Manor Issue 23

The Region’s Premium Publication Winter 2017 | Issue 23 £4.50

As I see it Gareth Malone

Soak up Bath Christmas city break

Kudhva Cornish hideaways

Phenomenal flora Photographs by Isabel Bannerman

Powderham Devon’s finest castle

CULTURE FOOD SPACE ESCAPE SCHOOL 1 PROPERTY

MANOR Winter 2017

2

MANOR | Winter 2017

MANOR Winter 2017

3

CONTEMPORARY AND SUBSTANTIAL FAMILY HOME SET IN IDYLLIC CREEKSIDE LOCATION

FEOCK, NEAR TRURO, SOUTH CORNWALL

Loe Beach – 1; Devoran – 4; Truro – 5; Mylor – 7; Falmouth – 10 (distances are approximate and in miles).

Creek End has been the subject of a substantial extension and rebuild project located on Pill Lane, one of south Cornwall’s most desirable locations. Occupying an elevated south west facing position at the head of Pill Creek, this distinctive and spacious contemporary family home occupies a plot of around 0.4 of an acre and enjoys an open outlook towards the water and countryside. Creek End offers great versatile living; with a total of 4 bedrooms, spacious living areas and a potential ground floor annexe / fifth bedroom / games room.

Guide £1,650,000 £1,850,000 Freehold 4

MANOR | Winter 2017

Savills Cornwall Ben Davies bmdavies@savills.com

01872 243200

A VERY SPECIAL COUNTRY HOUSE IN A PEACEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL RURAL SETTING

CONSTANTINE, NORTH HELFORD, SOUTH CORNWALL

Port Navas – 1.2; Constantine – 1.3; Helford Passage – 2.7; Falmouth – 6.5 (distances are approximate and in miles).

Savills Cornwall

Set within beautiful gardens and just a short distance from the peaceful Helford River, Treviades Barton is a charming Grade Jonathan Cunliffe II* Listed home. The house has far reaching views to the south, taking in the rolling countryside of the Lizard and area jcunliffe@savills.com around the Helford. With up to 6 bedrooms, exquisite gardens and a paddock set in approximately 3.64 acres.

01872 243200

Guide £1,850,000 Freehold

MANOR Winter 2017

5

6

MANOR | Winter 2017

MANOR Winter 2017

7

8

MANOR | Winter 2017

Contents

Winter 2017

34

Regulars 15 TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE

74

Correspondence from across the divide

34

39

AS I SEE IT...

Choirmaster and broadcaster Gareth Malone OBE

Style & Beauty 16 TRENDS

‘Tis the season, office party glamour and divine decadence

21

SOMETHING UNIQUE?

22

FACE THE FESTIVE

Gift ideas for her, him, the home and the kids

Mortimers Jewellers, Exeter

Beauty for the party season

32

Gift Guide 24 GIVE THEM SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL

MY FEEL-GOOD REGIME

Photostory 39 IN THE DARK OF A BLACK VELVET BOX Photographs by Isabel Bannerman

Songwriter and producer Malcolm Joseph

72

THE STYLE SHOOT Our special Glitz Issue location, Powderham Castle

74

QUEEN OF THE CASTLE Photographed by Remy Whiting

Features 52 DREAM WEAVER Mount Pleasant Eco Park founder Tim Stirrup

MANOR Winter 2017

9

58

Culture 58 THE LIFE FANTASTIC Author Phillip Reeve

60

100

114

THREE NATIVE MAKERS A new generation

64

SOUTH WEST MUST SEES...

What’s on around the region

68

WORTH MAKING THE TRIP FOR...

Cultural highlights from the metropolis and beyond

71

WORTH STAYING IN FOR...

Quality time on your sofa

Food 92 FIRE UP YOUR TASTE BUDS Award-winning chef Paul Ainsworth talks about Padstow

96

THE GOUDA LIFE Cornish cheesemaker Giel Spierings

100

CHEESE LORD Cheese recipes from Michel Roux

104

BITES

Space 114 GREEN GETAWAY Kudvha – wooden hideaways in Cornwall

118

Designer David Amos on how to use light to create relaxing environments

Food news from across the peninsula

111

THE TABLE PROWLER ...dines out at Birch, Bristol and Gidleigh Park, Devon

10

MANOR | Winter 2017

ILLUMINATING ADVICE

120

SHOPPING FOR SPACE Nordic charm

Winter 2017

124

162 MANOR school 137 SCHOOL NEWS IN BRIEF Silence in the Shebbear courtroom; Maynard girls ‘Walk in Her Shoes’; Millfield Prep Jack Amor ranked world number one in the world for Under 13 triathle

138

SEASON’S TEACHINGS Festive learning over the holidays

Property 147 THE RELOCATOR

130 Escape 124 BATH TIME

Focus on Falmouth, Cornwall

148

PROPERTY OF NOTE

159

SNAPSHOT COMPARATIVE

Tremoren, St Kew, Cornwall

A selection of properties in the South West and London under £650,000

A Christmas break in Bath

130

SLOW GOA Discovering the quieter side of the Indian resort

134

LUXE APPEAL The launch of the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

Back Page 162 PRIZE DRAW Win a culinary weekend at Michelin-starred The Olive Room, North Devon

MANOR Winter 2017

11

is brought to you by PUBLISHING EDITOR

Imogen Clements

imogen@manormagazine.co.uk

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Jane Fitzgerald

jane@manormagazine.co.uk

FEATURES EDITOR

Fiona McGowan

features@manormagazine.co.uk

ARTS EDITOR

Belinda Dillon belinda@manormagazine.co.uk

FOOD EDITOR

Anna Turns

anna@manormagazine.co.uk

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Amy Tidy

amy@manormagazine.co.uk

PUBLISHING MANAGER

Emilie Wiggins

emilie@manormagazine.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES

Jeni Smith

jeni@manormagazine.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Professor Ruth Merttens, Kate Sermon, Lauren Williams DESIGN

Eleanor Cashman, Guy Cracknell

THE COVER Printed kimono jumpsuit, Zara, £69.99; necklace, H&M, £14.99 Photographer:Remy Whiting; Stylist: Mimi Stott; Model: Mila Miletic ; Hair and make-up: Maddie Austin © MANOR Publishing Ltd, 2017.

MANOR Magazine is published by Manor Publishing Ltd. Registered office: MANOR Publishing Ltd, 12 Mannamead Road, Plymouth, Devon PL4 7AA. Registered in England No. 09264104 info@manormagazine.co.uk. Printed by Wyndeham Roche Ltd.

12

MANOR | Winter 2017

Welcome to The Glitz Issue of MANOR! It’s easy to sigh at how quickly another year has gone by, and age only makes time go faster. As does, I find, working on a magazine, with its never-ending deadlines. There’s no time to shout ‘stop the train, I want to get off!’ but then, there isn’t really for any of us.

What’s comforting, though, are the rituals we have that provide glitz, warmth and sparkle to carry us through the season: the opportunity to decorate, dress up, gather, invest time and thought in giving, feeding and entertaining.

Sneer and don’t bother and you miss out on the fun.

That said, at MANOR we’re of the opinion that The Glitz Issue should not be given entirely over to Christmas; you get enough of that everywhere else. As ever, we want you to settle back on the sofa with a copy of the magazine and a glass of something warming, and escape all the hullabaloo by reading with interest about what you hadn’t known before, or being swept away by the beauty of the photography that fills our pages.

We do have some gift inspiration for you to present-plan (to ease the stress), but we also have an in-depth conversation with choirmaster Gareth Malone, who as a professional animateur is adept at unlocking the singer that lurks within us, and having us experience the sheer joy that is singing en masse.

We visit two highly inspirational Cornish initiatives in Eco Park and the Cornish Gouda Company. Eco Park is an environmentally inspired event venue, and the Cornish Gouda Company is a small dairy farm in Cornwall, producing the traditional Dutch cheese to award-winning standards. Cheese, in all its hard, soft, blue and creamy varieties, is so popular at Christmas that we present a range of recipes from Michel Roux’s latest book, Cheese: The Essential Guide to Cooking with Cheese, many of which you will have heard of, probably tasted and possibly even tried your hand at, but it’s unlikely you’ve prepared them Roux-style – which is, of course, the best way.

Our Culture section is full of suitably stimulating work, as well as suggestions for what to see, and we interview the author Philip Reeve, whose latest work is being lined up for the big screen by The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

Our Photostory is stunning, showing some of the sublimely beautiful photos from Isabel Bannerman’s book, Landscape of Dreams.

Her photos are works of art.

The Style Shoot was shot in one of Devon’s historic jewels, Powderham Castle. The castle, which started life in 1391 as the result of the dowry of Edward I’s granddaughter, has stayed in the Courtenay family ever since, through 28 generations. So taken were we with the stories, architecture and aura of the place that we felt we should give you a snippet of information on each room featured, Cluedo-style, to encourage you to go and discover Powderham Castle for yourselves.

In Escape, we transport you to Goa and then back to Bath; in School, we provide you with useful activities to do with the children when they’ve become bored with their presents; then, come the Back Page, we present you with yet another glorious prize to win: this issue’s Back Page Prize Draw is for a Michelin-starred gastronomic weekend at The Olive Room, North Devon, courtesy of chef Thomas Carr. The weekend for two will comprise bed and breakfast, dinner à la carte on the first night, and on the following evening the seven-course tasting menu with wine pairing.

There have been six MANOR prize draw winners so far – I present the email from Ms Frost, who won the four-star return trip to Santander: “Hi Imogen, we’ve just returned from Santander and had a marvellous time. Storm Brian missed us completely and the crossings were calm. The Hotel Gran Victoria was splendid, weather was sunny and warm, food delicious! Thank you sooo much.”

It could be you next. Don’t forget to enter. And a have a wonderful Christmas!

Very best wishes from us all,

Imogen Clements FOUNDER & PUBLISHING EDITOR @ManorMagazine

@manormagazine

Sign up to the MANOR newsletter to receive special offers and see what’s coming up at manormagazine.co.uk/newsletter

The views of the writers in MANOR Magazine are not necessarily those shared by the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or transparencies are accepted on the understanding that the publishers incur no liability for their storage or return. The contents of MANOR Magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission.

By submitting material to MANOR Magazine, MANOR Magazine Ltd is automatically granted the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use, reproduce, edit, distribute and display such material (in whole or part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed for the full term of any rights that may exist in such content. The contributor acknowledges that material submitted may

be published in any publication or website produced or published by MANOR Publishing Ltd. The contributor agrees not to submit material where they do not own the copyright and where they have not obtained all necessary licenses and/or approvals from the rightful owner.

With respect to any photographs submitted, the contributor confirms that all necessary model and property releases have been obtained from any clearly identifiable person appearing in any image, together with any other relevant consents required.

Prices and details of services and products are genuinely believed to be correct at the time of going to press, but may change. Although every effort is made to maintain accuracy we regret we are unable to honour any incorrect prices or other details that may be printed.

MANOR Winter 2017

13

14

MANOR | Winter 2017

TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE Darling...

Sweetness...

Goodness, how quickly time passes! It seems only yesterday that I was mixing plum pudding and pondering prezzies.

Have you achieved your resolution to learn the piano accompaniment to Life on Mars, sweetie? In homage to the Thin White Duke, that was the goal you set yourself at the start of the year, n’est ce pas? Will we, as you suggested, be performing our Bing/Bowie Little Drummer Boy duet around the piano? I’ve been practising the traditional (Bing) part – you can take the descant.

Now, I know many people get overwhelmed and stressed by the approach of Christmas, and all the organization and socializing that comes with it, but me, I love it.

It’s all about getting out more and soaking up the atmosphere. Parties, Christmas markets and shopping. Indeed, I’ve decided to buck the trend – I’m going (on foot) to shops rather than doing it all via a screen. Novel this may be to those born after 1970, but I recently rediscovered the joy of serendipitous shopping again – popped into H&M having spotted a dress through the window and ended up buying it, plus a couple of tops, a pair of boots and a necklace, all in record time. They just caught my eye and I couldn’t resist. That’s what online can’t do, catch your eye – never that subtle. Instead, it’s all ‘pop-ups’ and ‘skyscrapers’.

Also, I’ve decided that the way to get through Christmas without collapsing, bloated, in a heap is to exercise through it. By exercising, not only do you banish the dreaded hangover but you speed up the metabolism to face yet another round of canapés.

One must resist the urge to sofa-surf in front of Christmas telly and instead take every opportunity to do treasure hunts, play Twister or Sardines. And when auntie suggests you all go for a stroll after Christmas lunch, leap to it! That’s my plan.

Then, once it’s all over, I shall head off to a personal retreat I know in the wilderness. Yes, sweetie, that’s what we progressive types are doing these days – digital detoxing, with nature for inspiration. Christmas: splurge, gorge and purge. Bring it on!

I like your festive fervour – it’s infectious. I too start looking forward to Christmas long before Halloween, and such is my excitement that I’m beating brandy into butter as we speak and researching sustainable and durable decorations that will look good well beyond twelfth night. Like poinsettias and fairy lights.

And yes, I’m up for dueting Little Drummer Boy – I’ve been practising the Bowie descant all year. I love a descant. Name your favourite descant! C’mon, sweetie, it’s the season… “Sing, choirs of angels” has to be up there! Such is my enthusiasm, I’ve been known to sing it soprano well beyond the stricter confines of the trained choir, like a stray sheep among the uninitiated. That said, it feels better to hit those high notes in the company of others – I always tend to go off pitch solo voce.

Why is it that they composed hymns and carols to be so high?

Am never sure whether to rise or drop an octave. Nothing better than belting them out, though… You have your retreats into the wilderness; I have singing, loudly, preferably with others, as my therapy. It’s thoroughly exhilarating. We should do more of it. The world would probably not be in the mess it’s in if we all approached every day like Gilbert and Sullivan.

My piano playing, alas, has not reached the grand summits I set myself, and Life on Mars will have to wait another year.

As for surviving Christmas with exercise, I say embrace it, with cheese. Plenty of it, in the form of straws, soufflés, rare-bits and cakes. Where would we be without cheese?

Think of all those cracker jokes, for a start.

No, darling, I don’t mean cracker (spelt), I mean crackers (Christmas)… How to approach an angry Welsh cheese? Caerphilly.

Cheese to disguise a small horse? Mascarpone. If you’re a cheese, what do you say to yourself in the mirror each day?

Halloumi!

Sigh. You can tell I’m in fine feta today, can’t you, sweetie?

WHAT’S HOT IN THE SMOKE?

WHAT’S COOL IN THE COUNTRY?

Celebrated choreographer Matthew Bourne puts a WWII spin on the classic fairytale, Cinderella. Showing at Sadler’s Wells (9 December – 27 January) and touring thereafter, it promises to sweep us away. Book tickets before they go!

Mousehole Christmas Lights are illuminated on 16 December and twinkle through to 6 January 2018 on floating displays of lights in the harbour and throughout streets filled with the aroma of mulled wine and festive food.

Bao – small Taiwanese street food restaurant (Soho and Fitzrovia) serving up fluffy steamed buns stuffed with aged pork, cod among other delectable fillings. Perfect relaxed lunch joint during a day in the smoke. Get there early to avoid queues.

Finisterre, that quality purveyor of cold water surfing attire, opens a new store in Exeter in time for Christmas. Let this inspire you to get out among those winter waves – there is nothing quite like it!

MANOR Winter 2017

15

Earrings, Topshop, £12.50

‘Tis the season to sparkle

Akris AW17

Shimmer your way into the festive period by wearing a mix of metallic this season. It is perfectly acceptable to shine in gold, silver and bronze by day or night. Pair a glittery knit with a pleated skirt for a casual daytime look or rock head-to-toe glitz with a statement sequin dress for the party season. Accessorize with some costume jewellery to well and truly dazzle them! Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Jumper, Marks and Spencer, £29.50

Skirt, Oliver Bonas, £65

Dress, Zara, £29.99

Sparkle knit, Whistles, £99

Hat, Oliver Bonas, £22

Jacket, Monsoon, £129

Shoes, Dune, £150 Bag, Topshop, £25

16

MANOR | Winter 2017

Top, Topshop, £42

Bag, Accessorize, £65

Lela-Rose AW17

trends Earrings, Zara, £12.99

Dress, Monsoon, £249

Dress, Oasis, £180

Twist and Tango top, House of Fraser, £109

Bag, Dune, £65

Bag, Zara, £29.99 Shoes, Dune, £70

Skirt, Marks and Spencer, £45

Shoes, Zara, £19.99

MANOR Winter 2017

17

Office party glamour

With Christmas parties just around the corner, you want to dress up but not OTT in front of the boss, so go for something classic that can be worn more than once throughout the party season. We’ve identified some key styles in the form of elegant jumpsuits, little black dresses and rich textures in splashes of Christmassy shades such as emerald and burgundy. Opt for a lighter colour palette of creams and nude, which provide a more delicate alternative. Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Lela-Rose AW17

Coat, Zara, £379

Top, Zara, £19.99

Blouse, Oliver Bonas, £55

Shirt, Monsoon, £65

Jumpsuit, Zara, £69.99

Earrings, Marks and Spencer, £9.50

Shoes, Hobbs, £159 Bag, Next, £18

18

MANOR | Winter 2017

Skirt, Zara, £25.99 Jeans, Marks and Spencer, £35

Boots, Dune, £115

trends

Issa dress, House of Fraser, £129

Cedric Charlier AW17

Necklace, Hobbs, £59 Bag, Topshop. £39

Trousers, Hobbs, £110

Jacket, Hobbs,£179 Jumpsuit, Topshop. £65

Dress, Whistles, £189

Top, Monsoon, £39

Skirt, Whistles, £139

Shoes, Zara, £29.99

Bag Zara, £29.99

Shoes, Dune, £80 MANOR Winter 2017

19

trends

Divine decadence

For something very special for that special someone, here are some truly deluxe options. Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Clutch, Dune, £150

Necklaces, from left to right: emerald and diamond circle necklace, £8,950; diamond pavé star necklace, £5,950; graduated diamond circle necklace, £10,950, all Michael Spiers

Jimmy Choo handbag, Selfridges, £850

Gucci bag, Selfridges, £1,610

Michael Kors bag, Selfridges, £225

Rings, from top to bottom: Deco-inspired sapphire and diamond ring, £4,250; circular ruby and diamond cluster ring, £4,250; rectangular, Deco-inspired emerald and diamond ring, £4,250; diamond cluster ring with a halo of sapphires, £4,995, all Michael Spiers

20

MANOR | Winter 2017

Earrings, from left to right: emerald and diamond hoop earrings, £5,950; classic brilliant-cut diamond hoop earrings, £5,950, both Michael Spiers

Vivienne Westwood wallet, Selfridges, £130

promotional feature

9 ct Yellow Gold Diamond and Sapphire Turtle Brooch £495

Victorian Silver Set Pearl and Diamond Floral Pendant £1,100

French 18 ct Yellow Gold Double Head Snake Bangle £2,550

Victorian 18 ct Yellow Gold Pearl, Diamond and Enamel Pheasant Brooch, £975

18 ct Yellow Gold Blue Zircon and Sapphire Dress Ring £2,450

Mortimers Jewellers in Exeter is a treasure trove, with their extensive range of antique and modern jewellery providing a wealth of gift ideas.

