Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust - Newsletter 68, July 2016 - Page 1

Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust An environmental charity dedicated to the recognition, protection, enhancement and enjoyment of the Lizard Peninsula

Friends of the Lizard 1997-2006 Registered Charity No 1092934 Patron: Jill Morison DL

Newsletter No 68, July 2016

Chairman’s Message

It is hard to believe that we are already half way through 2016. We have had three very enjoyable events already and will have had a further two by the time you read this newsletter. We were blessed with fine dry weather for the excellent visit to Pencarrow and the intriguing Lizard Village / Church Cove Treasure Hunt. It was at the latter event that I learnt that it pays to read all the instructions carefully BEFORE setting off on one of these and not over lunch as our little group did! So, we had a bit of catching up to do over the well-earned lunch break at Polpeor Café. Despite the iffy weather forecasts, we were again blessed with a warm sunny day for the BBQ at Mellan House. Many thanks to those who have helped organise our events and for all the help from the ladies (and David) with the food and drinks at the BBQ.

Please do let us know if you are coming to any of the future events so that we can plan for numbers. This is particularly important for Jane and John’s Veggie Bonanza on 4th August as there is a restriction on numbers. If anyone has any new ideas for events, then do let one of the Committee know – we welcome any ideas for events or places for possible visits. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the remaining events for the year.

Although we still encourage members to opt for Newsletters by Email, to benefit from photographs in full colour while reducing our mailing costs, the Committee agreed to publish the centre four pages in this extended Newsletter in colour, to include most of the photographs. We would welcome comments.

John Thompson

Events before the next Newsletter (due in October 2016)

See Events Programme, sent with the April Newsletter, for full details, booking arrangements, costs & contact information (note changes).

Veggie Bonanza Note change from Events Programme

Thursday 4 August 2016 at the home of Jane & John Grierson: Carmelin, Pentreath Lane, The Lizard TR12 7NY at 12.30 (pm not am - this is a lunch, not a midnight feast !). Booking in advance essential. Everyone please bring a bottle & a vegetarian dish to share.

Helford Village visit Note further details from Events Programme

Friday 9 September 2016. Meet at the village car-park at 11.00am. (adjacent to Yacht Club) OS Ref : SW 760 261 Self-guided walk around the village with lunch at the Shipwright Arms. Non-walkers are welcome to join us at the pub at 1 pm. Booking for this event is essential, even if just coming for lunch. Please notify Lynda or Geoff Blackman

Helston Railway visit & walk Note changes from Events Programme

Thursday 22 September 2016. Meet at Trevarno Farm, Prospidnick, Helston TR13 0RY at 11.30am. Cost £7 per person for the train ride, payable on the day. Approx at noon, lunch in Café - pay your own refreshments bill. We hope to have a brief talk about the railway before the train ride.

Penrose to Porthleven walk, followed by all-day breakfast

Thursday 6 October 2016. Meet 10.30am at Penrose NT car-park. OS ref: SW 639 258. Walk through Penrose Woods to Porthleven, returning via Loe Pool. Cost: All Day Breakfast at 'Naughty But Ice' in Porthleven.

Postcards & Cream Tea

Thursday 3 November 2016. Meet 2.00pm at Mawgan Village Hall. Display & open discussion on local historic & modern postcards. Second in what may become an annual series, following the success & popularity of last year's similar event in Coverack. Cost £3 per person, pay on the day. Booking is essential as teas must be ordered in advance.

Be A Friend

Brace yourselves. Jane is going to try and write something serious for once. Many of you will be familiar with the little church of St Ruan, although perhaps not so many will know of its tiny partner a few miles away, St Grade, surrounded by green fields and hidden away down a grassy lane. This must be one of the few churches where one’s Sunday best includes a pair of wellies! There is no electricity and, in winter, it is lit only by candle power. These are both enchanting, historic churches and, although John and I are by no means regular church-goers, we always take great delight in their flower festivals, musical evenings, coffee mornings and other fund-raising events.

Like many other churches, these two are now in desperate need of funds to maintain and repair the buildings. St Ruan, in the village of Ruan Minor, dates from the 13th century, St Grade’s tower from the 15th and, although additions and restorations have been carried out throughout their history, both churches are now of an age that means repairs are always needed in order to maintain these unique and valuable parts of our heritage. So, allow me to introduce The Friends of St Ruan and St Grade Historic Church Buildings, created to help preserve these special buildings.

The local community has always given generously towards the upkeep of these historic structures, and it is hoped that this vital support will continue, but St Grade and St Ruan now need your help too. Central church funds cannot cope; grants and loans are insufficient; so it is down to us all to assist in whatever way we can. You don’t even have to be of the Christian faith, or any faith at all, to experience the sense of peace and tranquillity that such places can bring – islands of calm in the storms of our everyday lives, and we, plus future generations, will always need such balm for our souls.

