Just when you think you know everything that there is to know about Sabine Baring-Gould and Lewtrenchard Manor, the SBGAS Team prove you don't.  This was a weekend for discovery and am in-depth look at the few acres closest to our hero.

We started with an excellent overview of SB-G's achievements at Lew by Keith Lister, emphasising again the broad sweep of interest that Sabine had and the way he applied himself to them.  His talk was decorated with jewels fund in his long experience studyingSabine's life such as his birth on what is now a roundabout, via Queen Henrietta's bed to the now-sunken boathouse.

Jane Marchand, in her capacity as Archaeologist for the Dartmoor National Park Authority, took us back through Dartmoor's past, putting Sabine's work as an archaeologist into context.  In doing so she took us through a history of Archaeology on Dartmoor dropping such names as Temple, Pengelly and Bray along the way.  Her photographs were very evocative and sights such as Stallmore Rows  - the largest stone row in the World, cannot fail to impress.  She also talked about the significance of Sabine's own work, with it's triumphs and imperfections. The restoration of Hut 3 at Grimspound, for example, caused controversy at the time and still does so.  Yet it served as a valuable object lesson, drew visitors and consequently public support.  It also demostrated the important point that the stones were all there.  His greatest achievement for archaeology was, perhaps his skill as a communicator and his ability to generate enthusiasm in others.

The Curator of the Museum of Dartmoor Life, Maurie Webber started her talk by playing the song 'My Lady's Coach' collecetd by SB-G and relating the story of Lady Howard and her nightly ride from Tavistock to Okehanpton Castle in her coach of bones.  She went on to talk about the Museum and about her vision of creating a 'signpost, for Baring-Gould within the museum that will point them towards the other sites (and sights) in the area.  This, she hoped, would raise awareness of Baring-Gould in general and create additional interest for visitors to the area.

John Draisey, the County Archivist at the Devon Record Office talked about the arcane world of official archives.  He started by suggesting that while librarians are concerned with content and curators with form, archivists are concerned with bits of both.  Archivism has a relatively short history, only starting as a concept in 1838.  Now the Record Office is a statutory service.  Devon Record Office already has a lot of Baring-Gould material and is keen to acquire more or to accept material on deposit.  They are also happy for volunteers to help them in their work.

John Draisey and Maurie Webber were then joined by Jeremy Pearson, NMational Trust Curator for Devon and, with the help of Roger Bristow as Moderator,  addressed the question of the importance of a Baring-Gould Archive and answered some questions from the audience

After a splendid lunch (and , in fact, partly during it) Martin Graebe talked about Lewtrenchard as a base for the collection of Folk Songs.  In doing so he demonstrated that the majority of Baring-Gould's collecting was done within 25 miles of Lewtrenchard with only a few overnight stops to collect further from home.  He also brought some of his singers to the house and was visited there by several other song collectors, notably Cecil Sharp'

 The rest of the afternoon was deveoted to a walk round the grounds in the company of Ron Wawman, Albert Spry (local historian) and Robert Stemson (the Gardener at Lewtrenchard Manor).  From the mysterious object behind the Church we walked through a lost garden, recently discovered by Ron, Albert and Robert.  This is the former Rose Garden that Sabine describes and was discovered and recognised while they were searching for the holy well.  Robert has now started to clear the area and hopes to restore it but it will be a big job.  We walked on to look at the source of water for the Manor behind Down House Farm and then back through the grounds of the Manor to look at the new planting in the main gardens and the Kitchen Garden.  This was a remarkable tour and well prepared by the team  -  we all learned a great deal as a result of their explanations.

We had another splendid meal at the hotel in the evening and woke refreshed for another day of exploration.  This time we were indoors in the Manor itself and Ron Wawman and Sybil Tope were our guides for an in-depth tour of the house.  It is an enormous relief that the fire earlier in the year caused so little damage.  Repairs and redecoration are well in hand and, apart from some pictures which were being cleaned, everything looked as it should.  We also learned a lot about the details of the House with Ron's expert interpretation, supplemented by Sybil's long experience.

In the afternoon we had the AGM of the Society with Reports from the officers.  Two positions have changed as a result of Ron Wawman stepping down from the Editorship of the Newsletter.  Roger Bristow is our new Editor and Jane Marchand has taken over as Hon Secretary.  There was some discussion about the new Constitution, the Trust Fund and, of course, about next years meeting.

After tea and the book sale everyone departed feeling that it had been another excellent meeting.  Thanks are due to all those who took part and helped with the organisation but particularly to Ron Wawman who pulled the whole thing together.  Well done Ron!

Finally, A lot of people put a lot of work into their presentations and I would not wish to detract from their enthusiasm and knowledge but I believe that I am not alone in selecting Robert Stemson as the 'Man of the Match'.  Robert has had a visible impact on the estate.  The scale of his achievement is, perhaps, best illustrated by these pictures taken in February and in September which show how he has re-created the kitchen garden and formed new flower beds, part of which forms a memorial to Maurice Knowles who died in February.  The Kitchen Garden is now supplying most of the needs of the Hotel and It will be a great pleasure to see the gardens mature and grow in the future.
 

February 2006

September 2006

He has also, of course, recreated the Gertrude Jekyll border from the original drawings and is also working on a new rose garden.  If that were not enough, he is undertaking the clearance and re-creation of the 'Lost Garden' on the hill behind the house.  His enthusiasm is contagious and his energy seems boundless.  He embodies the spirit of the local craftspeople that Sabine encouraged and we are grateful to him for all that he has done

To see some other photographs of the 2006 meeting please click on the link below

20th Feb 06