Author Archives: AH

September Update


S.H.A.R.E., the Hall Committee and the Parish Council are pooling their efforts to support a bid for an M&S grant to raise funds for the hall, and we hope we can count on you as well. On September 4th voting starts on line to secure our bid for a Tesla PowerWall, a storage unit to capture the energy generated by the solar panels installed on the hall roof 2 years ago, which can then be used when the sun is not shining. Running in conjunction with this, we are Crowd-Funding, i.e. raising money through donated items that you can purchase. If successful this project could bring in 12,000 pounds to the hall for these improvements, which will help ensure the hall stays viable for the future.

We have already been shortlisted so have negotiated the first hurdle, now WE NEED VOTES. LOTS OF VOTES. More votes than the parish alone can generate, so we’ve asked neighbouring parishes to help us and we’re asking YOU to spread the word, to your friends, work colleagues, all groups you belong to. Share the message on email and other social medial platforms and really get behind this. £12,000 is a chunk of change we could really use. M&S want to give it to us if we can demonstrate enough support.

To show we are serious about this project, we are also looking to raise £1500 by donations and purchasing gifted items. We have some amazing products and services already gifted and are looking for more to reach our target. If you can offer something please contact Astrid or Ali.

When the M&S web site goes live on September 4th all the details will be there. Meanwhile take a sneak peek on the www.south-hill.co.uk web site to see those that have committed support so far. Endsleigh Nursery has gifted us a number of trees, shrubs and rose plants to sell for the project. They are in the driveway at Green Meadows for you to take a look at and buy. From Golberdon crossroads, take the South Hill Rd and at the next junction, Green Meadows is on the left. Come and get a bargain and support the PARISH HALL.

 Other stuff going on!

August 27th 10 – 11am Messy Church at St. Sampson’s Fun crafts and discover more about your Christian Faith.

Sunday 27th. Walk with Ali and the Calstock Footpath society, this Sunday 11am from Golberdon crossroads. Taking footpaths and quiet roads to Linkinhorne church for a lunch break and read the head stone carved by Daniel Gumb , then onto Browda passing Roundbury and folllowing the Lynher to Wagmuggle and back. 5 1/2 – 6 miles.

Callington Community College Art Block. Workshops. Wednesday 30th August 10am – 3pm see attached poster (Arty Party)

Thursday 31st. Monthly Charity Quiz 7:30 for 8pm start, Come as a team of 4 or make up on the night. If you haven’t been before join in the fun, bring nibbles and drinks. ALL profits to local charities.

Tavistock Camera Club are organising a two day Photo Exhibition to celebrate 45 years as a club on the 2nd / 3rd September. See attachment (Camera Club Exhibition)

North Hill village hall is fund raising from the Launceston Tesco bags of help tokens, through September and October.

Thursday Sept 21st  SHARE AGM. and Social evening. New and potential members welcome to join us. 7:30pm in the Parish Hall meeting room.

Sat Sept 23rd South Hill Hall Committee Harvest Supper. Tickets on sale from Nick Easton or email events@south-hill.co.uk  Entertainment from the Golberdon Gals choir. Bring your auction items and drinks.

Sept 24th 10am St Sampson’s church service of thanksgiving for our animals.

Horticultural Show report on line here… pix to follow

SHARE FIREWOOD deliveries going out now , contact Ali to place your order. 01579 384544 iamalihumphreys@yahoo.com

FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK Like South Hill Parish and Friend Florence Hill and Twitter @SouthHillParish

South Hill Horticultural Show


On Saturday 19th August 2017 the 58th South Hill Horticultural Show took to Golberdon Village Hall with 600 exhibits of cookery, vegetables, handicrafts, photographs, flowers and children’s entries from 62 exhibitors. It was great to see so many new faces enter and support the show on the day.

