the idea. The idea was to provide some form of normality and perhaps a record of life in the period of lockdown. I was told “The News is like a clock, one depends on it coming out to relate to what part of the year it is”

I feel lucky to live in Musbury, not only a beautiful part of Devon, but a vibrant supportive community that has pulled together in time of crisis. We seem to have been far removed from the worst of the virus, the panic buying and in the early days before lockdown it seemed we had stepped back in to a time warp. As soon as lockdown started a group of volunteers got together offering, help with shopping, medication and support to vulnerable people. The Spar shop started offering food deliveries. Graham and Annie started delivering medications. There are many other people who have been supporting the community as well. Thank you to all of them.

I am sure people have become more adapt at technology, where would we be without Zoom? A reminder that church services are available on Zoom full details at www.holyford.org

From The Vicarage Steven Writes One of the phrases we hear a lot now is ‘the new normal’. Are we supposed to feel secure or unsettled by it? Do you particularly desire a ‘new normal’ or would you prefer the ‘old normal’ back?

Part of me hankers after the ‘old normal’. My old normal was a diary full of meetings. These are fewer now, which is no bad thing, but via Zoom. While this is useful, I find having to look at myself on a screen depressing…observing each meeting how much weight I have been putting on since lockdown. Zoom is quite tiring to use, not least when the internet connection fails at a vital point and one is left wondering if everyone else heard what was just said (I get round this by copying the facial expressions of others, either nodding and smiling or frowning and shaking my own increasingly flabby face convincingly, hoping nobody twigs I haven’t a clue what is going on). It is much easier to communicate in a room with other human beings I think.

The ‘new normal’ may mean more time alone, or more time with close family; perhaps more time to get the garden in order and various jobs done. For us as a society, the ‘new normal’ may involve a future where we find ourselves confined or restricted to varying degrees and various intervals. As individuals, our normality may have been shaken by loneliness or the death of a loved one. Adapting to a new normality may be easy for some, but painful for others. Living through any change can, however, bring about opportunities for growth: in wisdom, understanding and humility. The early Christians—those who witnessed Christ’s ministry or the ministry of the first Apostles—had to get used to a ‘new normal’. They rose to the challenge, living the Gospel message—that God loves and forgives us, that whether life is normal or abnormal, exciting or frustrating, we can find joy and stability in the knowledge of this love. This is essentially what must be at the core of living the Christian life for all of us.

Living the ‘old normal’ or the ‘new normal’ each presents its own set of challenges. Perhaps the key is to seek and pray for stability, something that enables us to fruitfully engage with ‘the changes and chances of this fleeting world’ (not my words, but from a prayer during the service of Compline). Benedictine monks and nuns take a vow of stability, which means they promise to live in the same place and community. This is important: the other monks or nuns may drive you mad. You may get bored or frustrated by living alongside others, or by living alone within the same four walls, yet it is important to seek stability. This involves forgiving others (as the Lord’s Prayer reminds us) and forgiving ourselves because God knows and forgives us and wants us to live our lives as fully as possible.



2 Musbury Parish News Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Musbury Parish News 47

Stability also entails establishing a rhythm of life, not a series of routines, but a deeper pattern of being which enables us to focus on what is truly important: knowing God’s love and living in the light of that love so that we can simply share it with others. This can be achieved through prayer and contemplation, giving thanks for the times when we have been given something we didn’t earn or deserve which has caused us to see goodness at work, or, if we are grieving (for a person, or for a situation past or present) knowing that God will share the burden and weight of that with us as we offer it to him. Our churches stand as beacons which remind us of God’s stability: his steadfast goodness and mercy towards us. I hope that soon our beautiful Parish Church will be open again, at least so that people can come in to pray quietly by themselves. Generations have passed through the doors of St Michael’s to offer their prayers and seek stability in a world which is constantly changing. Although the doors of the church are shut at present, the rhythm of worship has continued through our online services and services via telephone (see our website for details: Holyford.org or our Facebook page: @Holyfordmission). The services will return to church as soon as we are allowed to have them there. Getting back to some sort of normality in church, or at work or at home, as the restrictions change, will require a good measure of energy, patience and ingenuity. Above all it will demand stability, which begins with us as individuals. A commitment to our place and the people around us, and a commitment to putting the loving purposes of God at the forefront of our lives. This begins by knowing that God gives us the power to forgive others because we know ourselves to be forgiven and loved by him. I leave you with a prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr.

With every good wish and blessing,

Fr Steven. God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next. Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Some Anagrams

standalone yeah, —————- a Musbury thoroughfare

carnivorous —————— The current main topic on the news

lodgers thatch. ——————- Popular cider drink I believe

cable plumper ——————- pudding course

Elston holstering ——————- A beat combo, from the sixties

booker mortality. ____________ a goodie recently deceased

goose whether ____________. The night watchman cry

anchovy diked. ——————— living English artist

goblet pathogenesis. —————- Italian dish

parchment secretaries —————- one of the greatest welsh groups

Ikhnaton syphon. ——————- a regular at the hind?

below mind. ———————— a tennis event cancelled this year.

stalest unforgivably —————— a music event cancelled this year.

Menuhin scattered ——————- a half decent football team

Dorrie Joanie ——————— a Brazilian seaside resort

mud Portland ———————- the so called leader of the free world

featherbed gravestone. ————— Sunday lunch

Avon steed —————- our local area

earthed footed monkish. ————- a prog rock classic

lands mattocks ————- a local land mark


Letter from Trill Farm I’m writing this as the sun rises and the dawn chorus allows me to hear the cuckoo here for the first time since I arrived, twelve years ago. With the pandemic taking hold in the world population, we are experiencing a cleaner and quieter, friendly place to be. As I open my front door and see my benches and chairs arranged in a half circle welcoming the view of the woodlands and ponds in the half light of the morning, I feel proud and part of this landscape, this valley leading towards the sea. I am proud that the diversity and wildlife is returning during my time here, proud that this valley is showing its natural beauty. I realise I am hugely privileged to be here surrounded by wildlife and able to feel the rising energy of Spring burst through and transform the landscape, turning the trees green, enabling flowers to open and warming the insects waking out of winter. It is easier to be true to yourself when you’re not rushing around and you can see yourself as you are - part of nature and part of its process. The Farm is closed to visitors and courses this Spring and with Jane, Tamsin and Mariel working from home, my daughter Lara and her family have moved into the guest house and are doing the lambing and online sales. It has been a special time together. Spring is a time for birth of the new and to nurture. I really hope there is a possibility for the world to do things differently. With the small businesses here, adapting how they operate, we are showing our resilience in change. We have always focused on demonstrating the importance of supporting and working with nature, the environment, valuing community and ensuring business is responsible. Would it be too optimistic to believe this was something that could become a global approach to trading, food production and working with each other? I hope that people and politicians will now appreciate that the real issues of climate change, waste and diminishing resources need to prioritised.

Romy Fraser

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Nature Watch Summer migrants have been slow in arriving. Chiffchaffs arrived and started singing their name in mid-March. Blackcaps followed soon afterwards. However, the Swallows and Sand Martins that one expects in early April were late and few; I didn’t see my first Sand Martin until 2 April (I would normally expect them in late March) and my first Swallow didn’t come until 19 April; they are still few and far between. The weather in April was poor over Spain and this may have held them up. Plenty of people have reported Swifts to the Devon Birds website but I have yet to see one; they no longer nest in the village. Cuckoos have been reported from the Dartmoor fringes but I have not heard one; they are, at best, rare here and just pass through on their way to Dartmoor or points north.

The annual passage of Red Kites through the county has started and birds are being reported every day on the Devon Birds website. Look out for them during silage cutting operations as they hang around waiting for flushed or shredded mice. Blackbirds are feeding young in the garden, and I am sure that Blue Tits and Great Tits are both feeding young in the nestboxes. They will have a hard time finding enough insect food if the cold weather persists for long.

The British Trust for Ornithology is celebrating 25 years of Garden Birdwatch. This scheme is unique in being supported by its members – you actually pay a subscription to take part. However, for a limited period you can join without paying (www.bto.org/gbw). You keep a record of the birds you see in your garden each week – the species and the maximum number – and submit the results on-line to the BTO at the end of each week. I am not among the elite who have sent in over 1,000 weekly records (there are 1,185 of these), but I’m approaching 900! Two hundred and fifty gardens have sent in records for the whole 25 years, and there have been big changes during this time. The biggest gainer has been the Goldfinch which has moved from 20th to 8th in order of abundance, closely followed by the Woodpigeon, which has moved from 12th to 2nd. Other species that have increased, but to a lesser extent, are Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tit, Jackdaw, Coal Tit and Magpie. The biggest losers are Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Wren, House Sparrow and Starling, with Blackbird, Collared Dove, Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker also declining, albeit slightly. These results help in the annual assessment of which species are declining or increasing nationally, and they are particularly important now, during lock-down, as other surveys have been suspended.

Problem ======================

You have a new job working for the local division of an understaffed virus prevention agency. There has been an outbreak of Covid-19 and the previous employee had to go into self isolation after developing symptoms. She left you with the following information about Covid-19:

- On any given day the number of people infected on the next day will be equal to a constant R times the number of people infected on that day times the proportion of uninfected people out of the total population.

- As of today, your first day of work, there are currently 1000 infected people and the total population is 1,000,000.

- Due to the hard work of the staff at the vaccines and miracle cures department a cure for Covid-19 will be available after 30 days. However, due to a lack of funding they will only be able to produce 15000 doses of the cure.

Currently, R is estimated to be around 1.2, will all the infected people be able to get the cure after 30 days?

Your boss has asked you to figure out how small R needs to be so that all of the infected people can get the cure when it is ready after 30 days. What is your best estimate?

Quiz for the young at heart

1. How many zeros are there in the number one thousand? 2. Who is Anna’s sister in the Disney film Frozen? 3. What is a young sheep called? 4. How many weeks are in a year? 5. In what country is the Great Barrier Reef? 6. What does water turn into when it is frozen solid? 7. What is half of the number fifty? 8. Name as many planets in our solar system as you can (a point for

each) 9. What is the biggest ocean on Earth?


Every few years a group of organisations publishes estimates of the numbers of birds in the UK. The latest paper was published early in 2020. It deals only with breeding birds and the estimate is 85 million pairs in total. The commonest species is the Wren, with 11 million pairs, followed by the Robin, with 7.35 million. There are a further 19 species with over a million pairs: House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Great Tit, Pheasant, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Starling, Blackcap, Goldfinch. Jackdaw, Skylark, Song Thrush, Whitethroat, and Carrion Crow. The overall total has changed little since the last estimates were published in 2013, but there are winners and losers. The latter include Turtle Dove, Chaffinch, and Greenfinch; among the gainers are Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Red Kite, the last up from 1,600 pairs in 2012 to 4,400 in 2019.

Our lanes seem particularly bright with flowers this year; appropriately red (Red Campion), white (Queen Anne’s Lace, Stitchwort) and blue (Bluebells). Now these colours have been joined by the yellow of buttercups and Yellow Archangel, and the purple of Bush Vetch and Common Vetch. Blackthorn had a rather short flowering season this year as the warm weather moved flowering on quickly. As I write Hawthorn is in full flower, covering some bushes with its creamy white flowers giving promise of a good autumn berry crop.

Musbury Village Hall

100 club

The results for the last 3 months of 100 Club draws, as follows:-

March - £60 draw 1st No. 30 Sue Leach £30.00 2nd No. 87 Peter Casey £20.00 3rd No. 66 Andrew Moulding £10.00.

April - £30 draw 1st No. 16 Ian Doulton £15.00 2nd No. 73 Annie Stark £10.00 3rd No. 35 Mike Lock £5.00

May - £30 draw 1st No. 50 Caroline Griffin - £15.00 2nd No. 101 Martin Platts - £10.00 3rd No. 33 Rod Powell - £5.00

We are relaunching the 100 club in November 2020, or once the current situation allows us to. The Village Hall committee are still looking for a secretary, as no one has stepped forward, following the appeal in the last edition of the News.

As stated before the Committee will have no choice but to close the Village Hall if no one can be found. If you are interested in filling this role please call Debbie on 01297 35898

Red Kite

Bush vetch From the archive Summer 1990 Go ahead spring clean

On Thursday the members of the go-ahead club got together to have a spring clean around the village. Some of the things involved washing all the tables and chairs down the hall, painting the goal posts up the playing fields, painting the benches at Northfields and lots more. All the money we collected went to the Church Urban Fund. To collect the money we split up into groups and went around different parts of the village collecting sponsors. When we had finished all the jobs we had a barbecue up at Mrs P Langdon’s house . When we added up the money the total amount was £128.30p Stacey Goodwin 11 years old


Seaton Wetlands

Until very recently, I have not been able to visit Seaton Wetlands but I receive regular updates from the Wardens. The site is open but all the hides are closed until further notice. The winter birds like Lapwings and Teal have all left. There are plenty of Shelduck on Black Hole Marsh but I have not seen many further up the valley since things dried up; earlier they were regularly visiting flooded fields. Watch out for mother Shelducks shepherding broods of grey-and-white ducklings along the road as they try to get to the river and thence to the estuary. A few waders have been reported on their northward passage, including a pair of Avocets and, recently, a female Ruff (or Reeve). Others have included Grey Plover, Common Sandpiper and Greenshank. There have been several sightings of Ospreys on their way north, but none stayed long, as is usual in spring. The quiet conditions on the Marsh and in the hides have encouraged nesting birds and one hide has a pair of Swallows and a Woodpigeon nesting in it! However, the Sand Martin bank (which featured on Farming Today last week) has yet to attract any birds although a tape of their calls is being played daily. The same ploy will be tried to attract Swifts to the boxes on a tower that have been put up for them. Kestrels have returned to two of the nestboxes after a year’s absence.

Mike Lock

Musbury Village Show

We were very sad not to be able to hold the Musbury Plant & Craft Sale in May and we delayed cancelling the 2020 Musbury Village Show and the Garden Charm Competition for as long as there was hope of staging both events or of finding some sort of alternative. Sadly nothing seemed feasible, which is so frustrating when the gardens, veg. plots and allotments seem to be benefiting from their owners' lockdown and the beautiful spring weather. We are now looking forward to 2021 when we intend to organise the Musbury Village Show and both the Garden Charm and Veg. Plot and Allotments Competitions to make up for 2020. We are hoping that you are all keeping records of your gardens and your outstanding produce so they can be called upon to enter photographic classes in the 2021 Show.