If that all sounds too lyrical, let me paint some pictures of visits to these churches. My sister was married at St Ruan and both my nieces christened there, so that it has a very special place in the family. My first visits to St Grade were evenings of song, music and readings, including some hilarious Joyce Grenfell impressions by our lady vicar, and musicians Jonathon Coudrille and Robin Bates belting out tunes on piano, trumpet and bellows organ. Magic. Then, on a summer’s day a group of us enjoyed a walk across the fields and visited the church to say a few thank-you’s to whomever was listening, then sat among the gravestones to soak up the benevolent sunshine before ambling home. Next, the Christmas before last. A fund-raising shadow puppet show was to be put on by The Ruan Revellers and, without a supply of electricity, this involved the services of a generator. The first one broke down, so we all sat and chatted while a new one was connected. That too failed, so the lady Revellers and Friends set up an impromptu choir and sang carols for twenty minutes, the congregation joining in whether tunefully or not. In all, I believe the organisers went through four generators before giving up and using arc lights (fed from I know not where) to enjoy the crazy puppet world of “Jo Carpenter” (written by Graham Clarke). Afterwards, we walked back down the grassy lane, into a crisp, cold, starlit night, with a half-moon to light the way to our cars. OK, so we could have enjoyed the night anywhere, perhaps, but without the pulling-together spirit just witnessed, it would not have had half the meaning. I stood for a moment, breathing in lungfuls of fresh air and mindfuls of atmosphere, thinking how much I love this place.

I believe we all do. And the churches are very much a part of it. Hopefully, we can get together with the Friends, and perhaps arrange a walk and a visit to one or both churches next summer. In the meantime, do think about lending your support to this worthy cause, and find more details of future events at: http://friendsofstruanandstgrade.co.uk/index.html

Jane Grierson

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Our members include - Dr Gillian Ashworth

Continuing our series of introducing individuals from our membership, I invited Gillian, one of our botanical experts, to tell us about herself and how she came back to live at Coverack on the Lizard Peninsula. How glad I am that I asked and that she accepted, as her brief biography is both impressive and extremely interesting.

The connection of my family with Coverack dates back to 1924, when my grandfather, Dr William Blackwood, who lived in Camborne, bought a plot of land at North Corner from Miss Esmee Bulkeley for fifty pounds. On this plot he re-erected a World War I Army hut, called the Retreat, and it was here where he and his family (which included my father) spent their summer holidays. My parents came to visit Coverack in the Spring of 1945, on what was, for my father, a nostalgic visit. It was a beautiful Spring day, but also the day that they learned that Dr Leverton-Spry, Polventon ,St Keverne was wishing to sell his practice and retire. So, at the end of World War II, they made the decision to leave Co Durham and to spend their future life in Coverack. In 1946, the family moved to Coverack and initially made the Retreat home and a few years later moved up the hill to Widegates.

Being country doctors in the 1940s and 50s was very different from today. There were frequent day or night visits to homes in the area, babies born and operations performed on the kitchen table, and medicines to be dispensed, apart from dealing with the mud and the heavy farm gates, and they enjoyed it all. Both of my parents worked in the St Keverne practice for over 20 years. The first to retire was my mother and Ian Wort came to work with my father and when “Freddie” himself retired Peter Harris joined the practice. After a brief time in Plymouth, they returned to Coverack and in 1972 built the present house known as ‘Landfall’, the name being based on a book by GM Glaskin “Flight to Landfall”. They lived in Landfall in Coverack for the rest of their lives.

As a child of eight I went with my sister to a girls' small boarding school in Scotland called Craigmount, in Scone Palace in Perthshire. The Palace and its grounds were owned by Lord Mansfield and rented to the school during the 1940s. When we moved to Cornwall, we still continued to go to school in Scotland travelling all the way from Helston railway station, to Gwinear Road, and then to London. From London we caught the train to Edinburgh and finally from Edinburgh to Perth. In the Palace, there was little to no heating and we would wake up every morning in the winter with our beds covered in ice. It was, however, an educationally relaxed school in beautiful surroundings.

On leaving Craigmount I went as a teenager to Millfield School in Somerset to study science subjects, at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, and it was at Millfield that I chose to study plants (Botany) for my future career. From Millfield I went to University College London and graduated with an Honours BSc in Botany and an MSc in Microbiology.

I then took time off from science in order to have a family (son Charles was born in 1964 and daughter Jane in 1969 ) and then, thinking that my scientific career would be over, unexpectedly I was offered a job at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. The Agriculture Research Council was funding a new laboratory at

Kew whose overall mandate was to understand why plants, which are stationary organisms, and therefore cannot physically fight their predators were still flourishing in most environments and to understand in more detail how plants can defend themselves by chemical means. Much of my time at Kew was spent chopping up plants and isolating chemicals and it was a wonderful environment to work in.

Working at Kew changed my scientific future as, after six years at Kew and a PhD, in 1976 I was offered an academic position at Boston University, a large, private university with a campus in Boston, Massachusetts. Moving to Boston was both an exciting but also an extremely challenging experience. The Introductory Biology classes were large, over 300 students at any one time. The students were mostly premedical students so it was a bit of a challenge to get them to be enthusiastic about the life cycle of a moss! The upper level classes were much smaller, 20-30 students, and it was much more fun. The US, at that time, was a wonderful place to live, the general optimism and the belief that "everything is possible” and I was given great opportunities to travel to plant meetings, not only in the US but also in New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, and Canada.