J

ewellery gifts come loaded with meaning, particularly where each piece is truly different from anything else that’s available, yet suited acutely to the recipient.

Such pieces are treasured for generations.

Mortimers Jewellers in Exeter is known for them – jewellery pieces that are not just beautiful but often rare antiques that have rich histories of their own.

Mortimers Jewellers was founded in 1970 and since then the company has grown to be the leading specialist in quality fine, modern and antique jewellery in the South West. The success of the business is down to the selection of stock and the degree of customer service Mortimers staff offer.

Here we showcase a selection of the rich, and very different, variety of jewellery Mortimers offers as gifts for men and women. If you’re looking for something unique that comes with its own story, this store is well worth a visit.

Stainless Steel mortimersjewellers.co.uk

18 ct Yellow Gold and Silver Set Diamond and Amethyst Brooch £1,750

Art Deco French Platinum Diamond and Aquamarine Drop Earrings £5,950

Art Deco Diamond, Emerald and Onyx Drop Earrings £14,500

Rolex Perpetual Watch £3,950

Silver Open Faced Pocket Watch £425

18 ct White Gold Diamond and Ruby Dress Ring £6,450

MANOR Winter 2017

21

beauty

Face the festive

With Christmas party season upon us, it’s time to get your different looks in the bag. Make-up artist Elouise Abbott offers her top tips for making the most of all those invitations, whatever the dress code.

I

t’s that wonderful time of the year again, and the cosmetic houses have it covered – from luxury special editions to the classic tried-and-tested beauty staples.

Here are some of my favourite festive party preparations: and whether it’s for a Christmas lunch or a yuletide ball, it’s extra glitz, glamour and sparkles for all…

In winter, your skin needs a little more love and attention, and there’s nothing like a luxurious bath to get you started on the party prep, or just to get you feeling pampered, refreshed and invigorated. Try a Lush Christmas Sweater Bath Bomb for a hot and spicy winter warmer, with hints of lemon, ginger and mustard oil.

I love Rituals for its luxury body care, and The Ritual of Hammam Hot Scrub has a wonderful aroma of rosemary and eucalyptus for a stimulating, smoothing exfoliation. For the extra spa experience, try The Ritual of Hammam Body Mud for a purifying body mask.

Great skincare leads to great make-up application, and when skin is in need of a quick pick-me-up, I like to revive with a face mask.

GlamGlow Flashmud is both an exfoliating and brightening mask, great for reviving tired, dull skin. One application of this and the skin is instantly more radiant and ready to party.

The annual Christmas party is the perfect opportunity for extra glamour, sparkles and glitz.

However, I like to switch it up between day and night. For a daytime lunch, I would opt for some old-school Hollywood glamour: a champagne eye make-up teamed with a sharp winged liner and red lips – simple and understated glamour at its best. Start with a clean, light-taupe classic eyeshadow with a soft hint of champagne shimmer; look no further than the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette for your day-to-day make-up, plus some beautiful shimmer and darker eye shades to zhuzh up the look for more glamourous occasions.

It’s limited edition though, so be quick! I always start with the eye make-up first and wipe away any drop-out from the eyeshadow before applying the foundation – it’s a great time saver. A simple, clean eyeshadow is instantly more classic with a sweep of eyeliner. I like to use a gel liner for a nice clean 22

MANOR | Winter 2017

flick. Stila Smudge Pots are lovely to use and longlasting. Team a gel eyeliner with the Bdellium 762 angle brush for a crisp, precise application. bareMinerals Original Foundation is still my go-to daytime foundation; its quick, easy, buildable coverage is great for all skin types and is long-wearing. If you want to brighten things up and add a swish of colour, then everything you need to highlight and bronze can be found in the bareMinerals You Had Me At A Glow Palette. Last but not least, nothing says Hollywood glamour more than a statement red lip, and nothing is more classic than Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in Carmen.

When it comes to an evening party look, you can switch it up as much as you dare. A dark, smoky eye will always make a dramatic impact. Kat Von D Shade & Light Glimmer Eye Palette has everything you’ll need to highlight, contour, smoke and shimmer. When creating a deep smoky eye, the key is to blend blend blend, keeping the eyeshadow soft, with no visible lines.

Start with a lighter shade and build up the layers, and don’t forget to add a sweep of shadow to the lower lash line to tie the look together. To add depth to your smoky eye, pop a touch of eyeliner to the water line.

Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl in Superblack is a wonderfully long-lasting soft kohl, is really easy to apply and blend, and won’t break the bank either.

Extra lashes mean extra drama, as do extra sparkles: MAC Lash 64 Silver Snowball have a wonderful criss-cross design and a row of sparkling silver at the base, giving a festive touch. A false lash is the ultimate finisher for a deep, dramatic eye.

If a smoky eye is not your thing, think about glitzing up your make-up look with something a little different, such as a metallic lipstick – very on trend. I love Too Faced Melted Metal Lipstick in the shade Jelly, a dramatic deep violet shade, and the shade Debutante, for a more understated nude look.

To book your style refresh, complete hair makeover or gorgeous new colour call 01392 256999

2 Bampfylde Lane, Princesshay, Exeter, Devon EX1 1GQ Email: exeter@sakshair.co.uk | www.saks.co.uk/exeter

MANOR Winter 2017

23

To ease the stress of present hunting we thought we’d provide you with a little gift inspiration here. Ideas for her, for him and for them…

For her

18ct gold star ruby and diamond wreath pendant, £1,380 Erin Cox erincox.co.uk

Crescent rose buckle backpack, £58 Cath Kidston cathkidston.com

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat, £25.50 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Fitbit Alta HR, £129.99 House of Fraser houseoffraser.co.uk

Faux fur pom beanie, £17 Accessorize uk.accessorize.com

Sapphire bead drift earrings, £350 Mirri Damer mirridamer.com

24

MANOR | Winter 2017

gift guide For her

Geostar fluffy jacquard robe, £55 White Stuff whitestuff.com

Luxury Spa Day, £105 Ilsington Country House Hotel & Spa ilsington.co.uk/vouchers

Jo Malone bath oil, £18 Selfridges selfridges.com

Neom gift set, £55 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Ugg Scuffette slippers, £80 Amara amara.com

Bracelet with grey rectangular freshwater pearls, £90 Sally Napier sallynapier.co.uk

Oxi silver studs with laminate drops, £89 Polka Dot polkadotgallery.com

Fairtrade felt and recycled silk scarf, £20 The Shop at RAMM rammuseum.org.uk/shop

Wide Drift ring in silver with 18ct gold (shown here with four diamonds), from £395 Mirri Damer mirridamer.com

MANOR Winter 2017

25

For him

26

Land Rover Experience West Country.

Gift vouchers from £110 Land Rover See page 161 for details

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Chrono steel watch, Michael Spiers, £3,610 Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

Barbour thermal flask, £40 House of Fraser houseoffraser.co.uk

Kreafunk aHead headphones, £79 Amara amara.com

Ruark Audio integrated music system, £680 Amara amara.com

UGG Ascot slippers, £110 Amara amara.com

Mulberry wash case, £395 Selfridges selfridges.com

Canon EOS 750D, £639.95 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Sonos Wireless music system, £179.99 Selfridges selfridges.com

MANOR | Winter 2017

gift guide For the gastronome

Polgoon Seyval Blanc Brut Cornish Sparkling Wine, £24.95 Polgoon polgoon.com

Vineyard tour with wine tasting from £40 for two Pebblebed Vineyards pebblebed.co.uk

Cookery Experience Gift Vouchers, from £65 Exeter Cookery School exetercookeryschool.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

27

For the home lover

28

Smeg espresso machine, £279.95 Selfridges selfridges.com

Guinea Fowl from £89 Rue des Fontenelles French art and antiques ruedesfontenelles.co.uk

Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer, £549 House of Fraser houseoffraser.co.uk

Octopus Stand and Bowl, £149.99 Orange Tree @ Darts Farm theorangetree.co.uk

Croft copper fondue, £85 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Dew drop mug, £12.95 Jo & Co joandcohome.com

Biba marble bar set, £50 House of Fraser houseoffraser.co.uk

Ceramic giraffe jug, £16.50 The Shop at RAMM rammuseum.org.uk/shop

Persian Baluch, tribal rug, 1.88m x 1m, £585 Duchy Living duchyliving.co.uk

MANOR | Winter 2017

gift guide For the home lover

Faux fur rug, £35 Next next.co.uk

Alessi large coffeemaker, £60 Amara amara.com

Shifting Light, Jurassic Coast Series No. 2, Matthew Draper, 2017.

Pastel on paper, 32 x 41.5 cm, £1,500 + shipping Fineart@ fineartat.com

NEW YEAR’S BREAK A New Year’s Eve break at Bovey Castle brims with the decadent glamour and excitement that surrounds the last night of the year – culminating in a dramatic fireworks display over the country estate.

Inclusive New Year’s Break

The two-night New Year’s break at Bovey Castle includes accommodation in one of the hotel’s individually furnished bedrooms or luxury lodges, along with dining, entertainment and a selection of activities.

Prices start from £900 per night, based on two adults sharing a Classic room.

T: 01647 445077

E: reservations@boveycastle.com

/boveycastlehotel

@boveycastle

W: www.boveycastle.com | North Bovey, Devon, TQ13 8RE @BoveyCastleHotel

PROUD TO BE PART OF THE EDEN HOTEL COLLECTION MANOR Winter 2017

29

For the kids

30

Llama snow globe, £15 Paperchase paperchase.co.uk

Cat crescent bag, £48 Cath Kidston cathkidston.com

Lego Boost Creative Toolbox, £129.99 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Children’s professional drum kit, £69 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Microphone and stand, £20 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Kitchen playset, £20 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Deluxe scooter, £124.99 John Lewis johnlewis.com

Ferm Living dots tent, £89 Amara amara.com

Cash register toy, £22.50 John Lewis johnlewis.com

MANOR | Winter 2017

gift guide For the kids

Cable stripe beanie, £12 Monsoon uk.monsoon.co.uk

Stripe mittens, £10 Accessorize uk.accessorize.co.uk

Lion backpack, £27 Cath Kidston cathkidston.com

MANOR Winter 2017

31

My feel-good regime Originally from Hackney, London, Malcolm Joseph plays the bass and guitar, is an accomplished songwriter and producer, and ran his own recording studio in London. Since 2008, Malcolm has been the official tour bass player for Grace Jones (above), and is currently working on her new album, slated for release in 2018. When he’s not mingling with the stars, he lives in Camborne, where he teaches bass guitar lessons, delivers seminars and runs Youth Music Sessions, a musical youth club project for 12- to 19-year-olds, at dBs Music.

I’m passionate about working with youth music projects,

which create opportunities for teens and young adults to experience and work with their creativity in music. The main reason I started my career was because there was a youth project where I grew up, which gave me the chance to play musical instruments and use recording equipment.

Without those, I would have never have had such a great career in music.

Performing on stage is an amazing feeling that most musicians strive for. The feeling of performing in front of

a responsive audience is incredible. But I also love working in the recording studio – it’s where experimentation and creative juices flow, and where you can capture great performances. I’ve worked in recording as long as I’ve played bass, and I produce and compose as well, so I’ve the best of both worlds.

of creativity and helps me understand the way other musicians work. Teaching, for me, is about giving back valuable knowledge that I’ve gained through my career – giving students an insight into the world of a professional musician.

I feel more at peace when I’m by the sea. With such a busy

schedule that involves jaunting around the world, coming home to Cornwall’s wonderful countryside and beaches is ideal for finding my space and time to dream, and to sort out any problems that are upon me.

I really love to cook – mostly West Indian cuisine or

curries, although one of my favourite dishes is macaroni cheese. Almost all my recipes came from my late mother, who helped with my cooking inspiration. I try to cook a special meal or experiment on my family once a week.

How they manage, I don’t know…

I like the challenge of working with new artists. I’ve been

with Grace Jones for over 10 years, and working with an artist of her calibre and status has been a real learning curve. Working with various artists expands new ways 32

MANOR | Winter 2017

I don’t eat out very often, but I like Thai and Italian food.

Easy and tasty. There are some great restaurants in West Cornwall with first-class cuisine.

I love walking on the wonderful beaches and dunes of the Cornish coastlines: places like Gwithian, Godrevy

The biggest challenge in my line of work is the immense amount of travelling it involves. To be in a good space

and around St Agnes. There are some great festivals in Cornwall and I try to go to most of them, depending when I have the time from touring. Tate St Ives is always great to visit, and the Eco Park in Porthtowan has great workshops and ethnic music events that I love attending.

after long journeys, and then to perform at 100%, requires perfect time management. Which means plenty of rest and sleep, a good diet and plenty of exercise. A spa and sauna and a sleep afterwards usually does the trick for me. I feel totally re-energised after a spa session.

My family and friends provide the energy and inspiration in my life.

Style is important to me‌ you have to look good in the

public eye, especially working for Grace Jones, whose style is so much a part of who she is.

One of my greatest indulgences is being in the studio,

producing bands and artists in Cornwall, and working on solo projects.

I haven’t read a new book in a while, but science-fiction is

my favourite genre. I just recently watched the new Blade Runner movie in 3D, which was fantastic.

I travel a lot. One of the places where I feel most

contented is the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies, because of its abundance of natural and stunning beauty. I love New York for its energy, and Brazil for its incredible music culture. I just wish I had more time in the countries I’ve visited.

St Ives

Add a Little Designer Detail to Your Festivities this Christmas beautiful fused glass interior pieces, handmade at our cornwall studio. bespoke design service available. galleries at st ives, padstow, fowey, tintagel and launceston in cornwall, ripley in surrey and twickenham. www.jodowns.com

MANOR Winter 2017

33

PHOTO: TWENTYTWENTY TV

34

MANOR | Winter 2017

As I see it...

Gareth Malone OBE is a choirmaster and broadcaster, best known for his television appearances on The Choir. Gareth studied drama at university then went on to do a postgraduate degree in Vocal Studies at the Royal Academy of Music before working for the London Symphony Orchestra, where he ran the youth and community choirs. He was approached to make a programme about singing in schools in 2005. The Choir went on to win two BAFTAs and led to further series, including The Choir: Military Wives. Gareth was awarded his OBE for services to music in 2012. He lives in London with his wife and two children.

A passion for music and song stems from my family. There was

If you trust people, they will never let you down, especially children.

never any embarrassment about singing. When somebody said, “how does that song go?”, we’d always be happy to go “oh, la la la”. We’d sing washing up, in the car… it never seemed like an unusual activity. My dad tried to harmonise with me for the first time when I was about six. I remember I couldn’t do it, just couldn’t do it, then suddenly it clicked and I loved it.

It was Richard who taught me that. I remember clearly, around 2003, when we took a group of children to Windsor Castle who’d never done anything like that before. They performed for Prince Charles and it was great – they really delivered the goods. Richard wasn’t surprised; he knew they would.

My parents are very eclectic in their music taste. They were

always playing me bits of music – folk, classical, opera or jazz.

It was always a mixed musical portfolio in our house.

for baking, ballroom dancing, and choirs. Having the space to convey that joy, telling these stories that are not designed to be commercial but wholesome, that’s been fantastic.

Song was a refuge for me at school. I went through a period

If there’s a downside to TV, it probably relates to social media.

when I encountered bullies, particularly at form time, but I wouldn’t be there – I was off at choir instead. It gave me an excuse and a place to go and be different.

It’s difficult to think why I chose song over playing music as a career. I was in all the bands at school, I played various

instruments – guitar, bass, keyboards, piano – but I suppose these things often choose you. I’ve always really enjoyed choirs.

Teaching or performing? I’ve always done both. On television,

people have seen me mostly helping people to sing, but I don’t think you can teach something unless you’ve done it yourself.

As well as singing and playing, I’ve written songs since I was seven. People don’t really know that side of me.

Music brings people closer together and gives them confidence. I don’t like to make too bold a claim about

music – it can’t fix broken limbs, it’s not magic – but it has a humanising and warming effect. It always catches people by surprise, how they feel when they sing alongside one another; it’s an intense experience.

Song has played an important role in community, throughout civilization. I’m always talking about when we were early man,

sitting around the fire, making noise and rhythm; that part of what music is for – bonding with your mother, for teaching – it encourages people to be part of your society and lets them in.

