Burrator

BEACON

Spring 2019

Time Capsule at Walkhampton School unearthed

Photo – Karen Batson

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Editorial – Karen Batson

I remember when that time capsule was buried. At the time, 2019 seemed eons away! And now here it is! I hope the start of the new year has brought hope and cheer (even with Brexit looming!) to you. There’s lots to read about in this issue and by the time you do, Spring will be here with all the promises of new life… The summer issue of the Burrator Beacon will be published at the end of May. Deadline for copy will be Tuesday 7th May, at the latest. That issue will cover the months up until the end of August 2019. Don’t forget, this is your magazine for your parish, so we would like to hear from you! Do consider writing a piece about anything of interest. Please send all submissions as Word attachments, as this makes the cut and pasting process much simpler!

Parish Clerk’s Report – Lucie Luke The Planning Committee have recently been consulted on the following applications with the Parish Council’s comments in bold: 0632/18 Proposed erection of outbuilding at Routrundle, Sampford Spiney. SUPPORT 0643/18 Proposed provision of hanging slates and render of external walls at Old School House, Sheepstor SUPPORT 0640/18 Proposed erection of two storey extension, removal of sun room and construction of double garage at Briarfield, Meavy Lane, Yelverton SUPPORT 0631/18 Proposed amendments, including new porches, to existing house and extensions to existing second storey and construction of new double garage at Wortleigh, Meavy Lane, Yelverton SUPPORT 0676/18 Proposed single storey extension to rear west elevation and modifications of existing roofline at The Oaks, Burrator Road, Dousland. SUPPORT Over the winter months, Councillors have been considering the draft Dartmoor Local Plan and have submitted comments via the Parish Council. The usual concerns of the conditions of our highways are voiced regularly to Highways but we urge all residents to use the online report form for pot holes and road erosion throughout the Parish. The Parish Council commissioned a survey on the old Meavy Oak Tree on Meavy Green. It is agreed that the Parish Council would like to see the tree remaining upright and safe for as long as possible. Please read article on page 11 for further information. The Parish Council commended the village of Walkhampton for their marvellous Christmas Light display and have agreed that a Christmas Tree can be planted on the Green for annual use, providing that all local residents that view the green have no objections.

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Village Halls

Please support our local village halls for your meetings, parties and activities. All the halls have disabled access and they vary in size and facilities so one of them will suit your requirements. All the Halls are run by willing volunteers who strive to keep them in good repair providing vital facilities for our communities.

Meavy Parish Hall Alison Stoker 853389

Sheepstor Village Hall Patrick Drennan 853186

Walkhampton Memorial Hall Sheila Glanville 859215

They will be able to advise you on availability, hire charges and terms & conditions of hire.

What’s on in Sheepstor… Sheepstor Village Hall Report Autumn 2018 Patrick Drennan - Chairperson Sheepstor Village Hall Well done to Corinna Legassick for hosting a very enjoyable and successful German evening on November 30th. 25 people attended and over £300 was raised, from the ticket sales and tombola, for the SVH coffers. There were many appreciative comments from within and outside the village. A big thank you to the host for her generosity with the food donations, and admiration for the way she transformed the hall with mood lighting and decorations. Estimates are being supplied by two local builders for the repair work required on the exterior soffit board, and from commercial electricians for replacing the obsolete fluorescent lighting strips. These will be fitted with covers that remove wavelengths that are damaging to lupus sufferers, as we have two very active hall supporters who suffer from this unpleasant condition. It should also improve the ambience for the rest of us! We will be applying for a grant to help with the costs of the exterior work and making use of the monies already given by Burrator Parish Council in 2018 for the electrical work. The SVH Constitution & Deeds subcommittee had its first meeting in January under the chairmanship of Trevor Rookes, and Stephen Hopson and Richard Bayly have agreed to be the new Holding Trustees for the village hall. At the SVHC meeting on January 18th the death of Sheepstor’s centenarian Denise Bayly was specially mentioned, as she had been a staunch supporter of the village hall and one of the two founding Holding Trustees. Very appropriately her family held her wake at the hall and her amazing life was celebrated with toasts of pink champagne! Sadly, the Bingo evening planned for February 8th had to be cancelled as the press-ganged callers, Helen & John, were unable to locate the equipment. It was last seen in a cupboard which used to be by the fireplace but appears to have walked since that object’s demise. There is no truth in the rumour that the current chairperson has hidden it, being a heathen as far as the bingo cult is concerned! After discussions with the bird man of Sheepstor, he will be conducting surveys of the area in April, May and June, and is happy to have up to a dozen interested persons accompany him on these dawn walks. He very generously is not charging

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for his time and expertise and is happy for all monies raised to go to SVH repair fund. Expressions of interest in taking part to me please and then I will let those people know as soon as I have the dates. Tickets will be £10, which will include a cuppa and a bacon butty in the hall afterwards. Advance notice is given of the SVH AGM, to be held on Friday May 10th at 7pm.