Another important feature of academic life is that sabbaticals (or leaves of absence) were possible every 5-6 years provided that you could find outside funding. My husband and I were able to take advantage of two Fulbright Fellowships, the first one to Lesotho in 1992, and a second for research and teaching in Namibia in 1998. It was a real experience to live in a fully African country, such as the mountainous kingdom of Lesotho, and to have the opportunity to interact with both the Basotho students and faculty. The students were very friendly and full of laughter.

The year in Namibia was very different. Namibia is a much wealthier and sophisticated country than Lesotho and still retains the German influence both in its architecture and lifestyle. For me it was the fulfillment of a teenage dream actually to see the miracle plant, Welwitschia mirabilis growing in the Namid Desert. I was given this Fulbright fellowship to carry out research on a fungal infection which was attacking Welwitschia seeds and so inhibiting seeds germination. As it is so unique and ugly a plant, its survival is important to tourism. Together, with three Boston University students, we drove all over Namibia mapping Welwitschias growing in the desert and collecting their seeds. We were camping most off the time and went to some beautiful places. As this study was carried out in collaboration with both the University of Namibia and the National Botanical Gardens, this was where the laboratory work for the project was done.

As a result of these projects I took early retirement from Boston University in 2001 (after 25 years) and Tony and I went back to Lesotho and I was given an academic position at the National University of Lesotho. We planned to go for just one year but ended up by staying for three years and then going back in an advisory capacity for the next two years.

Although we had been back and forwards many time to Cornwall, over these years, we moved permanently to Landfall, Coverack in 2008. Living here again brings back many happy childhood memories, such as watching the Coverack Lifeboat sliding down the slip, catching conger eels from Sandy Pengelly’s boat in the dead of the night, and sandwiches and picnics at Lankidden. It is wonderful to live back in Coverack after so many years away. This is an exceptional village to live in - its beauty, the friendliness, and all the different activities and diverse interests of the people who live here. The Lizard Heritage Trust was one of the first organisations we joined on coming back. The Trust arranges so many interesting day’s out; walks, visits to the Lizard Lifeboat house, old buildings and country estates, and also expresses opinions on current (often controversial!) environmental issues affecting this region.

Our daughter Jane and her husband and four children still live in Boston USA whereas our son Charles, his wife and their three boys are living in London. All come to Coverack as often as they can. There are now five generations; my grandfather, father, myself and my children and their children who have had so much pleasure from that small plot of land which came into the family in 1924. We are all very lucky.

Gillian Ashworth

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Visit to Pencarrow House and Gardens

Eleven members (plus two dogs) joined us for the visit to Pencarrow House and Gardens. Nine of us met at Mawgan Village Hall to car share for the trip up the A30 to the Wadebridge area and another two joined us at the venue. We started proceedings with coffee outside in the sunshine at the aptly named Peacock Café. We spotted at least five Peacocks strutting their stuff around the lawn and hoping someone might just share their lunch with them. Coffee seemed to morph into lunch for most of us as we had good seats at the tables on the lawn and our allotted tour of the house was not scheduled until 1:30pm.

There is a good write up on the House and Gardens in the April Newsletter so I am not going to repeat any of that here. We did have a fascinating guided tour of many of the rooms of the House with a very knowledgeable lady tour guide. We started in the Entrance Hall and Music Room, complete with grand piano, numerous portraits of the Molesworth family hang on the walls. This family has lived here from the 1500’s through to the present day – they still live in a separate private wing of the House. An interesting secret door, which just looked like it was part of the bookcase (complete with books), led us from the Entrance Hall and into the very grand Drawing Room adorned with curtains and furniture covering made from fabric stolen (the guide described it as “treasure”) from a Spanish ship captured off the Philippines by an Admiral relative of the Molesworthy family.

The Inner Hall contains a solid fuel heating furnace which provided the House with an early version of central heating – the smoke being drawn from under the furnace and piped outside through the basement rooms as there was no central chimney it could be connected to. The Hall and Stairs had two interesting 1755 original paintings by Samuel Scott of London Bridge and the Tower of London – making a refreshing (to me anyway!) change from the further family portraits hanging on the walls.

On the first floor, we were given a tour of the Pink Bedroom, used as a guest bedroom, compete with four poster bed. This was followed with the Nursery containing several antique dolls dressed in long baby clothes and, of course, the Nanny’s bed. The Corner

Bedroom complete with another four poster bed was up next followed by the Bath Room and finishing up in the Boudoir and bedroom used by the Lady of the House. Needless to say this room was furnished with a very exquisite four poster bed and suite with matching fabric.

The Back Staircase led us back to the ground floor and the Dining Room with large dining table seating twelve very comfortably and with the now obligatory family portraits adorning the walls. The tour ended in the Ante room which housed a 1754 painting of The Four Misses of St. Aubyn and the Ch’ien Lung famille rose bowl, made in China for the family, showing Pencarrow House and a Chinese agricultural scene – see the April newsletter for more on that.

Following the tour we were then able to stretch our legs in the extensive gardens and warm up a bit in the April afternoon sunshine. It was much warmer outside than it was in the House! Dogs were walked and some retreated to the Peacock Café for cream teas. All in all it was a very good visit and well worth the drive up there. The fine weather helped and thanks must go to Anne for organising the trip and the weather!