Lesley McGowan Lock

Musbury Garden Club With the last Garden Club talks on Season 10’s Garden Club programme cancelled, it is ironic that many of us are spending more time in our gardens and allotments than ever. Seed and plant swapping have been the order of the day, particularly valuable with no access to Garden Centres.

Planning had already begun for the next programme of talks, so, all being well, there is much to look forward to. We should have ‘Gardening without plastics’, a jaunt round Britain in Bloom and a practical demonstration of seasonal flower decorations – just to give you a flavour of what is to come for Season 11.

We were sad to learn that Neil Lovesey, a favourite speaker died recently, having been ill for a long time. Many of you will have enjoyed his very practical talks and may have visited Picket Lane Nusery at South Perrott which he owned.

Here’s hoping for a summer of bumper crops, beautiful spaces to sit in and not too much watering

Karen, Val and Sue

Moles

The children at Musbury Moles have been enjoying the spring sunshine, painting and rebuilding the wildlife garden. Unfortunately the Covid 19 virus made us close our doors on Friday 20th March. We have been working behind the scenes to ensure we can open on the 3rd June. We shall be welcoming the Moles back for the last part of the summer term. This will be a little different from the normal fun activities that go with the end of the year. However we are more than determined to make our Moles have a great and safe time in the last few weeks of the term. We have 3 children venturing up to the primary school and we shall be making their transition as smooth as possible in these times. The staff have been upskilling whilst they have not been in Moles. Cat will carry on her level 3 Forest School Leader course and when completed we shall have two trained Forest School Leaders in Moles. We are lucky to have space inside and out. Being an outdoor preschool our children are used to outdoor learning and the benefits it has on their learning. This is great for the return of our children as outdoor learning has many benefits and is advised by the government for children’s return into education.


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8 Musbury Parish News Summer 2020 Summer. 2020 Musbury Parish News 41

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StockersMaidenhayne Lane

MusburyAxminster

Devon EX13 8AG

27 January 2019

Dear Don,

Thanks for coming around on Friday.

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Our magazine is in A5 format and is laser-printed in black & white and published quarterly. We discussed the proposal for a quarter-page advert (approx 50mm wide x 70mm high ‘portrait’) in each of these four issues this year at a total cost of £50

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Parish Records

Burial

07.04.20 Terrence John Knight

Weather Watch What a time of contrasts! February was very wet indeed, with 205 mm (8”.) of rain, well over twice the 15-year average of 73 mm (3”). March started off much the same, with 79 mm (3”) of rain up to the 19th – and then it stopped, so that the month’s total was very close to average. The rest of the month was bright and sunny, albeit with a cool and often strong east or north-east wind, which dried things up pretty quickly. April continued in the same vein, with daytime sunshine and, early in the month, night frosts, but these ceased after a drop of rain on 6th and it became pleasantly warm. After almost a month without significant rain, a depression moved up from the south to bring rain on 16th and 17th – just in time for those who had planted their maize a few days before. Further warm and sunny days followed but rain on the last days of the month brought the total to 48 mm (2”), a little below the average of 62 mm. May started sunny and, at times, very warm. However, as I write on 10th, the wind has changed to a strong north-easterly and the temperature is dropping fast. Keep those tender plants under cover! The (very cautious) long term forecast is for a July with temperatures a little above average. And, if you believe in old weather lore, the Oak was very definitely before the Ash this spring, so ‘We shall only get a splash’. Let’s wait and see!

Mike Lock

Henry Hoare The following is an edited letter received from Andrew Whittington about the connection of his father John who has died aged 93 and his connection with the village. Both he and my mother, Sheila, were very fond of the village of Musbury and the church of St Michael. My mother's father was Henry James Hoare who was born and grew up in Musbury. He joined the Devonshire Regiment in the First World War and served on the Western Front where he was severely wounded at the Battle of the Somme in October 1916. After treatment for his injuries he was sent to Totteridge, then in Hertfordshire but now a London suburb, for his recovery. It was while he was there he met my Grandmother, Alice Andrews. After their marriage they lived in the North London area, initially at nearby Whetstone. From just before the Second World War, however , they lived in Mill Hill, in a house they named "Musbury". My mother, the middle of three daughters, was born in 1927. As a child she visited Musbury many times, and amongst the endless stories she spoke of eating copious amounts of clotted cream whenever she stayed with the relatives who were still in Musbury. My mother married my father in 1948 and they kept in touch closely with her relatives there. I can remember in the early 1960s coming to the area several times and being on Charmouth beach while my Mum went to her folks in Musbury. In latter days my parents would go to Musbury most years and stay on a nearby farm. I believe it was during this time that they became attached to the church, being church people themselves and seeing it as the focal point of the village. It really was a return to my Mum's roots that was adopted wholeheartedly by my Dad too. He truly loved the countryside and saw the Musbury area as the loveliest of all. Once my parents were in their 70s driving to Devon became much more difficult and they kept in touch by the kind inclusion of them in the circulation of the parish magazine. My mother died in December 2018 at the age of 91. There is still at least one of my relatives in the area, Penny Emerson was my Mum's cousin so it's lovely to know that we are still _represented _there. _

I hope everyone is keeping safe in these difficult tinies.

Yours Sincerely

Andrew Whittington


As you are probably all aware the hospital is virtually closed at the moment and all clinics have been closed. Essential clinics are being held centrally in Exeter and clinicians are prioritising appointments as much as possible in the current climate. Everyone is doing their very best in this unique and extremely difficult time.

When I was informed that I was in shielding isolation for 12 weeks I was devastated. What was I going to do? Now in my 8th week I am having trouble fitting everything in. I started with the felt animals in the window to amuse children of all ages up to 90 +. Then I was running out of reading matter and thought many others were probably in the same boat so the old bookcase on the carport came in to use. It has grown and grown, people taking books, people bringing books, games and puzzles, there is constant turnover. The nicest thing is to see children walking away clasping a book like the most precious toy in the world. It works like a free library with no ‘fines’ just help yourself. Please respect social distancing if there are others there but do use it.

At the time of writing this we have made and distributed 482 ‘nurses’ Laundry Bags all in our area with a couple of exceptions. Ottery Community Nurses have been given some, as has Sidmouth Hospital, as both were in need. The others have been distributed in the Axminster, Colyton and Seaton districts. We are still going and will do as long as the pillowcases keep coming in and there is a need for them. Basically they allow the carer/nurse to change from their uniform before leaving work and stuffing it in the washable laundry bag to take home. It then goes into the washing machine in the bag containing any infection and protecting the user’s family and home from risk. Simple and basic but very effective and very much appreciated from the feedback I have received. Lesley McGowan-Lock and I have worked closely on this project and in many ways it has been great fun. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who have donated pillow cases, some coming from as far away as Honiton and Stockland, and everyone who has converted the pillowcase into Laundry Bags, especially Ken Short who is a dab hand with the sewing machine.

Houses that no longer exist On the subject of old house names, have you heard of these?

Mounthill & Mount Pleasant Co0ages (1841-1871) – Further up Mounthill Lane, past Woodhayes, on the right as it begins to level out.

Hob Knapp (1841-1901) – On the right as you go up Pudleylake Road, just past the footpath before you get to the tree plantaLons.

Wood House Court (1840-1841) – ConLnue up the East Devon Way from the church and, when the concrete track bends leQ at the top, go straight on for about 100 metres.

Do you know of other houses and buildings in Musbury that have disappeared? I would love to hear about them.

*********************

Names that cannot be identified On the various censuses and other returns there are properLes and road names that give no clue as to where they were. Have you ever heard of the following? Please let me know if you have.

The Towers – 1910 to 1931

Strawberry Lane – 1851 to 1871

Berry’s Row – 1851

Martin Minter / Musbury Heritage / [email protected]




The Village Collective got into gear very quickly and have acted as great facilitators fitting needs to availability. There are so many people to thank that I could go on forever so I made a thank you board for outside my house, currently being repaired and updated. If you don’t feel you fit into any of the categories Thank you. One service which has been fantastic for me is the deliveries from the Spar and Garage, thank you Julian and all your staff.

Keep Safe

Ann Veit Secretary to the League of Friends of Axminster Hospital

Virtual coffee and Chat

Frustrated that social distancing stops you seeing some village neighbours? Joining our new Musbury Virtual Coffee and Chat could help! All you need is Zoom access on your computer or you can ask someone with a laptop to give you their access.

Those isolated or living alone are especially welcome to our first meeting, planned for Wednesday 3 June from 10.30 - 11.30am.

Thereafter, we’ll ‘meet’ every first Wednesday of the month at 10.30 am until we can resume meeting in the Village Hall.

To join the meeting/make further enquiries, email Sue McCoulough [email protected] as soon as possible, or at latest, before the day of the meeting.

There's no obligation to stay for the full length of ‘chat', or attend every month. However, once signed up, you will receive a reminder email each month, including full instructions for joining the meeting.

Musbury Houses Quiz: Match the Old House Name with the Present House Name

On the le( are old house names and the earliest date it is recorded as such. The column on the right are the names of 12 proper9es in the village today. Both columns are in random order. Some are quite hard, unless you happen to live in that house. It may also be a test of how many modern Musbury house names you know! Perhaps it is 9me for another stroll round the village?...

Match one these

A. Rumah Kita 1939

B. Brimclose 1939

C. Old Smithy 1891

D. Prince’s Row 1891

E. Hand and Spear Inn 1857

F. Beale’s Farm 1851

G. Griffin’s (Back Lane) 1851

H. Tanyard (Fore Street) 1861

I. The Moorings 1901

J. Moun^ield Co_age 1911

K. Corona9on Co_age 1929

L. North Co_age 1840

To one of these

1. Cartref Co_age

2. Hunt’s Row

3. Malvern House

4. Brook Co_age

5. The Stables

6. The White House

7. Cherry Tree House

8. Adcro( House

9. Woodhayes

10. Musbury Barton

11. Yew Tree House

12. The Old Forge

Answers: On the Musbury Heritage Website h_ps://www.musburyheritage.co.uk/. No log on required, unless you want to delve deeper.



https://www.musburyheritage.co.uk/




12 Musbury Parish News Summer. 2020 Summer. 2020 Musbury Parish News 37

Musbury and Whitford Women's Institute

As with everything everywhere else our WI meetings have been cancelled until further notice. However, not all activity has ceased and since the beginning of April we, friends from other WIs and from Musbury and Whitford Villages have been busy making wash-bags for the Nurses and Carers in the area. The idea for this came via social media from The Royal Stoke Hospital; it seems that news and viruses both travel fast. The simple drawstring bags are made from old, washable sheeting, pillow cases etc. and are designed to be used by health-care workers to carry their uniforms, scrubs etc home for washing after they have changed at the end of their shift. They can then put the unopened bag straight into the washing machine, thus reducing the spreading of contamination by viruses and bacteria. We have been greatly helped by Ann Veit of Musbury who with her knowledge of Health Care organisations, contacts and organisation skills has been our centre and co-ordinator for the distribution of the bags, as well making them. At the time of writing this we have made and distributed nearly 482 bags. We are also very grateful to all who spring-cleaned their linen cupboards and donated the materials we needed to do this.

In March, two weeks before the lockdown, we were able to enjoy a talk by Rosemary Giggs who, dressed in the persona of Lady Katherine, described her life as a Tudor lady and showed the many layers of her costume which she (Rosemary) had made herself. Sadly because of the virus we were unable to hold the promised Jumble Sale, go on visits or hold our Garden Meeting, all normally part of our summer season. We are keeping in touch with each other, learning computer skills faster than perhaps we would have done usually, and will be ready to re-start all our activities when it is safe to do so. When that happens we will look forward to welcoming new visitors. In the meantime its back to the sewing machine.

Lesley McGowan Lock

CHURCH FLOWERS AND CLEANING At the time of writing and the circumstances that prevail I have little to write unfortunately. With the Church closed and no services there would be no one to see flowers on the altar even if we could do them ! On the cleaning front, the annual spring clean had to be cancelled and although plans had been laid for the weekly cleaning rota to continue, this was also abandoned under Diocese instructions. However the porch is being swept and washed regularly so that our Church on the outside at least, doesn’t look so neglected. When we return to ‘normal’ (hopefully soon) I am sure we will all work together again to show our love for our lovely Village Church.

Sue Irving 552440 [email protected]


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Parochial Church Council This could be my most difficult report since coming to live in Musbury. Even though the Church building is closed for the foreseeable future, the people who make up the Church have been busy keeping in contact with each other in different ways and serving God in the village by helping out with shopping, telephoning and generally coordinating support for the many villagers who need it. We managed to get our Table Top Sale in before lockdown. We took extra precautions and naturally not so many people came but having said that, we made over £500. Thank you to all those who supported us. The Food Bank has moved to the Spar and we are grateful to Julian for allowing this. Axminster Food Bank are even more desperate for contributions in these difficult days so do please go on supporting this venture when you shop at the Spar. Thank you to Sheila for kindly taking the food to Axminster for us. If you can’t visit try and ask others to buy something from you for the Food Bank Our Annual Meeting has been postponed until later in the year but we have had a PCC by ZOOM which was different! We missed doing the teas at Tony Drake’s Open Gardens but look forward to a time when that happens. Father Steven and the Ministry Team have been working hard to provide a Service on line each Sunday for us to follow ( including several over Holy Week and Easter). We are all grateful for these and if you would like to receive them, go to our Holyford Mission Community Website and find the links. There have been Coffee Mornings on ZOOM, telephone Services and Bible Studies by ZOOM. We are so grateful for the technical expertise of some MC leaders and have to say many of us are becoming so much more familiar with the internet and able to widen our experience of Apps new to us ‘oldies.’ Many of you, too, will have enjoyed family get togethers like us - on your screens. There have been so many positives of this historic time in our lives. We are all grateful for the support given to each other in Musbury and look forward to better times and more freedom in our lives. We also look forward to the time when the Church Building will be open and we can worship and have fellowship together in person - probably with social distancing!!

Kay Short PCC Secretary 552711 [email protected]

Musbury Short Mat Bowls Club Due to the current situation, we have not been meeting and playing in the village hall obviously, but we have tried to keep in touch and all look forward to the time we can start up again. The League had to terminate in March and many matches were cancelled. Both teams were doing reasonably well in Division Two of the Afternoon League. Heather Heal and Bryan Groves won the Club Competition in February. Well done to you both. We couldn’t have the Ted’s Trophy in March or the AGM in April so we look forward to when we can enjoy them in the future. Not sure how social distancing could work for Short Mat Bowls. We all have to stand pretty close to each other at the Mat ends when playing a game!! Perhaps it will have to be singles or pairs games only for a while!! The refreshment time half way through the evening would be greatly missed if that had to be abandoned!! The village hall has to open first of course! No one knows when that will be!! As the average age of our club is quite high and many have underlying health problems, it could sadly be a while until we all meet up again but I send good wishes to all members who read this in Musbury and hope that you all keep safe and can enjoy the freedom to do those things you have been looking forward to soon! Keep smiling! Keep busy! Keep Alert!! Kay Short Secretary 552711.