If communities aren’t singing, I think they’re denying a part of their humanity.

Singing must come from the individual, and my job is to draw that out, not put it there in the first place. Richard McNicol,

from the London Symphony Orchestra, trained me. He was the animateur there and absolutely had that sense of trying to enliven people through music, letting it come from them. Whatever their ideas might be about music, he would run with that and create pieces with people that they felt they had a stake in.

Television is the most incredible platform. Look at what it’s done

Most people I speak to in the public eye are saying, “you know what, I can’t be bothered with it anymore” or “I get someone else to do it because I don’t need a barrage of negativity every time I switch on my phone.” I definitely feel that about social media in the main. When you meet people, they’re overwhelmingly positive. In 12 years of doing TV, I’ve had one person come up to me and say they didn’t like something about the show; we had a reasonable conversation where I explained why perhaps he thought what he did. In the real world, people just want to come and talk about the reasons they liked it.

I don’t have regrets. I suppose I could have practiced harder

when I was a kid, and perhaps I would have liked to have known some of what I know now about career choices, but if I look back at everything I’ve done and where I am now, it’s impossible to divorce one from the other.

People worry about being pigeonholed in this industry, but there’s a danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water. As much as

I want to introduce people to other aspects of what I do, I think people enjoy watching others sing and people learn to sing. Of course, you’ve got to move it on, the context needs to change, but I’m different every time I do it because I keep developing as a musician and learning things. That’s the great thing about music; that journey of making new discoveries never ends.

If I could invite anyone to a dinner party, I would choose Johann

Sebastian Bach, because I think he’d be fun company (with a translator, as I’m not fluent in German); then Paul McCartney and Ella Fitzgerald. After a good meal and plenty of wine, we’d sing Summertime: Bach would be on the keyboard, McCartney on his bass guitar, and Ella would be scoop-a-doop-dooping.

We’d all improvise together and I’d sit, sip a whisky, and enjoy the visual treat.

Gareth Malone is currently touring the UK and is at Bristol’s Colston Hall on 20 November. faneproductions.com/garethmalone

MANOR Winter 2017

35

touchdesigngroup.com Telephone: 01392 364269

6 Marsh Green Road North | Exeter | Devon | EX2 8NY 36

MANOR | Winter 2017

BY TOUCH DESIGN GROUP.

LUXE BESPOKE INTERIORS SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 3pm. Or by appointment.

Kitchen Interiors | Furniture | Media Rooms | Dressing Rooms | Interior Doors | Staircases

MANOR Winter 2017

37

38

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

In the dark of a black velvet box Isabel Bannerman and her husband, Julian Bannerman, have been designing largescale gardens together since 1983. Isabel is also a photographer. These images explore, in exquisite detail, the ‘engineered’ aspects of the plant kingdom.

“Julian and I have been living and working together, making gardens and buildings in a maverick romantic style, rescuing ruins for ourselves and creating them from scratch for other people, for a long time. Both of us have a love of photography, going back to school darkrooms, and we have a daily intimacy with plants. This, together with my curiosity and penchant for rule-breaking, led me to discover this very particular way of making images of plants, in the dark of a black velvet box I made, which gives them an uncanny ‘otherness’ and explores them in devastating detail.

“Our garden at Trematon Castle, Saltash – which is open to the public in the summer – is a laboratory for us both to experiment with new plants and plant combinations. It provides an incredible backdrop of stunning views and monumental ruins, a glorious theatre for exuberant and scented plants. I’m currently writing a journal of scented plants with these photographs – hopefully out next year.”

MANOR Winter 2017

39

“Matteuccia struthiopteris – a green shuttlecock fern just beginning to unfurl but still hard and tight.”

40

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

“Prunus mume ‘Beni-chidori’ – the Japanese apricot flowers in February. Looks like Fabergé and is a total joy.”

MANOR Winter 2017

41

“Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chyverton Red’ – photographed at Caerhays – I cannot get enough of these magnolias in their fur coats.”

42

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

MANOR Winter 2017

43

“Crocus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ – singing like choir boys, these three.”

“Dianthus superbus – pinks are a favourite of mine and I grow these from seed each year for their shaggy, scented, shredded flowers.”

44

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

“Iris pallida – it’s hard to capture this glistening, uplifting blue of the iris.”

“Pope Julian Rose ‘La Belle Sultane’, which is one of my favourites for its plushness and gold stamens.”

MANOR Winter 2017

45

“Magnolia campbellii var. alba – these are three magnolia buds, head on. Very strange and beautiful.”

46

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

“Papaver somniferum (opium poppy) – this poppy is another ball gown ready-to-wear”

MANOR Winter 2017

47

48

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

“Cydonia oblonga ‘Vranja’ are beautiful, butter-yellow quinces… maybe my most popular image ever.”

MANOR Winter 2017

49

“Datura (Brugmansia), but white this time, with the pure engineered quality I look for in an image.�

50

MANOR | Winter 2017

photostory

“I love the twisted turbans of opening courgette flowers, and the warm colour – orange with green.”

“Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’ – all those amazing colours.”

Trematon Castle is open to the public from the end of April until the end of August 2018. For details go to trematoncastle.com Landscape of Dreams by Isabel Bannerman is published by Pimpernel Press.

To buy unframed prints from £800, email through bannermandesign.com

MANOR Winter 2017

51

As a builder with rigorous environmental ethics, Tim Stirrup was searching for a base, but could find nothing suitable – so he decided to create it himself. Fiona McGowan heads to Mount Pleasant Eco Park to meet its maker.

I

t must be its remote location that keeps Mount Pleasant Eco Park below the radar. Situated on a large expanse of land sloping towards the cliffs and beaches of Porthtowan in North Cornwall, the venue is a veritable potpourri of the wholesome, the rootsy and the natural… Pick it up and drop it close to Newquay, Falmouth or Exeter, and this place would be the go-to artsy locale.

Sitting in the ‘Atrium’ – a large, covered courtyard with straw-bale seating and upcycled tables and chairs – founder Tim Stirrup (above) tells the story of the growth of this 42-acre site. It’s almost too easy to drop in descriptors like ‘organic’, ‘natural’, ‘roots’ and ‘diversity’ when you look at his journey. Growing up near Halifax, Tim escaped the “fast-paced life of the industrial north” and moved to Cornwall 30 years ago, where he got a carpentry apprenticeship and began working in the building trade. For years, Tim and his young family were living off-grid in a mobile home near Porthtowan. “I enjoy the connection to nature and have always tried to live with minimal negative impact on the environment,” he enthuses. “Working in construction, I became aware of the environmental impact of building – from the fumes given off by paint to the choice of materials.”

By 2001, he had set up his own building company specialising in environmentally sound timber construction, and was searching for a base. None of the industrial estates that litter the region appealed to him – and then he came across a derelict and overgrown piece of land near Porthtowan. The site was hardly ideal for his original purpose: a series of dilapidated farm sheds and fields that had been intensively over-farmed for 37 years. It was 2001, and, according to Tim, the 52

MANOR | Winter 2017

ideal time to be bringing environmental ideas to the forefront. “I was brimming with ideas,” he says, “but I didn’t even have a bank account… I’d been living this really off-grid life, so trying to set this place up was like stepping into another world.”

The dreams were there, though. Suddenly, all of his passions had a canvas on which to be painted into life. First, to create a building that fitted with his environmental ethos, then to begin rescuing the leached and overgrown land – planting native trees and natural grasses. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but working with the local community was key: “Starting something like this is all about finding people you can connect with – you can’t do anything on your own.” Once he had purchased the land, Tim decided to build a series of workshops out of earth – it would be the biggest rammed-earth building in the country, but in order to get building control certification, he had to prove that the local mud would be a strong enough material to withstand the unfettered winds that whip in from the Atlantic.

In the large gravel car park at Mount Pleasant stands a small terracotta-coloured wall, topped with a tiny, pitched, tiled roof. It’s something of a monument to the research that went into the building, which now houses six mixed-use workshops and two studios, and provides most of the revenue for the Eco Park. Realising that using local earth would be a good alternative to concrete, Tim built the test wall in the car park, and asked experts from the University of Bath to help measure the wind deflection. “It survived the equivalent of 300mph winds,” he says proudly. “At that point, the structural engineer was totally on board.” While earth is a free material, and the local mud has just the right kind

feature of clay-ey quality to give it the requisite resilience in the face of the wind, Tim admits that it is very labourintensive as a building material. Which is probably why the more recent additions to the site are made from timber structures – albeit with sedum roofing, straw-bale insulation and earth plastering.

With funding from Objective One and Defra, Tim managed to get a bank loan to match the funding (convincing all three parties to meet at his remote mobile home before persuading them to part with the money) to build the next phase of the Eco Park. A quiet and unassuming man, with his Yorkshire burr still audible after three decades in the West Country, Tim is sanguine about the whole undertaking: “It started with a spark of inspiration and I thought I’d just see how it would all work...” His vision has led to a sustainable, self-funding business, whose model is about providing a facility for the local community. Like an uncurling fern, one idea led to another and – I hate to say it – grew organically into the enterprise it has become.

Early on, a handful of local families asked Tim if they could use some of his land to grow vegetables. This seemingly insignificant request led to the allocation of an acre of land dedicated to allotments with organic status (there it is again). Up to 15 families have used the space, with its raised beds, polytunnel and kitchen garden. To help maintain the community garden and the 42 acres of surrounding land, Tim and his team have set up ‘Volunteer Fridays’, bringing in a weekly workforce who are paid with a free lunch and produce from the land. Four years after he purchased the site, he set up the Down to Earth Foundation, an educational nonprofit organisation to encourage and educate people in sustainable living.

While the intentions have always been to serve the local community, the wider impact of the Eco Park came when Tim drew in another of his passions: world music. Having spent many years spinning the decks as a DJ in his spare time, he is a passionate believer in the mashing up and blending of genres. “As a DJ, I really like the medium of bringing different music together,” he explains. Travelling extensively in his late 20s opened his eyes to world music, particularly in Latin America: “I was coming across music that was just mindblowing,” he says with genuine fervour. He began to bring artists from overseas to play gigs in the large central building.

“It’s important for us to open up our eyes,” he asserts.

“We don’t have much multiculturalism here, so we give people the opportunity to experience the beauty of different cultures.”

And in true organic fashion, the hosting of artists from all over the world led to the opening of a restaurant… Initially, the Eco Park team began cooking ‘pre-gig food’ for the bands in a marquee, then for the staff, and finally for the guests. By 2013, Tim had built a large timber restaurant, just in time for a big bash to MANOR Winter 2017

53

Images from this year’s Tropical Pressure Festival

54

MANOR | Winter 2017

feature

Starting something like this is all about finding people you can connect with – you can’t do anything on your own.

celebrate 10 years of operation. The party was a hit. By the following year, it had become the Tropical Pressure Festival, bringing an array of artists from the Caribbean, South America and Africa to the stage, along with local musicians and DJs mixing sounds late into the night. Now an annual event, the relatively small, grassroots festival is very much on the social calendar in North Cornwall.

While continuing his successful Pioneer Environmental Building company creating bespoke ecobuildings in Cornwall, Tim also manages the burgeoning Mount Pleasant Eco Park – never deviating from his original ethos. The restaurant is only open on Fridays (and for events), designed mainly as a ‘meeting house’ for the occupants of the workshops and for the steady stream of Friday volunteers. The large campsite – low-impact, anti-glamping and decidedly alternative – is a big draw for families, being so close to the coast and with all those acres of grounds to explore. The venue is bookable for weddings – as long as you’re prepared to stick to vegetarian or vegan fare. A vibrant programme of gigs, theatre shows and markets keeps the place buzzing, year-round. Particularly popular is the artisan Christmas Market for those hoping to escape the overkill of consumer tat. Food festivals, such as the Roots Reggae Roasts, offer a chance to taste world foods in this remote corner of the county.

A wind turbine provides 50% of the power for the site, and “solar is coming on slowly.” It’s clearly still a work in progress. “I want to continue what we’re doing, but to do it better,” declares Tim, whose mind buzzes with new ideas: an artists’ studio, better signage, an on-site electric car and a shelter-building project with University of Exeter architecture students. But he’s not losing sight of his original intention: “I don’t want to just appeal to the eco warriors; it needs to appeal to all sectors of the community… And for all generations, from kids to people in their eighties.”

The reason that this spark of an idea has grown into this thriving, diverse venue seems to be down to Tim’s unshakeable belief in his vision. “It’s all about having the courage of your convictions,” he says simply. “Follow your passions and follow through what you believe in.” mpecopark.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

55

Christmas Fair 16th/17th December

Open 7 days per week, the shops can be found just 2 miles from Totnes. Shinners Bridge, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6TQ. Tel: 01803 847500 Web: dartington.org/shops Online shop: shopsatdartington.co.uk 56Dartington MANOR | Winter 2017 The Shops at are owned by the Dartington Hall Trust and all contribution supports the activities of the Trust [a registered charity]

Culture Philip Reeve | Three native makers South West must sees | Worth making the trip for | Staying in

Sitting Hare by Danni Bradford North Devon-based Danni Bradford takes a contemporary approach to the classical art of verre églomisé – glass gilding – by creating her pieces in reverse, starting with layers of colour, inks and metal dusts. These are then gilded with metal leaf, such as silver, copper or gold, then sealed with resin and flipped over to reveal the design. dannibradfordstudio.com Danni is exhibiting her work at the selling exhibition ‘The Art of Making’, 10 November – 6 January, at White Moose Gallery, Trinity Street, Barnstaple EX32 8HX. whitemoose.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

57

Embedded in the otherworldly landscape of Dartmoor, author Philip Reeve creates vivid worlds for young adults and children alike – and is just about to get the Hollywood treatment courtesy of filmmaker Peter Jackson. Words by Kate Sermon.

58

MANOR | Winter 2017

PHOTO: SARAH MCINTYRE

W

hether it’s ‘flying’ from Brighton to Dartmoor in 1998, or flying cities and flying ponies, award-winning children’s author Philip Reeve has a very definite career direction, one that he admits has bumped along at a pace that suits his – in his own words – lack of creativity.

“I tend to have this manic-depressive approach,” he tells me over coffee. “I don’t do anything for six weeks and then work hard for several days without stopping.”

He claims that he doesn’t plan anything, and usually starts with an opening and closing image, and a few vague ideas about what happens in between. This freeflow approach can mean many words from the rough first drafts being abandoned, but ideas are often exhumed from them during the final stages.

This method has obviously served him well. Mortal Engines, his first novel (published in 2001) and now a series – and about to become a Peter Jackson blockbuster film – won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Book Award. A Darkling Plain, the fourth and last in the Mortal Engines series, won the much-coveted Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 2006, a prize judged by other authors.

Although optioned for the Hollywood treatment more than 10 years previously, it took a while before Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh got serious with the script for Mortal Engines. Philip ruefully

remarks that he expects it was in the queue behind The Hobbit, and once that was out of the way, it was his turn.

“It’s a frustratingly slow process,” he says. “But I’ve not worried at all about my book being in their hands.

If anything, it’s exciting. A bit like when you spend ages doing up a house, then you sell it. Then years later you wonder what the new people have done with it… I think I’d have felt very differently if this had happened as I was writing it. I’m pretty sure they’ll come up with some new stuff, that actually improves it.”

Moving to Dartmoor in 1998 became the reason that Philip started writing seriously. His career as an illustrator in his hometown of Brighton was established, and “it was an obvious step to take,” he says, “to start controlling the words. I’d always written, but just never had the nerve to show anyone. Mortal Engines, as a ‘young adult’ novel, is very visual, and didn’t need any illustrations. So, gradually the illustrating wound down and within ten years I was a full-time writer.”

Philip has loved Dartmoor since he was a boy. His parents used to stop off for a couple of nights to break the journey from Brighton to Cornwall during their family holidays. “It was a gruelling journey in those days, and Dartmoor was always my favourite bit. Later, my wife and I used to come for two weeks every autumn and spend the time walking. It became harder and harder to go back to the noise. We’ve never regretted the move, and I found writing because of it.”

culture It’s funny to think he almost gave up writing five years ago to return to his former career as an illustrator: “I had a mid-career slump. Mortal Engines had been successful but eventually the sales petered out, the movie was rumoured but hadn’t quite taken off, and the publishers began to lose interest in it, and I thought, what’s the point? Maybe I’ll go back to illustration.”

It was about this time that he started talking with his friend Sarah McIntyre about a collaboration and, as he says, “it reinvigorated me. Writing can be such a solitary business, and with Sarah, I found the joy again.

We rough out stories together. I write the words and she illustrates them with her wonderful pictures.”

Philip and Sarah have been working together since 2013, and have produced three books for younger readers: Pugs of the Frozen North, Cakes in Space, and Oliver and the Seawigs. It was meeting Sarah that promoted Philip’s decision to start writing for younger children. “I don’t think I have an adult novel in me, and I can pretty much do what I like within the genre I write,’ he says. “So, going younger seemed like a good idea.”

It also had the effect of getting him going on his own ‘solitary’ writing again. The Railhead series was the result of this extra injection of creative juice, and the first instalment was a Carnegie finalist this summer. “Railhead was also my way of saying that Mortal Engines was done and dusted. Although there will be a ‘World of Mortal Engines’-type book next year to coincide with the release of the film in December 2018.”

At my excited suggestion of a map book, he laughs: given that the cities in Mortal Engines keep moving, that might be hard to achieve. But fantasy can achieve anything, right?

We talk a little about the low-brow reputation of fantasy and sci-fi, and the fact that Mortal Engines is a set text for an Open University course – Philip laughs at the suggested ‘respectability’ it denotes: “That feels rather odd to me. I like my genre being low-brow. To me, it’s like rock and roll, which was cool until you had broadsheet newspapers devoting columns to it. I like the idea of my books being read under the sheets by torchlight. You want it to be something that your dad says, what’s this rubbish?”