John Thompson

Sorry, I Haven’t A Clue

Folks who have lived here long enough, especially those who have scrutinised local churchyards, will be familiar with tales of pirates, illegal booty, and dastardly deeds. While we could not lay claim to any of those – there being no real dastards among our membership – we did manage to have a great deal of fun recently, following a treasure trail from The Lizard, round the coast, and back to the place we first thought of.

The trail, originated online, was organised by Gill Richardson, and first planned for last autumn, but the early arrival of winter put paid to that. This might have been frustrating at the time, but the climes which greeted us on a May Friday made up for it and then some, being about the best that Cornwall could offer. Full-on sunshine, a mere zephyr of a breeze, and not a cloud in sight. We met on The Green, where Gill organised us into two groups of four, and one (with me in it) of three, it being considered that my local knowledge would make up for the lack of numbers.

Joke. I was paired (trio’d?) with the husband and wife team of Jill and Peter Gray, and we set off, last of the three groups, at a cracking pace both physically and mentally. Jill and Peter were more switched on than the Cadgwith Christmas lights and, for all my “local knowledge” and cryptic crossword practice, I felt for the most part like a mere accessory.

So, it was quick march down Beacon Terrace to get the first clue from the football club pavilion, followed by a micro second’s pause to drool as we passed the pasty shop. Then on past the nursery to the post box sporting the late king’s initials which provided another clue. The idea was, briefly, that each solved clue provided the means whereby we could cross off one of the towns or villages on the Treasure Map. The one

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remaining town, which was not crossed off at the end, would be where the treasure was.

But I am getting ahead of myself. As were our trio. As we marched past Team Two, one of them, who shall be nameless, kindly shouted encouragement, “If you get to the café before us, I hope they’ve got no food left!” A likely scenario! So, we were now heading for Church Cove, and the question was “What word connects round, watch and winch?” I knew that: house. So, without even bothering to visit said cove, we deleted the house clue from the map and took a sharp right turn in the direction of the Lifeboat Station, gleefully cutting out a whole section of coast path and overtaking Team One. Had David been tailing our group, as was planned, he would have had something to say about this bending of rules; but he was elsewhere and, even if he hadn’t been, we would have ignored any protestations. After all, it’s not about the taking part, it’s about the winning!

Our happy quartet (Mitchy, my Jack-Russell, was dogging our footsteps in gallant fashion, his little legs going like pistons) continued around the coast path. However speedy our footsteps, though, (not that speedy, climbing up out of Housel Bay) we still took time out to appreciate the views. “Stunning” is an over-used adjective, but was the first that came to mind as a vista of turquoise, mill-pond-imitating sea sparkled before us, decorated with a foreground of pink, white and blue flora gently nodding in the almost non-existent breeze.

Then it was time for moving swiftly on again. Peter read out each clue to Jill and myself as we went, so that we could have a chance to think about it before we actually reached the location wherein lay the answer. Sometimes it would involve an anagram, sometimes missing letters or perhaps a bit of maths, but whatever it took, it was all great fun. By the time we reached Housel Bay, our team was well in the lead.

Ah! you are thinking, Housel Bay! There had to be a foodie part of the excursion. Well, you are half right, but lunch was a little further on, at Polpeor Café. And very nice it was too, although there was a period of concern when we realised that Team Two was still missing. What could have happened? Had they run out of puff or out of brain power? Neither of those. Geoff Blackman had had a short altercation with a sticking-out tree root and come off the worse, falling headlong onto the path and grazing his arm quite badly. Rumour has it that, had Adele not put out her walking pole in time, Geoff would have rolled down the cliff and we’d still be searching for him. However, he was very brave and made light of it, only resolving to add Guerilla Tree Roots to the next H&S warning.

At the café, we met up with further LPHT-ers Who Lunch, who had decided that a four mile slog round the coast path was not on their bucket list, and a very pleasant hour was spent in consuming the café’s delightful comestibles. Still on his winning streak, Peter popped down to the cove to pick up another couple of clues, while Jill and I perused the menu. After lunch, the second half of the trail continued in the direction of Old Lizard Head and back to the village, but I hereby make a full confession: I chickened out. My feeble excuse is that, having just fought off my third cold of the winter and spring, my energy levels had dropped to zero; plus Jill and Peter were faster, not just physically but mentally; plus Mitchy was knackered. The poor boy had flopped, panting, onto his side when we’d paused at Polbream Youth Hostel to get the last clue before lunch. Yes, I know he has twice as many legs as us but, being a J.R., they are very, very short.

So, I cadged a lift home with my husband and managed not to feel guilty. It had been a lovely day out, so we were all winners in that respect. As to whose was the glory of reaching the winning post first, though, my money is still on Team Three!

Jane Grierson

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Listed Buildings - Mariners, Church Cove, Landewednack

On the walk following the route of the Treasure Hunt (see pages 3&4), we passed several particularly interesting buildings. Of course, those eagerly looking for answers to the clues were too busy to notice the local architecture, so here are three that are Listed Buildings. As I have explained before in this series, the official Listing description is not written in normal prose; rather, in the form of abbreviated notes, which I have transcribed here verbatim.

