Budleigh Past and Present

Roger Conant Club members have fun, putting over a serious message for our times A dazzling display of Christmas trees was on show at the East Budleigh Heritage Centre in Salem Chapel on Saturday and Sunday 2-3 December 2023, from 10.00am-3.00pm. ‘We have a display of over 30 trees which look magnificent with all their lights!’ said organiser Maria Malinowska. ‘The trees are in all different shapes and sizes and many reflect the themes and interests of the groups who have decorated them. The tallest is 15’ high! ‘Contributions of Christmas Trees came from Drake’s School, All Saints’ Church, East Budleigh Parish Council, the Craft Group, the Sir Walter Raleigh pub, the WI, the Handbell Choir, the History Society, the Otter Valley Association, the Friends of All Saints, the Square Circle knitting group, the Flower Arrangers, the Bell Ringers, the East Budleigh Heritage Centre, East Budleigh in Bloom, the Roger Conant Club, the East Budleigh Community Shop, the Yoga group, the Churc...

    From the top: East Budleigh’s ancient All Saints' Church, where the families of Sir Walter Raleigh and Roger Conant worshipped; the village’s High Street; Salem Chapel, on Vicarage Road, location of East Budleigh Heritage Centre.   This December will see a renewal of a local tradition in the shape of a Christmas Tree Festival in East Budleigh Heritage Centre. The first Festival proved so popular that the tradition grew rapidly, progressing from around a dozen trees to over 50 in 2016. The statue of Roger Conant in Salem, Massachusetts. Image credit: John Andrews and Destination Salem The 2023 Festival will include an unusual exhibit which pays tribute to East Budleigh-born Roger Conant, founder of the city of Salem in Massachusetts which will mark its 400 th  anniversary in 2026.  Decorated with many flags from all over the world, the ‘tree’ created by East Budleigh’s Roger Conant Club has a serious message in its setting of the appropriately named Salem Cha...

  Budleigh Salterton’s Fairlynch Museum  is proving to be an effective showcase for local artists. When local ceramicist Becky Godwin-Coombs arranged for her hand-made wares to go on sale in the Museum’s newly opened craft shop she little dreamed of the good tidings that would result. But a chance visit to Fairlynch from a buyer for the National Trust resulted in a contract to supply Christmas decorations to all NT properties in Devon. This has been expanded this year with National Trust offering these Angel Ceramics products centrally, so they are now available in more shops around the UK and on the NT Christmas web site. Made from high-fired fine porcelain, Becky’s simple and elegant creations of angels, snowflakes, robins and many other seasonal ornaments make a beautiful addition for any tree.   “The quality of porcelain can be seen when hanging ...

  Volunteers from Fairlynch added a vintage note to Budleigh’s Late Night Christmas Shopping event on Friday 5 December as they paraded along the High Street in 19th century costume. “We decided that we'd be dressing up in long skirts, high-necked blouses, shawls, mob caps, aprons, mittens and baskets in our interpretation of Victorian street sellers,” said the Museum’s Christine Bailey. “Some of our trustees were in frock coats and top hats to complete the picture.”   Fairlynch is noted for its fine collection of costumes from past centuries, but only a few of its garments are available for dressing-up events and these are kept separately, being mostly in poor condition. “We would welcome any donation of vintage costumes which might be suitable for wear by volunteers or visitors for dressing up,” said Christine.   You can read about the Museum's need for hats here

Fairlynch will be open from   6.00 pm on Friday 5 December, which is Late Night Shopping in Budleigh. Among the attractions will be a magician!   

Somehow I don't think Fairlynch Museum's Christmas lights are going to look like this.