Budleigh Past and Present

A US-born writer who has settled in Devon and become of the county’s best known historians will be holding a local history workshop in the picturesque village of East Budleigh on 5 September. (Left: East Budleigh's prettily twisting High Street with its many ancient thatched houses, looking down from the church) Dr Todd Gray was born and raised in the Massachusetts towns of Ipswich and Gloucester, and first came to England on a school trip in 1973. He now has dual nationality. He returned in 1978 to complete his undergraduate studies and in 1989 was awarded his Doctorate in History from the University of Exeter. He remains an Honorary Research Fellow of the University. Dr Gray has written more than 40 books on the history of Devon and Cornwall and more than a dozen scholarly articles. He is Chairman of the Friends of Devon’s Archives, and a past Chairman of the Devonshire Association. He has not shied away from awkward subjects in his writing. His Blackshirts in Devon studied the ...

[Budleigh beach is generally reckoned to be a fairly safe place for swimming, and the River Otter estuary (pictured left) can look like a beautifully tranquil playground for kids. But even in mid-summer the currents and tides can suddenly transform it, as this story a few days ago of the dramatic rescue of a father and daughter shows. Even a fit adult – the father is a member of the Army Air Corps – can get into difficulties.] Exmouth RNLI volunteer crew were tasked by Portland Coastguards on Tuesday 25 August 2009, to rescue an eight-year-old girl and her father after they got into difficulties in the sea off Otterton Ledge, Budleigh Salterton. The young girl, Kerys Nash, had been boogie boarding in the River Otter when she was swept out to sea. Her father rushed into the sea to help, but with the strong outgoing tide they were both swept further out to sea. The alarm was raised by his sister-in-law who had been watching from the beach. Dad, Adam Nash, 29, from Exeter explained: “Whe...

I should point out to my American readers that the title is nothing to do with the current political furore that has arisen from President Obama’s proposed reforms to the US healthcare system and the inflammatory contributions to the debate made recently by certain politicians on the right wing of the UK’s Conservative Party. ‘Murder, Mayhem and the NHS – Three one act plays’ is simply the latest production by the Salterton Drama Club. ‘Bang, You're Dead’, by Paul Reakes, is a comedy thriller, set in the lovely home of Lydia and Theo Spink which is about to be burgled. Lydia knows this because she has planned the burglary with Marcus, her boyfriend. However, the arrival of her husband, Theo, with his secretary, Miss Trim, throws the plan into confusion. Or has it? Not everything is as it seems in this play full of surprises, laughs, sadness and a little gunplay. The only thing it lacks is scruples. Cast in order of appearance: Lydia Spink - Jenny Roberts Marcus Harwood - Daniel Wil...

East Budleigh's historic Salem Chapel will be open to the public over the weekend for a sale of second-hand books. Entry is free on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August, from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. The Chapel, dating from 1719, is located in Vicarage Lane at the junction with B3178, close to Bicton Cross. Proceeds from the sale will go towards maintenance of the ancient building, which was saved from dereliction when it was acquired by the Historic Chapels Trust in 1998 and underwent a £700,000 programme of repair and upgrading. Salem Chapel is now available for bookings and for suitable community events such as concerts, exhibitions and meetings. It also retains its wedding licence. East Budleigh resident Kathy Moyle, a key figure in the campaign to restore the building explained that although the main cost had been met by the Historic Chapels Trust, donations and revenue from events like the book sale were vital for the day-to-day maintenance. For further information please contact Kath...

Brewster Baptist Church’s final Gospel concert for this year will be held on Saturday, August 29, at 7.00 pm in the sanctuary, and will feature The Dove Brothers, a talented group of five men who specialize in Southern Gospel music. Formed in 1998 by brothers McCray and Eric Dove, The Dove Brothers Quartet has quickly become a household name in Southern Gospel music with their unique throwback style and current Southern Gospel sound. The group is best known for their hit songs, Didn’t It Rain, Get Away Jordan, and their biggest hit to date, I Can Pray. The group was awarded Horizon Group of the Year in 1999 and Favorite Traditional Male Quartet at the 2002 Singing News Fan Awards and hasn’t missed a beat since. Their recording, Never The Same, is the group’s most critically acclaimed and groundbreaking album to date. Earlier this year they were named Favorite Male Quartet at the 2009 SGM FanFair Awards in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, having won the same award in March 2008. The group’s lat...

[It’s not just the way we spell the word that’s different when it comes to looking after old people. In almost every country of the world, the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group, as a result of both longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates. But across the Atlantic they handle matters very differently from the UK when it comes to dealing with issues faced by the elderly. Here in the UK, we have private organisations like the Centre for Policy on Ageing http://www.cpa.org.uk/ and charities like Age Concern http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/ and Help the Aged http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/ which have recently decided to work together. There is no Government ministerial involvement, although a year ago the broadcaster and writer Dame Joan Bakewell was appointed an unpaid champion of the elderly by the government. And in July this year Health Secretary Andy Burnham unveiled proposals to set up a new National Care Service to help cope ...

Established in 1979, Budleigh Salterton’s Art Club is in the words of its website “a vibrant and active forum for the professional artist, the competent amateur or the budding wannabe” who live in the local area. I was told that there are currently 110 members, and newcomers are welcome. With its 75 exhibitors the 2009 summer show – the Club’s 31st – offers an impressive display of talent in Budleigh’s Public Hall. There are 244 items on view and they cover a wide variety of subjects in different genres. All are for sale, although many have already been snapped up. This is the artwork most famously associated with Budleigh. ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’, painted by the Victorian artist Sir John Millais in 1870 when he stayed in the town. I’ve always admired it, and often thought about how it might be viewed, as in http://budleighbrewsterunited.blogspot.com/2009/05/more-about-sir-walter-c-1552-1618.html ore-about-sir-walter-c-1552-1618.html ore-about-sir-walter-c-1552-1618.html The first ite...