The weather held off which aided in a successful day. Callington Mayor and Town Portreeve Mark Smith presented the trophies to the many winners and Liam Hartley of Maders presented the gift of a wooden crafted pen to Mark at the start of the prize giving. The prize winners were as follows below:

  • Committee Cup (Most points in show)- Brian Arthur
  • K. J. Uglow Cup (Runner up)- Peggy Ede
  • Cup third place most points- Judith Ayres
  • Barbara Ede (New entrant, most points)- Chloe Coombe
  • E.C. Pomroy (most points floral arrangements)- Cat Ede & Susan Hicks
  • Maureen Hindle (Best floral art exhibit)- Andrea Hill
  • Best Cut Flowers in Show- Brian Arthur
  • F. Eggins Memorial Trophy (Most points cut flowers)- Brian Arthur
  • Best exhibit in Pot plants- Barry Jackson
  • Gilbert Rickard trophy (most points in Veg classes)- Peggy Ede
  • H. Trewartha (best exhibit in Veg classes)- Barry Jackson
  • Best collection of vegetables- Brian Arthur
  • Buckingham Trophy (most points in handicrafts)- Andrea Hill
  • Best Exhibit in Handicrafts- Andrea Hill
  • Mrs S Rickard (most points in cookery)- Sharon Jasper
  • Best exhibit in cookery classes- Marina Herbert
  • Sheila Cup (most points in photography- Graham Hartley
  • Best entry in Photo Classes- Sue Skelton
  • Parish Council (Miss Alvery Cup Local Child most points)- Nathan Brent
  • Child 5 & Under most points- Chloe Coombe
  • Child 6-10 most points- Emily Robbins
  • Child 11-15 most points- Nathan Brent
  • R.H.G Gimblett (best photo by a child)- Liam Hartley
  • Jenny Jane (best rose in the Show)- Sue Skelton

Many thanks to Spar of Callington for donating the joint of beef for the “Guess the weight of the roast dinner” won by Erin Beale and Trevallacks Farm Shop for donating the cream tea for two for the game “Guess how many buttons in a jam jar” won by Josh Gosling. The roast dinner weighed 6.132kg and there were 256 buttons in the jar for anyone wondering how close you were! Many thanks also goes to sponsors Helluva Pasties, Janet Harding Alterations, Keltic and Callington Fresh Produce for their sponsorship.

Next year’s show will be Saturday 18th August…. Please put it in your diaries and keep it free, it will be great to see you there and fill the hall with exhibits again! J

If you would like more information or would like to become part of the team, please contact Lucy or Cat Ede on 01579 382182.

September Walking Festival


www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on/sports/south-coast/looe/south-east-cornwall-walking-festival

Now in its 17th year, the South East Cornwall Walking Festival celebrates the wonderful countryside in and around south east Cornwall. Join local guides who know the area inside out, who will lead you to hidden viewpoints, deserted beaches and picturesque villages.

Saturday 16th September  … Up the hill to fetch a pint of..

Start: Sandplace Station 10.40 (coincides with train from Looe and No 73 bus from Liskeard)Starting the festival off with a walk up the river then through the woods and the orchards to the Duloe Beer & Cider Festival. The walk will take about one and a half hours, depending on your thirst.. ….Once at the festival you are free to imbibe and leave when ready, there are busses back to Looe or Liskeard.

Sunday 17th September  … A Quethiock Quest

Start: 10.30am Outside the Church gate (please note, parking near the church is limited, please park on the top road near the school.)

We wanted to lead a walk somewhere different this year, in a part of South East Cornwall we have never explored before. The parish of Quethiock is one of those places few people go to unless they live there, or are lost. So, we intend to go there and not get lost and hopefully learn something about a traditional farming parish. The walk is a mixture of quiet lanes and footpaths covering around eight miles. Some hills and may be muddy in places. Please bring a packed lunch and snacks.

 

Monday 18th September

Antony Passage Walk

Start: 10.30am, St Stephens Church, Saltash,  (SX417584) Walk lasts approx two hours.

Join Saltash Walk & Talk Group for a gentle stroll down along this fascinating creek, part of the Forder Conservation Area. Meet. Walk alongside Forder Lake from Forder village to Antony Passage, up steps through woods and fields to Trematon Castle. One steep downhill at start, some hills with an alternative to St. Stephens Hill on the return.

Lostwithiel Town Walk

Start: Lostwithiel Community Centre (SX105599) at 11:00 am. Walk is about 90 minutes. Cost £3.50 per person.

Join the Lostwithiel Museum Guides for a fascinating walk around the former capital of Cornwall.

