Budleigh Past and Present

Continuing with my task of versifying a range of artefacts linked to Fairlynch Museum, I remembered the story of Hugo the medieval saltworker.  Two years ago I wrote about him  here    when he was featured in our exhibition 'Sea, Salt and Sponges.'   His tragic end was cleverly depicted by local sculptress Angie Harlock Wilkinson, seen above. Here's my version:  My story is of Otterton And is a tragedy. Its time the Middle Ages In an ancient priory. For you must know that long ago The harvesting of salt Paid even better wages Than production of malt.    The Prior was an angry man And noted for his rage, And Hugo was his servant, Not noted as a sage. For he did like his cider In quantities profuse And oftentimes did yield To the wondrous apple juice. It happened on a summer’s day A day of burning sun, That Hugo in the priory vault Came seriously undone. For he did quench the frightful th...

    Above: This cheerful-looking garden feature can be admired at The Salty Monk restaurant at Sidford, not far from Budleigh. It reminds guests that the building was reputedly a salt house used by the Benedictine monks of Norman times who traded salt at Exeter Cathedral . See www.saltymonk.co.uk     The scholar A.C. Heavison, in a scarce pamphlet on the Budleigh salt-mines, tells a story from the 11th or 12th centuries involving the notoriously short-tempered Prior of Otterton. It was thirst-making work in the salt-mines and Hugo, one of the Prior's serfs was in the habit of taking a flagon of cider with him on his shift. Quenching his thirst with too much strong cider on one occasion meant that Hugo ended up drunk at the bottom of the ladder, a section of which he had pulled down. All work at the salt-mine stopped. The Prior was informed and stood at the top of the shaft, shouting angrily at his senseless serf. All was in vain. It was decided...