A Contribution from social media

A message to all our negative UK Press - including Laura Kuensberg, Robert Peston, Beth Rigby, Piers Morgan,

Journalism is missing the “mood” of this great country of ours. We do not want or need blame. We do not need constant criticism of our Government who are doing their very best in a very difficult and unprecedented global emergency. This crisis is not their making, there is no precedent of how to best handle it and I’m sure everyone is doing their level best to get it right.

But time and again we see our negative press trying to trip up politicians instead of asking questions that will provide positive and reassuring answers for all of us.

I was asked to include the above by a parishioner : ed


News From The Hind

We were struggling with what to write for this edition of the parish magazine as we do not know when we will be able to reopen. As soon as we know we will let you all know!

Adrian is redecorating what he can without creating expensive unwanted bigger jobs, financially we are treading water and we need to be able to reopen but it must be safe and profitable! We were fortunate to have a grant but it won’t last forever so we hope we will be able to get going again soon. We miss you all! The girls are at home and in the words of Phoebe "Mum I can see why you didn't become a teacher!" So as we can’t tell you of things to look forward to I asked Ralph to write you all a message:

Gracious me, where does time go? Next year, God willing, will mark a fifty year association with The Hind! Starting out polishing the vast amounts of brass on show. I soon progressed to the giddy heights of washing glasses and plates (yes, in those days every one was done by hand). Eventually I reached the required age and was let loose to serve behind the bar. The rest, as they say, is history! And what stories there are to tell. I dine out on the fact that Oscar winning Hollywood actor Sir Anthony Hopkins was a regular customer. Tony (oh yes, we called him that) particularly enjoyed a curry, washed down, as he is now quoted as saying, "With a nice Chianti"

Is this Tony outside The Golden Hind ?

During this period there has been one strong silver lining for me. As our world heads towards a globalised food system, threatening local food producers and handing over the power to huge companies to monopolise what we feed ourselves and our families, suddenly more people have reverted back to support their local independent businesses. In turn those businesses have had to find a new connection with their customers. Since the beginning of lockdown we’ve sent out a weekly newsletter through the Old Dairy Kitchen mailing list, telling tales and updating the lovely meals and products available through the shop. People’s response has been quite wonderful, sending kind words (mainly), pictures of their plated dishes and bread baked from our Recipe Kits. It makes me very proud that people feel a closeness to what we do here and that providing a plate of food is not the only thing our little restaurant brings for local people.

Once everything settles down, I look forward to opening the restaurant doors wider than before, I’ll have the biggest smile on my face and with any luck we’ll be serving strawberries and tomatoes fresh from the garden.

Stay safe & connected

Chris Onions www.olddairykitchen.co.uk

Chris at work in the O.D.K.

http://www.olddairykitchen.co.uk



The Old Dairy Kitchen.

A transformative Spring and Summer

Firstly I’d like to thank everyone in the area who has supported the Old Dairy Kitchen during these challenging times whether purchasing vouchers for lunches, Feasts or courses or buying bits and pieces from our online shop, it’s meant a lot to our small business.

From the end of March we have been running weekly food deliveries and transforming the restaurant into a make shift online shop. I have to admit this has been a challenge! Setting up the pop-up shop felt like a call to arms at the start. When the government announced that restaurants must close our industry plummeted into the depths of what seemed like no return. I was deeply distressed for all involved and knew within weeks hospitality workers and their families would be homeless and hungry due to zero hour contracts and unemployment. Thankfully there was support but many small businesses didn’t get what was needed so were being forced to stop trading, even now we are yet to see the full impact of Covid19 on our industry. My only feeling was we needed to keep going.

The Old Dairy Kitchen is based on Trill Farm. On the farm are a selection of small independently run enterprises sharing the resources of the land and producing various products but at the core is education, sharing and community. In the ODK we buy ingredients from around 25 local producers to be used in dining events or courses. My second concern was for them.

Even if we couldn’t have people joining us for a lovely lunch here on the farm we needed to keep supporting the producers that make our job a pleasure, keep our local economy going and put care and love into their produce and the local landscape. Trill Farm Gardens had already transformed themselves into a veg box supplier with around 150 boxes a week being delivered to people’s doors with the best quality organic vegetables. It was quite a remarkable shift that was happening. We launched the shop at the end of March and the response was great, people snapped up the local produce alongside our cooked meals and we’ve managed to keep our heads above water so far. I must admit that being a delivery boy is not my forte and I do look forward to putting food on a plate again instead of a small, takeaway container!

Then there was the quiet Monday evening when Colin Small spent a couple of hours playing darts with Billy Fury. Sadly he died the following week and I often blame Colin for pushing him the final halfway to paradise.

These stories may sound like a flight of fantasy, but they are completely true. After all, in twenty or thirty years time, who on earth will believe that the pub was forced to close its doors for a month or more due to a virus? I really miss the laughter, and sometimes drama, of our local. The camaraderie of our customers who have become friends is something to treasure. I am led to believe that Adrian is making good use of the time and giving the interior a good facelift. And one thing is for sure, when the doors reopen, all will be welcome and there will be one Helluva party!! Stay alert every body, see you soon!

Ralph

Take care everyone Emma, Adrian, Phoebe & Imogen

P.S We have one bit of exciting news just in. Our lovely Emily has got engaged to Finn so nice to have some good news!!


Musbury Chapel – Is this the true story of how it came about?

Musbury Heritage – Stories from our village history

I'm sure we all admire the Chapel on Whitford Road. Even though it has now been converted to a private dwelling, it is an attractive building that obviously hides an interesting past.

As ever, you may have to forgive me, a newcomer to Musbury, if I am repeating a well-known story from Musbury’s past. This story first came to my attention when I found a copy of Musbury Memories on eBay (was I the only resident without a copy?). When it arrived it also contained a booklet entitled “How it Began – Musbury, Devon”. It was, apparently, re-printed from a religious magazine called “Precious Seed”. It told the story that I summarise as follows: -

Walter Wills was born in 1839, the son of a well-to-do farmer, Richard Wills, who owned New House Farm and was tenant-farmer of Lower New House Farm, essentially what we now know as Castlewood Farm. Richard Wills was an adherent of Musbury’s established Church and the Vicar’s Chief Warden, so his son was brought up a devout Christian.

When Walter was 16, he began to seriously question “his state before God”. His parents were so concerned they called in a doctor, who suggested visiting a faraway relative, but Walter said his condition was spiritual and nothing else. His condition continued for a year until one day when tending cattle in a field he called on God and saw a light from heaven. This revelation lifted his anxiety and he rushed to tell his parents, but this only caused them more concern.

One Sunday soon after, whilst watching a Sunday baptism, Walter became even more distressed by this church service and upset his father by saying so. On his way home for lunch he saw an old lady, (in Combpyne Road/Blacksmith’s Hill) reading the bible outside her house. He asked to join her and soon they were absorbed in this study. This became a regular occurrence, much to his father’s concern, especially as this was the poorest house in the parish. These scripture readings continued and developed into open air meetings, attracting first one then several villagers. They prayed for the conversion of Walter’s parents.

Garage and Spar Who could have predicted how different the world would look from the last issue of the Parish magazine to now? It has been incredibly challenging for us all; to me it has often felt like my first day at school again, with massive initial changes as well as constantly having to modify the way we have operated the business over the last few weeks.

I'm sure you will agree that our Spar shop staff have been absolutely incredible and really stepped up to the mark. As well as the challenge of keeping themselves safe, we have seen unprecedented increases in shop sales which has put a big strain on our ability to obtain enough stock and get it onto the shelves for you. With the schools closed, my daughter Amelia has been a more noticeable presence at the Garage; she has taken charge of home deliveries which have proved very popular with many of you in the village. In addition, we have been making deliveries to Combpyne, Axminster, Whitford, Seaton and Colyton, so the word has definitely spread.

I must thank you, our customers. There have been so many kind words and comments regarding the shop and our staff. One area where we have seen a massive increase in sales is in fresh produce, particularly fruit and vegetables. We have increased the range of goods on offer to match the uplift in sales. If you continue to support us and shop local when the world returns to some kind of normality, then we will be more than happy to keep this larger range in stock for you permanently.

Other sides of the business have obviously also been affected. Our workshop has seen a constant flow of work, but with the lack of travel, fuel sales have reduced massively. In addition, within the first two weeks of lockdown we received countless cancellations on vehicle rental. One hopes that the leisure and tourism trade in this area is not irreparably damaged by recent events.

Thanks again for your support, we really appreciate it. Please stay safe and well and I do hope to see you all soon.

Kind regards Julian Rinaldi Musbury Garage


Eventually he persuaded his father to attend and he was converted, followed soon after by his mother. His father, a man of action, declared soon after ‘we must build a chapel’. In no time stone was being brought by wagons, local carpenters and masons got to work and Mr Wills provided material.

Initially Walter Wills did most of the preaching, later others shared this task. Soon the congregation had reached about 60. There was a Sunday School at 10am, a Lord’s Supper at 11am, another afternoon Sunday School and a prayer meeting at 6pm followed by the Gospel Service. Mr Wills also travelled to preach at many local venues and soon new establishments were formed at Axminster, Axmouth, Colyton, Beer and Lyme Regis.

This seems an extraordinary story of faith and perhaps some dissatisfaction with the established Church. Whichever, it had a remarkable outcome.

The Facts

We know Walter Wills (1839-1914) and his father Richard (1798-1876) were farmers at New House Farm, though later Walter lived with his family at Monmouth House. He lived in Musbury until about 1908, and after 60-plus years of local farming there were no Wills living in the village.

The lady preaching was Mrs Susan James and she was living with her husband John on Combpyne Road in 1851, Blacksmith’s Hill in 1861 and Musbury Cross in 1871.

The rector at this time was George Tucker (the younger) until 1863 and he lived at Monmouth House.

The Chapel was completed in 1859. The carpenter was named as Rockett, probably Joseph as he lived at Musbury Cross. The mason is named as Partridge, but the only mason by that name would have been 10 years old! Perhaps his father, a tanner, was quite versatile?

This story [written by Keith Clayton in 1958] is certainly built around many facts. Does anyone know more about this and also when the Chapel ceased to hold services?

The full story in two parts can be found on https://www.musburyheritage.co.uk under “The Village and Buildings”. It isn’t too long and makes an interes9ng read.

Martin Minter / Musbury Heritage / mar&[email protected]

School Report I hope that everyone is well and staying safe. School is very quiet at the moment, but staff are working to support children and parents with their learning at home. This has proved a very interesting challenge for everyone involved, but I am very pleased to say that the children, parents and staff of Musbury Primary School have risen to these challenges brilliantly.

Before the lockdown, the Spring term was filled with lots of fantastic events. Science week was a big success and included a trip to the Jurassic Coast, dissection led by a secondary science teacher and visits from exotic and farm animals. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Children also monitored some trout fry in a fish tank, visited the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, participated in World Book Day and supported Sports Relief.

There continues to be much speculation about how and when schools will return. One thing that the current situation has taught us is the importance of community and connecting with each other. Once we return to some sort of normal, I am keen to enhance the school's links with the local community.

Many thanks and stay safe.

Mr T Nield

From the archive

Go ahead club Chinese Evening

On Thursday we were invited by Leslie Summers to her house for a Chinese Evening . When we arrived we had to take our shoes off because it is a Chinese tradition to do so. Then we played some games one of which we had to take our socks off and pass a grape around between our toes while sitting in a circle. But if we dropped the grape, we had to eat it. Then we had a Chinese meal which was presented really well , with china bowls and chopsticks. We had -: noodles, rice, sweet and sour pork and prawn crackers. There were lots of other interesting foods and we all enjoyed it very much. After the meal we talked about Dick Bell’s planned adventure up the river Yangtze in a hovercraft. Unfortunately we soon ran out of time.

Charlotte

Summer 1990

https://www.musburyheritage.co.uk





Another good target is the summer triangle. It’s quite high in the sky and is made up of three stars from three different constellations; Vega from Lyrae, Deneb from Cygnus and Altair from Aquila. Even if you haven’t got binoculars or a telescope these three stars are good naked eye objects.

Don’t forget about the Perseid meteor shower in August. The 12th and 13th are the peak of the shower and with the moon being at its last quarter and rising around midnight the views may be hindered slightly. The shower is caused by the Earth passing through the stream of dust left by the Comet Swift-Tuttle and we see these dust particles passing into our atmosphere in the most amazing light show. Perseus is in the North East of the sky, so you may be able to put your back to the rising moon and still get a good view.

Due to Covid-19 we are unsure when the NLO is going to be open again; the Astronomy Fair has been cancelled for this year, but will definitely be on in 2021.

For more information go to www.normanlockyer.com

YOGA CLASSES When possible - perhaps July?

Musbury Village Hall Wednesdays 1.30 - 3pm.

Classes suitable for all levels. Experienced teacher - 20 years' yoga teaching experience and a lifetimes'

yoga practice experience! First two classes attended donation only (to Devon Air Ambulance)

Contact: Lesley Wilson

[email protected]

01297 551051

www.asyouareyoga.co.uk

The Black Death The Black Death of 1348-50 was a landmark and turning point in English History. Plague is a disease of wild and domestic rodents caused by a bacillus. In nature the organism is transmitted from rodents to man by the bite of infected fleas. The Plague entered England from a ship at Weymouth and soon spread all over the country, reaching London in September 1348 . It reached its peak in 1349, and died out in 1350 . By then it had killed about a third of the entire population, and nearly half of London (some 40,000). The effects were catastrophic , the population did not regain its 1350 level until the 16th century and every aspect of national life was affected. The natural growth, development and prosperity of the country was cut short, and absolutism - centralised royal dictatorship - was enabled to develop. The feudal system collapsed: contracts of fealty and obligation could not or were not, fulfilled. Even the methods of sharing the cultivation of open fields were largely abandoned . Instead of pressure on land due to overpopulation, land was going derelict for lack of labourers to cultivate it. The survivors shared the vacant land and did this in blocks - compact farms - instead of strips. The nucleated farm and hedged field had arrived and with it the wage earner who was not tied to his manorial land. Rent became a substitute for service. Some manorial Lords ceased to be farmers in consequence and became country landowners , living on rents. Serfs and labourers found employment with the new farmers or moved to towns. Some became vagrants disrupting village life, an increasing problem thereafter. Many landlords enclosed the whole manor for sheep and many villages were deserted for this reason also. Trade was interrupted, crime increased. There were also effects on education and social life. High mortality among clerics (47%) eliminated a vast number of learned men on whom the country depended not only for religious guidance but also for much of the local and national government. The incidence among Doctors was naturally high also. Schools , hospitals, and charitable help for the poor were all affected.