Tuesday 19th   T.B.C

Wednesday 20th …. An Introduction to Bodmin Moor

Start: 10.30am Heritage Centre Carpark Minions.(SX263713)  Walk lasts approx two hours.

Join the Tamar Valley Walk & Talk group for an easy walk along moorland paths from the village of Minions.  A great introduction to Bodmin Moor if you don’t know the area.

Thursday 21st …. The Great Looe Guided Pub Crawl

Start: The Rose Garden, Fore St, East Looe, 7.30pm

Back by popular demand! An evening walk around Looe looking at the role the various pubs, inns and bars have played in the town’s history.

Friday 22nd … Rediscovering a Parish

Start: 10.40am Outside Looe Library

The parish of Talland no longer exists, though the church sits proud on the coast between Looe and Polperro. Join festival organiser Mark Camp to explore the surrounding countryside and coastline, much loved by smugglers in the past.  Walk is around seven miles in length. Some hills and may be muddy in places. Lunch stop will be at Talland beach where there is a cafe but feel free to bring a packed lunch and snacks if preferred.

Saturday 23rd ….

FORAGING with Andy Pearson

Start:  St. Stephens Church, Saltash  1.30pm- 3.30pm (SX417584)

Join the friends of Churchtown Farm Community Nature Reserve for a walk looking for edible plants. A fun afternoon suitable for families. Please bring a mug and a spoon to enjoy soup cooked on the foreshore.

Wear suitable clothes and footwear. Any queries contact : Mary Langworth on 01752 843852 or Bob Austin on 01752 844666

Caradon Explorer

Start: 10.30am, Tokenbury Corner, on the B3254 between Liskeard and Upton Cross.  (SX280696)

We finish the festival with a circular walk of 7/8 miles along disused mineral railways, footpaths and lanes visiting some of the industrial heritage of the mining and quarrying activity of South East Bodmin Moor. Leader will be Brian Oldham of Liskeard’s Walkers are Welcome and volunteer at Liskeard & District Museum. Sturdy footwear and a packed lunch are recommended.

A free event, but donations to the Museum’s acquisition fund would be very welcome.

Most walks are free. However walks leaders may ask for a donation (suggested £4/£5) to go towards costs of putting the festival on or towards a charity of their choice.

The festival receives no funding and all walks leaders volunteer their time.

SHARE Update


South Hill Association for Renewable Energy
Community Group

Fundraising

We are pleased to announce that SHARE has been shortlisted for funding from the M&S Energy Community Energy Fund.  This year £300,000 will be awarded to support renewable energy projects and technologies across the UK.  Last year 25 projects received funding, and this year we hope to earn our share.

The project we are proposing is to install a Tesla Powerwall 2 energy store at the Parish Hall to take full advantage of the roof-top solar PV system. At present, this is only of direct use to Hall users during the day, and excess generation is exported to the National Grid.  With batteries, energy could be stored and used during the evenings too.  This is particularly exciting in view of the recent announcement by the government that they plan to support the further development of battery technology for this purpose.

The judges base their decisions partly on the merit of the project, but also on support from the public. The voting and crowdfunding stage will take place in September and October.  Our fund –raiser, Astrid Fischer, has just started working on the next stage of the M&S bid.  A small team is already helping her to expand support for our project.  If you are able to help please step forward.

AGM – Thursday September 21st 2017, 7:30pm Continue reading →

Church Matters August 2107


Some years before we moved to Cornwall a young man started attending the same church as us in West London. He came from St Austell and was in the habit of referring to Cornwall as “God’s Own County” – seeming to imply that it had some favoured status in God’s eyes. At the time we found this amusing and rather quaint. Looking around us now where we live in Rilla Mill – and comparing it to the landscape of suburban London we might be more inclined to agree with his sentiments – we certainly consider ourselves fortunate to be able to enjoy such surroundings all the time. But are we favoured? Is this some blessing from God?

It seems clear that to live in a part of the country which demonstrates an abundance of the good things in God’s creation shows that there are indeed blessings to be found here. However the statistics, showing lower than average income and the ratio of income to average house prices for the county, indicate that not everyone may feel so blessed. Cornwall has received significant funding from Europe as it is seen as a relatively poor region although the accuracy of the statistics on which this was based may be disputed. So is Cornwall favoured? Is it “God’s Own County”? Continue reading →

YFC County Rally at Meaders


The 80th annual Young Farmers Clubs County Rally Organised by Cornwall county chairman Cat Ede, took place on Saturday, July 22nd at Meaders Farm, hosted by the Ede and Gorman families.