In the meantime, post-production for Mortal Engines carries on with no input from Philip, but he’s keeping busy. He’s gearing up for the release of Station Zero, the next in the Railhead series, which is due in May 2018.

“I keep wanting to write a Dartmoor book, but never seem to get around to it,” he says with a smile.

But then he starts to tell me about the new book in the pipeline with Sarah McIntyre, becoming more sparkly and excited as he speaks. It’s apparent that his projects with Sarah do exactly what he says they do: “It’s about a little, roly-poly flying pony called Kevin.

He’s got wings and he lands on the balcony of a boy in a town. We don’t explicitly mention that he’s a Dartmoor pony but I guess he has all the characteristics.”

Thinking back to when he was a boy, he reminisces about his first encounter with Dartmoor illustrators and authors Alan Lee and Brian Froud, both of which were, and still are, heroes to him. The love of Dartmoor, drawing, and fantasy books all magically links together one childhood. “I loved Froud’s twisty moorland trees, and rocks. He enchanted the whole landscape for me, and fixed Dartmoor in my imagination forever.”

Philip’s most recent books, Railhead and Black Light Express, are currently available in paperback, published by Oxford University Press. philip-reeve.com

MANOR Winter 2017

59

PHOTO: LISA MARIE GRIGSBY

Low stress, lower cost lifestyle, the reach of Instagram, sea swimming after work… Just some of the reasons a new generation of makers are choosing to base themselves in the South West. Words by Liz Miller.

60

MANOR | Winter 2017

culture

A Liberty buyer saw my work on Instagram and sent me an email. They asked me to create some pieces that are exclusive to them.

PHOTO: LISA MARIE GRIGSBY

PHOTO: LISA MARIE GRIGSBY

G

arden studios, disused farm sheds and attic rooms across the South West have become home to a new generation of women makers inspired by the beauty of the region and the low-stress lifestyle. And social media, specifically Instagram, has enabled these women to successfully weave the creative benefits, and lower costs, of the countryside with the commercial reach of a beautifully curated visual feed.

From her converted cowshed on a farm near Falmouth, Amy Isles Freeman spends her days hand-turning wooden bowls, which she then paints with decorative, bold designs. Her eye-catching work has generated lots of ‘likes’ and followers, most notably from department store Liberty in London.

“A Liberty buyer saw my work on Instagram and sent me an email. They asked me to create some pieces that are exclusive to them. It’s been an amazing opportunity to show my work to a wider audience,” says Amy, who has just taken on another large order from the store.

Originally trained as an artist at Falmouth University, Amy found her design forte when she learnt how to turn wood. “I was never going to be that good at making, but I can paint and draw so the wood became a different canvas,” she says.

Working in a cold studio with a leaky roof is a challenge in the winter, but the woodburner, podcasts (especially The Guilty Feminist) and creating playlists for her show on local radio station Source FM keep the

Amy Isles Freeman

inspiration flowing. And when spring rolls around again, Amy says it’s all worth it.

Aside from the Liberty order and bespoke commissions, another ongoing project is a link-up with Penryn-based furniture makers Mark Product, decorating hand-painted stools, coffee tables and lighting. “I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with Mark on the process of this work,” she says. “We’re really lucky in the South West to be around so many talented peers.”

Many of these peers meet up once or twice a year at the Native Makers fair in Plymouth, which was co-founded by textile designer Rosie Drake-Knight in 2014. Another Falmouth graduate, Rosie won an award from the university to set up a business but found it hard to find the right selling environment for more cutting-edge work.

The group aims to bring together contemporary designers who were mainly working in isolation in the South West. “A lot of people making don’t speak to anyone all day, so Native Makers provides a sense of community and the possibility of collaboration,” says Rosie.

Based in Plymouth, Rosie works in a studio in her Victorian house, with BBC Radio 6 Music keeping her company. She screen-prints designs onto various types of leather and then fashions the material into bags and small accessories. “This type of making is strenuous on your body – it’s quite heavy work so I do it in batches. I have a timer on my machine to schedule breaks. I’ve already made 20 bags today (it’s 11.30am) and I started at 6.30am.”

MANOR Winter 2017

61

It takes me two minutes to go upstairs to my studio and after work I can go swimming in the sea

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROSIE DRAKE-KNIGHT

Rosie Drake-Knight

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROSIE DRAKE-KNIGHT PHOTO: COURTESY OF ROSIE DRAKE-KNIGHT

62

MANOR | Winter 2017

The latest job is to supply 40 leather tote and duffle bags to a pop-up shop in Shoreditch. Again, Instagram is a good commercial showcase, even unintentionally.

Rosie recently shared pictures of some ceramic pots she made “for relaxation” and immediately had requests to see if they were for sale.

She has also been involved in collaborations with other makers, and is currently working with jewellery designer Hannah Batstone. “This fuels my creativity because making every day can be quite laborious, so it’s good to keep the ideas flowing.”

Creative inspiration is all around for Rosie, whose favourite local walk is around the headland at pretty coastal village Noss Mayo. In Cornwall, she is drawn back to favourite holiday beaches. “The sand dunes at Godrevy and the rushes and grasses are the coastal inspiration for my latest work,” she says.

The Cornish landscape and ceramic heritage also provide ideas for potter Rebecca Proctor, who works in her garden studio near Bude, where she throws clay from St Agnes.

Rebecca, who worked in London as a trends writer, came to pottery after moving to Cornwall and taking it up as a hobby at evening class in nearby village, Stratton.

“The first time of throwing on the wheel I had visions of all the things I could make,” she says, but it took several years to perfect the process. “I guess you could compare it to a musical instrument – I practiced and practiced. It’s basic repetition and eventually you can do it.”

Rebecca won her first proper order for a restaurant in Scotland, where a chef had seen her work. “It happened by accident, before I had even set myself up in business,” she says. “I’ve since learnt that there’s a network of chefs who’ve seen my work and through word of mouth I’ve got more orders. They’re really big – 50 plates, 50 bowls and 50 side plates – and I’m working on my own in a small workshop in the garden. It’s a great discipline and really good practice.”

Rebecca’s more experimental pottery is influenced by her involvement with Kigbeare Studios, near Okehampton, which has crowd-sourced funding for a wood-fired kiln.

“They run really good masterclasses and you can go and learn with great potters from all over the world,” she says. “The pieces that come out of the wood-fired kiln at Kigbeare are my favourite.”

There are many benefits to being a maker in the South West region, according to Rebecca. “What I really

culture

PHOTO: CHLOE WINSTANLEY

What I really value is the peace and quiet. London is a very stimulating environment, but I think being here is what has made it possible to concentrate on doing one thing well.”

Rebecca Proctor

PHOTO: DANIEL SCOTT

PHOTO: DANIEL SCOTT

value is the peace and quiet. London is a very stimulating environment, but I think being here is what has made it possible to concentrate on doing one thing well.”

Amy says that the lack of light and noise pollution allow her to be closer to the elements. “The countryside makes us more alive and it’s easier to be open to try new things because it’s cheaper to live here.”

In her increasingly rare downtime, Amy goes swimming at Grebe Beach on the Helford, or hangs out at the Potager café in Constantine, near Falmouth, which

has provided botanical inspiration for some of her bowls.

Rosie adds that the creative process flows more easily in a relaxed and natural environment, without the stress of commuting or high housing costs. “A lot of my fellow graduates have moved to London and they’re so jealous of my lifestyle. I live quite modestly, but I put my savings into things that make me happy. I bought a house with my husband when I was 24 and it takes me two minutes to go upstairs to my studio. After work I can go swimming in the sea.” .

WINTER MARKET Native Makers, which brings together some of the South West’s most talented contemporary designers, holds its sixth event this December at Ocean Studios in Plymouth.

The fair will showcase handmade work by 75 makers from Cornwall across to the Wiltshire borders, including Rosie DrakeKnight and Amy Isles Freeman.

The event is supported by the Real Ideas Organisation, Ocean Studios and Plymouth College of Art in Plymouth.

Native Makers Winter Market is at Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth on 16-17 December, 10am-4pm, free entry.

PHOTO: DOM MOORE

rosiedrake-knight.com amyislesfreeman.co.uk moderncraftworkshop.com nativemakers.bigcartel.com

MANOR Winter 2017

63

South West must sees...

The new brew A highly valued form closely linked with Japan, the tea bowl is becoming increasingly popular in contemporary Western ceramics. ‘The Tea Bowl: Past & Present’ presents 55 objects, including historic tea bowls from the East, examples made in the West in the spirit of tradition, and variations made with a sense of subversion. Curated by artist and writer Dr Bonnie Kemske, and Dr Matthew Tyas of the Leach Pottery, the exhibition also tells the history of the tea bowl, as it arose in the East through use in chanoyu – the Japanese tea ceremony – and its journey to the West, where many potters have venerated traditional techniques and aesthetics, while some have chosen to challenge its deep cultural legacy.

Until 18 March at Leach Pottery, Higher Stennack, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 2HE. leachpottery.com

Silver Mist Bowl by Kondo Takahiro

Gifts are go Stuck for what to buy the person in your life who has everything? There’s really no excuse for vouchers when the region is stuffed to the tinsel line with talented makers – and the selling exhibitions that make it easy to snap up unique gifts. ‘Present Makers’ at Honiton’s Thelma Hulbert Gallery gives both established and emerging designer-makers the opportunity to showcase their craft, and features examples of textiles, jewellery, wood, ceramics and furniture.

Cresta Browning’s work (pictured) consists of fine, lightweight vessels in porcelain. Working from her studio in Exeter, she prefers to slip-cast or hand-build, drawing inspiration from the Jurassic Coastline and white sandstone cliffs.

Also just in time for your Christmas shopping, ‘Wonderworks Contemporary Craft Fair’ returns to Chagford to showcase the work of 30 craftspeople from the South West, including ceramicists, toymakers and leatherworkers. One of the featured jewellers is Bideford-based Karen Adams, who produces individually handmade, hallmarked silver pieces priced £13 to £200. Her work is influenced by the natural curves and lines within nature (as in her flower pendant, pictured) and incorporates techniques such as anodising, oxidising and exquisitely textured surfaces.

‘Present Makers’ is at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton, Devon EX14 1LX, 11 November – 23 December. thelmahulbert.com ‘Wonderworks Contemporary Craft Fair’ is at Jubilee Hall, Chagford, Devon TQ13 8DP, 9-10 December. wonderworkscraft.com

64

MANOR | Winter 2017

Flower pendant by Karen Adams

Doodle by Cresta Browning

culture

Girls on film In 1981, photographer Anita Corbin captured pivotal ‘coming of age’ moments in the lives of 56 young women – all members of different subcultures: Skins, Mods, Punks, Rockabillies, New Romantics, Rastas and young lesbians. She was fascinated by the ways in which cultural allegiance and identity were expressed through fashion, music and environment by women emerging from adolescence. Captured in their natural hangouts of clubs, pubs, friends’ homes and social centres, these girls were living in the moment and dreaming of the future. Now, 36 years later, Anita is asking what’s happened to all those women who were so dedicated to their subcultural tribes. After a social media campaign, Anita tracked down 80% of the subjects, and has re-photographed most of the original girls using new digital technology to create a set of images that sit alongside the originals.

‘Visible Girls: Revisited’ also features tape recordings of interviews from 1981 and recent interviews with the ‘girls’ 36 years on, bringing together two parts of a woman’s life and interweaving societal changes related to communication and women’s rights.

17 November – 21 December at The Phoenix, Gandy St, Exeter, Devon EX4 3LS. Free. exeterphoenix.org.uk

driftwood gallery showcases limited edition art prints and originals from internationally published artists and local talent, along with jewellery, sculpture and glass.

Driftwood Gallery Ilfracombe 19 St James Place, Ilfracombe, Devon, EX34 9BJ 01271862590 ilfracombe@driftwoodcontemporary.co.uk

Driftwood Gallery Padstow 4 The Strand, Padstow, Cornwall, PL28 8AJ 01841534939 padstow@driftwoodcontemporary.co.uk

Driftwood Gallery St Ives 26 Fore Street, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1HE 01736 795643 stives@driftwoodcontemporary.co.uk Get in touch. Sign up to our newsletter to keep updated MANOR Winter 2017

65

Make time...

Sometimes it’s good to spend concentrated time creating stuff by hand – cards, decorations, presents – under the guidance of experienced artists and crafters. Here’s MANOR’s handpicked selection of winter craft workshops taking place in the region during the run-up to Christmas.

WILLOW WEAVING Make willow door wreaths, star decorations and tree toppers in a range of designs using willow from Trill Farm’s own plantation. Bring warm clothing, an apron and notebook.

All other tools and willow provided, and each step will be explained by tutor Richard Kerwood of Windrush Willows.

18 November, 9.30am-4pm, £85. Trill Farm, Axminster. trillfarm.co.uk

TEXTILE WORKSHOP – FREEHAND MACHINE EMBROIDERY, COLLAGE AND APPLIQUÉ Make willow decorations

Using your own sewing machine, apply fabrics and designs to a base and embellish it with freehand machine embroidery with textile artist Annie Morris. By the end of the day, participants will have transformed their pieces into small lanterns or pots. All materials provided.

18 November, 10am-4pm, £50. Harbour House, Kingsbridge. harbourhouse.org.uk

LAMPSHADE-MAKING COURSE WITH ARRIETTY Make a 30cm diameter drum lampshade under the guidance of professional seamstress Laurel Coxon. No previous sewing experience necessary. Bring 1.2m x 30cm of nonembellished, medium-weight cotton fabric. All other materials provided.

24 November, 6.30-8.30pm, £28. Exeter Phoenix, Exeter. exeterphoenix.org.uk

WINTER FLORAL WORKSHOP Make a winter wreath

Make a winter wreath to take home, with Johanne Wood of Passion Flowers florists. Jo will share her seasonal ideas on how to bring festive warmth to your home with floral touches. After the 1.5-hour workshop (complete with Christmas music to sing along to), a two-course lunch in The Gainsborough Restaurant will be served.

For more details, please call 01225 355329.

5 December, 10am-1pm, £85 (to include a two-course lunch). The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath. thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk

MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL SKINCARE GIFTS Make and gift-wrap a range of natural skincare products, from body scrubs to bath bombs, using organic ingredients. Discover where to source ingredients and how to add fragrances to recipes.

9 December, 10am-2pm, £50. Plymouth College of Art, Tavistock Place, Plymouth. plymouthart.ac.uk Make natural skincare gifts

WINTERTIME BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION Relax with a hot drink and the warmth of the log stove at the Potager Garden in Constantine, and learn to draw and paint flowers and foliage with accuracy and precision with botanical artist Sarah Jane Humprey.

14 December, 10am-2pm, £45, to include an organic lunch. Potager Garden, Constantine, Cornwall.

Book online sarahjanehumphrey.com

CHRISTMAS TABLE ARRANGEMENT PHOTO: ALEX MAY

Using seasonal foliage, pine cones, flowers, fruit and tapered candles, participants will make a table arrangement with an oasis wreath, building a base of beautiful foliage and finally adding flowers and candles to complete the arrangement. Florist Marisa Martin will be there to give creative ideas, using her wealth of knowledge to help you bring your table to life. Mince pies and a festive tipple provided.

Make table arrangements

66

MANOR | Winter 2017

20 December, 6pm, £60. The Sandy Duck, Falmouth. Book online at flowerswithm.com

culture

PHOTO: MATT AUSTIN

Down the rabbit hole Fore Street, Exeter, on Christmas Eve. Calum, his best friend and his sister are bored waiting for the festivities to begin when they accidentally open a door to an inter-dimensional portal… as you do. The Bike Shed Theatre always puts on a cracker of a festive family show, and this year sees the perennially inventive international company Little Soldier join forces with poet and Radio 4 favourite Matt Harvey. Inspired by the novels of Jules Verne and 80s sci-fi films, Journey to the Impossible – aimed at 11- to 14-year-olds, but with children as young as seven welcome – acknowledges that the festive season can be a strange time of year for older kids, who are navigating that delicate balance between childhood and burgeoning maturity, and seeks to explore that transition. Featuring live music, comedy and hip hop dance, this show is sure to entertain the whole family.

6 December – 6 January at The Bike Shed Theatre, 162/3 Fore Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3AT. £12 (£10). bikeshedtheatre.co.uk

David Jamin “Mon Bouquin et un Café”

Thomas Bossard “Get on with it”

Acrylic on canvas 100x100cms

Oil on canvas 81x65cms

62 Church Street, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3DS 01326 219323 | 07913 848515 | info@artworldltd.com | www.artworldltd.com MANOR Winter 2017

67

Worth making the trip for...

PHOTO: © FINNISH NATIONAL GALLERY / HANNU AALTONEN.

Tove Jansson, Mysterious Landscape, c.1930, oil on plywood, 61 x 152.5 cm, Ateneum Art Museum

A different view One of the most celebrated illustrators of the 20th century, Tove Jansson is known internationally as the creator of the Moomins, but her wider outputs of graphic illustration and painting are relatively unseen outside her home country of Finland. A collection of 150 works, including self-portraits and paintings never seen before in the UK, will reintroduce Jansson as an artist of exceptional breadth and talent, and provide an insightful overview of the key stages of her prolific career. Ultimately, Jansson’s most enduring desire was to be an artist and this exhibition reveals the passion that kept her working and exhibiting alongside her career in graphic illustration.

Until 28 January at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road SE21 7AD. £15.50, £14.50 (£7). dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Behind the scenes

PHOTO: © GERALD SCARFE

Best known for his satirical cartoons, Gerald Scarfe has a unique visual style – visceral, complex and instantly recognisable. Featuring more than 100 works, ‘Gerald Scarfe: Stage and Screen’ presents a rare opportunity to explore his extensive but little-known production designs, including storyboards, costumes and props from Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Disney’s Hercules and English National Ballet’s The Nutcracker.