Sheepstor Villages in Action Patrick Drennan The Drystones (www.thedrystones.co.uk), a Somerset duo, will be performing at St Leonard’s Church Sheepstor on Saturday April 13th at 7.30pm, as part of The Villages in Action Spring 2019 menu. Doors open at 6.45 pm, with refreshments available. Advance Tickets £9 adult, £7 child, £25 family, on 01822 853186 / drdartmoor@doctors.org.uk. On the door tickets will be £10, with 100 as the maximum number of seats available, so please book early to avoid disappointment, and assist the catering requirements! All profits, after VIA’s guaranteed ticket percentage take, will be shared between the Friends of St Leonard’s Church Sheepstor (FOSLCS) and Sheepstor Village Hall (SVH). Alex Garden (fiddle, vocals) and Ford Collier (guitar, tin whistle, vocals) have had a strong musical partnership since their secondary school days. Able to navigate different traditions, introduce instantaneous changes of pace, and stitch together tunes and songs into an eclectic live set, The Drystones’ seemingly telepathic communication has always kept audiences on their toes. It’s no wonder they have earned themselves a nomination for the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award’ ‘The Drystones are a lively young folk duo from Priddy in Somerset, playing violin, guitar and whistle, who have made a big splash since they formed in July 2011 they have played festivals all over the West Country (including Larmer Tree, Sidmouth, Broadstairs, Purbeck and Folk East), and at their 2013 Glastonbury Festival performance they were highlighted by Steve Lamacq on Radio 2 as his “recommendation of the day”. According to Living Tradition “to describe their instrumental style as spirited and animated would be akin to asserting that Bellowhead can be quite an energetic band!” I have been in discussions with Jeremy Wells of the Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir (TVMVC) (www.tamarvalleymvc.co.uk) about the feasibility of them performing in St Leonard’s Church this summer. Despite some initial concerns about available space we think it’s possible for approximately 30 of their members to squeeze in between the rood screen and the front pews. They only charge a nominal fee to cover their running costs, as their aim is to support local charities. The provisional date for the concert is Saturday August 24th and the aim will be to have a varied programme that reflects that time of year. The ticketing arrangements, concert times and refreshment availability will be as for The Drystones concert in April mentioned above. The Autumn VIA menu is usually launched in April time and I hope to be able to secure a booking from the listings to entertain you in the last quarter of 2019. http://villagesinaction.co.uk/events/

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and Walkhampton…

Lady Modiford’s School Time Capsule

Karen Batson On a chilly afternoon in January, there was much excitement at Lady Modiford’s School, Walkhampton. The time capsule that was buried in 1994 by the then pupils was due to be dug up and opened for the first time in 25 years, marking the school’s 300th anniversary. A group of former pupils and some of their parents, along with Jim Knight, Headteacher in 1994 and former teachers Nicky Wilson and Liz Hill gathered with the present pupils and staff to witness the deed. Emma Chesbrough and Chris Shutt, who were pupils at the time, set to work with spades and finally the capsule was prised from the ground and carried inside. Guests for the afternoon were treated to tea and some delicious home-made cakes in the hall, while the pupils eagerly opened the capsule in another classroom, to discover what their forbears had placed in the capsule all those years before they were even born… Later that afternoon, the contents were placed on display for all to see. It was amazing to see just how many things had gone into the capsule, which was about the size of a bread machine. As well as pupils’ writing and drawing, there were diverse items providing a snapshot of the time, such as a newsletter to parents, a letter from the school secretary, Audrey Doidge, a school uniform, information about the school visit to Mathieu in Normandy, a Tesco receipt and of course, many photos depicting the activities taking place in the school in 1994. A cassette tape (remember those?) with the children singing was also discovered and amazingly, the school had something to play it on! Everything that came out of the capsule was in perfect condition, there were no signs of age or damp about them at all.

WALKHAMPTON MEMORIAL HALL For Hire

LARGE HALL AREA NEW LARGE WELL- EQUIPPED KITCHEN AND SERVERY

FREE WI-FI LARGE PARKING AREA WITH EASY ACCESS

REASONABLE HIRE RATES WITH REGULAR USER DISCOUNTS ELECTRICITY INCLUDED WITH SINGLE HIRES

GREAT CHILDREN’S PARTY SPACE ROOM INSIDE FOR A BOUNCY CASTLE

LARGE FIELD WITH PLAY AREA

EXCELLENT CORPORATE SPACE Local professional catering available

REGULAR EVENTS PRE-SCHOOL WITH GOOD Ofsted, OPEN EVERY WEEK DAY

Art Club on Mondays, YOGA CLASSES – Tuesdays……INDOOR BOWLS - Wednesdays

SATURDAY COFFEE SHOP AND MARKET 10AM UNTIL NOON HIRE BOOKING 01822 859215

OTHER INFORMATION 01822 855140

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All who were present agreed that it was a lovely afternoon, with past pupils and parents meeting up for the first time for many years in some cases to reminisce and the present pupils gaining a valuable insight into what the likes of their parents were up to at school. There are bound to be lots of further opportunities for celebration in this very special year in the school’s history – watch this space!

