Budleigh Past and Present

  'The Conjurer' by the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516). Image credit: Wikipedia.  People have always been fascinated by the tricks of conjurers. Budleigh historian Roger Lendon discovered that we had our own celebrated conjurer living in the area and has kindly contributed this article to Budleigh – Past and Present.  I was first alerted to this man when I came across this short piece in the Western Times dated 20th June 1846: Moon, the Conjuror - This celebrated professor of the science and mystery of legerdemain having for some years past settled down at Budleigh Salterton as an agriculturist, is about to limit his practice, and in this day’s paper advertises one of his farms to be let. The farm was Upper West Down Farm which was in the Parish of Littleham and thus not far from his home which was in Knowle according to the East Budleigh tithe apportionment. In the 1851 census Thomas Moon was recorded as having been born in East Budleigh in 1773 and...

Knowle Village's local as it looked when I arrived in the area eight years ago. It had two pub signs: 'Britannia Inn' on the wall and 'The Dog and Donkey' on the car park The old 'Britannia Inn' sign: still there... but maybe not for long  The Britannia Inn, we’re told in Fairlynch Museum’s local history records, was the oldest institution in Knowle. It was older than the Village Hall and older by at least 20 years than the former church of St John which stood on Dalditch Lane, and which is listed as being built in 1893.   The church was converted into a private residence in around 2013.   I use the past tense because it seems at last that the Knowle pub will be officially known by the name used by generations of locals following its recent purchase from Enterprise Inns by publican Nick Stiling. From an incomplete collection of Budleigh Salterton street directories we can date The Britannia’s origins to within ...

  That’s one of many yells of encouragement you’ll be hearing if you’re at the Britannia Inn on Thursday evening, 12 September. Friend of Fairlynch is the name of my horse in the pub’s Grand National Race Night organised by Kate and Jeff to raise funds for their chosen charity, The Royal Marines Charitable Trust.   The Britannia’s restaurant will be open as usual and many race-goers will be making the evening even more enjoyable by dining before the race, which starts at 8.00 pm. Dress up in Ascot-type gear and you’ll get a free bottle of wine. Race Marshalls are already drawing up the list of participating horses. With such a popular charity and the Britannia’s reputation for fine food -   Kate and Jeff were   delighted with their recently awarded Silver Star in the ‘Dining Pub’ category in the prestigious Taste of the West Awards for 2013 - it’s likely to be a full house.   For more information and to book a table phone 01395 445710 or c...

New faces at Knowle's local: Kate Knight with daughter Aisha and landlord Major Jeff White Buying a house? Involved in commerce? It can often be fascinating to discover the former occupants of your new home or how a venture started. The new landlord of Knowle village's local is the latest business in the area seeking to find out more about the history of the building and its previous tenants.  Going back to its original name is all part of Jeff White's keenness to explore the archives of this country pub and restaurant that for many years was known as The Dog and Donkey. “The pub started off as The Britannia back in Victorian times so we thought it was only right to respect its heritage and discover a bit more of its past,” says Jeff, pictured above with partner Kate Knight and her daughter Aisha who prepare quality food in the kitchen. And that's where Fairlynch Museum comes in with its excellent local history records. The museum is always re...