Pink Floyd – The Wall (detail)

68

MANOR | Winter 2017

Until 21 January at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross N1C 4BH. £8.25, £5.50 (£5). houseofillustration.org.uk

culture

The directed gaze During his brief and turbulent life, Modigliani developed a unique and instantly recognisable pictorial style. Though meeting little success at the time of their production, his emotionally intense portraits and seductive nudes are now among the best-loved paintings of the 20th century. Those nudes are a highlight of this new exhibition – with 12 on display, this is the largest group ever reunited in the UK. These sensuous works proved controversial when they were first shown in 1917, leading police to censor his only ever solo exhibition on the grounds of indecency. Also included are his lesser-known sculptures, as well as portraits of his friends, lovers and supporters, including Pablo Picasso, Constantin Brancusi and his partner Jeanne Hébuterne.

Amadeo Modigliani (1884-1920), The Little Peasant c.1918. Oil paint on canvas. Tate. Presented by Miss Jenny Blaker in memory of Hugh Blaker 1941

23 November – 2 April at Tate Modern, Bankside SE1 9TG. £18.80, £17.80 (£17). tate.org.uk

perfectly

hand-picked gifts

Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery Queen St, Exeter EX4 3RX T 01392 265888 E rammshop@exeter.gov.uk Open Tue to Sun, 10am to 5pm.

Closed Mondays and bank holidays.

All purchases support the museum.

www.rammuseum.org.uk/shop MANOR Winter 2017

69

Hip to be square

PHOTO: © WIM WENDERS. COURTESY WIM WENDERS FOUNDATION

There’s always something out of time about the films of Wim Wenders; perhaps it’s the pace, the way he gives scenes the space to play out, but there’s also that delicious way he frames everything – as if you’re seeing the world anew. ‘Instant Stories: Wim Wenders’ Polaroids’ offers a rare opportunity to see the director’s personal and previously unseen Polaroid work, providing an insight into his process, preoccupations and aesthetic inspirations. Wenders’s fascination with the Polaroid stems from his early adoption of the format when he started in film-making in the late 60s. Polaroids operated as a visual notebook – a way of testing out frames and ideas – and this is the first time he’s shown a selection of the many thousands of Polaroids taken, both on and off location, between the early 1970s and mid 80s, featuring cast and crew, friends and family, behind-the-scenes shots, still lives, street photography and landscapes.

Until 11 February at The Photographers’ Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street W1F 7LW. Exhibition day pass: £2.50. thephotographersgallery.org.uk Wim Wenders, Sydney

PHOTO: © ALICE HAWKINS

Derrin Crawford and Demi Leigh Cruickshank in The Liver Birds, LOVE magazine, Liverpool, 2012

Northern exposure Exploring contemporary artistic and stylistic representations of the north of England, ‘North: Fashioning Identity’ features photography, fashion and multimedia work alongside social documentary film and photography to highlight how the realities of northern life captured in the mid-20th century continue to influence today’s creative minds.

Featuring more than 100 photographs, fashion garments and artworks from a host of renowned photographers, designers and artists – including Alasdair McLellan, Corinne Day, Jeremy Deller, and Alice Hawkins – the show looks at the themes and tropes present in these collective visions of northern England and considers why these regions, or representations of them, are increasingly a source of inspiration and still so idealised today. Many of the works offer personal reflections on the artist’s sense of northern identity, and how their home towns have influenced their creative output over the years.

Until 4 February at East Wing Galleries, Somerset House, The Strand WC2R 1LA. £7 (£5). somersethouse.org.uk

70

MANOR | Winter 2017

culture Worth staying in for...

While the TV schedules will be jam-packed with delights to tempt you away from yet another game of cribbage with Uncle Jack, let’s face it – the only thing worth tuning into this festive season is Jodie Whittaker’s debut as the new Doctor on BBC1 on Christmas Day. And you’ll all gather round the telly, stuffed with turkey and mince pies, and watch it together, just like in the good old days… But, to give your eyes a break and provide the optimum excuse to slink away for a bit of solo time, here’s a couple of cracking alternatives to keep you going…

Dark visions We all need a bit of noir at this time of year, just to take the edge off all the sugar and fairy lights, so find yourself a dark corner and settle down with Matthew Weiner’s debut novel, Heather, The Totality, which tells the story of the Breakstone family, who arrange themselves around their daughter, and the world seems to follow: beautiful, compassionate, entrancing, she is the greatest blessing in their lives of Manhattan luxury. But as Heather grows – and her empathy sharpens to a point, and her radiance attracts more and more sinister interest – their perfect existence starts to fracture. Meanwhile, a very different life, one raised in poverty and in violence, is beginning its own malign orbit around Heather…

As the creator of Mad Men, Weiner demonstrated a knack for mining down into the real desires and preoccupations that drive people’s behaviour, and hold modern society together (and pull it apart). In this novel, he’s crafted a blistering read packed with intrigue and menace. It’s fairly short, so demands to be consumed in one go – and is all the more effective for it. You might need a Terry’s Chocolate Orange afterwards, though, to bring back the Christmas sparkle…

Heather, The Totality is out now, published by Canongate.

Hear the fear As a writer-director, John Carpenter made some of the 20th century’s best genre films: Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York… Films that have become such an integral part of our cultural shorthand that even a fleeting glimpse of a man in a Michael Myers mask is enough to scare the bejeezus out of us and rethink that babysitting gig. But Carpenter is equally lauded as a composer, and his eerie, synth-drive scores are as much a part of his films’ power and enduring appeal as what happens on screen.

Recently, it’s been through his music that Carpenter has also been garnering the most praise, as his film work has become less frequent; 2015’s Lost Themes and 2016’s Lost Themes II albums saw him collaborate with his son, Cody Carpenter, and godson, Daniel Davies, to critical acclaim – and he tours the world like a rock star. But now, with the same team, he’s re-recorded his iconic themes for Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998, which collects 13 works from his movie career and given them a modern overhaul, starting with his lowbudget debut, Dark Star, and heading up to Vampires; the release also includes a cover of Ennio Morricone’s theme for The Thing. In addition to CD, LP and digital releases, Anthology will be available in several limited-edition vinyl formats, as well as including coloured-vinyl seven-inches: ‘Christine Red’, ‘The Fog Over Antonio Bay’, ‘Halloween Orange’ and ‘Dark Star Deep Space’.

Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 is available now through Sacred Bones Records, sacredbonesrecords.com

MANOR Winter 2017

71

The Style Shoot We were extremely lucky to shoot the MANOR style shoot at the beautiful Powderham Castle in Exeter.

S

et in acres of Devon countryside alongside the estuary of the River Exe, Powderham Castle came to the Courtenay family in the dowry of Edward I’s granddaughter. Her son, Sir Philip Courtenay, began building the castle in 1391, and it has remained in his family to this day, recently becoming home to the new Earl and Countess of Devon, the 28th generation to move in.

We shot in various rooms in the Castle and, during the day, heard commentary from a number of the expert tour guides. So fascinating is the Castle’s extensive history that we felt it fitting to ask Charlie Courtenay, the Earl of Devon, to tell us a little about each of the rooms we see across the following pages. We hope to pique your interest to visit Powderham Castle yourselves, and take a proper look at the historic and romantic Home of Devon.

“The Music Room was built in the 1790s for William ‘Kitty’ Courtenay’s 21st birthday. Designed by James Wyatt, Regency London’s architect-du-jour, it is unashamedly stylish – just like Kitty, who’s portrait hangs over the Westmacott-carved marble fireplace in his fancy dress. One of Devon’s finest interiors, with an acoustically-domed ceiling and Handel-era organ, the Music Room hosts weddings, balls and concerts, both classical ( musicinthecastle.co.uk) and contemporary ( powderham.co.uk/events/powderham-live-0 ).

“The astounding Staircase Hall occupies the upper-half of Powderham’s medieval great hall, converted in 1755 when the Castle was modernized. The striking Powderham blue walls are decorated by an array of plasterwork animals, birds, plants, instruments and objects tumbling in swags from the ceiling. One of England’s few surviving rococo masterpieces, it was completed by local Exeter craftsmen, and just this year, we found in the Archives the original estimate for the work; it was commissioned by the lady of the house, Lady Frances. The Staircase Hall, and its secret door, appear memorably in the Oscar-winning film The Remains of the Day, much of which was filmed at Powderham.

“The Marble Hall occupies the lower half of the medieval great hall, and still has three distinctive doorways leading to the kitchen, the pantry and the buttery. Converted around 1750 into an entrance hall, guests are greeted by a 14-foot longcase clock, the largest of its type, which was made locally by Mr Stumbels of Totnes. Here hang some Tudor family portraits, including Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter, who was beheaded by his first cousin, Henry VIII. “The State Dining Room is our modern extension. Despite the gothic style linen-fold paneling, it is the newest room in the house. It was built in the 1840s by Charles Fowler, a local Devon architect, best known for Covent Garden Market in London. The armorial decoration reveals the Courtenay’s 1000 year family tree – tracing its origins in early medieval France and telling of the family’s glory years as Emperors of Constantinople. The massive fireplace is modelled on the medieval Courtenay fireplace in the Bishop’s Palace of Exeter cathedral. This room has seen many family dinners, and it fits a lovely Christmas tree.

“The Libraries display the fascinating literary interests of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Viscounts Courtenay, as well as a series of family portraits painted by three Devonian artists who dominated eighteenth century England’s art market: Thomas Hudson, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Richard Cosway R.A. Lady Frances Finch is painted by Hudson in a remarkable grey-silk dress, and she hangs alongside three of her thirteen granddaughters,

by Cosway.

“The White Drawing Room is the family drawing room – where we hosted Aunt Rose at her recent 90th birthday. The pictures and decorations were painted by the 14 children of the 2nd Viscount Courtenay and their drawing master, William Craig. From here you can enjoy spectacular views over the Rose Garden and the Deer Park.” powderham.co.uk

72

MANOR | Winter 2017

MANOR Winter 2017

73

The Music Room

74

MANOR | Winter 2017

Our model artfully adopted the character of ‘lady of the house’ lounging by day, dressed for entertaining guests come the evening. Images conjure up lavish Agatha Christie-style plotlines, each room providing a suitably impressive backdrop for The Glitz Issue of MANOR. PHOTOGRAPHS BY REMY WHITING STYLED BY MIMI STOTT HAIR AND MAKE-UP: MADDIE AUSTIN MODEL: MILA MILETIC

Printed kimono jumpsuit, Zara, £69.99; necklace, H&M, £14.99; frayed flat satin slippers, Zara, £29.99

MANOR Winter 2017

75

The Music Room

76

MANOR | Winter 2017

The Music Room

MANOR Winter 2017

77

Velvet dress with lace, Zara, £39.99; satin court shoes, Zara, £49.99; necklace, stylist’s own

78

MANOR | Winter 2017

The Marble Hall

MANOR Winter 2017

79

The Second Library

80

MANOR | Winter 2017

Embellished maxi dress, House of Fraser, £149.99; satin slingback shoes, Zara, £19.99; Swarovski crystal earrings, John Lewis, £45

MANOR Winter 2017

81

Floral print kimono, Zara, £69.99; shimmery knit bodysuit, Zara, £17.99; Ted Baker stiletto heel sandals, John Lewis, £120; necklace, stylist’s own

82

MANOR | Winter 2017

The Terrace entrance leading to The Rose Garden

Embellished maxi dress, House of Fraser, £149.99; satin slingback shoes, Zara, £19.99.

The Staircase Hall

MANOR Winter 2017

83

Embellished maxi dress, House of Fraser, £149.99; satin slingback shoes, Zara, £19.99; Swarovski crystal earrings, John Lewis, £45

84

MANOR | Winter 2017

The Staircase Hall

MANOR Winter 2017

85

Crossover jumpsuit, Zara, £69.99; Ted Baker stiletto heel sandals, John Lewis, £120; necklace, H&M, £14.99

86

MANOR | Winter 2017

The State Dining Room

MANOR Winter 2017

87

Floral print blazer, Zara, £69.99; floral print trousers, Zara, £29.99; shimmery knit bodysuit, Zara, £17.99; frayed flat slippers, Zara; £29.99; necklace, H&M, £14.99; Swarovski crystal earrings, John Lewis, £45.

88

MANOR | Winter 2017

The White Drawing Room

MANOR Winter 2017

89

Traditionally hand cast in Cornwall 10%

o

ff for Man or reade rs with the code Manor1

New London and Cornwall showrooms NOW OPEN

cornishbeds.co.uk Tel 01726 825182

90

MANOR | Winter 2017

London showroom The Old Dairy, 66a Paddenswick Road, London W6 0UB Devon showroom Odhams Wharf, Topsham, Exeter EX3 0PD Cornwall showroom 24, The Roundhouse, Harbour Road, Par, Cornwall PL24 2BB

Food

Padstow’s Paul Ainsworth gets festive | Cornish Gouda Company Bites, festive news, gifts and events from across the region | Food pioneer | The Table Prowler

Lyme Bay Winery’s Christmas Pudding Wine (£8.49 per 75cl bottle) is available from independent retailers and online lymebaywinery.co.uk.

MANOR Winter 2017

91

D

espite regular TV appearances on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and MasterChef, plus a well-earned Michelin star to his name, Paul Ainsworth remains a humble, down-to-earth chap. “TV’s a funny thing,” he says. “When I first started out there were only four or five TV chefs on our screens; now there are hundreds. I’m just going on TV to do my job and inspire other people to cook.”

Paul agrees that the recent exponential rise in cookery shows has helped reconnect people to where their food comes from and how it’s produced. “This industry has just exploded and we’re in the midst of a revolution. Food brings people together and it releases endorphins – I appreciate that more now; there comes a time in your life when having a good dinner with friends becomes your main pleasure. Food should be for everybody – it doesn’t matter if it’s from a street vendor or from Claridge’s, everyone can experience amazing food.”

And TV always comes second to the Cornish town he’s called home for the past 12 years: “Padstow’s always my number one priority,” says Paul, who for the tenth year is helping to organise the Padstow Christmas Festival. “We started from small, intimate beginnings with a few local chefs doing demos to about 50 people.”

The festival has grown and grown, and Rick Stein and 92

MANOR | Winter 2017

Padstow’s star shines bright and never more so than at Christmas. Anna Turns chats to the town’s award-winning chef, Paul Ainsworth, to find out why.

Photos by James Ram. Paul now invite chefs from further afield, too, including Tom Kerridge, Angela Hartnett and Sophie Michell.

“Couple great Cornish food with the good feeling Christmas brings, and our festival really kicks off the festive season,” says Paul enthusiastically. “It’s a chance to get things from stallholders and producers that you simply wouldn’t get in supermarkets – artisan wines, beautiful duck fat, cheeses and hams, panettone and Christmas cakes, chutneys, membrillo pastes, all made here in Cornwall.”

Cornwall is well known for fabulous food tourism, with Padstow firmly marked on the gastromap, but Paul remembers when the busy seasons used to be shorter and more defined: “We hit a real turning point when the volcanic ash cloud shut down the airports in April 2010 – our bookings went berserk for four weeks out of season and so many people discovered Cornwall for the first time because of that,” he says. “Then the staycation developed and that’s huge now – I love it so much down here I almost wish I could be the person visiting Cornwall on holiday, seeing it from a fresh perspective.

Of course, you can’t always guarantee sunny weather but I think there’s a wonderful feeling when you can just pack up the car, without the hassle of airports, and tap into Cornwall’s vibe – there’s so much to do here.”

food

Paul Ainsworth, Rick and Jack Stein at The Padstow Festival Cookbook launch

In fact, Paul had his own staycation this year with his wife Emma and one-year-old daughter Aricie, visiting all the adventure parks, beaches and, of course, scouring the region for new producers as he goes: “That’s my default setting, and it can be as simple as stumbling across a farm shop and picking up a lovely chutney that might spark an idea for a dish. I always appreciate producers doing great things.”

But does the vibrant Cornish food scene rival that of London? Paul thinks it can, while still retaining its own identity and personality. “Amazing things are happening here at the moment. For example, chef Tom Adams at Coombeshead Farm moved down from London and he’s making wonderful butter and the best bread I’ve ever tasted in my life.”

And though Padstow might be better known by some for Rick Stein’s plethora of restaurants, which has grown since The Seafood Restaurant first opened in 1975, Paul has no intention to compete directly with Stein: “We’ve always wanted to complement Rick, so at No. 6, we champion the farmers. Of course, we have brilliant fish on our doorstep but we’ve also got world-class farming.

We are ingredient-led, so we make the most of the lamb, beef, pork, duck, the game – that’s our niche.”

And that niche is attracting attention. Paul recently cooked for Gordon Ramsay when he holidayed in Cornwall (rumour has it Gordon is planning to open a restaurant in Fowey). “I worked for Gordon for six years, and he’s a big fan of our Italian restaurant Rojano’s in the Square – he’ll eat there seven or eight times when he’s down here for a couple of weeks – but it was really lovely to cook for him at No. 6 for the first time, too.”

Paul also worked for Gary Rhodes and Marcus Wareing in London, plus hospitality was bred into him from an early age, living in his parent’s ten-bed B&B in Southampton, so perhaps it’s no wonder Paul has held a Michelin star since 2012. But what’s the secret to retaining it? “Consistency

Paul Ainsworth and Paul Dodd cook up a feast in the festival demo kitchen

is the key,” according to Paul. “We evolve but we always remember why Michelin gave us the star and we stick to those values. That doesn’t mean play it safe or don’t change, but I’ve always produced an à la carte menu and that suits my personality, so we don’t do a tasting menu. While we’re very serious about what we do, I don’t want guests to feel the pressure and intensity of the standard we try to deliver every day – I want them to feel happy and relaxed.