Former Headteacher Jim Knight, along with past pupils and parents from 1994,

look on as the time capsule is unearthed.

300 Years of Growth at Lady Modiford’s School Corinne Shutt This year, 2019, we are celebrating the 300th year of Walkhampton’s school, Lady Modiford’s. There are numerous events planned during the year which commenced on Friday 11th January with the digging up of the time capsule buried 25 years ago in 1994. In the summer, a special play written for the school will be performed by the children in St Mary’s Church and a garden party will take place in the school grounds. Other events include an old-fashioned sports day and a soup supper using a rediscovered old recipe! In September, a Service of Celebration will take place in St Mary’s Church, conducted by the Bishop of Exeter. So watch out for details of these and more events! To mark 300 years of growth, we want to fill the village with sunflowers as a visible sign of how important the school is within the community. Therefore, each child at the school will receive an envelope with sunflowers seeds together with explanatory notes and information of the value of such an important and stunning flower. The children will also be delivering the same pack to each home in Walkhampton. (As it is the children who will be doing this, they will only be able to do so to those homes in the centre of the village.) However, we are very keen to include everyone who lives a little further afield and would like to be a part of this sunflower celebration. If this is true for you, then please contact either Caroline (853377) or Corinne (854653) to make arrangements.

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Walkhampton Memorial Hall – Chairman’s Report Peter Shapcott This has been a year of consolidation and progress. Following the completion of the main work of Project George Phase 1 the committee has taken stock of the Hall’s position in the community and decided to proceed with Phase 2 of Project George. The committee has adapted the plans for Project George Phase 2 and started the process of obtaining tenders from local builders. The process of fundraising has continued throughout the year with successful events including quizzes and Project George stalls at our very popular Saturday Market and Coffee shop. The Saturday Market has continued to be an important part of the community and a major contributor to the financial stability of the Hall. A major part of this success is the teams which run the Coffee Shop on a regular basis. I would like to thank all the people who give up their Saturday mornings to make it the success it is and the people who join us each week. We have seen a new team take over the Pre-school. The major refurbishment of equipment has given the Pre-school a face lift. Ofsted have given a ‘good’ rating which we hope will help add to the numbers at this very friendly village asset. Our hire rates have again remained unchanged which makes the Hall a very attractive venue for parties, events and activities. I would like to thank the Committee for their help and work during 2018 and look forward to taking the Hall forward in 2019.

Walkhampton Memorial Hall at 7:30pm

Monday 25th March 2019 Dowsing - Can it help in your Garden? Talk by Nigel Twinn

Dowsing is an age-old craft, still practiced widely in the countryside, but also quietly by utility companies, engineering firms, archeologists and the general public. It has a wide range of potential uses - including in your garden and your home. Most people can pick it up fairly quickly. It just requires an open mind and not too many distractions! Former Walkhampton resident, Nigel Twinn, has helped to run The Tamar Dowsers since 2002, and is a long-standing member of the British Society of Dowsers (See their website britishdowsewrs.org)

Monday 29th April 2019 The Tin Box - starting your family history

Have you ever wanted to discover your family history and not sure where to start? Maureen Selley from the Devon Family History Society joins us to talk about where and how to research

your family history.

£3 per person includes refreshments at reach event.

Reserve tickets by visiting www.growalkhampton.weebly.com

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and Meavy….

Meavy Parish Hall Events

15th March – The Tavonians ‘Humble Boy’ Tickets £10 - meavy.org.uk, or from the Royal Oak 22nd March – ‘Desperate Measure’ (provisional date- check website to confirm)

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Meavy’s Ancient Oak Tree Facing ‘Final Decline’ Keith Scrivener URGENT pruning work is to take place on Meavy’s ancient oak tree after a new arboricultural report by experts has revealed it is in irreversible decline and at risk of a collapse. The oak on the village green outside the Royal Oak Inn is believed to be almost 1,000 years old and was said to be ‘old and standing tall’ in the reign of King John. A survey of the tree ordered by Burrator Parish Council took place in January and consultants have recommended prompt works to be carried out before mid-March this year for safety reasons. The plan is to reduce two large secondary branches and reduce the overhead canopy as required to suit wind loading factors and take weight off the severely decayed and hollow main stem. Only about one quarter of the living stem is currently supporting the overhead canopy and the other three-quarters were described as “completely degraded providing no support.” The survey pointed out: “It is not possible to know how long the stem can continue to prevent the tree from falling over.” The report by Devon Tree Services explained: “Due to the tree’s significant cultural and heritage value, the aim is to retain it for as long as possible whilst accepting it is in irreversible decline. Therefore it is vital to approach the management of its gradual decline as sensitively as possible.” But the report stressed there was a real risk that if left untouched, there was a possibility of tree or branch failure onto parked cars or people close to the tree. The report went on to explain: “The ancient oak is in a very advanced state of decline and has surpassed theoretical mechanical safety limits. It is thought to be at least 900 years old, therefore has significant cultural and heritage value.” The remaining vitality of the tree could be improved by removing ivy from the trunk once the pruning has been completed and possibly adding further support props. A bench beneath the tree might also have to be moved. At its meeting on Thursday parish councillors agreed the go-ahead for a schedule of necessary works on the tree. Some minor pruning will also be taking place to the younger, second oak tree on the village green. Chairman Graham Palmer advised: “We are facing the very real prospect that the old oak might have to come down in our lifetime.” Cllr Stephen Hopson stressed: “People should understand that it is our intention to keep the tree upright and in good condition for as long as possible while we do our best to take great care of it.” Cllr Keith Scrivener commented: “The tree is entering a form of final palliative care and will need constant attention with regular surveys in the future.” The full content of the survey can be read on the parish council’s website at http://burrator.gov.uk

