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Totnes
Totnes maps
Historic maps of Totnes and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Totnes maps
Totnes area books
Displaying 1 of 26 books about Totnes and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Totnes
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memories of Totnes.
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Bridgetown Bridge
The consensus in the Albert Inn is that the gent with a folded coat under his arm is Owen MacLening, with his nephew Bill behind him. The youngster with the bicycle could well be Andy MacLening, also nephews to Owen. Andy is currently (Jan 2009) barman in the Albert Inn.
Christmas Shopping in Totnes
Totnes provides lovely late night Christmas shopping evenings each December when the High Street and Market Square are decorated, the shop windows have illuminated Christmas displays and stay open late and the place is transformed into a fairyland of old-fashioned entertainments and street traders. There are hot chestnut and mulled wine vendors, arts and crafts for sale and entertainments provided by musicians and dancers. Its a real family occasion and a good excuse for young children to stay out late - in fact I took along my granddaughter Anna aged just two and she stood next to me and was fascinated by the lights, the music and most of all the dancing.
The Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers provided part of this entertainment along with their band of melodeons, drums and accordians. The group is from Combeinteignhead but perform clog dances from the north-west of England to lively jigs and polkas played by the musicians. Our favourite spot to play and dance is the top of the High... Read more
Morris Dancing And Clog Dancing at The Steam Packet Inn
This is the view from the Steam Packet Inn where there is a splendid large patio area which we used for morris dancing recently. We chose an early Summer's evening in June but were disappointed with the unexpected rain! However there were plenty of seats under the pub's umbrellas for the large crowd to take shelter!
Three "sides" of dancers performed during the evening: first to take the stage were Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers looking splendid in their smart kit of blue skirts and fancy blouses and waistcoats plus shiny clogs and bells. Next were the athletic mixed dancers of Harberton Navy with their repertoire of Cotswold dances. The third side to dance were the local team - Blackawton Morris - with a selection of dances in the "North West" style.
Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers Entertain in Totnes
Tuesday 11th December was a frosty clear night but the crowds of late night Christmas shoppers filled Totnes town centre to enjoy the candlelight, carol singers, buskers and stalls lining both sides of the streets.
At the top end of the High Street by the Market Square a large crowd gathered to watch the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers with their band of accordians and drums. They gave an hour long performance of dancing and music from the north west of England and the crowd loved the rhythmic sound of clogs on the road and the girls in their smart blue kit plus Christmas sparkling decorations!
It was a really enjoyable evening rounded off with shopping and generous free coffee and mince pies offered by several of the Fore Street churches. Hot coffee was truly appreciated to warm my frozen accordianist's fingers! Altogether, I have to say that the Totnes version of late night Christmas shopping is brilliant and I will be back next time!... Read more
MY HOME AWAY FROM HOME
I arrived in Totnes January 1944 and lived up at Dartington until a day before the invasion at Normandy. Totnes became our "hometown." I returned for the fiftieth anniversary and honored for being the first American to come back. Bill Bennett arranged for us to be given the "keys to the city." Back then at age 19 it was a grand experience and my wife was with me on two more trips to Totnes and Dartington Hall. I long to be there again but at 85 I am content to page through the many memories. We have old newspapers, water color pictures and we still write to a few citizens there. We were combat engineers 1253rd and built many practice bridges across the Dart, leaving one intact that served Totnes for many years. My mind is jammed with memories of Totnes and the surrounding towns.
Devon memories
Staverton Elizabethan Fayre
The Staverton Playing Fields were the location for the Elizabethan Fayre on August Bank Holiday Monday. Lots of entertainment was arranged including a jazz band, the Babelfish Ceilidh Band, Dog Racing, Punch and Judy, the South Hams Dog Agility team, and the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers. I was there with my piano accordian to provide some music for the dancers and I think my job providing music was a lot easier than the effort needed by the dancers to perform on the soft grass!
It was a huge event and the tea tent seemed to have queues all afternoon. Fortunately there was no rain so many people chose to sit outside on straw bales with their teas while watching the entertainments.
The dancers provided two spots and at the finish of the second spot had just enough remaining energy to organise a giant Cicassian Circle dance for the crowds - most of those who joined in seemed to be mothers with small children but we... Read more
Memories 1920 - 1951
My name is James Ryder, i was born on the 2nd January 1920 in Factory Road, the youngest of seven children, of William and Lucy. Started school [C of E] at the age of 3 and left at the age of 14., during which time I sang in the Village Choir untill my voice broke. In 1934 I started a 6 year Apprentiship with T Brooks of Totnes as a Builder and cycled daily to where ever I was directed. One period was to Holne Chase for several months (sixteen miles e/w!!). On my twentiith birthday I volunteered for service in the Army and was enlisted in the Royal Engineers on the 16th April 1940 and servied six and a half years in Iceland, North Africa and Italy. In June 1946 I returned to Harbertenford after being discharged. When I came home I lived with my mother in chapel cottages as she had now moved. This lasted until a new council house was built in riverdale where i moved in... Read more