It is hard to imagine the violent disruption and the profound and lasting impact of the epidemic . At a time when 95% of the population lived in the countryside and a third to half of them died. Plagues and pestilence were to be features of English life for many centuries to follow

The following were heavily plagiarised for the above article Devon by W. G. Hoskins and Historical Britain by Eric S Wood The Fourteenth Century by May Mckisack


http://www.asyouareyoga.co.uk/

http://www.normanlockyer.com





The Sky at Night

What’s up in June – August:

This is the time of year which astronomers either become like a night watchman, rarely surfacing during daylight hours, or surviving on little sleep when the skies are clear.

Astronomical night time (when you can clearly see the star) at present is around 11 pm, although that sun officially sets at around 8:30 – 9:00 there is still a glow in the night skies. So what can we see earlier, the Moon, Venus, and some of the brighter stars, but none of those tantalising galaxies or nebulae we’ve seen in winter?

Starting with the moon, in the early morning of June 8th and 9th the moon is near Jupiter with Saturn just to the left of it. This happens again in July on the 5th, when the full Moon is near Jupiter, and on the 6th when it’s near both Saturn and Jupiter; in August this happens on the 1st and 2nd. Then on June 19th a very thin crescent moon occults (passes in front of) Venus. Either binoculars or a small telescope should pick out the first of these, but the second is during daylight hours so you’ll definitely need a telescope and extreme care so you don’t point it towards the Sun.

The summer months are very good for Noctilucent clouds. These are the highest clouds in the atmosphere, 80 kilometres up, right on the edge of space. They form above the Earth’s poles. They look very ghost like in the sky and are only visible in the summer months. They are basically clouds made up of ice that’s frozen onto tiny solid particles. So get your cameras out and look north-west before midnight and see what you can find.

If you have a good southern view and a medium sized telescope you should be able to see or image, the Trifid Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, or the Omega Nebula. All are quite low down, and the moon is full at the beginning of July, but as the moon heads towards being new the views should be good. The only problem with July of course is viewing time is best between midnight and 3 am, which is not much good if you have to be up by 6am for work.

Coronavirus 19 The following is reprinted from The Musbury Parish News Summer 2520

Five Hundred years after The Great Coronavirus outbreak of 2020 , it can be seen as a landmark and turning point in World History. Never again would World travel be so easy and readily available. The decline in mass tourism and air travel led to countries having to develop their own economies based on food production and utilising their own resources.

The data loss that followed later in the century with the collapse of “cloud based storage” meant that there are few actual records of the great pandemic, and what its underlying causes were, and how it effected total human population . But it is known that there was decline in world trade leading to a recession the likes of which had probably never been experienced before. This recession was to last through the early part of the twenty first century, prompting a rethink of values and a complete restructuring of world trade. It led to the decline of America as a superpower, but the actual reasons of this still remain unclear. Farming and global food production were transformed and the transportation of food around the planet was ended. Small localised food production became the new normal. The pandemic signalled the end of cheap food feeding the affluent parts of the planet while depriving the rest of the world’s population. No longer would poverty be tolerated in any part of the world, and all citizens would be regarded as truly equal with the rights to free health care. The need to stimulate world economies, led to the end of food poverty and adequate housing for all. The decline in the use of fossil fuels resulted in the end of the oil and coal industries, and may have well saved the Planet. The total collapse of the arms trade which had so dominated the world in the late 20th century, resulted in funds being diverted into research and led to the great medical advances of the 21st century. The pandemic illustrated that no one in the world was safe until everyone was safe. This led to the abolition of all nuclear weapons and to the end of the arms race. The United Nations was restructured and promoted peace and justice for all .

National interests were no longer at the centre of foreign policies, all nations were included, not only those militarily powerful in the world.

Jolly

22 Musbury Parish News Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Musbury Parish New 27

FRIENDS OF ST MICHAEL’S MUSBURY There is not much to report in the usual way but here are a few observations on the current situation from members of the Friends:

“We are fortunate to live in Musbury, overlooking the Axe Valley and hills beyond, with enough land to welcome wildlife and good health to enjoy walking.”

“With the current turmoil, we reflect on the joy of our Village and our good fortune in finding it as a home. We patrol the magically rural Maidenhayne every morning, returning home via the village centre, the Church of which we are a ‘Friend’, and along the commanding Doatshayne with its’ unbeatable views of Devon farmland and across the wonderful Axe Valley. Glorious!”

“What is not to love and celebrate? Indeed, as though in agreement and for the first time in 18 years, a pair of very dapper red legged partridge in full array decided to visit. They have stayed near and on our land and have been as welcome as we were made 18 years ago when we settled (and since by those around whom we waltz in a 2 metre avoidance every morning whilst walking!)”

“There is much of good around us. The world will heal. We must enjoy what we have.”

“On my walk I bumped into a man next to his parked car, smoking frantically and sipping coffee from a thermos mug. I said, "hello, are you escaping for a bit ?!" he said: "yes, I have to come up here (top of our hill) now and again because I work in a home with people with learning difficulties. They cannot understand why they have to stay in. Why they can't go swimming on Monday, Bowling on Tuesday, McDonalds on Wednesday and so on. I am only allowed to take one out at a time and only in the car. I feel so sorry for these people, because they are so used to their outings and there is nothing I can do to make it easier for them”.

“We spoke about 3/4 weeks ago [to our friends in Musbury] and we would love to come down - but would probably be arrested!”

“Having been in Australia visiting family since October 2019 it was our intention to return to Musbury in early April, sadly Covid 19 has put stop to all international flights so we must stay in Oz for the foreseeable future. Not a hardship as we are close to friends and family. Many thanks to our wonderful neighbours in Musbury who are keeping an eye on our house and the grass cut. Do we qualify for the longest distant lockdown !”

Axminster Food Bank

Our very grateful thanks go to all of you who have contributed to the Food Bank especially at this time of crisis. Our numbers have trebled since the beginning of March and we are now providing food for over 90 people and rising. It has been such a help to have the basket in the garage shop, which we have been emptying every night, and we do extend our thanks to Julian for enabling this to happen.

We are providing food, cleaning, toiletry, nappies, pet food etc to any who have low or no incomes from single person households to families with a number of dependents. Most people are referred to us through local agencies initially but in these times we also accept self referrals or referrals from friends and neighbours who see a need and get in touch with us.

As we are based in the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Chard Street and open Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. we are very accessible to those who need us. However, we do deliver to outlying villages or to people who are unable to leave their homes.

We have been very fortunate in receiving food and monetary donations but we will need to keep the support going at this level or higher for many more months as many will still be dependent on the Food Bank even when the immediate crisis is over. So once again Thank You for supporting your community at this extraordinary time.

Sheila

Axminster Food Bank

Needs your support

Collection Basket in the Spar Shop

Many Thanks


“We have been doing prescription collections and deliveries for those more vulnerable and self-isolating. On occasions we have had up to 18. Apart from one occasion we have been able to use our cycles. As a result we have met and chatted to more people in a few short months than we have in the 5 years we have been in the village! It has been a rewarding experience, especially finding some of the more tucked away places and seeing some wonderful gardens!”

“We take the dog for a long walk up and around the castle every morning and have noticed how little interest the cows are taking in us compared to the last 5 years when we were always of intense interest to them, especially the younger ones. Normally a ‘charge’ down the hill before coming to an emergency stop a few metres from us. I know this can worry some people but I find their curiosity and sense of fun amusing. I put this lack of interest in people, even when walking straight through them with a dog, down to a sheer increase of walkers we have seen out and about. Where do all these people come from! We have never seen most of them. I wonder if other readers have noticed the same thing?”

“….the noticeable lack of traffic noise - and the resultant peace. The lush hedgerows and all the beautiful wild flowers. The lack of screaming children in a certain supermarket. Wish I had cut my hedge. Managed to finally, after ten years or more, thread the top thread of my sewing machine to be able to make a mask”

The lock down has made us feel so very lucky to live where we do, surrounded by beautiful countryside, not high rise tower blocks. Cycling now on almost deserted roads is an absolute joy and means we can safely negotiate the pot-holes!

We gathered along Maidenhayne Lane to clap the NHS last Thursday as we have done each week since the lockdown started – all carefully socially-distanced. Soon after 8pm, after all the banging and clapping, a police van came slowly down the lane but did not stop. Twenty minutes later we were still all chattering and keeping our distance when the same police van came down the lane again and told us very politely to disperse. My daughter says I should have been given my first ASBO at the age of 63!

With many thanks to all those who took the trouble to send in their thoughts.

Andrew Kennon Secretary

A further contribution can be found at the bottom of page 26

Village Lengthsman - Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund.

As a result of on-going financial constraints Musbury, in common with other Devon villages, no longer has the routine services of a Lengthsman for duties such as clearing debris from gutter and drain gratings and weed clearance.

The proposed 1-year pilot project will assess the efficacy of a village Lengthsman to both the cosmetic appearance of the village by removal of weeds and to the prevention of surface water flooding by ensuring drain gratings and gutters are kept free from debris-particularly after hedge cutting activities.

To date there has been much ‘self-help’ in Musbury with residents sweeping roads, painting bus shelters, cutting grass, clearing road gutters and digging weeds (preferable to using weed killer). However, we cannot always rely on the current volunteers, so now could be the time for these duties to be formalised. The impact of the project, if funding is approved and allocated, will be assessed by the Parish Council on completion.

We look forward to seeing you at the next Parish Council meetings whenever they may be! Please keep your eye on the noticeboard and website.

Jo Boyce (Clerk to Musbury Parish Council) Tel: 553898

“What a 'Great idea' to fill the 'Post House' (aka the old shop) windows with lots of different Memorabilia. Each week it has put a smile on people's faces & we might add amused, educated & enlightened us.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a 'Big Thank you' to Sue & Ken for their hard work in providing the distraction at these 'strange times'. We were all very good at taking it in turns & keeping our social distance to view as well. Hope the tradition will keep going!?”


Pre-Covid 19 News

Policing

County Cllr Ian Hall informed the March Parish Council Meeting that there are to be an additional 125 extra police officers in Devon this year which are funded through Council Tax. Honiton are trialling community co-responders, retained fire fighters who have undergone police training and Axminster will be taking part in a safer towns trial with the provision of CCTV.

Devon Air Ambulance Site

Prior to the Covid 19 Pandemic, Musbury School had given full approval for the site location, which will benefit the village in the most critical times. Councillor Craker is obtaining costings for the 8-metre lighting tower and we hope it will be a beacon of light for the future!

Marlborough Road Trees

Following the high winds and heavy rain over the winter, some of the trees have shed their branches. This is a good opportunity now to source one or more trees to fill the gaps. Tree warden Mike Lock said he will do some research as to what would suit best.

Musbury Parish Council News

It has been an unusual and unexpected beginning to my role as Parish clerk, to say the least! It seems only a few weeks ago, I was preparing myself for the twin ordeals of the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual General Meeting, not to mention the End of Year Audit! However, so much can change in a short space of time and we have all had to adapt.

It has been heart-warming but not surprising to see the community spirit on display from all quarters of our village – it is one of those times where it is a positive benefit that everybody knows everybody! Whilst the roads have been quieter than usual, the footpaths and fields have seen an increase in footfall and residents have been taking advantage of the lighter evenings and warmer weather to get out in their gardens and allotments, which is still permitted as part of your daily exercise. Please could we ask everyone to observe social distancing when out walking and make sure you are following the marked footpaths. Our beautiful environment and caring community will help us through this challenging time.

Covid 19

Our district and county councils are working hard to keep us all safe and informed during the pandemic. The clerk receives many, many emails on a dizzying array of topics from both councils. If you would like more information, please email the clerk. Some of the subjects covered are:

• Funding and grants • Transport timetables and arrangements • Hospital and dental services • Testing • Scams and Covid related crime • Mental Health • Waste and Refuse collection updates


Pre-Covid 19 News

Policing

County Cllr Ian Hall informed the March Parish Council Meeting that there are to be an additional 125 extra police officers in Devon this year which are funded through Council Tax. Honiton are trialling community co-responders, retained fire fighters who have undergone police training and Axminster will be taking part in a safer towns trial with the provision of CCTV.

Devon Air Ambulance Site

Prior to the Covid 19 Pandemic, Musbury School had given full approval for the site location, which will benefit the village in the most critical times. Councillor Craker is obtaining costings for the 8-metre lighting tower and we hope it will be a beacon of light for the future!

Marlborough Road Trees

Following the high winds and heavy rain over the winter, some of the trees have shed their branches. This is a good opportunity now to source one or more trees to fill the gaps. Tree warden Mike Lock said he will do some research as to what would suit best.

Musbury Parish Council News

It has been an unusual and unexpected beginning to my role as Parish clerk, to say the least! It seems only a few weeks ago, I was preparing myself for the twin ordeals of the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual General Meeting, not to mention the End of Year Audit! However, so much can change in a short space of time and we have all had to adapt.

It has been heart-warming but not surprising to see the community spirit on display from all quarters of our village – it is one of those times where it is a positive benefit that everybody knows everybody! Whilst the roads have been quieter than usual, the footpaths and fields have seen an increase in footfall and residents have been taking advantage of the lighter evenings and warmer weather to get out in their gardens and allotments, which is still permitted as part of your daily exercise. Please could we ask everyone to observe social distancing when out walking and make sure you are following the marked footpaths. Our beautiful environment and caring community will help us through this challenging time.

Covid 19

Our district and county councils are working hard to keep us all safe and informed during the pandemic. The clerk receives many, many emails on a dizzying array of topics from both councils. If you would like more information, please email the clerk. Some of the subjects covered are:

• Funding and grants • Transport timetables and arrangements • Hospital and dental services • Testing • Scams and Covid related crime • Mental Health • Waste and Refuse collection updates


“We have been doing prescription collections and deliveries for those more vulnerable and self-isolating. On occasions we have had up to 18. Apart from one occasion we have been able to use our cycles. As a result we have met and chatted to more people in a few short months than we have in the 5 years we have been in the village! It has been a rewarding experience, especially finding some of the more tucked away places and seeing some wonderful gardens!”