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News from the National Park - An important anniversary The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed in 1949 resulting in the first National Parks in the UK being designated in 1951. This year sees the 70th anniversary of the passing of that Act. However, National Parks had their birth in America when an immigrant Scotsman named John Muir petitioned the United States Congress for the National Parks Bill. This led to the world’s first National Park being established at Yellowstone on 1 March 1872. John Dower, an architect and rambler, was asked to report on how the National Park ideal could work for England and Wales. His report, the subsequent Hobhouse report of 1947 and the passing of the 1949 Act paved the way for National Parks in the United Kingdom. The first National Parks in the UK were designated in 1951 – Dartmoor was one of four areas of land to receive National Park Status that year. Although ‘national’ in the sense that it is of special value because of its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage, Dartmoor is not nationally owned. The landscape which we all value and for which Dartmoor was designated a National Park has been created by farmers and landowners over thousands of years and today most of the land remains in their hands. The expansion of towns and cities in the UK will put greater pressure on our fragile countryside, its wildlife, communities and cultural heritage, as people continue to seek breathing spaces from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The role of National Parks and their partners in seeking a balance in all this will be a continuing challenge. Year of Green Action This year has been designated the Year of Green Action [or YoGA] by the Government. We can all play our part in making a small difference, from less plastic waste to something a bit more ‘hands-on’. We have regular volunteering opportunities with our Rangers, see our website for details. www.dartmoor.gov.uk For more about the Year of Green Action www.yearofgreenaction.org

ART & CRAFT 3day Exhibition &Sale Bank Holiday Weekend Saturday 4th – Monday 6th May 10am-5pm

Buckland Monachorum Village Hall View original paintings and craft work by local artists whilst enjoying Tea and Cakes. An ideal

opportunity to treat yourself or buy a present for a friend.

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Yelverton & District Local History Society Nigel Rendle (Chairman) Backtracking around the Princetown and Tavistock Branches Bernard Mill’s opening image of two trains including coal goods at Bickleigh Station in 1962 set the scene for his nostalgic and entertaining talk. Through a series of then and now scenes he took us on a journey firstly up the line to Yelverton. The original line from Plymouth had already passed over 3 viaducts before reaching Shaugh Bridge platform with its own refreshment kiosk and was frequented regularly by boy scouts and other passengers enjoying the surrounding woods. The 308 yards of Shaugh tunnel led through to Clearbrook Halt, scene of a derailment in 1885, now sadly private and completely unrecognisable. Yelverton Station with its own turntable and crossing loops opened in 1885 providing for change to Princetown. The station opened up the area to much passenger traffic and Bernard’s superb images showed it in its heyday. The scenes of Plymouth Dairies milk churns carried on the trains, the unusual gravity shunting and the people in their fashions of the 1950’s contrasted vividly with the now inaccessible and totally overgrown state of the present site. Heading across the moor, Bernard’s pictorial journey took us to Burrator Halt, originally used by the workers building the dam, the old kissing gate still visible today. A snowy scene showed the RAF mast at Sharpitor in the background as the line wound past Routrundle to Ingra Tor Halt. An image of grazing cattle from 1938 marked this spot, also famous for its old “beware of snakes” notice. The first part of

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Bernard’s tour, after a 3-mile loop around King’s Tor and its quarries, ended at the highest station in England. The branch line closed on a cold and foggy day at the end of December 1956. Back at Yelverton, we were taken through the old tunnel, over the old road bridge (originally timber built on the design of the Royal Albert at Saltash), into Horrabridge Station. Opened in 1859, it was busy handling copper ore, coal and agricultural products. Stunning old pictures of the Grenofen Viaduct contrast sharply with the modern Gem Bridge as this part of the route now forms the Drake’s Trail cycleway. We end finally at Tavistock South, its original station being rebuilt after 1887 because of a fire. An image of a diesel demolition train on closure in 1964 was offset by Bernard’s final shot of two trains side by side representing the two routes to Tavistock. Bernard’s superb quality of old and new photos, his incredible recollection of schedules and timetables and his unique delivery made for an excellent evening to round off our year of events.

