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Stoodleigh

Stoodleigh maps

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

Stoodleigh photos

We have no photos of Stoodleigh, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Stuckeridge| Washfield| Bampton| Chettiscombe| Tiverton| Dulverton| Knowstone| Halberton

Stoodleigh area books

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

Memories of Stoodleigh

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Devon memories

"After The Fair" at The White Horse Hotel, Bampton

White Horse Hotel c1950
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This view is exactly the same as the hotel now looks in 2008 - although sadly the landlord, Robin, died just this year. It was his wish that the traditional music and dancing that follows the Bampton Fair should continue outside his pub after his passing.

I went along on Saturday 1st November and watched Devon based Grimspound Border Morris perform outside the White Horse Hotel along with three other teams of dancers including Sweet Coppin clog dancers from Taunton. Although the White Horse Hotel itself was closed we danced outside to honour the landlord's memory and later went inside other bars in the town to join in music sessions with visiting Breton musicians. My wife Elizabeth joined in some of the border dancing and loved it. It was a chilly day but a lot of fun.

Morris Dancing After The Fair at Bampton

Castle Street c1955
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I went along on Saturday 1st November and watched Devon based Grimspound Border Morris perform outside "The Swan" along with three other teams of dancers including Sweet Coppin clog dancers from Taunton to mark the close of the 2008 Charter Fair.

Sadly the landlord, Robin, died just this year. It was his wish that the traditional music and dancing that follows the Bampton Fair should continue outside his pub after his passing. Although "The Swan" itself was closed we danced outside to honour the landlord's memory and later went inside other bars in the town including "The Quarrymans Rest"  to join in music sessions with visiting Breton musicians. My wife Elizabeth joined in some of the border dancing and loved it.  It was a chilly day but a lot of fun.

St Michael's Church

The Church c1960
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St Michael's Church hall is a typical meeting hall for community events and is the venue for monthly dances organised by the Bampton Folk Dance Club. I first started going to these dances a couple of years ago with my wife Elizabeth and we enjoyed the live music by the 'Friendly Folk Band' and the new caller invited each time. It's a bit of a throwback to years gone by with a cup of tea and a biscuit midway through the evening. The fun makes one quite nostalgic for memories of dances attended years ago!

Bampton Open Day

Brook Street c1955
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Each August Bank Holiday Monday Bampton, near Exmoor, is the venue for a huge village open day. This year's event featured a duck race, teddy bear parachuting form the top of St Michael's Church Tower, tombola, white elephant sales and special opening hours by most of the village's shops, cafes and pubs.

For me the highlight was the entertainments offered in the Riverside Hall on a special music and talent stage. I was invited to join in a dance demonstrated by the Bampton Folk Dance Club which was fun.

BLIZ KID

I was fortunate to spend time during the war at Chevithorne Farm, the home of the Gale family. I have some photos and would be happy to share them and memories. Cordially Bert

Flying Our Kite at Knightshayes Court

Knightshayes Court 1896
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Yesterday our family went for a walk around the parkland surrounding Knightshayes - a grand Victorian estate owned by the National Trust between Tiverton and Bolham and only a mile from our home in Hawks Drive. Although it was a damp January day, the views from the top of the main drive over the countryside were lovely. The house itself looks just like this picture apparently taken in 1896 ! The trees are bigger of course ! At the top of the grassy slopes we felt a stiff breeze so we tried flying our kite and our granddaughter Anna who is not yet two held on to the string and was fascinated by it!

Heathcoat Community Centre

Westexe Recreation Park c1955
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The Westexe Park sadly no longer has the beautiful flowerbeds featured in this 1955 view. I walked through this park today leading a party from the Tiverton Walk and Talk Group from the Heathcoat Community Centre. Even the grass has been neglected and has lots of mud and duck poo!

Our walk took us up Longdrag Hill and Patches Road on a circular route of around three miles. I found it pretty tough as I was pushing my granddaughter Annalise Norfolk in her pushchair! I was glad to get back to the level ground of the park where I could let her out of her pushchair - she loves to stand on the grass and be surrounded by inquisitive ducks!

Finally we went in to the Community Centre where I collapsed in a heap and enjoyed a deserved coffee!

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