“We take the dog for a long walk up and around the castle every morning and have noticed how little interest the cows are taking in us compared to the last 5 years when we were always of intense interest to them, especially the younger ones. Normally a ‘charge’ down the hill before coming to an emergency stop a few metres from us. I know this can worry some people but I find their curiosity and sense of fun amusing. I put this lack of interest in people, even when walking straight through them with a dog, down to a sheer increase of walkers we have seen out and about. Where do all these people come from! We have never seen most of them. I wonder if other readers have noticed the same thing?”

“….the noticeable lack of traffic noise - and the resultant peace. The lush hedgerows and all the beautiful wild flowers. The lack of screaming children in a certain supermarket. Wish I had cut my hedge. Managed to finally, after ten years or more, thread the top thread of my sewing machine to be able to make a mask”

The lock down has made us feel so very lucky to live where we do, surrounded by beautiful countryside, not high rise tower blocks. Cycling now on almost deserted roads is an absolute joy and means we can safely negotiate the pot-holes!

We gathered along Maidenhayne Lane to clap the NHS last Thursday as we have done each week since the lockdown started – all carefully socially-distanced. Soon after 8pm, after all the banging and clapping, a police van came slowly down the lane but did not stop. Twenty minutes later we were still all chattering and keeping our distance when the same police van came down the lane again and told us very politely to disperse. My daughter says I should have been given my first ASBO at the age of 63!

With many thanks to all those who took the trouble to send in their thoughts.

Andrew Kennon Secretary

A further contribution can be found at the bottom of page 26

Village Lengthsman - Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund.

As a result of on-going financial constraints Musbury, in common with other Devon villages, no longer has the routine services of a Lengthsman for duties such as clearing debris from gutter and drain gratings and weed clearance.

The proposed 1-year pilot project will assess the efficacy of a village Lengthsman to both the cosmetic appearance of the village by removal of weeds and to the prevention of surface water flooding by ensuring drain gratings and gutters are kept free from debris-particularly after hedge cutting activities.

To date there has been much ‘self-help’ in Musbury with residents sweeping roads, painting bus shelters, cutting grass, clearing road gutters and digging weeds (preferable to using weed killer). However, we cannot always rely on the current volunteers, so now could be the time for these duties to be formalised. The impact of the project, if funding is approved and allocated, will be assessed by the Parish Council on completion.

We look forward to seeing you at the next Parish Council meetings whenever they may be! Please keep your eye on the noticeboard and website.

Jo Boyce (Clerk to Musbury Parish Council) Tel: 553898

“What a 'Great idea' to fill the 'Post House' (aka the old shop) windows with lots of different Memorabilia. Each week it has put a smile on people's faces & we might add amused, educated & enlightened us.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a 'Big Thank you' to Sue & Ken for their hard work in providing the distraction at these 'strange times'. We were all very good at taking it in turns & keeping our social distance to view as well. Hope the tradition will keep going!?”

22 Musbury Parish News Summer 2020 Summer 2020 Musbury Parish New 27

FRIENDS OF ST MICHAEL’S MUSBURY There is not much to report in the usual way but here are a few observations on the current situation from members of the Friends:

“We are fortunate to live in Musbury, overlooking the Axe Valley and hills beyond, with enough land to welcome wildlife and good health to enjoy walking.”

“With the current turmoil, we reflect on the joy of our Village and our good fortune in finding it as a home. We patrol the magically rural Maidenhayne every morning, returning home via the village centre, the Church of which we are a ‘Friend’, and along the commanding Doatshayne with its’ unbeatable views of Devon farmland and across the wonderful Axe Valley. Glorious!”

“What is not to love and celebrate? Indeed, as though in agreement and for the first time in 18 years, a pair of very dapper red legged partridge in full array decided to visit. They have stayed near and on our land and have been as welcome as we were made 18 years ago when we settled (and since by those around whom we waltz in a 2 metre avoidance every morning whilst walking!)”

“There is much of good around us. The world will heal. We must enjoy what we have.”

“On my walk I bumped into a man next to his parked car, smoking frantically and sipping coffee from a thermos mug. I said, "hello, are you escaping for a bit ?!" he said: "yes, I have to come up here (top of our hill) now and again because I work in a home with people with learning difficulties. They cannot understand why they have to stay in. Why they can't go swimming on Monday, Bowling on Tuesday, McDonalds on Wednesday and so on. I am only allowed to take one out at a time and only in the car. I feel so sorry for these people, because they are so used to their outings and there is nothing I can do to make it easier for them”.

“We spoke about 3/4 weeks ago [to our friends in Musbury] and we would love to come down - but would probably be arrested!”

“Having been in Australia visiting family since October 2019 it was our intention to return to Musbury in early April, sadly Covid 19 has put stop to all international flights so we must stay in Oz for the foreseeable future. Not a hardship as we are close to friends and family. Many thanks to our wonderful neighbours in Musbury who are keeping an eye on our house and the grass cut. Do we qualify for the longest distant lockdown !”

Axminster Food Bank

Our very grateful thanks go to all of you who have contributed to the Food Bank especially at this time of crisis. Our numbers have trebled since the beginning of March and we are now providing food for over 90 people and rising. It has been such a help to have the basket in the garage shop, which we have been emptying every night, and we do extend our thanks to Julian for enabling this to happen.

We are providing food, cleaning, toiletry, nappies, pet food etc to any who have low or no incomes from single person households to families with a number of dependents. Most people are referred to us through local agencies initially but in these times we also accept self referrals or referrals from friends and neighbours who see a need and get in touch with us.

As we are based in the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Chard Street and open Monday to Friday from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. we are very accessible to those who need us. However, we do deliver to outlying villages or to people who are unable to leave their homes.

We have been very fortunate in receiving food and monetary donations but we will need to keep the support going at this level or higher for many more months as many will still be dependent on the Food Bank even when the immediate crisis is over. So once again Thank You for supporting your community at this extraordinary time.

Sheila

Axminster Food Bank

Needs your support

Collection Basket in the Spar Shop

Many Thanks


The Sky at Night

What’s up in June – August:

This is the time of year which astronomers either become like a night watchman, rarely surfacing during daylight hours, or surviving on little sleep when the skies are clear.

Astronomical night time (when you can clearly see the star) at present is around 11 pm, although that sun officially sets at around 8:30 – 9:00 there is still a glow in the night skies. So what can we see earlier, the Moon, Venus, and some of the brighter stars, but none of those tantalising galaxies or nebulae we’ve seen in winter?

Starting with the moon, in the early morning of June 8th and 9th the moon is near Jupiter with Saturn just to the left of it. This happens again in July on the 5th, when the full Moon is near Jupiter, and on the 6th when it’s near both Saturn and Jupiter; in August this happens on the 1st and 2nd. Then on June 19th a very thin crescent moon occults (passes in front of) Venus. Either binoculars or a small telescope should pick out the first of these, but the second is during daylight hours so you’ll definitely need a telescope and extreme care so you don’t point it towards the Sun.

The summer months are very good for Noctilucent clouds. These are the highest clouds in the atmosphere, 80 kilometres up, right on the edge of space. They form above the Earth’s poles. They look very ghost like in the sky and are only visible in the summer months. They are basically clouds made up of ice that’s frozen onto tiny solid particles. So get your cameras out and look north-west before midnight and see what you can find.

If you have a good southern view and a medium sized telescope you should be able to see or image, the Trifid Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, or the Omega Nebula. All are quite low down, and the moon is full at the beginning of July, but as the moon heads towards being new the views should be good. The only problem with July of course is viewing time is best between midnight and 3 am, which is not much good if you have to be up by 6am for work.

Coronavirus 19 The following is reprinted from The Musbury Parish News Summer 2520

Five Hundred years after The Great Coronavirus outbreak of 2020 , it can be seen as a landmark and turning point in World History. Never again would World travel be so easy and readily available. The decline in mass tourism and air travel led to countries having to develop their own economies based on food production and utilising their own resources.

The data loss that followed later in the century with the collapse of “cloud based storage” meant that there are few actual records of the great pandemic, and what its underlying causes were, and how it effected total human population . But it is known that there was decline in world trade leading to a recession the likes of which had probably never been experienced before. This recession was to last through the early part of the twenty first century, prompting a rethink of values and a complete restructuring of world trade. It led to the decline of America as a superpower, but the actual reasons of this still remain unclear. Farming and global food production were transformed and the transportation of food around the planet was ended. Small localised food production became the new normal. The pandemic signalled the end of cheap food feeding the affluent parts of the planet while depriving the rest of the world’s population. No longer would poverty be tolerated in any part of the world, and all citizens would be regarded as truly equal with the rights to free health care. The need to stimulate world economies, led to the end of food poverty and adequate housing for all. The decline in the use of fossil fuels resulted in the end of the oil and coal industries, and may have well saved the Planet. The total collapse of the arms trade which had so dominated the world in the late 20th century, resulted in funds being diverted into research and led to the great medical advances of the 21st century. The pandemic illustrated that no one in the world was safe until everyone was safe. This led to the abolition of all nuclear weapons and to the end of the arms race. The United Nations was restructured and promoted peace and justice for all .

National interests were no longer at the centre of foreign policies, all nations were included, not only those militarily powerful in the world.

Jolly


Another good target is the summer triangle. It’s quite high in the sky and is made up of three stars from three different constellations; Vega from Lyrae, Deneb from Cygnus and Altair from Aquila. Even if you haven’t got binoculars or a telescope these three stars are good naked eye objects.

Don’t forget about the Perseid meteor shower in August. The 12th and 13th are the peak of the shower and with the moon being at its last quarter and rising around midnight the views may be hindered slightly. The shower is caused by the Earth passing through the stream of dust left by the Comet Swift-Tuttle and we see these dust particles passing into our atmosphere in the most amazing light show. Perseus is in the North East of the sky, so you may be able to put your back to the rising moon and still get a good view.

Due to Covid-19 we are unsure when the NLO is going to be open again; the Astronomy Fair has been cancelled for this year, but will definitely be on in 2021.

For more information go to www.normanlockyer.com

YOGA CLASSES When possible - perhaps July?

Musbury Village Hall Wednesdays 1.30 - 3pm.

Classes suitable for all levels. Experienced teacher - 20 years' yoga teaching experience and a lifetimes'

yoga practice experience! First two classes attended donation only (to Devon Air Ambulance)

Contact: Lesley Wilson

[email protected]

01297 551051

www.asyouareyoga.co.uk

The Black Death The Black Death of 1348-50 was a landmark and turning point in English History. Plague is a disease of wild and domestic rodents caused by a bacillus. In nature the organism is transmitted from rodents to man by the bite of infected fleas. The Plague entered England from a ship at Weymouth and soon spread all over the country, reaching London in September 1348 . It reached its peak in 1349, and died out in 1350 . By then it had killed about a third of the entire population, and nearly half of London (some 40,000). The effects were catastrophic , the population did not regain its 1350 level until the 16th century and every aspect of national life was affected. The natural growth, development and prosperity of the country was cut short, and absolutism - centralised royal dictatorship - was enabled to develop. The feudal system collapsed: contracts of fealty and obligation could not or were not, fulfilled. Even the methods of sharing the cultivation of open fields were largely abandoned . Instead of pressure on land due to overpopulation, land was going derelict for lack of labourers to cultivate it. The survivors shared the vacant land and did this in blocks - compact farms - instead of strips. The nucleated farm and hedged field had arrived and with it the wage earner who was not tied to his manorial land. Rent became a substitute for service. Some manorial Lords ceased to be farmers in consequence and became country landowners , living on rents. Serfs and labourers found employment with the new farmers or moved to towns. Some became vagrants disrupting village life, an increasing problem thereafter. Many landlords enclosed the whole manor for sheep and many villages were deserted for this reason also. Trade was interrupted, crime increased. There were also effects on education and social life. High mortality among clerics (47%) eliminated a vast number of learned men on whom the country depended not only for religious guidance but also for much of the local and national government. The incidence among Doctors was naturally high also. Schools , hospitals, and charitable help for the poor were all affected.

It is hard to imagine the violent disruption and the profound and lasting impact of the epidemic . At a time when 95% of the population lived in the countryside and a third to half of them died. Plagues and pestilence were to be features of English life for many centuries to follow

The following were heavily plagiarised for the above article Devon by W. G. Hoskins and Historical Britain by Eric S Wood The Fourteenth Century by May Mckisack








Eventually he persuaded his father to attend and he was converted, followed soon after by his mother. His father, a man of action, declared soon after ‘we must build a chapel’. In no time stone was being brought by wagons, local carpenters and masons got to work and Mr Wills provided material.

Initially Walter Wills did most of the preaching, later others shared this task. Soon the congregation had reached about 60. There was a Sunday School at 10am, a Lord’s Supper at 11am, another afternoon Sunday School and a prayer meeting at 6pm followed by the Gospel Service. Mr Wills also travelled to preach at many local venues and soon new establishments were formed at Axminster, Axmouth, Colyton, Beer and Lyme Regis.

This seems an extraordinary story of faith and perhaps some dissatisfaction with the established Church. Whichever, it had a remarkable outcome.

The Facts

We know Walter Wills (1839-1914) and his father Richard (1798-1876) were farmers at New House Farm, though later Walter lived with his family at Monmouth House. He lived in Musbury until about 1908, and after 60-plus years of local farming there were no Wills living in the village.

The lady preaching was Mrs Susan James and she was living with her husband John on Combpyne Road in 1851, Blacksmith’s Hill in 1861 and Musbury Cross in 1871.

The rector at this time was George Tucker (the younger) until 1863 and he lived at Monmouth House.

The Chapel was completed in 1859. The carpenter was named as Rockett, probably Joseph as he lived at Musbury Cross. The mason is named as Partridge, but the only mason by that name would have been 10 years old! Perhaps his father, a tanner, was quite versatile?

This story [written by Keith Clayton in 1958] is certainly built around many facts. Does anyone know more about this and also when the Chapel ceased to hold services?

The full story in two parts can be found on https://www.musburyheritage.co.uk under “The Village and Buildings”. It isn’t too long and makes an interes9ng read.

Martin Minter / Musbury Heritage / mar&[email protected]

School Report I hope that everyone is well and staying safe. School is very quiet at the moment, but staff are working to support children and parents with their learning at home. This has proved a very interesting challenge for everyone involved, but I am very pleased to say that the children, parents and staff of Musbury Primary School have risen to these challenges brilliantly.

Before the lockdown, the Spring term was filled with lots of fantastic events. Science week was a big success and included a trip to the Jurassic Coast, dissection led by a secondary science teacher and visits from exotic and farm animals. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Children also monitored some trout fry in a fish tank, visited the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, participated in World Book Day and supported Sports Relief.