The Building of Plymouth Breakwater Ron Smith, a new speaker to the society, started his talk by asking the audience some topical questions and after some positive responses, proceeded to tell us about his research. The breakwater is 60 yards short of a mile long and was built to protect the Sound and the anchorages of Plymouth. 43 feet wide at the top with a base of 65 feet, it lies in 33 feet of water. About 2 million tons of limestone was used in its construction at a cost of £1.5 million.

In 1788, there was a plan to have 2 breakwaters in the Sound, but it was soon realised that there was no protection from the south-west. In 1801/2 another plan was looked at from Penlee Point. However, in 1806 John Rennie and Joseph Whidbey surveyed the area in detail and their proposal was accepted in 1811 with the breakwater to lie on the Shovel Shoal, the big advantage being that ships could get out from the shelter at either end according to wind direction. Whidbey was appointed to superintend the construction using stone from a quarry at Oreston bought from the Duke of Bedford. The first blocks were dropped on the Shovel Shoal on 12th August 1812 and first sighted above water at the low spring tide on 31st March 1813. The bulk of the breakwater was rubble i.e. rough blocks not fitted together which were tipped over the side of specially built ships. About 50 vessels were used and 306 men employed in the quarry with over 12,000 tons of stone quarried weekly.

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Storms were a big problem as they displaced the rubble from the seaward side so more stone was needed and 100-ton wave-breaker blocks were brought in separately to reduce damage; concrete moulds were used to make the numbered blocks. A lighthouse stands at the Cawsand end and a seamen’s refuge at the other, both made of granite; (the fort was built, as one of what became ‘Palmerston’s follies’, in 1860). Construction was finally finished in 1840.Today constant repairs are needed: voids happen which are injected with concrete and the breakwater constantly needs re-pointing. Some famous people have visited e.g. Princess Victoria and her mother in 1833. In 1844 tours were started with a bus, under horsepower, being taken out to there to carry people on the structure. There are still trips undertaken by visitors today which can be arranged by Ron Smith.

A Great and Desperate Venture: Belgian Refugees in Devon during WW1 Ciaran Stoker kicked off his talk with a dramatic image of a crowded Ostend docks, crammed with refugees who had fled from Belgium to the UK in the autumn of 1914. Ciaran’s research in the Devon Heritage Centre at Exeter had led him through government publications, newspaper and local committee archives and personal correspondence unearthing a wealth of details about the events at that time. As 8,000 of these refugees came into Devon, a War Refugees Committee was set up in early 1915 under the leadership of Hugh Fortescue to manage the allocation of people and resources across the county villages and finding immediate places to home them. Though there was some help for funding from the Government, but also from numerous sources including concerts, fetes and parades with lots of community involvement and some refugees finding local work. This was all despite difficulties over language, religion and culture and also worries about infiltration by German spies. Another key figure was Clara Andrews who contributed hugely to these efforts and was later awarded a medal by Belgium for her work. From Alice Clapp’s log book, Ciaran established that the refugees were very diverse, including whole families with servants, total strangers lumped together, children and students, with occupations ranging from fishermen to state officials and businessmen. Some men of fighting age later returned to fight in the war. The impact on local villages was also quite varied. In Bampton one family consisted of 11 young children and some of the men found work in the nearby quarries. One man however was found to be defrauding the system by not supporting his family and the local committee was disbanded as a result. Many of the refugees did settle well into the local community and some stayed after the war including one family in Ottery St Mary. A family in South Brent returned to visit later and in Teignmouth stands an ornamental urn as a tribute of gratitude from the refugees who took shelter there. Finally, in 1919 the repatriation process had begun and huge farewell ceremonies were held in Exeter as the thousands of refugees filtered back home via London. For many, both refugees and locals it had been an interesting experience. Our complete 2019 programme is now on our website. Also summaries of other past events are available at www.yelvertonhistory.org.uk

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In Teignmouth stands an ornamental urn as a tribute of gratitude from the refugees who took shelter there.

We meet at Princetown Community Centre on the first Tuesday of the month, at 19:00 for a 19:30 start.

5th March 2019 David Lemon - Building the Kariba Dam. (Change to programme)

2nd April 2019 Megan Lowe - Butterflies of Dartmoor. 7th May 2019 Jim McNeill - Exploration