David Richardson

Listed Grade II, with Group Value First Listed 10 7 57 (formerly listed as The Old Cottage) Listing description notes:

"Previously 3 cottages, now 1. C17. Whitewashed stone lower walls and east gable wall facing the sea. Upper walls of plastered cob. Timber lintels to openings. Stepped thatched roof with gable ends on left (west) and hipped on right (east). Two storey block with attic on left (west) with large external stone chimney stack on gable stepped and brick upperstage and small attic window in gable end.

Large central entrance on ground floor with two first floor 2-light casement windows with lapped glass and glazing bars. Block on right (east) asymmetrical 2½ storeys with brick chimney at ridge, probably once cellars for fishing industry and ground floor. Ground floor: four C20 windows with glazed bars and C20 glazed porch.

First floor: Two horizontal sliding sash windows each with 12 panes. Second floor: Two horizontal sliding sash windows (12 panes) above first floor windows with a C20 pivoting window to the right and C20 window to the right and C20 window in right (east) gable. Interior of left-hand block: Two cell. West room with large stone fireplace and stair ladder to first floor room. Second room open to roof. Partitions now replaced. East block on right altered.

Licensed as public house in 1834 and was known locally as a kiddlewink. Part of bar retained as first floor. Some thatch ties exposed. Built into side of steep hill."

Listed Buildings - Cellars, Church Cove, Landewednack

Listed Grade II, with Group Value Listing description notes:

"Fish (pilchard) cellars and adjoining winch house, converted into a dwelling, circa early C19.

Random rubble, mainly granite and serpentine. Slate hipped roofs. Apsidal roof of shingles to winch house. Comprising 2-storey main range to north with courtyard in front flanked by narrow single storey wings with open fronts to yard, their roofs supported on square granite posts.

Enclosing the yard on south side at front a wall with central entrance with double doors and granite lintel. The external east side wall is corbelled out above plinth. Brick chimney stack in rear wall of north range.

Winch house adjoining east with apsidal end. Wide winch opening and opening above in apsidal end, both having C20 windows inserted.

Courtyard has sloping cobbled floor from west to east with channel to collect oil and salt from pressed pilchards. At the base of the east wall a conduit to carry the fish oil to storage tanks. The east wing now has a floor inserted. Front of main north range originally offices. The winch house still contains central capstan of green heart wood.

Sources: Mrs Crain, An unsentimental journey through Cornwall, 1884. (Illustration of interior of winch house). C A Johns, A Week at the Lizard, 3rd edition, 1880s."

Listed Buildings - Lloyds Signal Station, Landewednack

Listed Grade II Listing description notes:

"Signal station, now dwelling. 1872. Erected and opened by Messrs Fox of Falmouth.

Masonry with white masonry paint covering. Almost square in plan with canted bay to south-east. 2½ storeys with rectangular window openings, fenestration now altered. Windows generally asymmetrical with three windows on ground floor on south-west side. C20 porch and three windows on north-west side and two storeys of three rectangular windows in the projecting bay to the south-east with a ground and first floor window on the left. Five small rectangular lookout windows are placed below the battlements of the bay looking seaward. Flat roof behind the battlements. The timber signal pole has been reduced in height.

Of the four rooms on the ground floor, two were occupied by the Direct Spanish Telegraph Company, one by the Lizard Signal Company and one a waiting room. Telegraph office above. On the flat roof a signalman watched through the five small windows. Communication between the office and vessels was made by semaphore.

Outward- and homeward-bound ships reported their name and other information. The particulars were then passed to the telegraph room below and sent to the ships' owners and to daily papers. This removed the necessity for ships to call at Falmouth as they could receive orders from The Lizard. More than 1,000 ships per month used The Lizard Station by 1877.

Interior not inspected.

Sources: S Pascoe, On the Cornish Coast, 1877. C A Johns, A Week at The Lizard, 3rd Edition."

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What Can I Say?

The eighth Annual Barbecue and it took me three attempts to type “eighth”. Contrary to what you might think, I had not been diving headlong into the Pimms, but blame my ineptness on the fact that, whereas one can write by hand and instinctively get all one’s spellings correct, somehow it is different with a keyboard.

And if you think that is the most boring introductory paragraph you have ever read, what chance do I have in writing my seventh A.B. report? However, having pleaded once before, “Do you really want another account of a bunch of us over-eating, over-drinking and overjoyed?”, the answer always seems to be Yes. So, as a happy reminder for those who were there, and a vicarious pleasure for those who were not, herewith my testimony.

It was a perfect day. The sun shone, but not too brightly. A gentle breeze blew, enough to encourage the metaphorical charcoal to glow (there wasn’t any, as the barbecue was a slightly less lyrical, but more efficient, gas version), and the chefs to keep their cool, but not sufficient to blow sunhats awry or send folks running for shelter. The surroundings, as last year, were perfect: Ruth and John Thompson’s beautiful garden in Coverack, from where we could see the sea sparkling in the distance. The company, as in any LPHT gathering, was equally perfect – friendly, witty, erudite ………. fill in the blanks with anything noble and wholesome and there you have us.

