News

This year has been full of new ventures locally – first the Wassail in January, then Beating the Bounds and now a Littlehempston calendar to celebrate events and places in the parish. Many thanks to everyone who sent in photos.

It was extremely tough choosing a good mix of views and seasons from such a selection and apologies if yours did not make the final cut this year. Thanks also to all who voted for their favourite pics at the display at the end of the Beating of the Bounds event.

This A4 calendar has a page for each month with a local view and space for diary entries. It costs £7.50 with all proceeds supporting a mix of village activities. This will be a limited edition, so please reserve your copy by contacting Ali. It’s cash on delivery, so you’ll get a chance to see (and decline) the calendar before purchase. It will make a great Christmas present, so feel free to order more than one!

What a memorable event this was. Spread over a couple of weekends, the walk around the edge of our parish celebrated an ancient tradition of people getting to know the boundaries of their area and also celebrating with neighbouring parishes. This event has never been held in living memory and was a great opportunity to vist parts of the parish not normally accessible. The landowners whose land we crossed were all extremely supportive and many joined in.  Many walkers, aged from 1 to 86 years old, had never really met each other before, so walking and talking provided an opportunity to get to know the neighbours and share the history of our beautiful parish. As it may well not happen again for several years, here’s a full account.

The first walk on September 21st started at the church and took us along the Hems, up through the woods, across the main Totnes road, up past the old lime kiln and across the fields to the ancient Butter Well on Bourton Lane, the old route into Totnes. Staff and horses from the Mare and Foal Sanctuary greeted us, as did children from Berry Pomeroy school, who had decorated the well with beautiful handmade tiles. After a well blessing, the Chair of Berry Pomeroy Council shook hands with Jon Morris, the Chair of Littlehempston Parish Council. After refreshments at the Mare and Foal Sanctuary, the group continued its chatty amble through Gatcombe to Uphempston, then to Knaves Cross where we were treated to delicious and unexpected refreshments from Martin and Rachel Hill. Here Jon shook hands with two councillors from Ipplepen and exchanged commemorative certificates. Two children, Freddie Morris and Oliver Smith, were then bounced on a stone – an old tradition to make sure the youngsters knew their boundaries! We then walked through the fields of Lillisford Farm, guided by Diane Shilston.

On the 29th September, our walk re-started at Lillisford and made for Hemsford, where Liz and Alan Jeffery showed us their Mongolian Yurts, a lovely pond and an ancient barn. Then it was through the Christmas tree field to Buckyette, where Elizabeth and Roger Miller provided a warm welcome and refreshments. After presenting them with a commemorative certificate, we walked up to a summit, where Roger explained a volcano had once erupted, leaving deposits of pumice on his land. This was also a lookout post for the local Dad’s Army members in the war. By this time the rain had stopped and we had sunshine again. Next stop was Winton House, where Christine and David Melland provided a lovely picnic in their garden. Another treat was delicious cider, kindly donated by the Tally Ho and made from apples picked in the Community Orchard. Then it was down to the River Dart, waving at the steam train leaving Totnes Riverside station on the way. After admiring Mike Smith’s beautiful Devon cows glowing in the sun, we returned to Hampstead Barns, where we met the Mayor of Totnes and a Council colleague and invited them to celebrate with us in the Church following the end of our walk.

Further up the hill, we crossed a field on Deapp Farm down to the Hems, where we visited the wildlife ponds next to the railway line – many of us had no idea they were there. This area provoked much discussion about industrial archaeology and the former use of the Hems for transporting goods. In fact, much debate on both walks centred around local history both past and recent, and useful information was exchanged. Following the Hems through fields and orchards, we suddenly saw the welcome site of the church tower ahead. Time for tea.

Around seventy people were involved in this event, with about forty walkers including children. Most congregated in the church afterwards to be greeted by Tracy and James Dunn serving refreshments and wonderful homemade cake. The certificates that Mike Thomas had designed and personalized for everyone taking part were presented by Jon Morris and commemorative maps of Littlehempston were presented to the landowners who were there. Jon shook hands with representatives from Totnes, Staverton and Landscove, and Ian from Staverton Parish Council presented Jon with a certificate. And a splendid £111 was arised in donations for the Devon Air Ambulance.  Ken Wood then took a commemorative photo outside of those who agreed to be dragged away from chat and cake.

They really were two very special days made possible by so many: the sponsors, landowners, those who offered refreshments, others sharing their knowledge of bygone days and councillors from surrounding parishes. A huge thank you to Mike & Mo Wright and Val Hoare for giving so much time and effort to provide such a perfectly run event and establishing what could well become another Littlehempston tradition.