princetownhistoryclub.weebly.com

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News from the Rotary Club of Yelverton. Towards the end of last year we were busy preparing Santa’s sleigh for our village and shop Christmas collections. A full paint job was needed together with a refurbishment of the lighting system. Along with Santa the sleigh brought a lot of pleasure to the children of the villages. The collections themselves, door-to-door in Horrabridge and Princetown, at Tesco in Roborough and Tavistock, and at Yelverton shops were very successful – raising £1500. This money, together with the £400 raised from our Barn Dance in October will be used to support our Memory Café in Yelverton, Rotary Foundation which amongst other things is working on Polio eradication, Shelter Box, and a variety of local charities (including St Luke’s and Dartmoor Search & Rescue). As you might expect, the last few months of the year have been fairly quiet. Some of our members took part in a ghost walk in Tavistock just before Christmas, and we recently lost our skittles match against a team from Rotary Club of Saltash but an enjoyable evening was nevertheless had by all. Our planned visit to the new Water Treatment Works at Roborough has been postponed from January until April so that building work will be more complete and there will be less need for protective ‘gear’ We’re planning a Quiz evening in Yelverton War Memorial Hall on Saturday 23rd February, so look out for the posters. There will be a Rotary Club ‘open evening’ at 7.30pm on the 13th March this year at our usual meeting place in Moorland Gardens Hotel Yelverton. Please come along and meet us and find out what Rotary’s about and, in particular, what the Rotary Club of Yelverton is about. It’s not exclusively for Yelverton residents – we have members from Bere Alston, Yelverton, Tavistock, Roborough, Princetown, Postbridge and Mary Tavy. The evening will be rounded off with a talk entitled ‘Out on a Limb’ by Professor Roland Burns of the University of Plymouth. This is on the fascinating subject of control of artificial limbs, particularly artificial hands.

Burrator Reservoir News Emily Cannon – Community & Learning Officer Getting stuck in!

Over the winter our Monday & Tuesday site maintenance volunteer team have been busy and I am sure many site visitors will have seen them in the Arboretum removing the old chicken wire of the boardwalk and bridges and replacing it with grip strip. In addition, over the last year they have also been involved in a unique project, recycling wood from Burrator to make and install a series of bespoke site signs for 5 of the Trusts bigger sites, Stithians, Siblyback, Tamar, Roadford & Wimbleball, which look fantastic! The Midweek and weekend volunteer group have been working equally hard this winter, in all weathers, in one of the new plantations to remove willow that is swamping our 7 year old broadleaves, as well removing extensive pond weed off the ponds in the Arboretum.

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Making Memories! As winter came along, in addition to our extremely busy Family Wildlife Watch session in November, we hosted a series of Christmas themed evening sessions for Walkham Valley Cubs & Scouts which included woodwork and pizza making in our cob oven, as well as letterboxing and marshmallow toasting in January for young people from the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association. On 11 December Neil Richards from Dartmoor Search & Rescue gave our last talk for 2018, in recognition of their 50th anniversary, and we got a chance to see all the equipment they have to carry on their searches. In contrast on Saturday 15 December we hosted our annual Christmas wreath making event, and despite the never ending rain, 123 beautiful wreaths were created, definitely our busiest wreath making event ever. Protected Species Thrive at Burrator Thanks to Batty Volunteers Neil Reeves & Paul McNie

An eight-year project to install and monitor bat boxes at Burrator reservoir has provided valuable insight into the activities and preferences of eight protected species. In 2010, 120 bat boxes of five different designs were erected in three woodlands around the reservoir. Since then volunteers have undertaken nearly 7,000 box checks in all types of weather, every month between April and October. The project is led by Paul McNie, Waste Water Environment Manager at South West Water, and Neil Reeves, Head of Countryside and Recreation at South West Lakes Trust. Both are licensed bat workers who have voluntarily given thousands of hours of their own time to the project and inspired hundreds of volunteers to join them. Paul explained: “Bats are important because they represent over one-third of British mammal species and are indicator species for the health of the environment. Understanding our bat population helps us understand the health of our woodland ecosystem and informs future habitat management decisions. From this project, we have developed a specific understanding of bat habitat choice and box use which has informed and continues to inform the woodland management plans at this site, as well as providing an insight and greater understanding of an often-misunderstood group of animals.” Neil said: “So far, we have found eight species of bat using the boxes: Common pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Brown long-eared, Daubentons, Natterers, Whiskered, Barbastelle and Noctule bats. Combined with our research into horseshoe bats and their use of buildings and underground sites around Burrator reservoir, this really shows the importance of Burrator reservoir woodlands to these European protected species in the wider Dartmoor landscape.” Each of the 120 boxes has been occupied by bats over the eight years. The most bats recorded in one box was 40 (Natterers) in September 2018. “We have been able to evidence and demonstrate clear seasonal preferences for box type by different species of bat,” added Paul. “This not only helps local understanding, but when considering appropriate mitigation for roost loss or development implication, this information becomes valuable in the much wider context of bat conservation.”

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At least 4,000 volunteer hours have been dedicated to the project from South West Lakes Trust, South West Water and Devon Bat Group who all jointly funded and installed the boxes. Volunteers have been a mix of adults, children, consultants, volunteer bat warden trainees, research students and those that are simply interested in wildlife. This approach has allowed bat preferences to be documented and now informs enhancement projects and mitigation at other bat roosts on South West Water land. In December the Burrator Bat Box Scheme won the 2018 Pennon Environmental Award

Family Fun at Burrator

Volunteers with new sign at Siblyback Bats at Burrator

Wreath – making at Burrator 3 Christmas Trees for Tavistock

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Volunteering At Burrator There are lots of different volunteering projects to get involved in to suit your interests and time availability. These include site maintenance, practical conservation and archaeological preservation projects, monthly bat surveys, assisting with educational visits and family events, or as a visitor guide in the Discovery Centre, plus much more. Dates for the practical group days are below: Midweek Days – 10am-3pm

• March: Mon 4, Tues 12, Mon 18 & Fri 29

• April: Tues 2, Mon 8, Tues 16 & Fri 26

• May: Tues 7, Mon 13, Mon 20 & Fri 31 Weekend Days – 10.30am-3.30pm

• Sun 10 March

• Sun 14 April

• Sun 12 May

To find out more please pop into Burrator Discovery Centre (open Tues, Wed, Thurs &

alternating weekends), ring 01822 855700 or e-mail: Emily at

heritage@swlakestrust.org.uk.