The only unwholesome elements in the proceedings were the gatecrashers from next door, in the form of several honey bee yobs who seemed to be very angry at being left off the guest list. To make their point, one of their gang stung one of the dogs. Admittedly, there was just cause, since the dog had trodden on it, but the next victim, John Brazier, had been minding his own business when a yobbee got between him

and his spectacles and decided to rearrange the shape of his left eyebrow. Fortunately, two doctors were on hand, one still practising, and the sting was removed speedily and an ice pack, ointment and sympathy provided in spadefuls. Plus another drink. Which brings me back to the food … salads, meats, lovely veggie offerings, spicy potatoes, fresh salmon, the world’s biggest pavlova, fresh fruit salad, coffee and homemade biscuits … all, naturally, accompanied by endless draughts of wine, beer and soft drinks.

Really, you could not find anywhere to give you such value for money, or a more willing team of volunteer ladies who had cooked up a storm with such an air of calm efficiency that one wonders whether they shouldn’t give Gordon Ramsay lessons in manners as well as cheffing. Not to mention the equally calm efficiency of our Chairman, John T, who operated the barbecue itself. No ineptness here, that’s for sure! Maybe one of these good folk would like to turn their hand to report writing too? No? Oh all right, then, but don’t blame me if next year’s report is even worse!

Jane Grierson

A Solstice Soirée (Midsummer Madness)

It was a determined band of eight picnickers who set out on the longest day of the year on a grey, slightly chilly evening, to head in the direction of the sunset at Predannack Head. Never mind that we had not made the acquaintance of the sun that day, nor that all we were likely to see, to mark the occasion, would be a skyful of cloud that gradually got darker. So what? It wasn’t raining, we were well wrapped up and provisioned, and our metaphorical glasses were thus at least half full.

After a sprightly progress across 25 minutes’ worth of clifftop and once settled in the appointed location - a rocky outcrop providing shelter and back-leaning facilities - real glasses were very speedily filled to the brim. Ruth and John Thompson even had directors’ chairs complete with glass holders, well worth schlepping the things along half a mile of coast path … well, that’s what we all thought, although I’m not sure that John, who did the schlepping, would agree.

For the next half an hour, you might think that there would be silence as we concentrated on chomping the chow from our backpacks, but you’d be wrong. There was much good humoured chatter, including some reminiscing about our previous visit here, on 21 June 2014, when the sun had shone valiantly and given us the most fantastic stripy sky at 21.34 hrs. No chance of that this year, but there were occasional exclamations of “Ooh look! There’s a bit of blue sky!” in that determinedly optimistic fashion which only a lifetime’s experience of British weather can elicit. While other topics were aired, Mitchy provided entertainment by diving under our picnic blanket and wriggling around upside down, while his friend Tia determined to see how many wine glasses she could knock over with her exuberantly wagging tail (none, fortunately).

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Towards the 21.34 sunset time, we thought we saw the faintest rosy blush in the western sky. Were we imagining it? Was it wishful thinking? No, we all agreed it was there; in fact, the sky looked quite pretty in a pastel kind of way, with that pink tinge and several shades of grey - at least 50. Then a stranger thing happened. The more we looked, the more flushed the sky became and, as everyone rushed for their cameras, it got increasingly glowing and rubicund. The invisible sun was not going down without a fight. Its dying rays sent up shafts of colour from below the horizon which, when mingled with the clouds, turned the sky into a Turner painting, embellished by some obliging silhouetting gulls. It was so fantastic that I shall shut up now and let you look at the picture instead (page 6).

Suddenly it was time to go, and we decamped and departed in double quick time, reaching the car park at Predannack Wollas just as it was getting dark. We were lucky that it was to be a full moon that night, again behind cloud cover but helping to light our way nonetheless. And, as Ruth told us, that night was a rare event: a Strawberry Moon to coincide with the solstice. Where strawberries come into this is anyone’s guess but one explanation is that it was so called by the Native Americans as it coincided with the start of their strawberry picking season (these days much earlier, thanks to polytunnels).

As we trekked in a Wollas-y direction, Mitchy caused a few heart-stopping moments - for me anyway - when he hared off towards the cliff edge in pursuit of a badger, closely followed by Tia who had no idea what she was chasing but wasn’t it fun? The huge (compared to a Jack Russell) beast lumbered over a hillock in the direction of its sett, just long enough for us to spot it before it dived underground, and only then did Mitchy deign to return to us to boast of his conquest.

Addendum for Nature Lovers:

The cliff top around Predannack is covered in swathes of yellow flowers that at first sight might be identified as Bird’s Foot Trefoil, but are actually Dyers’ Greenweed. I think. If they had thorns, they would be Petty Whin, but I didn’t notice any. There were also proliferations of other springtime blooms; scabious, stonecrop, campion, and other names familiar to those who take part in our annual floral treks.

It just occurred to me what a difference it would make if I typo’d an “m” instead of an “n” in the sub-heading above. Hmmm. That would be a different kind of newsletter! On which note I shall end this article and go and write something sensible about churches instead.