There continues to be much speculation about how and when schools will return. One thing that the current situation has taught us is the importance of community and connecting with each other. Once we return to some sort of normal, I am keen to enhance the school's links with the local community.

Many thanks and stay safe.

Mr T Nield

From the archive

Go ahead club Chinese Evening

On Thursday we were invited by Leslie Summers to her house for a Chinese Evening . When we arrived we had to take our shoes off because it is a Chinese tradition to do so. Then we played some games one of which we had to take our socks off and pass a grape around between our toes while sitting in a circle. But if we dropped the grape, we had to eat it. Then we had a Chinese meal which was presented really well , with china bowls and chopsticks. We had -: noodles, rice, sweet and sour pork and prawn crackers. There were lots of other interesting foods and we all enjoyed it very much. After the meal we talked about Dick Bell’s planned adventure up the river Yangtze in a hovercraft. Unfortunately we soon ran out of time.

Charlotte

Summer 1990






Musbury Chapel – Is this the true story of how it came about?

Musbury Heritage – Stories from our village history

I'm sure we all admire the Chapel on Whitford Road. Even though it has now been converted to a private dwelling, it is an attractive building that obviously hides an interesting past.

As ever, you may have to forgive me, a newcomer to Musbury, if I am repeating a well-known story from Musbury’s past. This story first came to my attention when I found a copy of Musbury Memories on eBay (was I the only resident without a copy?). When it arrived it also contained a booklet entitled “How it Began – Musbury, Devon”. It was, apparently, re-printed from a religious magazine called “Precious Seed”. It told the story that I summarise as follows: -

Walter Wills was born in 1839, the son of a well-to-do farmer, Richard Wills, who owned New House Farm and was tenant-farmer of Lower New House Farm, essentially what we now know as Castlewood Farm. Richard Wills was an adherent of Musbury’s established Church and the Vicar’s Chief Warden, so his son was brought up a devout Christian.

When Walter was 16, he began to seriously question “his state before God”. His parents were so concerned they called in a doctor, who suggested visiting a faraway relative, but Walter said his condition was spiritual and nothing else. His condition continued for a year until one day when tending cattle in a field he called on God and saw a light from heaven. This revelation lifted his anxiety and he rushed to tell his parents, but this only caused them more concern.

One Sunday soon after, whilst watching a Sunday baptism, Walter became even more distressed by this church service and upset his father by saying so. On his way home for lunch he saw an old lady, (in Combpyne Road/Blacksmith’s Hill) reading the bible outside her house. He asked to join her and soon they were absorbed in this study. This became a regular occurrence, much to his father’s concern, especially as this was the poorest house in the parish. These scripture readings continued and developed into open air meetings, attracting first one then several villagers. They prayed for the conversion of Walter’s parents.

Garage and Spar Who could have predicted how different the world would look from the last issue of the Parish magazine to now? It has been incredibly challenging for us all; to me it has often felt like my first day at school again, with massive initial changes as well as constantly having to modify the way we have operated the business over the last few weeks.

I'm sure you will agree that our Spar shop staff have been absolutely incredible and really stepped up to the mark. As well as the challenge of keeping themselves safe, we have seen unprecedented increases in shop sales which has put a big strain on our ability to obtain enough stock and get it onto the shelves for you. With the schools closed, my daughter Amelia has been a more noticeable presence at the Garage; she has taken charge of home deliveries which have proved very popular with many of you in the village. In addition, we have been making deliveries to Combpyne, Axminster, Whitford, Seaton and Colyton, so the word has definitely spread.

I must thank you, our customers. There have been so many kind words and comments regarding the shop and our staff. One area where we have seen a massive increase in sales is in fresh produce, particularly fruit and vegetables. We have increased the range of goods on offer to match the uplift in sales. If you continue to support us and shop local when the world returns to some kind of normality, then we will be more than happy to keep this larger range in stock for you permanently.

Other sides of the business have obviously also been affected. Our workshop has seen a constant flow of work, but with the lack of travel, fuel sales have reduced massively. In addition, within the first two weeks of lockdown we received countless cancellations on vehicle rental. One hopes that the leisure and tourism trade in this area is not irreparably damaged by recent events.

Thanks again for your support, we really appreciate it. Please stay safe and well and I do hope to see you all soon.

Kind regards Julian Rinaldi Musbury Garage


The Old Dairy Kitchen.

A transformative Spring and Summer

Firstly I’d like to thank everyone in the area who has supported the Old Dairy Kitchen during these challenging times whether purchasing vouchers for lunches, Feasts or courses or buying bits and pieces from our online shop, it’s meant a lot to our small business.

From the end of March we have been running weekly food deliveries and transforming the restaurant into a make shift online shop. I have to admit this has been a challenge! Setting up the pop-up shop felt like a call to arms at the start. When the government announced that restaurants must close our industry plummeted into the depths of what seemed like no return. I was deeply distressed for all involved and knew within weeks hospitality workers and their families would be homeless and hungry due to zero hour contracts and unemployment. Thankfully there was support but many small businesses didn’t get what was needed so were being forced to stop trading, even now we are yet to see the full impact of Covid19 on our industry. My only feeling was we needed to keep going.

The Old Dairy Kitchen is based on Trill Farm. On the farm are a selection of small independently run enterprises sharing the resources of the land and producing various products but at the core is education, sharing and community. In the ODK we buy ingredients from around 25 local producers to be used in dining events or courses. My second concern was for them.

Even if we couldn’t have people joining us for a lovely lunch here on the farm we needed to keep supporting the producers that make our job a pleasure, keep our local economy going and put care and love into their produce and the local landscape. Trill Farm Gardens had already transformed themselves into a veg box supplier with around 150 boxes a week being delivered to people’s doors with the best quality organic vegetables. It was quite a remarkable shift that was happening. We launched the shop at the end of March and the response was great, people snapped up the local produce alongside our cooked meals and we’ve managed to keep our heads above water so far. I must admit that being a delivery boy is not my forte and I do look forward to putting food on a plate again instead of a small, takeaway container!

Then there was the quiet Monday evening when Colin Small spent a couple of hours playing darts with Billy Fury. Sadly he died the following week and I often blame Colin for pushing him the final halfway to paradise.

These stories may sound like a flight of fantasy, but they are completely true. After all, in twenty or thirty years time, who on earth will believe that the pub was forced to close its doors for a month or more due to a virus? I really miss the laughter, and sometimes drama, of our local. The camaraderie of our customers who have become friends is something to treasure. I am led to believe that Adrian is making good use of the time and giving the interior a good facelift. And one thing is for sure, when the doors reopen, all will be welcome and there will be one Helluva party!! Stay alert every body, see you soon!

Ralph

Take care everyone Emma, Adrian, Phoebe & Imogen

P.S We have one bit of exciting news just in. Our lovely Emily has got engaged to Finn so nice to have some good news!!


News From The Hind

We were struggling with what to write for this edition of the parish magazine as we do not know when we will be able to reopen. As soon as we know we will let you all know!

Adrian is redecorating what he can without creating expensive unwanted bigger jobs, financially we are treading water and we need to be able to reopen but it must be safe and profitable! We were fortunate to have a grant but it won’t last forever so we hope we will be able to get going again soon. We miss you all! The girls are at home and in the words of Phoebe "Mum I can see why you didn't become a teacher!" So as we can’t tell you of things to look forward to I asked Ralph to write you all a message:

Gracious me, where does time go? Next year, God willing, will mark a fifty year association with The Hind! Starting out polishing the vast amounts of brass on show. I soon progressed to the giddy heights of washing glasses and plates (yes, in those days every one was done by hand). Eventually I reached the required age and was let loose to serve behind the bar. The rest, as they say, is history! And what stories there are to tell. I dine out on the fact that Oscar winning Hollywood actor Sir Anthony Hopkins was a regular customer. Tony (oh yes, we called him that) particularly enjoyed a curry, washed down, as he is now quoted as saying, "With a nice Chianti"

Is this Tony outside The Golden Hind ?

During this period there has been one strong silver lining for me. As our world heads towards a globalised food system, threatening local food producers and handing over the power to huge companies to monopolise what we feed ourselves and our families, suddenly more people have reverted back to support their local independent businesses. In turn those businesses have had to find a new connection with their customers. Since the beginning of lockdown we’ve sent out a weekly newsletter through the Old Dairy Kitchen mailing list, telling tales and updating the lovely meals and products available through the shop. People’s response has been quite wonderful, sending kind words (mainly), pictures of their plated dishes and bread baked from our Recipe Kits. It makes me very proud that people feel a closeness to what we do here and that providing a plate of food is not the only thing our little restaurant brings for local people.

Once everything settles down, I look forward to opening the restaurant doors wider than before, I’ll have the biggest smile on my face and with any luck we’ll be serving strawberries and tomatoes fresh from the garden.

Stay safe & connected

Chris Onions www.olddairykitchen.co.uk

Chris at work in the O.D.K.




Parochial Church Council This could be my most difficult report since coming to live in Musbury. Even though the Church building is closed for the foreseeable future, the people who make up the Church have been busy keeping in contact with each other in different ways and serving God in the village by helping out with shopping, telephoning and generally coordinating support for the many villagers who need it. We managed to get our Table Top Sale in before lockdown. We took extra precautions and naturally not so many people came but having said that, we made over £500. Thank you to all those who supported us. The Food Bank has moved to the Spar and we are grateful to Julian for allowing this. Axminster Food Bank are even more desperate for contributions in these difficult days so do please go on supporting this venture when you shop at the Spar. Thank you to Sheila for kindly taking the food to Axminster for us. If you can’t visit try and ask others to buy something from you for the Food Bank Our Annual Meeting has been postponed until later in the year but we have had a PCC by ZOOM which was different! We missed doing the teas at Tony Drake’s Open Gardens but look forward to a time when that happens. Father Steven and the Ministry Team have been working hard to provide a Service on line each Sunday for us to follow ( including several over Holy Week and Easter). We are all grateful for these and if you would like to receive them, go to our Holyford Mission Community Website and find the links. There have been Coffee Mornings on ZOOM, telephone Services and Bible Studies by ZOOM. We are so grateful for the technical expertise of some MC leaders and have to say many of us are becoming so much more familiar with the internet and able to widen our experience of Apps new to us ‘oldies.’ Many of you, too, will have enjoyed family get togethers like us - on your screens. There have been so many positives of this historic time in our lives. We are all grateful for the support given to each other in Musbury and look forward to better times and more freedom in our lives. We also look forward to the time when the Church Building will be open and we can worship and have fellowship together in person - probably with social distancing!!

Kay Short PCC Secretary 552711 [email protected]

Musbury Short Mat Bowls Club Due to the current situation, we have not been meeting and playing in the village hall obviously, but we have tried to keep in touch and all look forward to the time we can start up again. The League had to terminate in March and many matches were cancelled. Both teams were doing reasonably well in Division Two of the Afternoon League. Heather Heal and Bryan Groves won the Club Competition in February. Well done to you both. We couldn’t have the Ted’s Trophy in March or the AGM in April so we look forward to when we can enjoy them in the future. Not sure how social distancing could work for Short Mat Bowls. We all have to stand pretty close to each other at the Mat ends when playing a game!! Perhaps it will have to be singles or pairs games only for a while!! The refreshment time half way through the evening would be greatly missed if that had to be abandoned!! The village hall has to open first of course! No one knows when that will be!! As the average age of our club is quite high and many have underlying health problems, it could sadly be a while until we all meet up again but I send good wishes to all members who read this in Musbury and hope that you all keep safe and can enjoy the freedom to do those things you have been looking forward to soon! Keep smiling! Keep busy! Keep Alert!! Kay Short Secretary 552711.

A Contribution from social media

A message to all our negative UK Press - including Laura Kuensberg, Robert Peston, Beth Rigby, Piers Morgan,

Journalism is missing the “mood” of this great country of ours. We do not want or need blame. We do not need constant criticism of our Government who are doing their very best in a very difficult and unprecedented global emergency. This crisis is not their making, there is no precedent of how to best handle it and I’m sure everyone is doing their level best to get it right.

But time and again we see our negative press trying to trip up politicians instead of asking questions that will provide positive and reassuring answers for all of us.

I was asked to include the above by a parishioner : ed


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HELEN G BEADSAt






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Tel: 552482 or 07525 780 431


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Workshops in glass bead making and silversmithing

Individual dates to suit you

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Prepaid Funeral Plans

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SHOP & OPEN MON-SAT 7.30am8.00pm SUN 8am-8pm 01297 552292

x Post Office in-storex� National Lotteryx Free to Use Cash Machinex Woodland View &

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12 Musbury Parish News Summer. 2020 Summer. 2020 Musbury Parish News 37

Musbury and Whitford Women's Institute

As with everything everywhere else our WI meetings have been cancelled until further notice. However, not all activity has ceased and since the beginning of April we, friends from other WIs and from Musbury and Whitford Villages have been busy making wash-bags for the Nurses and Carers in the area. The idea for this came via social media from The Royal Stoke Hospital; it seems that news and viruses both travel fast. The simple drawstring bags are made from old, washable sheeting, pillow cases etc. and are designed to be used by health-care workers to carry their uniforms, scrubs etc home for washing after they have changed at the end of their shift. They can then put the unopened bag straight into the washing machine, thus reducing the spreading of contamination by viruses and bacteria. We have been greatly helped by Ann Veit of Musbury who with her knowledge of Health Care organisations, contacts and organisation skills has been our centre and co-ordinator for the distribution of the bags, as well making them. At the time of writing this we have made and distributed nearly 482 bags. We are also very grateful to all who spring-cleaned their linen cupboards and donated the materials we needed to do this.

In March, two weeks before the lockdown, we were able to enjoy a talk by Rosemary Giggs who, dressed in the persona of Lady Katherine, described her life as a Tudor lady and showed the many layers of her costume which she (Rosemary) had made herself. Sadly because of the virus we were unable to hold the promised Jumble Sale, go on visits or hold our Garden Meeting, all normally part of our summer season. We are keeping in touch with each other, learning computer skills faster than perhaps we would have done usually, and will be ready to re-start all our activities when it is safe to do so. When that happens we will look forward to welcoming new visitors. In the meantime its back to the sewing machine.

Lesley McGowan Lock

CHURCH FLOWERS AND CLEANING At the time of writing and the circumstances that prevail I have little to write unfortunately. With the Church closed and no services there would be no one to see flowers on the altar even if we could do them ! On the cleaning front, the annual spring clean had to be cancelled and although plans had been laid for the weekly cleaning rota to continue, this was also abandoned under Diocese instructions. However the porch is being swept and washed regularly so that our Church on the outside at least, doesn’t look so neglected. When we return to ‘normal’ (hopefully soon) I am sure we will all work together again to show our love for our lovely Village Church.

