Scarecrows and much more at East Budleigh




















Potato head: one of last year's scarecrows greeting visitors to the village of East Budleigh

I see that one of Devon's best known historians is giving a talk next week at East Budleigh's All Saints Church.

Dr Todd Gray's subject will be the county's old customs and traditions.

I always feel that his researches into Devon history might be of interest to my American readers because he was brought up in Massachusetts, as I've mentioned at http://budleighbrewsterunited.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-englanders-view-of-old-england.html

It's so appropriate that his talk should be in the church where the young Walter Raleigh worshipped with his family almost 500 years ago.

This is the opening event in East Budleigh's Scarecrow Festival next weekend and I wonder whether Dr Gray will be telling us about the age-old origins of scarecrows, a countryside tradition which of course goes back way beyond Raleigh's time.

Lots more activities will be taking place over the weekend including duck races on the brook, Devon cream teas, and tours of All Saints Church. All monies raised will go towards the upkeep of the Church and the surrounding Churchyard.

The full programme is below:

East Budleigh Scarecrow Festival Friday 17- Sunday 19 June 2011

Programme of Events:

Friday 17 June:- A Talk by Dr Todd Gray (Exeter University) on ‘The Calendar Year in Devon: Customs and Traditions over the Past 500 Years’ in All Saints Church commencing at 7.30 pm. Tickets £5.00 from East Budleigh Garage, the East Budleigh Shop or at the door.

Saturday 18 June:- 12.00 Midday at the Village Hall... Opening of the Scarecrow Festival by Revd. Anne Charlton.

Saturday 18 June and Sunday 19 June:-
Village Hall: 12.00 midday – 4.30 pm on both days
Cake Stall, Book Stall, Plant Stall, Sale of Memorabilia including mini-scarecrows
The famous East Budleigh Cream Teas will be available as well as a Bar for the sale of Pimm’s
Duck Race in the brook by the Village Hall (start-time 3.00 pm on both days)

All Saints Church:
Exhibition of Colourful Knitting Produced in the Village for the Children of Moldova as well as some interesting and rare Books: 12.00 midday - 4.30 pm on both days
Tours of the 12th Century Church: starting at 2.15 pm from the Church Porch on both days
Tours to the top of the Church Bell Tower: 1.30 - 6.00 pm on Saturday and 2.00 - 4.00 pm on Sunday

Drake's School
School Open Day on the Saturday [10.00 am to 3.00 pm] including tours of pupils’ work and an exhibition of old photographs entitled ‘Dipping into the Past’
Children’s Treasure Hunt through the Village

Other Activities in East Budleigh Village:
Plenty of Scarecrows to see! Vote for your favourite scarecrow.
Information Panels on history of scarecrows etc.
Re-instatement of the Toll Bridge: 12.00 midday to 4.30 pm on both days.
Tours of the Village: starting at 2.00 pm from outside the Village Hall on both days.

Sunday 19 June:- Songs of Praise in All Saints Church commencing at 6.30 pm.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

People from the Past: 3. Reg Varney (1916-2008)

Image
Reginald Alfred 'Reg' Varney was an English actor, most notable for his role as a cheerful Cockney bus driver in the 1970s TV sitcom On the Buses . For ten years he lived at Dark Lane House on picturesque Dark Lane in Budleigh Salterton, seen above.  Millions of television viewers remember him with affection. He has been described as belonging to the old school of comedians, with his dislike of much contemporary television and his pride in never using swear words to get a laugh. Varney was born on 11 July 1916 in Canning Town, which was then part of Essex but is now part of East London. His father worked in a rubber factory in Silvertown and he was one of five children who grew up in Addington Road, Canning Town. He was educated at the nearby Star Lane Primary School in West Ham and after leaving school at 14, he worked as a messenger boy at the Regent Palace Hotel, pictured above. ...
Read more

AROUND THE TOWN AND OVER THE POND - 15. SALEM CHAPEL AT FAIRLYNCH MUSEUM

Image
  Continued from  https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2024/07/around-town-and-over-pond-14-looking.html AROUND THE TOWN AND OVER THE POND A walk around Budleigh Salterton to interest transatlantic visitors. Every so often there’s a diversion which may inspire you to visit places like East Budleigh, Exeter, Sidmouth, Colyton or even places in the United States and Canada.        The walk is set out in parts. Here’s the fifteenth part: 15. SALEM CHAPEL AT FAIRLYNCH MUSEUM  Summary: How East Budleigh’s Salem Chapel and the USA were founded on the same principles of freedom and diversity thanks to an Otterton man’s friendship with one of the Western world’s greatest philosophers. Top: Salem Chapel, East Budleigh. Centre: Portrait of John Locke in 1697 by Sir Godfrey Kneller. Lower: The 1823 facsimile of the final version of the 1776 Declaration of Independence East Budleigh’s Salem Chapel lies on the outskirts of the village, about 500 metres no...
Read more

WW2 100 – 23 January 1945 – A tragic accident in Burma: Captain Gerald Arthur Richards (1909-45), Royal Army Medical Corps

Image
Continued from 21 January 1945 FLIGHT SERGEANT RENNIE ARTHUR LOADER (1915-45) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR), 518 Squadron https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2021/04/ww2-75-21-january-1945-forecasting-for.html         A photo of Gerald Arthur Richards sent to me by his daughter Louanne   Like a number of war dead whose names are not listed on Budleigh’s War Memorial,  Gerald Arthur Richards is mentioned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) as having a link with the town through his wife Kirstine. It was difficult to confirm that link, but there were enough intriguing aspects to Gerald’s story to raise questions that I wanted to see answered. Further research led to more East Devon links – to Honiton, Exmouth and further afield. In a very roundabout way I finally made contact with his daughter Louanne, to whom I am grateful for providing information about the family, not least some family photos like the...
Read more