Jane Grierson

Vegetable staples

Although the latest gadget, a spiralizer is very trendy, there are some unexpected benefits as I have found out. There is lots of hype about our food, diet, alcohol consumption, sugar, diabetes and obesity to name but some. One way perhaps to address some of these issues is to eat less sugar and certain carbohydrates which the body turns into sugars. Spiralizers come in two types - a worktop version and a simple handheld; both have their virtues. Most experts agree that to eat more fruits and vegetables is good for us and a simple change using a spiralizer is a good beginning. Swap pasta or noodles for courgetti - simply spiralizer raw courgette and either microwave, stir-fry or steam then add your favourite sauce. Spiralized courgettes and apples with a lemony yoghurt dressing is a nice change to coleslaw. I have also recently discovered cauliflower rice - simply zap raw chopped cauliflower in a processor or blender, then microwave for 4 minutes and use with your favourite curry or sauce. Below, is a very simple recipe for you to try.

Pesto Courgetti with cherry tomatoes:

Combine 100g fresh basil leaves, 3 tbsps pine nuts, 1 clove of garlic, 3 tbsps grated parmesan, seasoning with 60 ml olive oil in a blender or processor till creamy. Spiralize 2 large courgettes and mix in a bowl with the pesto. Then add 125g small cherry or plum tomatoes cut in halves. Garnish with more basil and parmesan shavings. Can be served cold as a salad or hot by heating gently in a pan.

Lynda Blackman

In recent Newsletters, Lynda Blackman initiated an alphabetical series of brief notes on some of Cornwall's towns and villages. This is now a regular feature in our Newsletters, serving as a reminder of how delightful and attractive many of the County's historic settlements are:

The ABC of Cornish Towns and Village - 4 Durgan

Location – 10 miles south-west of Truro, on the north side of the Helford River, at grid reference: SW 773 273

Durgan or Dowrgeun in Cornish, meaning ‘otter’ or ‘homes of the sea dogs’, is a small hamlet in the parish of Mawnan. It is situated beside the Helford River about four miles south of Falmouth. The hamlet consists of approximately 15 properties, many owned by the National Trust, and has a permanent population of 10. The cottages, mostly former fish cellars, boat stores or donkey yards, have been renovated by the National Trust. The beach, a mix of grey sand and shingle, is popular with boaters, swimmers and holiday makers. Only vehicles belonging to residents or those staying in holiday lets are permitted in the village, as the roads are narrow and there is no parking. Every year in August there is a regatta which is popular with locals and visitors. Glendurgan Gardens, also owned by the National Trust, leads down the valley to Durgan. The creation of Glendurgan Gardens by the Fox Family in 1820 had a significant role in shaping the landscape and identity of Durgan. The Fox Family is still heavily involved in the village and the gardens, and currently live in the house located in the gardens. In the late 1800’s there was an active community working 9 fishing boats – the women sold the fish and also collected cockles, winkles and limpets. Sadly, this activity ceased at the commencement of World War 1 when the men were called up for active service.

Lynda Blackman

Landscapes with Benefits - Cornwall AONB conference

"We held the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty annual conference at the Bedruthan Steps Hotel on the 7th May with the appropriate theme of ‘Landscapes with Benefits’. The Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty does so much more than it ‘says on the tin’, not only does it provide us with outstanding natural beauty, it also provides us with exceptional benefits for our health and well being, as well as economic benefits that only a natural landscape can provide to the business community.

The conference opened with a welcome from our Chairman, Dr Robert Kirby-Harris, followed by a short inspirational aerial film tour around Cornwall which has been very kindly provided by ‘Visit Cornwall’. Steve Double MP then officially opened our conference and our Partnership Manager, Colette Beckham reflected on the past year and what we’ve been up to.

After a short break, it was time for our keynote speakers. Jonathon Jones, Managing Director of Trading at the Tregothnan Estate who discussed the economic benefits of living in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. The Tregothnan Estate not only grows English tea but also produces a wide range of herbal infusions and the diversity of land on the Tregothnan Estate also allows them to produce sustainable coppiced charcoal, Cornish Manuka honey, wildflower honeys and a very fine Kea Plum jam.

Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust - Newsletter 68, July 2016 - Page 8

Then followed by Professor Kevin J Gaston of the Local Nature Partnership and Director of the Environmental Sustainability Institute – University of Exeter, who discussed the benefits of ‘Natural Capital’ which is available to us all and includes the world’s stocks of natural resources including geology, soil, air, water and all living organisms. Natural Capital provides humans with a wide range of free goods and services which underpin our economy and society.

Following lunch, the afternoon consisted of a series of interesting workshops, where delegates were able to participate in both outdoor activities and some indoor thought provoking, interactive sessions provided by Red Hotels Group, the European Centre for Environment and Human Health and West Country Rivers Trust. This year’s annual conference, attended by around 80 delegates, was extremely successful, with positive feedback received from the delegates, who found it a very worthwhile and interesting day."

Cornwall AONB

Power of Archaeology

In June, the Council for British Archaeology launched its new campaign entitled the ‘Power of Archaeology’ as part of its Local Heritage Engagement Network. This new campaign aims to get MPs and local Councillors more closely engaged with archaeology and heritage issues, raise the profile of threats posed by cuts and planning policy reform, and make sure that decision-makers understand what archaeology does for us all and why people care passionately about it.