The rally brings together all the county clubs for a day of fun activities competing against each other in various competitions from cookery, handicrafts to sports & practical skills.

‘how many people can you cram into the middle of a tractor tyre’, the ‘greasy pole’ competition, and build a lawn mower suitable for a tractor pull.

Cornwall Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (CFYFC) is the largest rural youth organisation in the county. Continue reading →

Callington U3A July Talk


Callington U3A   U3A speaker of the month for July 2017 Walking in Cornwall

Sue Kittow came to speak at our July meeting. Sue lives in Falmouth and writes books on Cornish Walks.  She has always loved walking but now enjoys the company of Mollie Dog her Jack Russell who provides a means of chatting to other people and their dogs.   She is an excellent photographer and showed us lots of her pictures, including a beautiful geographic sand sculpture she came across at Gwithiam – made by an artist with a rake.

Sue used to write up her walks for the magazine Cornwall Today but thought about producing a book. So she re-visited and re-wrote 20 for her first effort, then set about trying to find a publisher.  She found one in Wales and has kept going – both in the walking and writing sense.

She was inspired by a friend to take a more themed approach and has written a book of walks connected to Writers in Cornwall and their favourite places. Following that came the television series of Poldark and Sue realised that someone else would write about the places used in the filming if she didn’t do it first.  So she began, by her own admission, a little late in the day and working through the winter.  The weather took its toll on her photography and she was faced with a bit of a scamper towards the publisher’s deadline trying to get pictures which were not indistinguishably grey and misty.  She said she spent the Easter weekend driving around madly taking duplicate photographs because the sun had come out!  Continue reading →

Astrid the Plankton Analyst


When friends ask me what I do, I normally say I work at the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, as a plankton analyst. People always look at me puzzled, then I explain, and soon they are fascinated.

When at the seaside, you see the beach and the ocean, but you fail to realise the plankton that is out there and the important role it plays. Plankton comes from the Greek ‘planktos’ which means ‘to drift’, plankton are the tiny organisms that drift on the currents in the ocean. There is phytoplankton, which is plant plankton and zooplankton, which is animal plankton. They are tiny organisms, not seen by the naked eye.

The Victorians already knew about their beauty and made diatom slides, which took a tremendous amount of effort to make, shifting individual plankton cells into an arrangement. www.victorianmicroscopeslides.com/slideexb.htm

People do not realise that plankton produce every other breathe we take. We worry about the rainforest, as it is so visual, but we forget about the other major contributor to our oxygen production, the tiny plankton that live in the sea.

There is more life in a drop of seawater than anyone realises. Continue reading →

Who was St Sampson?


Recently our church received a beautiful quilted banner from South Hill Piece Makers of St Sampson, the patron Saint of our Church, but who was he? Why is this church dedicated to him? We know a few things basis in historical fact.

Of all the so-called ‘Cornish’ saints, Sampson is the only one for whom there appears to be documentary evidence written at the time he was alive: there is a reference to a bishop, probably our St Sampson signing his name with other bishops who attended a church council in Paris in 562. Sampson also has the distinction of being the only ‘Cornish’ saint whose biography, was written less than 200 years after his death.

Sampson was the son of a noble family from South Wales, born in the early 500s. He was regarded as a miraculous child because he was born when his parents had long given up hope of having a child and was named after the Biblical Samson in the book of Judges.  He was educated in a monastery at Llantwit Major where he eventually became ordained. Continue reading →

Rilla Mill 7 miler


From Golberdon crossroads, walk through the recreation field, past the hall and the play park, out through the pedestrian gate, be careful crossing the road, into “The Square” and walk down “back lane”. Keep right, passing the houses at Moorland View, and along the path to Trewoodloe lane. Turn left and follow the lane, pass Trewoodloe Castle, Trewoodloe Farm House, Trewoodloe Cottage and turn right into the driveway of Trewoodloe House. Look for the path markers ahead, by the wood pile, keep right then left up the steps and around to the pedestrian gate.