Ultimately it’s all about the customer.” So, for Paul, it’s never about following trends, he stays true to himself but pushes himself to stay at the forefront and evolve.

Finally, I ask Paul about the family aspect of his business. His wife Emma was instrumental in renovating Padstow Townhouse to create their first boutique B&B and she works hard behind the scenes, plus his sister Michelle works as his assistant. But it goes further than that, as Paul explains: “The chefs working alongside me have become my family – I probably spend more time with them than I do with my wife. John Walton, head chef at No. 6, has been with me for 12 years, and Paul Dodd, the chef director at Rojano’s, has worked with me for 10 years. That’s how it works – I surround myself with energetic, passionate people who keep me creative!”

Padstow Christmas Festival: 7-10 December. For more info: padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk Rojano’s in the Square, 9 Mill Square, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8AE. 01841 532796 Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, 6 Middle Street, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8AP. 01841 532093 paul-ainsworth.co.uk Paul Ainsworth and friends share some of their favourite recipes in The Padstow Festival Cookbook (£12), available via mail order through Padstow Tourist Information Centre and at the festival.

MANOR Winter 2017

93

Tuscan Bacon and Bean Soup with Wild Garlic Pesto by Paul Ainsworth Serves four INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

50ml extra virgin olive oil 300g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped 2 tbsp sherry vinegar 2 red onions, roughly chopped 2 carrots, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped 1 large leek, roughly chopped 2 large waxy potatoes, chopped 6 vine tomatoes, roughly chopped (reserve the vines) Small bunch fresh rosemary and thyme, tied with string 130g small orecchiette pasta 2 litres good-quality beef stock 1 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 16 small florets purple sprouting broccoli 100g baby leaf spinach Salt and freshly ground black pepper

PESTO

• • • • • • • •

15g fresh basil, roughly chopped 15g wild garlic, roughly chopped 50g pine nuts 3 tbsp olive oil 15g Parmesan, finely grated ½ lemon, zest only, finely grated 1 tsp lemon juice, to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE

• Small handful fresh basil, roughly chopped • Small handful fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped • Small handful fresh chives, snipped

94

MANOR | Winter 2017

• 100g Parmesan, finely grated • Olive oil, for drizzling • 1 loaf crusty bread, to serve METHOD

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a high heat.

Add the bacon, then season and fry for three to four minutes, until caramelising but not burning. Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar. Add the red onions, carrots, garlic, celery and leek and cook for eight to 10 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the potatoes and tomatoes, with their vines, then add the rosemary and thyme bundle. Squash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Bring the pan to a simmer.

Heat the beef stock in a saucepan over a high heat.

Add the pasta to the vegetables. Once the stock is simmering, pour this in too.

Pour the soup into the pressure cooker (CAUTION: please follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for safe use of your pressure cooker). Bring up to pressure and cook for five minutes. Turn off the heat and slowly release the pressure. Remove the rosemary and thyme bundle and tomato vines and discard. Stir in the cannellini beans, broccoli and spinach, and allow to soften in the residual heat for five minutes.

For the pesto

Grind the basil and wild garlic in a mortar with a pestle or food processor to release the natural oils. Add the pine nuts and lemon zest and grind. Once combined, add the olive oil to make a paste and grind in the Parmesan. Add a squeeze of lemon and season to taste. To serve, pour into soup bowls and sprinkle over the fresh herbs, Parmesan, wild garlic pesto and olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.

food Crispy Porthilly Oysters by John Walton, head chef at Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 Serves four INGREDIENTS

• • • •

12 large oysters 12 slices of Cornish seaweed and cider salami, ½mm thin 2 egg whites let down with a splash of water 200g panko bread crumbs

APPLE AND FENNEL SALAD

• • • • •

1 head of fennel 2 granny smith apples 2 limes 20g caster sugar 10g freshly chopped chervil

METHOD

Shuck the oysters and gently wash in cold water. Pass the oyster juices through a fine sieve to remove any grit. Pop the oysters into a container, cover with cling film and refrigerate until required.

and leave to develop. Add the chervil before serving.

Apple and fennel salad

Oysters

First make the fennel salad: cut the root from the bottom of the fennel, peel the fennel segment and finely slice into 3cm pieces. Do exactly the same with the apples, but don’t peel them. Put into a bowl and set aside. Take the zest from one lime and the juice from two and place into a pan with the sugar. Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves, leave to cool slightly, and pour over the apple and fennel mix. Mix well

Dip the oysters in the egg white, then the panko breadcrumbs. Deep fry at 190ºC until golden and crisp, but be careful not to overcook. The oyster should be just cooked in the centre. Place plump side up on top of the salad, then sprinkle with a little Cornish sea salt. To finish, top with a slice of salami and serve.

Panna Cotta by Emily Scott, chef owner of the St Tudy Inn Serves six INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • •

13½ fl oz double cream 5 fl oz semi-skimmed milk 13 fl oz double cream 3 sheets gelatine 5oz icing sugar, sifted 1 vanilla pod, split 6 x 4” dariole moulds Passion fruit Shortbread biscuits

METHOD

Place 13½ fl oz of cream in a heavy based pan with the milk and split vanilla pod and slowly bring to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Immerse three sheets of gelatine into of cold water and leave to soak. In a bowl, combine the remaining cream with the icing sugar. Return the infused mixture to the stove to warm through. Remove the gelatine from the water, squeezing out any excess water, and add to the warm cream. Stir to dissolve. Strain the infused mixture onto the cold cream and icing sugar. Stir well. Pour into the dariole moulds and allow to cool, before refrigerating for at least three hours.

To serve, dip each mould into hot water for a second or two to loosen the edges. Invert confidently onto a plate.

Arrange the passion fruit and shortbread round the panna cotta. This works beautifully with other fruit including poached rhubarb, plums or raspberries, depending on the season. Eat with abandon.

MANOR Winter 2017

95

The Gouda life From a small dairy farm outside Looe, the Cornish Gouda Company is giving the Dutch a run for their money in the cheesemaking stakes.

Words by Fiona McGowan.

96

MANOR | Winter 2017

food

G

ouda cheese is as Dutch as a pair of clogs.

You can hardly look at a promotional photo of Holland without seeing a woman in a pointy white bonnet holding a giant roundel of golden cheese. And, in many minds, the word Gouda is also synonymous with bland, rubbery, plasticky, Babybel-y foodstuff. So it might surprise you to discover that Gouda is being made on a small dairy farm in the south-east of Cornwall. It might also surprise you that this Cornish Gouda has won the prestigious Great British Cheese award – its Extra Mature cheese winning over the taste buds of the UK’s leading fromage aficionados.

Giel Spierings (left) is 24 years old. Five years ago, he came up with an idea to stop his parents from selling the dairy farm on which he’d lived since he was six years old. He decided to make artisan cheese to supplement the milk sales. With the enthusiasm and energy of youth, he managed to persuade a bank to give him a mortgage (“Mum and Dad had to be guarantors,” he admits) and set about converting a dilapidated WW2 Nissen hut into a cheese-manufacturing plant. He bought one huge metal vat, a few big metal troughs for brining the cheese (more on that later) and launched himself into a building project. There was family history, he says, in the making of Gouda. His parents had made small batches for their personal consumption, his grandma had made cheese during the war, and his cousin works in large-scale Gouda manufacturing in Holland. Eschewing the idea of college, Giel pursued his higher education in his parents’ home country, spending weeks learning the traditional skills of Dutch cheesemaking. And he was ready…

Within six months of having the idea, Giel had made his first cheese. Five years later, the business has a turnover of £175,000 with a projection of £250,000 for 2017. The Nissen hut has been much extended. A new vat has just been added, which will double the production. What was once the storage room – where the cheeses are left to mature for between two months and two years – has been converted into the brining room, and in the back, Tardis-like, is a giant space stacked with shelves upon shelves of gently gleaming golden cheeses. Sitting on a giant butcher’s board are inviting slices of Gouda. The smoothest, dotted with a small number of holes, is the Medium Mature, which has been matured for four months. It looks slightly waxy and golden yellow… will it taste like a bland, rubbery Edam, I wonder? Of course not. It is creamy and full of flavour, its texture melting satisfyingly in the mouth. The Semi Mature, flavoured with flecks of delicious Italian truffle, is nothing short of mouth-watering – it has me literally salivating for more. Giel kindly packages up a few samples for me to take home. If they make it that far…

Like a fine wine, the more mature the cheese, the more intense and full-bodied the flavour. But with cheese, the texture is almost as influential as the taste.

The two-year-old, award-winning Extra-Mature cheese MANOR Winter 2017

97

The Semi Mature, flavoured with flecks of delicious Italian truffle, is nothing short of mouth-watering – it has me literally salivating for more. is almost as hard and flaky as Parmesan, but the flavour is nutty and much more approachable than its Italian doppelganger. It’s peppered with tiny white crystals that crunch satisfyingly with every bite: “It’s excess calcium that starts to crystallise after about eight months,” Giel explains. He cuts off hunks of other cheeses: there are some flavoured with Italian herbs and sun-dried tomatoes; a cumin; a fenugreek (“all my ideas,” says Giel) and a whole range of different maturities.

It all starts, of course, with the cows. Giel’s parents bought the dairy farm in 1998, upping sticks from their small mixed farm in Holland to the UK. Their choice of Cornwall was entirely pragmatic, as Giel’s mum Annemarie reveals: “We thought, the climate is really good – the cows don’t like really hot and really cold. In Cornwall, it’s never really hot and never really cold. We have the rain, of course, but that’s good for the grass.”

Unfortunately, the dairy industry in the UK slumped, thanks to milk quotas that saw farmers having to pay more to produce the milk than they could make back through sales. Annemarie and her husband Joost began to struggle, paying off a large mortgage and trying to produce enough milk to make it financially viable. By 2011, they had had enough of the struggle – until Giel and his brother convinced them to diversify.

The farm has 200 pedigree Holstein-Friesian cattle, and around 150 acres of land. The cattle don’t feed outside, says Giel, partly because they’re fussy about the weather and partly because feeding them a consistent diet of grass, maize and ‘wholecrop’ (fibre) silage provides consistent quality and flavour in the cheese. The cows spend three months of the year roaming free, and the rest of the time they’re ambling about in a large cowshed. Apparently, 98

MANOR | Winter 2017

they love it. It has waterbeds for every cow (really), and two robotic milking machines, enabling the cows to milk themselves when they want to relieve their udders. Giel is very proud of this high-tech piece of kit, showing me how it uses lasers to individually attach to each teat once the cow wanders into the milking ‘parlour’ (the end of the shed). While the farm doesn’t look at all high-tech – the outbuildings are run down and the large farmhouse looks in need of renovation – there is some serious large-scale gadgetry and sophisticated science going on here.

Giel shows me the biomass boiler. Using sustainable timber from the farmland, on cheesemaking days (three times per week), the boiler provides 75% of the energy for the entire process, from the pasteurising to the temperature control in all the rooms. The big burner needs to be fed with logs twice a day, he says, demonstrating by chucking in a big log, relishing the hefty labour. The cowshed is roofed with solar panels, providing yet more alternative energy. There is a theme here. From the artisan nature of the cheesemaking to feeding the cattle and ensuring that they’re milked in as natural a rhythm as possible, the farm is very green indeed.

From the smelly, muddy – and inevitably stinky – farmyard, the interior of the Nissen hut is a clean and bright haven. While 60% of the cows’ milk is sold to the ‘milk pool’, 40% of it goes into the two large vats, where the milk is pasteurised. Giel is keen to explain the whole process: in the vats, he adds the ‘cultures’, which is basically “gone-off milk” to make the milk go sour. What actually turns the sour milk into cheese is a tiny amount of rennet – the stomach acid from a calf. “You get a slimy sort of cold custard. That is cheese. From that stage, you can pretty much make any cheese in the world.”

food So what makes a Gouda a Gouda? The next stage is key – the blancmange-y substance is cut with a knife into cubes and heated. The size of the cubes and the amount of heat makes the flavour and texture of the cheese.

Cheddar is cut into bigger cubes and scalded with steam.

Soft cheese like Brie is cut into smaller cubes and gently warmed. Gouda is cut into 1cm square cubes and soaked in warm saltwater with calcium in the brining tanks, drawing the moisture out of the cheese until it can be shaped into the rounds.

The science of cheesemaking is highly complex – and it’s very much Giel’s specialist subject. I have a feeling he would be a flawless winner on Mastermind.

There are tweaks and minor alterations that can have a big impact on the final product. From the fact that the cheese is painted with a paper-thin layer of wax, rather than dunked in wax (enabling the cheese to breathe as it ages), to the size of the holes in the cheese (caused by bacteria as the cheese sets), to the amount of care that goes into maturing the cheese (they have to be cleaned and turned every two weeks) – it’s a serious undertaking. Just as well that Giel’s parents are still very much on board with the farming side of things – and his brother, an expert agronomist, is on the case with ensuring the feed is the best quality and consistency possible.

The golden racks of cheese are testament to Giel’s passion; he’s a true entrepreneur who has turned his hand to marketing and sales, from farmers’ markets in the early days, to food shows and wholesalers in London and nationally. He even reckons that his Gouda is superior to the mass-produced Gouda from Holland – partly thanks to the silage from their lush Cornish fields. And possibly because the cattle are rather more contented than mass-farmed, mass-milked herds elsewhere. His dream is to become even more green: to buy a ‘digester’, which collects the methane from the cows in a big balloon and uses the energy to power the entire farm. “Because of the biomass boiler and the solar panels, the cheesemaking is already carbon neutral,” Giel enthuses. “But with a digestor, the entire farm would be carbon positive – with the woodland that we have, we’re actually putting oxygen into the atmosphere.” And it’s not just about being green. The golden cheeses are making their presence known – they’re already being sold in EH Booths supermarkets, and he’s got his sights fixed on the likes of Waitrose as potential suppliers. Oh, and he’s dreaming of buying his parents out of the farm and using 100% of the milk for the cheese… cornishgouda.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

99

Cheese lord We felt, it being the time of year when much cheese of every variety is consumed, and having whet your appetite with our feature on the Cornish Gouda Company, it was appropriate to provide you with some recipes involving cheese conjured up by none other than the celebrated chef, Michel Roux. Photographs by Lisa Linder.

Roux’s love affair with cheese began at the age of seven with trips to his local market, St Mandé in Paris, to buy cheese for the family to share as a precious Sunday treat.

A lifetime of international travel served only to increase Roux’s passion and curiosity for cheese, culminating in one of the UK’s most renowned selections on offer at his Michelin-starred restaurant, The Waterside Inn in Bray, and this, a book wholly dedicated to cheese.

CHEESE: The Essential Guide to Cooking with Cheese explores the provenance, seasonality and even health benefits of cheeses along with recipes comprising dishes from around the world and popular favourites, all with an original Roux twist.

We share a selection that will work as cocktail snacks, starter, main course or dessert.

Cheese straws Makes 24 These beautifully crisp allumettes au fromage are excellent with an aperitif, but can equally be served alongside a chicken consommé…

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • •

400g ready-made puff pastry Plain flour, for dusting Eggwash (1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk), to glaze 80g Emmental, Gruyère or Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated 1 tsp sweet paprika A small pinch of cayenne pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 28cm x 12cm rectangle, about 2mm thick.

Loosely roll the pastry over the rolling pin and unfurl it onto the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Brush the entire surface of the pastry with eggwash and scatter the grated cheese evenly over the top. Mix the paprika and cayenne together and dust over the surface.

Using a large chef ’s knife, trim the pastry edges to neaten, then cut in half to give two pieces, each 14cm x 12cm. Cut each piece into 1cm wide strips, to create 24 straws in total.

Either leave them plain or, using a palette knife, lift each straw off the baking sheet and twist the ends six times in opposite directions to create spirals.

Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes until golden. As soon as they come out of the oven, carefully transfer the straws to a wire rack and leave to cool slightly.

Arrange the cheese straws in a tall tumbler or on a board, and serve, ideally still warm.

100

MANOR | Winter 2017

food Parmesan lace shells filled with goat’s cheese Makes 12 This exquisite canapé is an explosion of sheer pleasure in the mouth. The Parmesan shells are very fragile and can break easily as you shape them from the oven, or fill them, so handle with great care.

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • •

100g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated 80g fresh goat’s cheese 20ml double cream 2 tsp finely snipped chives 12 small semi-confit cherry tomatoes, optional (see below) Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Just before serving, divide the goat’s cheese mixture between the 12 Parmesan shells and arrange a semiconfit tomato, if using, on top. Serve at once; allow two per person. For a more uniform appearance, you can use a plain 6-8cm pastry cutter to cut out neat rounds as soon as the shells come out of the oven, if you prefer.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Cut an empty egg box into six cups and wrap the outside of each cup with cling film. Place them hollow-side down on your work surface.

Using half the grated Parmesan, carefully create six small mounds on a non-stick baking tray, spacing them well apart. Spread each out into a 5cm circle, 3mm thick.

Bake in the oven for 3-4 minutes until lightly coloured and resembling cooked tuiles.

As soon as they’re cooked, use a palette knife to lift each round and place it on an upturned, cling-film wrapped cup, so that they take on a slightly concave shape, like a little basket. Leave to cool.

As soon as the Parmesan shells are cold, very gently remove them from the egg box moulds. Keep in a dry place until ready to use or store in an airtight container for up to a day (thereafter they will start to lose their flavour). Repeat with the remaining Parmesan to make another six shells.

For the filling, mix the goat’s cheese and cream together, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chives.