The south-west region, like others areas of the country, is currently under pressure to meet demands placed on local authority archaeology services due to budget cuts, and national planning policy reforms are threatening to undermine many of the protections that exist to prevent harm to, and create benefit from, archaeological remains discovered through the planning process.

Here at CBA South West we want to raise the profile of this campaign to local societies in the region. We hope to encourage you to help spread the awareness of the campaign, or to join in whichever way you can to help us raise the profile of archaeology with politicians at a local and national level.

We are asking societies just like yours to write to their MPs, invite them to local events and meetings, attend a local surgery, or send them details of your group and the work you do - anything to make a mark with your representative! One key aspect of this campaign will be the Festival of Archaeology, which runs from 16

th to 31

st July and features

events all over the region, we are encouraging event organisers to invite their local MPs along. Further details on the Festival of Archaeology, including finding an event near you or how to get involved, can be found here (http://www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/whatson).

You can find out about the campaign here (http://new.archaeologyuk.org/the-power-of-archaeology), including guidance for how to contact your MP, and what you can do if you are organising or visiting an archaeological event. It should be known that societies are more than welcome to share and adapt materials from the campaign as they deem appropriate, and are welcome to use the unbranded ‘Power of Archaeology’ resources attached here for their own websites and the hashtag #ArchaeoPower on social media.

If you want to get involved in any way but would like some advice, please contact lhen@archaeologyuk.org, or call 01904 521 417 and someone will be glad to help.

The CBA hopes that, with your support, to be able to capitalise on the contact made in order to highlight issues with upcoming legislation and policy, raising the probability that the sector will, collectively, be able to lobby for appropriate protections to be maintained, and enhancements sought.

Caradoc Peters Chair, Council for British Archaeology South West

Wind Farms – not windy enough

The new Chief Executive of the wind industry trade body, Hugh McNeal, has admitted that England is not windy enough to justify building more onshore wind farms. This extraordinary admission from the industry itself will please campaigners and opponents of wind farms. Nevertheless, there are still Planning Applications in the system for hundreds of new turbines, despite the Government implementing its manifesto pledge to end subsidies. Mr McNeal feels that without subsidies there is little chance of additional turbines being built in England. The situation in other parts of the UK is unclear.

The question has to be asked that if England is not windy enough why have hundreds of wind turbines been built in our countryside, assisted by massive subsidies from the public purse (that means you and me). We could ask those whom Mr McNeal represents for our money back, but perhaps we should just be pleased that the gravy train is coming to an end at last.

Of course this doesn’t alter the fact that we have a looming energy crisis in the UK, but wind turbines were never the solution.

Geoff Blackman

Culdrose Squadron commemorates the sinking of the Bismarck

In May 2016, 820 Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose commemorated the Squadron’s part in the sinking of the giant German battleship Bismarck. On 27 May 1941, Fairey Swordfish aircraft of 820 Squadron, flying off the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, attacked the Bismarck which was attempting to reach a French port and safety. The second attack badly damaged the Bismarck’s rudder and propeller, reducing her speed and manoeuvrability considerably. As a result, Royal Navy ships of the Home Fleet were able to find Bismarck and, after a two-hour action in the north Atlantic near France, sink her with shells and torpedoes.

To commemorate the 75th

Anniversary, the present Squadron held a dinner and drank a toast to their predecessors. The Swordfish was actually an outdated aircraft by the start of the war but, incredibly, remained in service until 1944 and had the nickname ‘’Stringbag‘’.

Geoff Blackman

Members of the Committee

Chairman John Thompson 01326 714417 Mellan House, North Corner, Coverack TR12 6TH

Vice Chairman (vacant)

Secretary David Richardson 01326 280058 Bodlowen, 3 Bounder Treath, Coverack TR12 6TP

Treasurer Geoff Blackman 01326 241722 Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG

Committee Geoff Blackman 01326 241722 Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG

Lynda Blackman 01326 241722 Chy an Mordhu, 5 Park Enskellaw, Mullion TR12 7JG

Adele Brazier 01326 280171 Chegwiddens, 6 Bounder Treath, Coverack TR12 6TP

John Brazier 01326 280171 Chegwiddens, 6 Bounder Treath, Coverack TR12 6TP

Avril Evens 01326 290629 Tresaddern House, Ruan Minor TR12 7NA

David Richardson 01326 280058 Bodlowen, 3 Bounder Treath, Coverack, TR12 6TP

Gill Richardson 01326 280058 Bodlowen, 3 Bounder Treath, Coverack, TR12 6TP

Anne Roberts 01326 221243 Pipers Green, Garras, Helston TR12 6LP

Ruth Thompson 01326 714417 Mellan House, North Corner, Coverack TR12 6TH

President: Geoff Blackman Vice Presidents: John Grierson, Peter Greenslade, David Richardson

Published by Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust, Bodlowen, Coverack TR12 6TP Tel: 01326 280058 Email: d813richardson@btinternet.com

Website: www.lizardpeninsulaheritagetrust.org.uk