Turn left, the path goes straight ahead, through the gate, keep the hedge on your right to the next gate, and straight on, down across the steep grass field to a metal gate. Through here you go straight ahead towards the farm house and left down the driveway, coming out at Berrio Mill.

Turn Right, see the old well on the right, and follow the old leat along the quiet road to Wagmuggle. (A great name, the origin is not known but is shown on a 1748 map) Turn left by the house and down to the stream, cross on the granite footbridge and enter the grass field. Keep the wire fence on your left. The river Lynher can be heard a few hundred yards away. Go over the stile and keep straight ahead. The reeds on your left are a good indication that this land is a flood meadow and attracts wild geese and heron can be spotted on the river bank. Spot the path on the left as it goes over 2 granite footbridges and through a wooden gate. This route was walked by miners from Golberdon and Kerney Bridge to Cheesewring Quarry and other mines.

Follow the track, (can be wet after heavy rain) and go through a total of 5 waymarked wood gates, eventually emerging onto the road (near Browda, the house was built in 1602).

Turn left, follow the road pass Wales Cottage, Beneathwood Farm (listed building) and an avenue of ancient trees, bringing you to the granite “entrance” posts. Cross the road, continuing on the footpath, used by fishermen. Over a stile into a grass field, (2 horses were here when walked in July) continue straight ahead, brings you to another stile, partially hidden by nettles, this time of year.

Keep straight again, you’re aiming for the house in the distance and the far corner of the top hedge, where you’ll find a gate in gate, replacing the rotting ladder stile. New fencing keeps you to the left over a wooden bridge with stiles either end.

Out into the meadow with great views of Caradon, Cheesewring and Sharptor. Keep the hedge on your right, as you walk up the slope, make use of the bench if you want to enjoy the scenery. Navigate past the dog agility equipment to a pedestrian gate and driveway (at Liverscombe) to the main Rilla Mill road.

Turn Left, down the hill, past the village hall and The Manor Inn is on your left. Be silly not to stop and enjoy their hospitality…….  Your ½ way point. About 3 ½ miles.

Beyond the pub, just before the bridge is Parsons Meadow and play park, another great spot to enjoy a break, (no dogs allowed). You can see and hear the leat water rushing under the bridge, once used to drive the mill here. (The building on the right, was once the home and HQ of Truscotts Omnibus Company.)

Continue over the bridge and turn left, following the road past Addicroft to Plushabridge about a mile.

The bridge on the left was widened and parapet rebuilt in 1913 by Cornwall County Council. (Built to provide access for the miners of Caradon, to the parish church in Linkinhorne.) These ducklings were seen on July 15th.

Option 1, if you want to stay on the roads, back track off the bridge and continue straight on up the hill, bringing you to the telephone exchange, turn left and follow the road all the way down to Kerney Bridge and on up into Golberdon and back to the crossroads. Not quite 7 miles.

Option 2. Go over the bridge, taking note of the mining cottages on the left, with stones stating CJP 1823. Turn Right and retrace your steps back the way you came. You will have walked close to 7 miles.

Option 3. For a longer walk, 8 ½ miles (14km)go over the bridge, turn right, past the footpath used earlier, keep going for 1 ½ miles, passing Browda, and Roundbury (an Iron Age settlement, imagine 2500 or so years ago a thriving community on this back road), eventually you’ll come to Linkinhorne. (You’ve 2 ½ miles back to Golberdon.) Keep right, at the church, St Melors, the tower rises to 120 ft high making it the second highest tower in Cornwall. You may want to take a look at the stocks in the porch and find the slate memorial stone against the east end church wall, which commemorates Katherine Nicholls, there is an amusing verse carved by Daniel Gumb, the eccentric stonemason, born in Linkinhorne on 14th April 1703, died in 1776, lived in a cave, in the shadow of Cheesewring, carved several of the gravestones in the churchyard. Facing the church is a row of cottages, one of these used to house the Sun Inn, in 1841 this small village supported 2 inns. The other The Church House Inn, recently closed, has been called The Stone Masons and …..

Continue around pass the red phone box, on the road to South Hill. In about 300 yards look for the footpath sign on the right taking you through to Mornick.

At Mornick turn left then right at the footpath sign taking you to Trewassick, Lansugle, Trewoodloe and back to Golberdon.