Semi-confit cherry tomatoes Makes 10-14 cherry tomatoes I use these semi-confit tomatoes in several recipes, including Parmesan lace shells, lobster gratin and confit of Baskerville pork belly. They add a welcome touch of colour, sweetness and freshness. The oil can be kept for a few days and used in dressings or other recipes.

INGREDIENTS

• • • • •

200ml light olive oil 1 thyme sprig 1 bay leaf ½ garlic clove, peeled 10-14 cherry tomatoes

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat to about 90°C and add the thyme, bay leaf, garlic and

cherry tomatoes. Lower the heat and confit at about 70°C until the tomato skins are just starting to show signs of splitting – about 8-10 minutes, depending on size and ripeness. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

Transfer the tomatoes to a jar or bowl, and pour over the oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. The semi-confit tomatoes will keep well in their oil in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

MANOR Winter 2017

101

Meatballs with Gouda Serves six This is a good, family-style dish. The melting cheese in the meatballs blends harmoniously with the surrounding meat. You could use Raclette or another semi-firm cheese in place of the Gouda. Sautéed aubergine is the perfect complement; for a more substantial dish, I serve seasoned macaroni too.

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

750g lean beef, minced on a medium setting 250g lean pork, minced on a medium setting 1 garlic clove, finely chopped A pinch of ground cloves A pinch of ground cinnamon Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon A pinch of dried oregano 20g Parmesan, freshly grated 1 medium egg, plus 1 extra yolk 50ml cold milk 140g Gouda, cut into 18 cubes 60g dried fine breadcrumbs 100ml grapeseed oil Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

FOR THE TOMATO COULIS

• • • • •

50ml light olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 thyme sprig, leaves stripped and finely chopped 300g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped 5g basil leaves, finely snipped

TO SERVE

• 1 medium aubergine, trimmed • 50ml light olive oil • Flat-leaf parsley, to garnish METHOD

To make the tomato coulis, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for five minutes, then add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a blender and blitz for 45 seconds, then strain through a chinois into the rinsed-out pan; keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. For the meatballs, put the minced meats, garlic, ground spices, lemon zest and juice, oregano, Parmesan, one teaspoon of salt and a generous grinding of pepper into a large bowl. Beat the egg and extra yolk together and add to the bowl. Mix well. Add the milk and mix again.

Take about 50g of the meat mixture and place it in the cupped palm of one hand. Push a cube of cheese into the middle, then shape into a ball, enclosing the cheese in the meat using both palms. Repeat to make 18 meatballs in total, using the remaining meat and cheese.

102

MANOR | Winter 2017

Spread out the breadcrumbs on a small tray or large plate. Place six meatballs at a time in the breadcrumbs and roll them to coat evenly, then transfer to a plate or board.

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a high heat, add the meatballs and fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden all over. Transfer to a roasting dish and cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the aubergine into thick batons. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the batons and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, divide the tomato coulis between six warmed plates and place three meatballs on top. Add the aubergine batons and garnish with flat-leaf parsley. Serve at once, with buttered macaroni on the side if you wish.

food Tiramisu verrine Serves four to six I like to serve this classic dessert in individual glasses for an elegant presentation. The crushed coffee beans add a surprise crunch that works perfectly with the tiramisu’s smooth, creamy texture.

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • •

3 egg yolks 60g caster sugar 200g mascarpone 200ml whipping cream 50g icing sugar 3 very strong shots of espresso, cooled 1 tbsp Sambuca 6 large, soft, fluffy sponge fingers (bought from a pâtisserie) 30g dark, unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 16 coffee beans, roughly crushed

METHOD

Put the egg yolks and caster sugar into a small bowl and whisk until the mixture is pale, creamy and thick enough to leave a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Add the mascarpone and fold through until evenly combined.

In another bowl, whip the cream with the icing sugar until softly peaking. Using a spatula, carefully fold the two mixtures together until smoothly combined; avoid overworking.

Mix the cold espresso shots with the Sambuca in a shallow dish, just large enough to fit the sponge fingers. Add the sponge fingers to the dish and turn them over after 30 seconds so that they are evenly soaked.

Divide about one-fifth of the creamy mixture between 4-6 cocktail glasses, then gently place a layer of soaked sponge on top (using just over onethird of them). Spoon another layer of the creamy mixture on top, then arrange the remaining sponge over the surface. Spoon the rest of the creamy mixture on top. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

To finish, from a piece of card large enough to cover the top of each serving glass, cut out a circle, about 3cm in diameter, from the middle, to make a neat hole. Sit the cardboard on the rim of one glass, making sure that the hole is in the middle, then generously sprinkle cocoa into the middle. Remove the card and repeat with the remaining tiramisu glasses. Sprinkle the crushed coffee beans around the edge of each tiramisu and serve very cold.

CHEESE: The Essential Guide to Cooking with Cheese by Michel Roux is published by Quadrille, £20. Photography by Lisa Linder.

MANOR Winter 2017

103

Bites Wildmoor’s paired cheese and wine Carefully selected by Wildmoor Fine Food & Drink’s owner Jeremy Clevett, based in Bovey Tracey, the Makanyane is a celebration of African produce – creamy cheddar and smoky Pinotage is paired with sweet and spicy baobab chilli jam by The African Chef (£33.50).

Also look out for Jeremy’s ‘box of the month’. wildmoor-deli.co.uk

Trill’s Winter Seasons Box All products are foraged, handcrafted, harvested or cooked on site at Romy Fraser’s farm near Axminster. The box includes winter tea, hedgerow mixer, botanical cocktail recipe cards, tomato seeds, fennel and sea salt crackers, chocolate-covered plums and blackberry, fig, port and thyme preserve – you’ll be in for a treat this season. £160. trillfarm.co.uk

104

MANOR | Winter 2017

EVEBOX’s Bertie food box This gourmet gift from South Devon’s new mail order gift company includes honeycomb shortbread cookies from Teoni’s, roasted garlic chutney and whortleberry jam from Tiverton-based Waterhouse Fayre. £20. evebox.co.uk

food

Pretty Local’s Christmas box Complete with recipe cards, the South Hams-based Pretty Local presents a stress-free Christmas dinner, sourced within 20 miles of Kingsbridge.

From free-range turkey from Sladesdown Farm accompanied by cranberry sauce from JB Preserves, streaky bacon and chipolatas from the Salcombe Meat Company plus all the traditional veggies. The box also includes mince pies made by The Bake House Salcombe, handmade Christmas pudding and Challon’s Combe Organics thick cream, chocolate truffles from Artisan Chocolates and a mulled wine spice mix

by Greedy Fox. Prices start at £78.95 to £99.95 for Christmas Hamper for 4-6 (various options available). prettylocal.co.uk

The Shops at Dartington festive hampers The Shops at Dartington food and drink hampers will make an exquisitely tasty gift for loved ones during the festive period. With high-quality produce sourced from within the West Country, The Shops at Dartington has something for everyone.

For gin enthusiasts, there’s the Elmhirst Gin Hamper, including a 70cl bottle of their limited edition Dartington Elmhirst Gin, made (on the premises) by Devon Distillery, packaged alongside two Dartington Copa glasses.

For a more personal touch, there’s the Bespoke Hamper. With various sizes available, this hamper can be truly customised for the individual – with the knowledgeable staff from the food shop selecting produce from its extensive range to suit the taste buds of the lucky recipient. Popular hampers to note: Cheese Lovers’ Hamper, Devon Deluxe Hamper, Beer Lovers’ Hamper and the Free-From Hamper.

The high quality of the products featuring in hampers is underlined by the following well-known brands: Devonshire Tea, The Blueberry Brothers, Luscombe, Otter Brewery, Portlebay Popcorn and many more… shopsatdartington.co.uk

Great Cornish Food’s Gentleman’s Box This bespoke Cornish collection includes a bottle of Polgoon Rondo Pinot red wine, Roskilly’s Organic Salt Caramel Fudge, Origin Coffee espresso beans, Hubble Mighty Marmalade, a pint of Padstow Pride amber bitter ale and a Cornish Orchards Farmhouse Cider flagon. £50 plus delivery. greatcornishfood.co.uk

And just because it’s Christmas... you can share the festive spirit and give a special meal to people who might not otherwise be able to celebrate in style by donating Christmas dinner for four to six people. Boxes need to be dropped off at various collection points across Cornwall by 12 December. Find out more: cornwallchristmasbox.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

105

Stocking fillers

Buttermilk Buttermilk adds to its indulgent Christmas range this year with gingerbread fudge (£2.99), a dairy-free gingerbread honeycomb (£3.99), and a new Christmas bauble filled with caramel sea salt fudge (£4.50), made by hand using traditional methods in Cornwall. buttermilk.co.uk

Black Cow Vodka Black Cow Vodka’s Whole Milk gift pack (£12) includes a 50ml miniature bottle of vodka and a delicious Black Cow vintage Cheddar made on Jason Barber’s West Dorset farm. blackcow.co.uk

Figgy

Little’s

Figgy’s traditional Christmas puddings are homecooked by Richard and Joanne Evans at their artisan bakery near Exeter using an old family recipe. Each pudding is matured for several months in Englishmade ceramic pudding basins (£10 for a pudding for 2-3 people, £15 for 4-6 people and £20 for 8-10 people). figgys.co.uk

The Little’s family source the best-quality Arabica coffee, roast it to perfection and infuse it to bring you delicious flavoured instant coffees. The Winter Warmers Infused Coffee Gift Set (£10) includes three coffees – Christmas Spirit, Irish Cream and Rich Hazelnut. wearelittles.com

The Foodies Larder West Country-based The Foodies Larder has introduced an ecofriendly alternative to the aluminium and plastic coffee capsules for the perfect guilt-free stocking filler. This new range of Nespresso® compatible coffee capsules are fully compostable and biodegradable, filled with single origin, organic and Fairtrade coffees from Peru and Ethiopia, or Swiss Water Organic Decaff coffee capsules made with a 100% chemical-free process to decaffeinate the coffee.

Healthy for you and healthy for the planet, plus each capsule also contains 10% more coffee than a standard Nespresso® capsule. foodieslarder.com; 40 capsules for £20 via amazon.co.uk

106

MANOR | Winter 2017

food

Tideford Organics Tideford Organics has launched a vegan cranberry sauce (ÂŁ3.95). Also organic and gluten-free, juicy cranberries are cooked slowly then complemented with port, cinnamon and a pinch of cloves. tidefordorganics.com

The Venus Company The Venus Company’s first Christmas market takes place on 9 December at Blackpool Sands beach near Dartmouth. Free entry, free parking and entertainment for all the family, it promises to be a great festive day out.

There will be a range of local food and drink to crafts and unique gifts. lovingthebeach.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

107

Best in county BBC Radio 2’s Nigel Barden hosted the annual Food & Drink Devon Awards at the Deer Park Country House Hotel, celebrating the best the county has to offer: “I’m a huge fan of Devon and the county is full of talented, enthusiastic and passionate food and drink producers, gifted chefs and focused retailers.”

Salcombe Distilling Co. won the coveted Best Producer Award and also the new Best Cookery School category for their recently launched gin school. During the judging of more than 200 products in the ‘Taste of Devon’ Awards, only one product received a Platinum award – judges described Chocolate Heaven Made in Devon’s Rich Vanilla Fudge as “simply perfect”. The Journeys End in Ringmore was the proud winner of the ‘Best Pub’ award, and The Teign Canteen, which is a mobile street food kitchen in a converted 1977 Citroen van, took home the ‘Best Street Food’ Award.

Barbara King, chair of Food & Drink Devon, comments: “It’s a fantastic reflection of the high standard of

what’s on offer in the county. The awards this year received over 200 product entries, 16 entries in the ‘Retail’ Awards and 61 entries in the ‘Hospitality’ Awards, showing the strength and depth of food and drink in Devon.” foodanddrinkdevon.co.uk

Firepot adds fuel to the fire Inspired by outdoor adventures and handmade in Dorset, Firepot by Outdoorfood has been revealed as The Seed Fund’s 2017 winner. The backpack-friendly meal start-up now benefits from a full year of business support, branding and mentoring from the philanthropic organisation’s network of food and drink industry experts.

Outdoorfood’s managing director, John Fisher, first began developing Firepot for his own nutritional needs while travelling around the world, and developed meals such as chilli con carne, dal and risotto with a twoyear shelf life, that are free from preservatives and just require hot water to prepare. “Being part of The Seed Fund Academy has been an incredibly energising experience and one I would recommend to any food company in the UK.” outdoorfood.com

Dine in candlelit barns at one of Nancarrow’s Christmas feasts on 2, 9 and 13 December. £40 pp. Nancarrow Farm, Zelah, near Truro, Cornwall. nancarrowfarm.co.uk

108

MANOR | Winter 2017

food

Festivi-tea Festive afternoon tea at The Alverton features mini mince pies, mini Christmas puddings, and turkey and cranberry sandwiches. £15. The Alverton, Tregolls Road, Truro, Cornwall TR1 1ZQ. thealverton.co.uk

The Winery Bar at Trevibban Mill Cornish vineyard Trevibban Mill has relaunched The Winery Bar, offering a selection of award-winning wines, cider and a range of small plates of perfectly paired nibbles. The vineyard can be found close to the North Cornish coast, near Padstow. Located in the heart of the Cornish countryside, Trevibban Mill is a working vineyard in an idyllic rural setting.

The Winery Bar is now open for wine tasting, casual drinks, snacks and socialising. Drinks can be enjoyed overlooking the vineyards and scenic Cornish

countryside or there is a patio space, situated amongst wild flowers. There is wine tasting at the bar, or you can choose a glass or a bottle from its collection of awardwinning wines and cider, with a variety of soft drinks also available. Bar snacks include: Italian mixed olives, smoked almonds, artisan Da Bara bread with charcuterie or a cheese board.

The Winery Bar at Trevibban Mill is now open Wednesday to Sunday, 12noon-5pm, and private tours of the vineyard are also available to book. trevibbanmill.com

Christmas Gingle recipe A festive, fruity and spicy gin cocktail from South Devon.

INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • •

1 part (50ml) Salcombe Gin ‘Start Point’ 1.5 parts (75ml) Luscombe Cranberry Crush 2 parts (100ml) Luscombe Passionate Ginger Beer 5ml fresh lime juice 3 thin slices of fresh ginger 10 fresh or frozen cranberries A sprig of fresh mint Ice

METHOD

Add Salcombe Gin, fresh lime juice, 5 cranberries and 2 slices of fresh ginger to a Boston shaker glass. Add ice and shake vigorously.

Fill a large highball with ice.

Double-strain the mixture over the ice into the glass using a Hawthorne strainer and fine sieve.

Add Luscombe Cranberry Crush followed by Luscombe Passionate Ginger Beer and stir.

Garnish with 5 cranberries, a sprig of fresh mint and the remaining fresh ginger sliced into thin julienne matchsticks.

MANOR Winter 2017

109

Food Pioneer Ben White GENERAL MANAGER, COOMBE FARM ORGANIC, SOMERSET At Coombe Farm, we’re obsessed with sustainability.

This is one of a few farms in the UK running 100% off grid and solely powered by our on-site solar panels.

The animals are free to roam and eat our luscious grass, and are reared to the highest Soil Association organic guidelines. We also focus on the high welfare of our animals, which we believe leads to the incredible flavour of our meat.

We have an ethical approach to providing food. With a

focus on local sourcing and artisan skills, we make sure that our yields are in moderation and with an eye on both the next generation and the environment.

Our meat-selling business, Coombe Farm Organic, started as a break off from our dairy operation two years ago. We work alongside high street brands,

delivering millions of litres of organic milk and other dairy, such as cream and yogurt, to market each year. As by-products of our dairy farm, we had this wonderful supply of beef and lamb that went to wholesale. The animals get such a great start to life, so we decided to create Coombe Farm Organic. Over the last two years, we’ve grown and increased our range and now run an organic, grass-fed online farm shop, selling organic beef, lamb, pork, chicken, venison, and sustainably sourced fish from Brixham fish market.

By popular demand from our customers, we’ve also introduced organic soup and a range of organic pies and pasties. We couldn’t believe it when we entered and won the Soil Association BOOM awards this year for best organic small online retailer – it has been great to share this success with our loyal customers.

Organic food shouldn’t be seen as elitist. If you find the

right people to buy organic from and shop seasonally, it doesn’t need to cost more than your regular supermarket shop. With high welfare meat, we encourage people to buy better quality a few times a week as a treat.

I believe our meat is very special. As well as incredible

steaks and tender roasting joints, we ensure we use all the cuts of our animals. We make bones readily available to customers and work with a producer to provide a readymade, nutritious broth. We produce our own tallow by rendering the fat from the animals and have a very popular offal category on the website. All our products, 110

MANOR | Winter 2017

like burgers and sausages, are produced with the flavour of the raw ingredient in mind and we don’t use fillers, nitrates or flavourings.

We try to do everything as naturally as possible here.

We have a really nice ecosystem set up. Solar panels are fitted onto the roofs of all the farm buildings and in our two solarfields – sheep graze to keep them as agricultural use. All of the land is really lush because the grass has been left for a long time and managed carefully by our farming team.

Our award-winning grasses are fertilised by the cows themselves. Every day, the dairy processing unit is

washed down with water purified here on site from a spring running beneath the farm. All of that milk effluent and water is then captured in a reservoir. To that, we add all the muck from cows when they are kept indoors in the coldest winter months. Propellers then agitate this in the reservoir and that mixture is used to fertilise the fields here at Coombe Farm and nothing else. As a Soil Association farm, there are some approved fertilisers we could use but we don’t even do that. We return the water and manure and waste milk back to the land.

The proof is in the tasting. We’ve taken a dairy cow

and a beef bullock and created organic ribeye steaks.

For the steaks to win the Taste of the West Awards 2017 Champion Meat & Poultry in September was brilliant.