Exciting events coming up at Burrator Evening Talks at Burrator Discovery Centre:

Thursday 21 March 2019 – 7.30pm-8.30pm: “Have you ever wondered how the height of a dam is decided and why the overflow spillway is a certain size?” An introduction to dams and reservoirs and some hydrological aspects of their design” by Les Hamill. Tuesday 30 April 2019 – 7.30pm-8.30pm - ‘Dartmoor is renowned for its beautiful and diverse lichens with names such as tree lungwort and string-of-sausages. Come and discover the weird and wonderful biology of lichens and learn how to identify some of those common in Dartmoor’s woodlands.’ by Alison Smith, Lead Community Scientist, Plantlife. Wednesday 22 March 2019 – 7.30pm-8.30pm – “Why ponds are wonderful havens for wildlife” by Paul Martin, Education Officer, Devon Wildlife Trust. Each talk costs £4 per person and includes refreshments. Please book your place in advance by ringing 01822 855700, e-mail heritage@swlakestrust.org.uk or visit Burrator Discovery Centre. Family Wildlife Watch Programme: Come and take part in a range of wildlife and heritage themed activities followed by hot chocolate and biscuits. We meet at Burrator Discovery Centre, unless alternative meeting point has been advertised. £3 per child, £2 per adult. Please wear outdoor clothing & footwear. No booking needed. Sunday 31 March: 10.30am-12.30pm Sunday 28 April: 10.30am-12.30pm Sunday 19 May: 10.30am-12.30pm School Holiday ‘Drop In’ Family Activity Days: Our school holiday family activity days involve a wildlife or heritage themed trail, woodwork, environmental art and outdoor cooking in and around the Burrator Discovery Centre. £3 per child, £2 per adult. Please wear outdoor clothing and footwear. No booking needed.

Thursday 11 April: 10am-3pm Tuesday 28 May: 10am-3pm

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Keeping Livestock Safe on Dartmoor In recent years, there has been much publicity about animals being killed on the moor through reckless driving and irresponsible dog owners. The Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society (dlps.org.uk) has a lot of useful information on its website about what to do in an emergency regarding animals on the moor. With the lambing season approaching, it is important that dog owners observe the rules concerning dogs in an area where sheep are grazing. Karla McKechnie is the Livestock Protection Officer for DLPS and is on 24-hour call. In any emergency, be it sheep worrying, an animal in distress, or a fatality, she can be contacted on the following number: 07873 587561

Calling all schools in the area! We’d love to hear from you. If you’d like your pupils to write a short article about what they and the school have been doing, then please do get in touch. Details of how to do this are on the back page of the magazine. Any drawings or photos to accompany their writing will be most welcome. Perhaps this could be a Literacy writing exercise, a School Council newsletter, or any other cross-curricular theme?

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KIM SHEPPARD BTAA

Bowen Therapy is a gentle Therapeutic soft tissue release technique

that balances tension patterns in the body, by treating the body as a

whole, not just the presenting symptoms.

By assessing posture and movement, a Bowen Therapist will look for, and treat, the cause of the pain or discomfort, which isn’t necessarily where you are feeling the pain. Bowen Therapy is a holistic therapy and can be helpful in addressing a wide variety of imbalances as well as muscular and structural ones. It is suitable for all ages and people in all walks of life.

Please give me a call if you would like further details or visit:

www.burratorbowentherapy.co.uk

Tel 01822 258 147

kim.bowentherapy@gmail.com

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John Boylett Electrical Services

The Smithy, Meavy, Yelverton. PL20 6PJ. Tel: 01822 853456 / 07748 513469 Domestic Electrical Installations - Rewiring - New Builds - Smoke Alarms

Consumer Units - Lighting - Electric Showers - New and Replacement sockets All work tested, certificated and guaranteed

Very Competitive Rates Friendly local service Part ‘P’ Elecsa Approved Contractor

P. J. Shields

OIL BOILER SPECIALIST - OFTEC REGISTERED

SERVICE - REPAIR - MAINTENANCE

Tavistock 614664

CLASSY K9s

Professional friendly dog grooming service.

One to one personal care for every dog. All breeds/cross breeds welcome.

Call Paula 01822 853446

24 Burrator Beacon

Boiler repairs and installation

Bathrooms and kitchen

Landlords certificates

Fully Insured

Gas safe and Oftec registered

Tel 01822660364 or 07980697004

Email: info@clearbrook.biz

Website: www.clearbrook.biz

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26 Burrator Beacon

WRIGHT WINDOWS

The local tradesman for uPVC, double-glazed windows, doors, porches and replacement double-glazed units.