Sue Irving 552440 [email protected]


The Village Collective got into gear very quickly and have acted as great facilitators fitting needs to availability. There are so many people to thank that I could go on forever so I made a thank you board for outside my house, currently being repaired and updated. If you don’t feel you fit into any of the categories Thank you. One service which has been fantastic for me is the deliveries from the Spar and Garage, thank you Julian and all your staff.

Keep Safe

Ann Veit Secretary to the League of Friends of Axminster Hospital

Virtual coffee and Chat

Frustrated that social distancing stops you seeing some village neighbours? Joining our new Musbury Virtual Coffee and Chat could help! All you need is Zoom access on your computer or you can ask someone with a laptop to give you their access.

Those isolated or living alone are especially welcome to our first meeting, planned for Wednesday 3 June from 10.30 - 11.30am.

Thereafter, we’ll ‘meet’ every first Wednesday of the month at 10.30 am until we can resume meeting in the Village Hall.

To join the meeting/make further enquiries, email Sue McCoulough [email protected] as soon as possible, or at latest, before the day of the meeting.

There's no obligation to stay for the full length of ‘chat', or attend every month. However, once signed up, you will receive a reminder email each month, including full instructions for joining the meeting.

Musbury Houses Quiz: Match the Old House Name with the Present House Name

On the le( are old house names and the earliest date it is recorded as such. The column on the right are the names of 12 proper9es in the village today. Both columns are in random order. Some are quite hard, unless you happen to live in that house. It may also be a test of how many modern Musbury house names you know! Perhaps it is 9me for another stroll round the village?...

Match one these

A. Rumah Kita 1939

B. Brimclose 1939

C. Old Smithy 1891

D. Prince’s Row 1891

E. Hand and Spear Inn 1857

F. Beale’s Farm 1851

G. Griffin’s (Back Lane) 1851

H. Tanyard (Fore Street) 1861

I. The Moorings 1901

J. Moun^ield Co_age 1911

K. Corona9on Co_age 1929

L. North Co_age 1840

To one of these

1. Cartref Co_age

2. Hunt’s Row

3. Malvern House

4. Brook Co_age

5. The Stables

6. The White House

7. Cherry Tree House

8. Adcro( House

9. Woodhayes

10. Musbury Barton

11. Yew Tree House

12. The Old Forge

Answers: On the Musbury Heritage Website h_ps://www.musburyheritage.co.uk/. No log on required, unless you want to delve deeper.








As you are probably all aware the hospital is virtually closed at the moment and all clinics have been closed. Essential clinics are being held centrally in Exeter and clinicians are prioritising appointments as much as possible in the current climate. Everyone is doing their very best in this unique and extremely difficult time.

When I was informed that I was in shielding isolation for 12 weeks I was devastated. What was I going to do? Now in my 8th week I am having trouble fitting everything in. I started with the felt animals in the window to amuse children of all ages up to 90 +. Then I was running out of reading matter and thought many others were probably in the same boat so the old bookcase on the carport came in to use. It has grown and grown, people taking books, people bringing books, games and puzzles, there is constant turnover. The nicest thing is to see children walking away clasping a book like the most precious toy in the world. It works like a free library with no ‘fines’ just help yourself. Please respect social distancing if there are others there but do use it.

At the time of writing this we have made and distributed 482 ‘nurses’ Laundry Bags all in our area with a couple of exceptions. Ottery Community Nurses have been given some, as has Sidmouth Hospital, as both were in need. The others have been distributed in the Axminster, Colyton and Seaton districts. We are still going and will do as long as the pillowcases keep coming in and there is a need for them. Basically they allow the carer/nurse to change from their uniform before leaving work and stuffing it in the washable laundry bag to take home. It then goes into the washing machine in the bag containing any infection and protecting the user’s family and home from risk. Simple and basic but very effective and very much appreciated from the feedback I have received. Lesley McGowan-Lock and I have worked closely on this project and in many ways it has been great fun. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who have donated pillow cases, some coming from as far away as Honiton and Stockland, and everyone who has converted the pillowcase into Laundry Bags, especially Ken Short who is a dab hand with the sewing machine.

Houses that no longer exist On the subject of old house names, have you heard of these?

Mounthill & Mount Pleasant Co0ages (1841-1871) – Further up Mounthill Lane, past Woodhayes, on the right as it begins to level out.

Hob Knapp (1841-1901) – On the right as you go up Pudleylake Road, just past the footpath before you get to the tree plantaLons.

Wood House Court (1840-1841) – ConLnue up the East Devon Way from the church and, when the concrete track bends leQ at the top, go straight on for about 100 metres.

Do you know of other houses and buildings in Musbury that have disappeared? I would love to hear about them.

*********************

Names that cannot be identified On the various censuses and other returns there are properLes and road names that give no clue as to where they were. Have you ever heard of the following? Please let me know if you have.

The Towers – 1910 to 1931

Strawberry Lane – 1851 to 1871

Berry’s Row – 1851

Martin Minter / Musbury Heritage / [email protected]




Parish Records

Burial

07.04.20 Terrence John Knight

Weather Watch What a time of contrasts! February was very wet indeed, with 205 mm (8”.) of rain, well over twice the 15-year average of 73 mm (3”). March started off much the same, with 79 mm (3”) of rain up to the 19th – and then it stopped, so that the month’s total was very close to average. The rest of the month was bright and sunny, albeit with a cool and often strong east or north-east wind, which dried things up pretty quickly. April continued in the same vein, with daytime sunshine and, early in the month, night frosts, but these ceased after a drop of rain on 6th and it became pleasantly warm. After almost a month without significant rain, a depression moved up from the south to bring rain on 16th and 17th – just in time for those who had planted their maize a few days before. Further warm and sunny days followed but rain on the last days of the month brought the total to 48 mm (2”), a little below the average of 62 mm. May started sunny and, at times, very warm. However, as I write on 10th, the wind has changed to a strong north-easterly and the temperature is dropping fast. Keep those tender plants under cover! The (very cautious) long term forecast is for a July with temperatures a little above average. And, if you believe in old weather lore, the Oak was very definitely before the Ash this spring, so ‘We shall only get a splash’. Let’s wait and see!

Mike Lock

Henry Hoare The following is an edited letter received from Andrew Whittington about the connection of his father John who has died aged 93 and his connection with the village. Both he and my mother, Sheila, were very fond of the village of Musbury and the church of St Michael. My mother's father was Henry James Hoare who was born and grew up in Musbury. He joined the Devonshire Regiment in the First World War and served on the Western Front where he was severely wounded at the Battle of the Somme in October 1916. After treatment for his injuries he was sent to Totteridge, then in Hertfordshire but now a London suburb, for his recovery. It was while he was there he met my Grandmother, Alice Andrews. After their marriage they lived in the North London area, initially at nearby Whetstone. From just before the Second World War, however , they lived in Mill Hill, in a house they named "Musbury". My mother, the middle of three daughters, was born in 1927. As a child she visited Musbury many times, and amongst the endless stories she spoke of eating copious amounts of clotted cream whenever she stayed with the relatives who were still in Musbury. My mother married my father in 1948 and they kept in touch closely with her relatives there. I can remember in the early 1960s coming to the area several times and being on Charmouth beach while my Mum went to her folks in Musbury. In latter days my parents would go to Musbury most years and stay on a nearby farm. I believe it was during this time that they became attached to the church, being church people themselves and seeing it as the focal point of the village. It really was a return to my Mum's roots that was adopted wholeheartedly by my Dad too. He truly loved the countryside and saw the Musbury area as the loveliest of all. Once my parents were in their 70s driving to Devon became much more difficult and they kept in touch by the kind inclusion of them in the circulation of the parish magazine. My mother died in December 2018 at the age of 91. There is still at least one of my relatives in the area, Penny Emerson was my Mum's cousin so it's lovely to know that we are still _represented _there. _

I hope everyone is keeping safe in these difficult tinies.

Yours Sincerely

Andrew Whittington


19b

StockersMaidenhayne Lane

MusburyAxminster

Devon EX13 8AG

27 January 2019

Dear Don,

Thanks for coming around on Friday.

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Our magazine is in A5 format and is laser-printed in black & white and published quarterly. We discussed the proposal for a quarter-page advert (approx 50mm wide x 70mm high ‘portrait’) in each of these four issues this year at a total cost of £50

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Kind regards

Nick Raison

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Seaton Wetlands

Until very recently, I have not been able to visit Seaton Wetlands but I receive regular updates from the Wardens. The site is open but all the hides are closed until further notice. The winter birds like Lapwings and Teal have all left. There are plenty of Shelduck on Black Hole Marsh but I have not seen many further up the valley since things dried up; earlier they were regularly visiting flooded fields. Watch out for mother Shelducks shepherding broods of grey-and-white ducklings along the road as they try to get to the river and thence to the estuary. A few waders have been reported on their northward passage, including a pair of Avocets and, recently, a female Ruff (or Reeve). Others have included Grey Plover, Common Sandpiper and Greenshank. There have been several sightings of Ospreys on their way north, but none stayed long, as is usual in spring. The quiet conditions on the Marsh and in the hides have encouraged nesting birds and one hide has a pair of Swallows and a Woodpigeon nesting in it! However, the Sand Martin bank (which featured on Farming Today last week) has yet to attract any birds although a tape of their calls is being played daily. The same ploy will be tried to attract Swifts to the boxes on a tower that have been put up for them. Kestrels have returned to two of the nestboxes after a year’s absence.

Mike Lock

Musbury Village Show

We were very sad not to be able to hold the Musbury Plant & Craft Sale in May and we delayed cancelling the 2020 Musbury Village Show and the Garden Charm Competition for as long as there was hope of staging both events or of finding some sort of alternative. Sadly nothing seemed feasible, which is so frustrating when the gardens, veg. plots and allotments seem to be benefiting from their owners' lockdown and the beautiful spring weather. We are now looking forward to 2021 when we intend to organise the Musbury Village Show and both the Garden Charm and Veg. Plot and Allotments Competitions to make up for 2020. We are hoping that you are all keeping records of your gardens and your outstanding produce so they can be called upon to enter photographic classes in the 2021 Show.

Lesley McGowan Lock

Musbury Garden Club With the last Garden Club talks on Season 10’s Garden Club programme cancelled, it is ironic that many of us are spending more time in our gardens and allotments than ever. Seed and plant swapping have been the order of the day, particularly valuable with no access to Garden Centres.

Planning had already begun for the next programme of talks, so, all being well, there is much to look forward to. We should have ‘Gardening without plastics’, a jaunt round Britain in Bloom and a practical demonstration of seasonal flower decorations – just to give you a flavour of what is to come for Season 11.

We were sad to learn that Neil Lovesey, a favourite speaker died recently, having been ill for a long time. Many of you will have enjoyed his very practical talks and may have visited Picket Lane Nusery at South Perrott which he owned.

Here’s hoping for a summer of bumper crops, beautiful spaces to sit in and not too much watering

Karen, Val and Sue

Moles

The children at Musbury Moles have been enjoying the spring sunshine, painting and rebuilding the wildlife garden. Unfortunately the Covid 19 virus made us close our doors on Friday 20th March. We have been working behind the scenes to ensure we can open on the 3rd June. We shall be welcoming the Moles back for the last part of the summer term. This will be a little different from the normal fun activities that go with the end of the year. However we are more than determined to make our Moles have a great and safe time in the last few weeks of the term. We have 3 children venturing up to the primary school and we shall be making their transition as smooth as possible in these times. The staff have been upskilling whilst they have not been in Moles. Cat will carry on her level 3 Forest School Leader course and when completed we shall have two trained Forest School Leaders in Moles. We are lucky to have space inside and out. Being an outdoor preschool our children are used to outdoor learning and the benefits it has on their learning. This is great for the return of our children as outdoor learning has many benefits and is advised by the government for children’s return into education.


Every few years a group of organisations publishes estimates of the numbers of birds in the UK. The latest paper was published early in 2020. It deals only with breeding birds and the estimate is 85 million pairs in total. The commonest species is the Wren, with 11 million pairs, followed by the Robin, with 7.35 million. There are a further 19 species with over a million pairs: House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Great Tit, Pheasant, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Starling, Blackcap, Goldfinch. Jackdaw, Skylark, Song Thrush, Whitethroat, and Carrion Crow. The overall total has changed little since the last estimates were published in 2013, but there are winners and losers. The latter include Turtle Dove, Chaffinch, and Greenfinch; among the gainers are Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Red Kite, the last up from 1,600 pairs in 2012 to 4,400 in 2019.

Our lanes seem particularly bright with flowers this year; appropriately red (Red Campion), white (Queen Anne’s Lace, Stitchwort) and blue (Bluebells). Now these colours have been joined by the yellow of buttercups and Yellow Archangel, and the purple of Bush Vetch and Common Vetch. Blackthorn had a rather short flowering season this year as the warm weather moved flowering on quickly. As I write Hawthorn is in full flower, covering some bushes with its creamy white flowers giving promise of a good autumn berry crop.

Musbury Village Hall

100 club

The results for the last 3 months of 100 Club draws, as follows:-

March - £60 draw 1st No. 30 Sue Leach £30.00 2nd No. 87 Peter Casey £20.00 3rd No. 66 Andrew Moulding £10.00.

April - £30 draw 1st No. 16 Ian Doulton £15.00 2nd No. 73 Annie Stark £10.00 3rd No. 35 Mike Lock £5.00

May - £30 draw 1st No. 50 Caroline Griffin - £15.00 2nd No. 101 Martin Platts - £10.00 3rd No. 33 Rod Powell - £5.00

We are relaunching the 100 club in November 2020, or once the current situation allows us to. The Village Hall committee are still looking for a secretary, as no one has stepped forward, following the appeal in the last edition of the News.

