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Maidencombe

Maidencombe photos

Displaying the first of 6 old photos of Maidencombe.   View all Maidencombe photos

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Maidencombe maps

Historic maps of Maidencombe and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Maidencombe maps

Maidencombe area books

Displaying 1 of 26 books about Maidencombe and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Maidencombe

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Devon memories

Memories of Watcombe

I have wonderful memories of Watcombe. I lived  there for many years. The beach was a favourite place to go in the summer, although even later for me as I used to help Bob Chapman with his fishing, he used to put out the lobster pots and salmon nets. I did the rowing and sometimes the sea very rough but it never worried me although I could not swim. Most of the beach would be filled with local people, and space to sit was at a premium. I hope anyone that reads this item will write a response. My brothers Gerald, Derick and Ronald have passed on. Perhaps someone will remember us and make a response to my letter.   
Best wishes,
Eric Harwood.

Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers Entertain at Stokeinteignhead


Stokeinteignhead has a beautifully appointed new village hall which was the venue for a fundraising Family Ceilidh on 24th November.

The event was well supported by the village community and raised a lot of funds. The band - "WoRTS 'N ALL" - gave their performace free and we all had a great time dancing at their Family Ceilidh. An interval entertainment was provided by the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers who performed four of their favourite dances: Hindley, Marston, Walton's Parade and Slapton.  

It was a really lovely evening and the dancers looked very smart in their kit of blue skirts, white blouses, black waistcoats and shiny black clogs. For me it was an especially memorable occasion as my wife Elizabeth had recently joined the local morris side and this was her first opportunity to dance in public with them. For me too it was a first - I joined in with their band playing my Hohner piano accordian.  Altogether it was a lovely evening in... Read more

Father Christmas Visits Stoke-In-Teignhead Village Hall


The villagers organised a wonderful welcome for Father Christmas when he arrived at the village hall. They had prepared a 'Victorian Christmas Fair' with arts and crafts and local produce for sale indoors, and outside there was a hog roast, mulled wine, real ales and roast chestnuts!

The huge crowd of villagers were entertained by the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers and I went along with my piano accordian to play in their band. It was a gorgeous sunny winter's day - sun shining brightly and not a cloud in the sky but I don't think the temperature went above freezing once! I finished up playing my accordian with my gloves on!

Our dancers struggled a little with the surface outside as there were grassy pavers with the gaps filled with gravel - these proved to be too slippery in the cold conditions so after just one dance almost every dancer had to change out of their clogs into a safer pair of shoes with more grip!... Read more

Squire Brown's, Now Pontings.

The thirties were the very early days in my life. My mother would take us up  to Greathill where we would sit and have a picnic, not a lot to eat but a chance to play in the fresh air. We were all very happy together. Sometimes we might see a skylark rising above us singing away. We used to try to find the nest but never did. My mother would tell me the skylark took off well away from its nest. Barton was also where Squire Brown's house was, a large place where we had an outing day from the church, it would be at Easter time and the helpers would hide chocolate eggs for us children to find. I remember that you had to have six stars for attendance on Sundays to be allowed on the trip.
The Greathill I talked about was the high part of Torquay, that was where we could look right over the fields to the sea, not many houses then to cloud our... Read more

A Great Childhood

I've got such fond memories of my mum pushing me up and down Daccombe in the pram and putting me on the horses at Henry Fogwell's farm where she kept her horse Danny. There were a lot of horses down there at one time and everyone knew everyone, it was great. Hiding out in the hay loft I used to get away with a lot down there.  Scrumping from the orchard across from Manor Farm and paying the bus drivers with fruit to have a lift down from Monkeys Island (Barton Cross) to the shops as I lived in Falloway Close, Barton. Barton Stables was a place I hung out at a lot as well with Granny Grimble (Powel). I would love to have a photo of Henry as I haven't got one so if anyone reads this and can help that would be great . My mum's name was Shirley Hooper Bowden before she married.  We go camping every year at Manor Farm as I just love the place... Read more

Daccombe Torquay

I have many good memories of Daccombe and still go down there to this day clearing the rabbits for the farmers. It to me has to be the best village going. The people are so friendly and it's lovely to see everyone doing there own thing down there, whether it be horse riding, ploughing the fields to gardening etc. On the Daccombe to Cofetherfinswell road is a remarkable lady called Judy and she grows her own food and livestock for the market. To me Judy is a true country lady and has a lot of knowlege about Daccombe. I like to go there all seasons as it's such a magical place to explore.

Clog Morris Dancing at The Babbacombe Festival


A week long programme of events for the Babbacombe Festival included a display of clog morris by the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers from nearby Combeinteignhead, accompanied by a large band of four squeezeboxes and percussion.

The dancers performed in the evening at the Precinct close to the Dolphin pub. It didn't take long before a crowd gathered to watch including drinkers from the pub who brought their beers outside to sit on the benches and watch. There was an hour long display of dancing which the onlookers regularly applauded!

Great fun, nice people and lovely weather for dancing - not too hot, just a gentle fresh breeze to keep both dancers and musicians cool on this summer evening. A lovely memory!

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