FENSA registered with insurance-backed guarantee. TERRY WRIGHT

Sharpitor, Burrator Road, Dousland, Yelverton PL20 6NE Tel: 01822 852275 Mobile: 07977 631776

‘A tradesman not a salesman’

Got a computer problem at home or office?

We are the LOCAL help you have been looking for!! Based at Crapstone, we come to where the problem is

We are a computer shop on wheels Virus and spyware removal a speciality

Expert with wireless networking we can give advice about Broadband We have a broad range of experience with people of all ages/abilities

Take a look at the website for all you need to know

Since 2003

Call 01822 855822 for an appointment

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Dates for your Calendar Page March 1st Meavy Cinema – American Made 10 15th Meavy Parish Hall – Tavonians – ‘Humble Boy’ 10 18th MGS Spring Show 9 22nd Meavy Parish Hall – Desperate Measures 10 25th Walkhampton Hall – GROW – Talk on Dowsing 7 April 6th Meavy Cinema – Bohemian Rhapsody 10 6th St Paul’s Church – Classical Guitar Concert 11 13th Sheepstor – Drystones Concert 4 15th MGS – Talk on Growing Veg 9 29th Walkhampton Hall - GROW – Talk on Tin Box 7 May 3rd Meavy Cinema – Peterloo 10 20th MGS – Talk on Dahlias 9 To have your event included in future issues please send details (date, time location, contact name and phone number) to the Editor as soon as you have decided on the date. This will ensure maximum publicity and avoid clashes with other events.

Parish Council Meetings Full Council Meetings are usually held at 7:30pm on the last Thursday of the month (but not always!). For the dates of the next few meetings, please visit the Parish website: www.burrator.gov.uk The Planning, Finance and Royal Oak Inn Committees meet on other dates throughout the year – please contact the Clerk: theclerk@burrator.gov.uk for more details.

How to advertise in the Burrator Beacon The Beacon is published quarterly at the end of February, May, August and November and delivered to all homes in Burrator Parish which covers Walkhampton, Dousland, Meavy, Sheepstor, Hoo Meavy and Lovaton. Business are able to advertise in the Beacon at the following rates:

Single Issue Four issues Sixes in mm (approx) when printed*

Size of advert to be submitted (mm)

1/6 page £12.00 £30.00 30 × 130 42 × 180

1/3 page £20.00 £60.00 60 × 130 85 × 180

half page £30.00 £90.00 90 × 130 130 × 180

full page £48.00 £144.00 180 × 130 260 × 180 *The Beacon is printed A5 size i.e. 210mm high by 148mm wide. However, adverts should be submitted A4 size. All prices are subject to VAT. Invoices will be raised by the Parish Clerk upon receipt of your booking and will be payable upon receipt. Adverts should be submitted to the Editor (details on the back page) electronically, i.e. as an attached Word document.

28 Burrator Beacon

BURRATOR GROUPED PARISH COUNCIL

List of Members and Telephone Numbers (Area Code 01822)

Meavy Village Walkhampton Village Bridget Cole 854810 Graham Palmer 852524 Tricia Powell 854859 Andrew Paskins 853377 Richard Ayres Barry Landick 852142 Meavy Dousland Walkhampton Dousland Brian Willis 853901 Corinna Legassick 852613 Jackie Moorhead 853400 Richard Glanville 855914 Heather Stribley 855348 Robin Aves 852904 1 vacancy 1 vacancy Sheepstor Clerk to Council: Keith Scrivener 854518 Mrs Lucie Luke 614278 Stephen Hopson 852979 The Apartment The Old Bedford Foundry Lakeside Tavistock PL19 0AZ Email: theclerk@burrator.gov.uk Published and issued quarterly, free of charge by Burrator Parish Council. The next edition will be published end of May. Copy deadline Tuesday May 7th 2019. Copy to be sent to the Editor, Mrs Karen Batson, 10 Blackbrook Close, Walkhampton PL20 6JF Tel 855030 email: burratorbeacon@gmail.com as a Word attachment.

If you require this publication in large text please contact the editor: Karen Batson on 855030 Burrator Parish Council is a body which complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Contact the Clerk, Mrs. Lucie Luke for specific details about parish business. Advertising: Local events are publicised free of charge. Businesses and clubs and societies (which have membership fees) can advertise in the Beacon and should contact the Editor for advertising rates. A note to advertisers: Please check your adverts as they appear in each issue. Every effort is made to include the correct information at the time of going to press, but omissions can result where adverts are sometimes moved around in order to fit new articles in. Burrator Web Site: The Burrator Parish Website is http://burrator.gov.uk/ You can find details of meetings plus other information. The opinions expressed in the Burrator Beacon are not necessarily those held by Burrator Parish Council. Every effort is made to ensure that information in these pages is accurate. However, the Council cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. Including information does not imply recommendation and any subsequent contact is made at readers' own risk.

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