As stated before the Committee will have no choice but to close the Village Hall if no one can be found. If you are interested in filling this role please call Debbie on 01297 35898

Red Kite

Bush vetch From the archive Summer 1990 Go ahead spring clean

On Thursday the members of the go-ahead club got together to have a spring clean around the village. Some of the things involved washing all the tables and chairs down the hall, painting the goal posts up the playing fields, painting the benches at Northfields and lots more. All the money we collected went to the Church Urban Fund. To collect the money we split up into groups and went around different parts of the village collecting sponsors. When we had finished all the jobs we had a barbecue up at Mrs P Langdon’s house . When we added up the money the total amount was £128.30p Stacey Goodwin 11 years old


Nature Watch Summer migrants have been slow in arriving. Chiffchaffs arrived and started singing their name in mid-March. Blackcaps followed soon afterwards. However, the Swallows and Sand Martins that one expects in early April were late and few; I didn’t see my first Sand Martin until 2 April (I would normally expect them in late March) and my first Swallow didn’t come until 19 April; they are still few and far between. The weather in April was poor over Spain and this may have held them up. Plenty of people have reported Swifts to the Devon Birds website but I have yet to see one; they no longer nest in the village. Cuckoos have been reported from the Dartmoor fringes but I have not heard one; they are, at best, rare here and just pass through on their way to Dartmoor or points north.

The annual passage of Red Kites through the county has started and birds are being reported every day on the Devon Birds website. Look out for them during silage cutting operations as they hang around waiting for flushed or shredded mice. Blackbirds are feeding young in the garden, and I am sure that Blue Tits and Great Tits are both feeding young in the nestboxes. They will have a hard time finding enough insect food if the cold weather persists for long.

The British Trust for Ornithology is celebrating 25 years of Garden Birdwatch. This scheme is unique in being supported by its members – you actually pay a subscription to take part. However, for a limited period you can join without paying (www.bto.org/gbw). You keep a record of the birds you see in your garden each week – the species and the maximum number – and submit the results on-line to the BTO at the end of each week. I am not among the elite who have sent in over 1,000 weekly records (there are 1,185 of these), but I’m approaching 900! Two hundred and fifty gardens have sent in records for the whole 25 years, and there have been big changes during this time. The biggest gainer has been the Goldfinch which has moved from 20th to 8th in order of abundance, closely followed by the Woodpigeon, which has moved from 12th to 2nd. Other species that have increased, but to a lesser extent, are Nuthatch, Long-tailed Tit, Jackdaw, Coal Tit and Magpie. The biggest losers are Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Wren, House Sparrow and Starling, with Blackbird, Collared Dove, Chaffinch and Great Spotted Woodpecker also declining, albeit slightly. These results help in the annual assessment of which species are declining or increasing nationally, and they are particularly important now, during lock-down, as other surveys have been suspended.

Problem ======================

You have a new job working for the local division of an understaffed virus prevention agency. There has been an outbreak of Covid-19 and the previous employee had to go into self isolation after developing symptoms. She left you with the following information about Covid-19:

- On any given day the number of people infected on the next day will be equal to a constant R times the number of people infected on that day times the proportion of uninfected people out of the total population.

- As of today, your first day of work, there are currently 1000 infected people and the total population is 1,000,000.

- Due to the hard work of the staff at the vaccines and miracle cures department a cure for Covid-19 will be available after 30 days. However, due to a lack of funding they will only be able to produce 15000 doses of the cure.

Currently, R is estimated to be around 1.2, will all the infected people be able to get the cure after 30 days?

Your boss has asked you to figure out how small R needs to be so that all of the infected people can get the cure when it is ready after 30 days. What is your best estimate?

Quiz for the young at heart

1. How many zeros are there in the number one thousand? 2. Who is Anna’s sister in the Disney film Frozen? 3. What is a young sheep called? 4. How many weeks are in a year? 5. In what country is the Great Barrier Reef? 6. What does water turn into when it is frozen solid? 7. What is half of the number fifty? 8. Name as many planets in our solar system as you can (a point for

each) 9. What is the biggest ocean on Earth?


Letter from Trill Farm I’m writing this as the sun rises and the dawn chorus allows me to hear the cuckoo here for the first time since I arrived, twelve years ago. With the pandemic taking hold in the world population, we are experiencing a cleaner and quieter, friendly place to be. As I open my front door and see my benches and chairs arranged in a half circle welcoming the view of the woodlands and ponds in the half light of the morning, I feel proud and part of this landscape, this valley leading towards the sea. I am proud that the diversity and wildlife is returning during my time here, proud that this valley is showing its natural beauty. I realise I am hugely privileged to be here surrounded by wildlife and able to feel the rising energy of Spring burst through and transform the landscape, turning the trees green, enabling flowers to open and warming the insects waking out of winter. It is easier to be true to yourself when you’re not rushing around and you can see yourself as you are - part of nature and part of its process. The Farm is closed to visitors and courses this Spring and with Jane, Tamsin and Mariel working from home, my daughter Lara and her family have moved into the guest house and are doing the lambing and online sales. It has been a special time together. Spring is a time for birth of the new and to nurture. I really hope there is a possibility for the world to do things differently. With the small businesses here, adapting how they operate, we are showing our resilience in change. We have always focused on demonstrating the importance of supporting and working with nature, the environment, valuing community and ensuring business is responsible. Would it be too optimistic to believe this was something that could become a global approach to trading, food production and working with each other? I hope that people and politicians will now appreciate that the real issues of climate change, waste and diminishing resources need to prioritised.

Romy Fraser

Find and circle each of the words from the list below. Words may appearforwards or backwards, horizontally, vertically or diagonally in the grid.

Word Search!Name: Date:

Copyright ©TEST WorksheetWorks.com

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Bideford Colyton Honiton

Wordsearch Can you find 12 Devon towns?


Stability also entails establishing a rhythm of life, not a series of routines, but a deeper pattern of being which enables us to focus on what is truly important: knowing God’s love and living in the light of that love so that we can simply share it with others. This can be achieved through prayer and contemplation, giving thanks for the times when we have been given something we didn’t earn or deserve which has caused us to see goodness at work, or, if we are grieving (for a person, or for a situation past or present) knowing that God will share the burden and weight of that with us as we offer it to him. Our churches stand as beacons which remind us of God’s stability: his steadfast goodness and mercy towards us. I hope that soon our beautiful Parish Church will be open again, at least so that people can come in to pray quietly by themselves. Generations have passed through the doors of St Michael’s to offer their prayers and seek stability in a world which is constantly changing. Although the doors of the church are shut at present, the rhythm of worship has continued through our online services and services via telephone (see our website for details: Holyford.org or our Facebook page: @Holyfordmission). The services will return to church as soon as we are allowed to have them there. Getting back to some sort of normality in church, or at work or at home, as the restrictions change, will require a good measure of energy, patience and ingenuity. Above all it will demand stability, which begins with us as individuals. A commitment to our place and the people around us, and a commitment to putting the loving purposes of God at the forefront of our lives. This begins by knowing that God gives us the power to forgive others because we know ourselves to be forgiven and loved by him. I leave you with a prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr.

With every good wish and blessing,

Fr Steven. God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him

forever in the next. Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

Some Anagrams

standalone yeah, —————- a Musbury thoroughfare

carnivorous —————— The current main topic on the news

lodgers thatch. ——————- Popular cider drink I believe

cable plumper ——————- pudding course

Elston holstering ——————- A beat combo, from the sixties

booker mortality. ____________ a goodie recently deceased

goose whether ____________. The night watchman cry

anchovy diked. ——————— living English artist

goblet pathogenesis. —————- Italian dish

parchment secretaries —————- one of the greatest welsh groups

Ikhnaton syphon. ——————- a regular at the hind?

below mind. ———————— a tennis event cancelled this year.

stalest unforgivably —————— a music event cancelled this year.

Menuhin scattered ——————- a half decent football team

Dorrie Joanie ——————— a Brazilian seaside resort

mud Portland ———————- the so called leader of the free world

featherbed gravestone. ————— Sunday lunch

Avon steed —————- our local area

earthed footed monkish. ————- a prog rock classic

lands mattocks ————- a local land mark


And Finally “My boy lollipop You make my heart go giddy up You are as sweet as candy You're my sugar dandy Ho, ho, my boy lollipop Never ever leave me Because it would grieve me My heart told me so” Millie Small 1947-2020

“Greed has taken the whole universe, and nobody is worried about their soul.” Little Richard 1932-2020

“There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.” Stirling Moss. 1929-2020

When I set out to get the summer edition of the News together, I thought it might well be a rather thin edition, but I have been proved completely wrong. Thank you to all contributors, who have certainly made a great effort and thank you to all the people who have encouraged me to go ahead with publication when I first muted the idea. The idea was to provide some form of normality and perhaps a record of life in the period of lockdown. I was told “The News is like a clock, one depends on it coming out to relate to what part of the year it is”

I feel lucky to live in Musbury, not only a beautiful part of Devon, but a vibrant supportive community that has pulled together in time of crisis. We seem to have been far removed from the worst of the virus, the panic buying and in the early days before lockdown it seemed we had stepped back in to a time warp. As soon as lockdown started a group of volunteers got together offering, help with shopping, medication and support to vulnerable people. The Spar shop started offering food deliveries. Graham and Annie started delivering medications. There are many other people who have been supporting the community as well. Thank you to all of them.

I am sure people have become more adapt at technology, where would we be without Zoom? A reminder that church services are available on Zoom full details at www.holyford.org

From The Vicarage Steven Writes One of the phrases we hear a lot now is ‘the new normal’. Are we supposed to feel secure or unsettled by it? Do you particularly desire a ‘new normal’ or would you prefer the ‘old normal’ back?

Part of me hankers after the ‘old normal’. My old normal was a diary full of meetings. These are fewer now, which is no bad thing, but via Zoom. While this is useful, I find having to look at myself on a screen depressing…observing each meeting how much weight I have been putting on since lockdown. Zoom is quite tiring to use, not least when the internet connection fails at a vital point and one is left wondering if everyone else heard what was just said (I get round this by copying the facial expressions of others, either nodding and smiling or frowning and shaking my own increasingly flabby face convincingly, hoping nobody twigs I haven’t a clue what is going on). It is much easier to communicate in a room with other human beings I think.

The ‘new normal’ may mean more time alone, or more time with close family; perhaps more time to get the garden in order and various jobs done. For us as a society, the ‘new normal’ may involve a future where we find ourselves confined or restricted to varying degrees and various intervals. As individuals, our normality may have been shaken by loneliness or the death of a loved one. Adapting to a new normality may be easy for some, but painful for others. Living through any change can, however, bring about opportunities for growth: in wisdom, understanding and humility. The early Christians—those who witnessed Christ’s ministry or the ministry of the first Apostles—had to get used to a ‘new normal’. They rose to the challenge, living the Gospel message—that God loves and forgives us, that whether life is normal or abnormal, exciting or frustrating, we can find joy and stability in the knowledge of this love. This is essentially what must be at the core of living the Christian life for all of us.

Living the ‘old normal’ or the ‘new normal’ each presents its own set of challenges. Perhaps the key is to seek and pray for stability, something that enables us to fruitfully engage with ‘the changes and chances of this fleeting world’ (not my words, but from a prayer during the service of Compline). Benedictine monks and nuns take a vow of stability, which means they promise to live in the same place and community. This is important: the other monks or nuns may drive you mad. You may get bored or frustrated by living alongside others, or by living alone within the same four walls, yet it is important to seek stability. This involves forgiving others (as the Lord’s Prayer reminds us) and forgiving ourselves because God knows and forgives us and wants us to live our lives as fully as possible.



Rector Fr Steven Martin [email protected] 553180 Church Office Administrator Emma Laughton [email protected] 552307 Revd Preb John Lees (Associate Minister) 551351 Linda Joy (Children and Families Worker) 07599292449 Jan Lees (Reader) 551351 Emma Laughton (Reader) 551400 Revd Victoria Chester 07489882824 Charles Hill (Reader) 552141 Revd Canon Colin Preece (Retired Assistant clergy) 552154 Revd Nigel Freathy (Retired clergy) 22303 Revd Jeremy White (Retired clergy) 32299

St Michael’s Church, Musbury Church wardens Mrs Sue Irving, Cherry Tree House, Church Hill 552440 Mr Michael Pritchard, Knap Orchard, Combpyne Rd 552297

Treasurer Mr Robin Collis, Monmouth House 551105

MUSBURY PARISH NEWS Village Website: www.musburyvillage.co.uk

This magazine is published quarterly by the Parochial Church Council of St. Michael’s, and is distributed free of charge to all households in the Parish. The cost is borne by the PCC but is largely offset by advertising revenue and by a grant from the Parish Council. The Treasurer will always welcome donations by readers. The services provided by our advertisers are commended: when using them please mention the Musbury Parish News. Editor Jolly Sargent, Ruffles, Doatshayne Lane 552470 [email protected]

Distribution: Mr David Antell 553454 Advertising: Rod Powell 552681

Holyford Mission Community www.holyford.org

Contributors please note Deadline for next Issue 14th August

Virtual coffee mornings will soon be taking place on Zoom. There seem to be online singing groups, Pilates classes, quizzes and I am sure many other things.

As I write this it seems that there are signs of some restrictions being lifted and it is possible that the pub may be able to serve refreshment in the garden soon . One of the blessings of the past few months is the wonderful weather and I am sure every garden and allotment in Musbury has benefitted from extra attention .

Judging by the shortage of flour, yeast, Airfix kits, jigsaws, and seeds everybody is learning new skills and taking up new hobbies.

Special thanks are due to many people but several people have especially asked me to thank Julian and the team.

So “A BIG THANK YOU” to the Spar for going the extra mile with their amazing service to the village , above & beyond in provisions and helpfulness. The first place to have flour, Paracetomol and loo rolls readily available. Well done!

As mentioned before thank you to Annie and Graham for medication deliveries and thank you Emma for coordinating the Covid volunteers.

Thank you to all the sewers and stitchers for doing what you do and last but not least Thank you Ann for providing a library and game, jigsaw hub, and for letting the News use your garage as a distribution point.

Thank you to anybody I have not mentioned for doing your bit.

Stay alert, mind how you go!

Jolly









MUSBURY PARISH NEWS

Musbury Diary Summer 2020 Watch the village web site http://musburyvillage.co.uk

Church website http://holyford.org And village notice boards for a resumption of normal service

Summer 2020

The Parish News is normally distributed free of charge to all households in the parish of

Musbury , but due to coronavirus this edition is only available by collection from Ann Veit’s

garage. It is also available online at the Village web site


If you know of any parishioner who may not be able to get out but would like a copy please

feel free to deliver one but remember to “stay safe”

A Covid 19 Reminder

Musbury Spar is offering a delivery service to Musbury residents for orders over £10. Phone 552292 for details.

The village already has a good network of neighbours , but if you feel anyone has slipped through the net , or are in need of anything yourself this is a reminder of a phone no you can call Emma at The Hind 553553



http://holyford.org


http://holyford.org


Documents

Musbury Diary Summer 2020 MUSBURY PARISH · Special thanks are due to many people but several people have especially asked me to thank Julian and the team. So “A BIG THANK YOU”