When we combine our farming experience, high animal welfare and sustainable approach with creating new and exciting products, we want you to cook them and create amazing, tasty dishes. coombefarmorganic.co.uk

food

The Table Prowler Birch, Bristol It’s long been called ‘Lower Clifton’, but Bristol’s Southville is still satisfyingly artsy and community-oriented, housing as it does the always surprising Tobacco Factory theatre, a farmers’ market, a top-notch deli, and the annual street art/graffiti festival, Upfest. What it also has – and this is the clincher for me – is Birch, a glorious little restaurant occupying a former corner offie on Raleigh Road.

Inside, it’s compact and retro-styled, with a mishmash of 70s-hued vinyl on the chairs, quirkily labelled old wine bottles on a shelf behind the counter and industrial enamel pendant lights. We visit on a wet Friday evening (it’s open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday only), and it’s packed from about 6.30pm, with twosomes (a larger party arrive just as we’re leaving) clearly here for the laid-back vibe and what turns out to be spectacular food.

And, oh, the food! The steez is to order a selection of small dishes, which come out of the kitchen as and when, so you get the chance to fully focus on each perfectly formed morsel. Whipped cod’s roe (£6.50) is so palate-sharpening smoky it’s like sticking your head in a bonfire, and comes with snappy spelt crackers and gossamer-thin curls of courgette.

Quince ketchup endows a fat slab of meaty brawn (£8) with a

deliciously sweet kiss, and chunks of squid (£9) – tentacles and all – come in an umami slick of ink that stain our lips like a Saturday morning at Kensington Market. We go for one larger dish – mallard breast with beetroot and redcurrant jelly (£11) – which offers up a muscle of quivering pink that we literally fight over (such is the downside of ‘sharing’ plates). But it’s the seemingly unassuming celeriac with mushrooms, egg yolk and cheddar (£7) that leaves us gasping: thin slivers of white, pasta-like, in a silky sauce the grips the taste buds. We don’t need it, but we finish with the cloud-light apple mousse, salt caramel ice cream and hazelnuts (£6.50). Swoon.

Birch is one of those neighbourhood restaurants that once you tumble out into the night, not just sated but treated – spoiled, even – and wander in a happy fug in search of the bus stop, you find yourself pausing at the estate agent’s window, because who wouldn’t want to live somewhere with this absolute gem in its midst? I’d settle for a camper van in the Aldi car park, to be frank… birchbristol.co.uk Food 10 | Service 10 | Ambience 9 | Location 8

Gidleigh Park, Chagford Gidleigh is a perennial favourite, an annual treat. Luxurious sophistication in the depths of Dartmoor, it’s a pleasure as soon as you cross the threshold. Guided to the lounge by smiling staff who quietly glide to meet your every whim, you sink into the sumptuous upholstery to take your apertif, prior to perusing the two Michelin-star menu with composed anticipation.

We ordered the ‘Taste of Autumn’ set menu, comprising two savoury courses and two desserts. The aperitif in the lounge consisted of snacks in the form of puffed crisps with the consistency of delicate Quavers, but the flavour of Salcombe crab, squid and seaweed. Made from an extreme reduction of the one ingredient (I recently saw head chef Michael Wignall demonstrating how he made them), then lightly fried like tempura, they are textured mouthfuls of purity, with no additives, hence the intensity of flavour. The crisps were served with two dips in small pots to share. This proved tricky, as the crisps broke when dipped, leaving a good proportion in the pot; there was no spoon to scoop them out, and as we were sharing, one didn’t like to spoon a shared dip in any case. There was more dip than there were crisps (which numbered two or three each), meaning that we had to ask for more, which took a while to arrive, by which time certain members of the party had resorted to using their fingers (not very Gidleigh). Delicious, but it felt like this amuse bouche hadn’t been through the ‘guest test’.

The main meal comprised first sardine, lightly cured and torched, with tempura fennel, potatoes and cuttlefish or veal with sweetbread, crosnes, kale and chanterelles, fittingly autumnal. I chose the sardine, which arrived as two very little fillets, the discs

of violet potatoes almost concealing them. They were exquisitely flavoured but gone in an instant. The veal was a work of art on the plate, the sweetbreads apparently the best he’d ever tasted.

Next up was either squab with black pudding, celeriac, cavolo nero and snails, or, as I chose, plaice, with mussels, cos lettuce, sea vegetables and a kelp cracker. The snowy white flesh of the fish dominated the plate, with the accompanying ingredients providing more in the way of tasty garnish than substance – there was a kelp cracker, six small river mussels, and the vegetables were in the form of a paste that painted the plate beneath the plaice. The warm sourdough bread (made from a base fed over 12 years apparently) was welcome here, to wipe the plate clean.

What followed then were two desserts: apple crumble with set toffee custard, and banana or pumpkin parfait. I’m not a dessert person, so would rather that one option had been a cheese plate. As ever, the wine throughout the meal was wonderful, each of us having the glass that perfectly suited our choices, but I confess that I left Gidleigh Park still hungry. We were told that the main man, Wignall, was not there that day, but for me (the rest of the party left more sated), the ‘Taste of Autumn’ menu, priced at £49, was like a top-class tasting menu cut short by several dishes and leaving you wanting. All was exquisite, but not quite enough. gidleigh.co.uk Food: 9 | Service: 9 | Ambience: 9 | Location: 10

MANOR Winter 2017

111

La Fabrico Winter Tile Sale 15% off our whole collection

lafabrico.com 112

1 Mitre lane, Exeter, ex4 3bb 01392 848487 MANOR | Winter 2017

Space Kudvha, Cornwall | Amos Lighting | Shopping for space

PHOTO: GEORGE FIELDING georgefielding.co.uk

Kudvha wooden hideouts. See page 114 kudhva.com

MANOR Winter 2017

113

PHOTO: KARL MACKIE

R

egardless of your age, there’s something uniquely appealing about dens, snugs, and hideouts; cosy refuges where you can get away from it all, preferably somewhere no one else will find you that’s far removed from the buzz, whirr and stresses of everyday life.

This was the premise behind Kudhva. Kudhva is the Cornish word for ‘hideout’, and Kudhva, developed

by Louise Middleton and Ben Huggins, is just that – a series of elevated hideouts set within a woodland in the depths of a 43-acre coastal site, which was once home to a working slate quarry.

114

MANOR | Winter 2017

Specially designed hideouts hidden in Cornish woodland, Kudhva are a new concept in disconnecting from your devices and reconnecting with your soul.

Words by Imogen Clements.

Photography by George Fielding and Karl Mackie as accredited.

Kudhva is the result of the collaboration between these two old school friends, now in their 40s: Louise, a trained ceramicist, designer and self-taught builder, and friend Ben; both of them highly creative and progressive thinkers, with a keen interest in eco-design.

It was Louise who sparked the idea. She’d acquired a taste for building projects when she and her ex-husband decided to build their own house. It took seven years, no less, of living in a caravan but they achieved it, going as far as thatching the house themselves. She went on to build further homes on the Continent, as well as setting up her own design and leather-tanning company.

space

PHOTO: GEORGE FIELDING

Louise tells me about Ben. “He was perfect for this project,” she says. “He’s a genius in my book, and the job came just at the right time – I knew he’d be in demand and have zero availability very quickly, for something like this.”

The ‘something like this’ was a brief with a difference. Louise, based in Devon, had for some time been looking for a plot that would inspire her. She found it in an old disused slate quarry a mile inland from Trebarwith Strand.

“It was perfect,” she recalls. “Located on the coast with two natural water sources, it wasn’t pasture – which would have been too boring – but a landmass of rich ecological variety: a reservoir, waterfall, bare rock, willow woodland, and incredible 180-degree sea views, which look down over Gull Rock. The quarry had been mined over a 30- to 40-year period until, its seams diminished, it was closed, but there’s a fully restored engine house. The engine house was built for purpose in 1870, then restored by locals in 1972, Grade II listed, and is the only one of its kind along this stretch of coast.”

The site had come to market three years prior to Louise buying it, but had been taken off soon after. By then, however, it was on her radar, and when it was put back up for auction, she snapped it up as a 999-year leasehold from the Duchy of Cornwall.

PHOTO: KARL MACKIE

JO & CO H O M E

A one of a kind destination for furniture, interiors & gifts

W W W . J O A N D C O H O M E . C O M

Follow us @

J O A N D C O H O M E

In 2014 we had the desire to create a store full of inspirational homewares. Three years on and Jo&Co Home has developed into destination for lifestyle shopping. Offering a wide mix of home accessories, lighting and furniture as well beautiful clothing and beauty brands, gifts and children’s toys. The eclectic mix of products have all been hand picked by us with you in mind.

H A W K S F I E L D

A T L A N T I C

H I G H W A Y

W A D E B R I D G E

C O R N W A L L

P L 2 7

7 L R

MANOR Winter 2017

115

“The land came with restrictions, of course – only temporary, light structures would be permitted on the site, which really pointed to camping, but this chimed with what I had in mind.”

Louise’s vision was for a simple hideout (light but more robust than a tent), deep in the wilderness, disconnected from WiFi, mobile; totally off-grid. The hideout would be devoid of mod cons, and allow for a complete reconnection with nature, so the surrounding varied ecology of the habitat was a gift.

It was at this point that she consulted Ben. “I knew Ben understood me and wouldn’t be fazed by such a project. We’d worked together before, and I explained I was after a small enclosed space, off the ground, that would promote simple living. It needed to be small, to encourage people to get out; high up to instil a sense of safety, but also to protect the ground beneath the structure; and it needed to be basic – just a bed and sofa.”

Ben set about drawing, and explains how the shape of Kudhva materialised. “The interior layout and shape was derived from how the occupant would use the space,” he says. “For example, when entering they’d need adequate headroom; the sofa had to work ergonomically and the bed needed to be up and out of the way (with not so much headroom).

PLYMOUTHART.AC.UK

UNDERGRADUATE OPEN DAYS 14 OCT / 4 NOV / 6 JAN POST-16 OPEN EVENINGS 23 NOV / 15 FEB / 11 APR

“When we positioned all these elements together, it created the shape of the space. We then thought about how best they should be connected: the floor transitioned into the sofa, and a wall became the connection to the bed. Essentially, Kudhva was designed inside out; the positioning of the interior elements gave us the resulting external triangular look.”

Kudhva are constructed offsite, then transported to their location. There are now four Kudhva within the willow woodland area of the quarry, along with five Tentsile tree tents (also elevated into the trees, using ratchet belts). They were completed in early summer 2017 and, for the remainder of the season, the pair began to market them out.

“The response has been phenomenal,” reveals Louise excitedly. Excited not just at seeing her vision come to fruition structurally, exactly as she’d intended, but more so by the reaction of those who stay in it. “We were looking to create a proper hideout, one in the wild, that would be difficult, a challenge to access, in the way that the best hideouts are. It needed to be simple for the purposes of inspiration. We put some books on design and architecture in the Kudhva to stimulate ideas, and people loved it. Guests reported that the experience

Inspirational Interiors • Floor & Wall Tiles • Handwoven World Rugs • Eco Paint • Bathroom • Wood Flooring • Design & Installation

RENOVAT MOODY BA (HONS) 3D DESIGN CRAFTS

INTERIORS BOUTIQUE 14a New Bridge Street, Truro TR1 2AA Tel: 01872 857007 | www.duchyliving.co.uk 116

MANOR | Winter 2017

space

The hideout would allow for a complete reconnection with nature, so the surrounding varied ecology of the habitat was a gift.

PHOTO: GEORGE FIELDING

PHOTO: GEORGE FIELDING

PHOTO: KARL MACKIE

inspired them to finish off their own stalled projects, and that was exactly the response we’d hoped for – no interruptions, reconnecting with nature in order to reignite creativity.”

It should be stressed, however, that this is not Castaway. The simple life need not stretch to hunting for your own food, far from it. There is a reception in the form of a scaffold building, which is stylishly designed with a communal dining and living area. Solar powered, it is plumbed for hot water and showers, and there are gas rings. Guests can cook outside their own Kudhva – each has a fire pit – and on arrival, they can buy a breakfast hamper that will last two days and is packed with quality organic produce, including sausages and bacon, eggs, mushrooms, artisan bread, milk, tea and coffee.

You arrive, retrieve your hamper, then hunker down for a few days in your Kudhva and unplug. Full digital detox. The process of clearing your head makes room for new ideas, inspired by the elements and surrounding environment.

“It has worked so well,” reveals Louise, “that we’re looking to set up Kudhva in different locations, create a four-person version and sell them as individual units. A two-person Kudhva is priced at £38,000.

“I think our mission with Kudhva is to stimulate new conversations. We’re encouraging stays by aspiring architects, students, inviting workshops as well as holding events, feasts and festivals that allow people direct experience with the Kudhva to discover and experience them.”

Kudhva will be available for hire over Christmas and from April 2018. They are filling up fast, proving that there clearly is a need, perhaps today more than ever, to get away from it all and retreat to the wilderness.

PHOTO: GEORGE FIELDING PHOTO: KARL MACKIE

Kudhva are available to book via Canopy and Stars (canopyandstars.co.uk). To stay costs £114/night and the minimum booking is for two nights. Bed linen and towels are provided.

Breaksfast hampers cost £40. kudvha.com newbritishdesign.com

MANOR Winter 2017

117

Pendant lights by Lampe Gras, in various sizes, ranging from £139 to £1,019

Illuminating advice Now the clocks have gone back and we batten down the hatches for winter, we ask David Amos of Amos Lighting to suggest how we can create the most relaxing environments in which to while away the evenings.

I

f you want to create a cosy atmosphere, often the most effective way to achieve it is through good lighting, yet it’s not simple to get the best effect. Many of us spend a lot of money on renovating our interior décor and overhauling the lighting with little knowledge of how to do it properly.

Yet there are some useful tips to know on how you can transform your space with good lighting, according to David Amos, of Amos Lighting.

David is one of the country’s leading designers in residential lighting. Having begun his career working for his father’s lighting business, David established Amos 118

MANOR | Winter 2017

Lighting, opening his first showroom in Exeter in 2000 and a second in Topsham in 2016. David specializes in the visualization and provision of complete lighting systems, and works closely with the South West’s top architects, consulting engineers and interior designers.

David says: “For the best results, you need to consider lighting in three layers – low, mid and high level.

For the purposes of illustration, let’s consider the sitting room, where you’re looking to spend most of your relaxation time. Table or floor lamps will always provide the nicest and softest light in the evening.

Ideally, you should install a 5-amp circuit dedicated to

space

Semi-recessed LED spotlight, £45.50

Table lamp, £89.50

Wall light by Lampe Gras, £220

TREGULLY, COURTESY OF PERFECT STAYS PHOENIX HOUSE, COURTESY OF PERFECT STAYS

lamps. Think of walking into a hotel bedroom and being able to turn on the table lamps from a switch just inside the door; this saves the inconvenience of switching on each lamp individually.

For larger sitting rooms with a sofa placed in the middle, it’s a good idea to try and fit a socket under the sofa; this avoids trip hazards and unsightly wires. The benefit of this is the ability to have a reading light close to where you’re sitting. I’d describe this as Level 1, and they need to be on one switch.

Level 2 is mid-level lighting. Normally, this would be some kind of wall light. The idea is to either create ambient light, such as a contemporary wall light with shade, or an up-light style reflecting light off the ceiling. These don’t have to be all round but to suit the space. Again, these should be on a separate switch.

Pendant lights (perhaps instead of or to complement the wall lights) could constitute the next level (2) but are usually designed to be a decorative element to give ambient light. The quantity of pendants needs to be considered, such as one big, dramatic fitting or three smaller fittings in a cluster. It would depend on the space and personal preference though. These should be switched separately to the wall lights and lamps.

Level 3 is high level. What’s that? A small number of neat, recessed downlights. For tall, pitched/ vaulted ceilings, discreet spotlights, placed around the edge and shining upwards, can accentuate a dramatic ceiling. This can look really effective, especially when combined with the lamps in the evening. These should be on switch four…

Finally, consider if there is any opportunity to include concealed lighting in joinery, a niche or decorative feature. Occasionally, small amounts of light that could be considered unnecessary – for example, lighting up some shelving, a small corner or picture – is actually extremely important, as it adds interest and warmth to the room. Not critical, but definitely worth thinking about.” amoslighting.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

119

Nordic charm For a modern take on Christmas décor, look to Scandinavian design.

Merging geometric shapes with refined textures of wire, wood and ceramics, this Nordic style of soft, muted tones combined with gold and silver will look chic, contemporary and apt throughout the whole of the festive spell. Compiled by Amy Tidy.

Garland, A by Amara, £15

Amara

Gisela Graham wreath, Amara £45

Wreath, Marks and Spencer £15

Broste Copenhagen lantern, Amara, £110

Lamb fur cushions, Jo & Co, £80 each

Wooden star, Sainsbury’s, £18

Tree, Homesense, £19.99

Wooden baubles (set of 2), A by Amara, £17

120

MANOR | Winter 2017

Nkuku star, Amara £40

Faux berry plant, Sainsbury’s, £15

space

Wreath, Marks and Spencer £29.50

Green feather wreath, John Lewis, £5

Baubles, Debenhams, £6 each Amara

Bloomingville tray, Amara, £31

Peacock clip, John Lewis, £8

Feather flower hanger, John Lewis, £7

Crackers (pack of 12), John Lewis, £20 Wine glasses (set of four), Next, £14

Lambswool throw, Cotswold Trading, £78 Wreath, John Lewis, £30

MANOR Winter 2017

121

For the time spent together...

...for

one

A world away, but not so far away, France offers discoveries around every corner.

Sail with us and take your pick from the widest choice of routes to the finest holiday regions. On board you’ll enjoy award winning levels of service and comfort whilst we save you the long drive through northern France.

Sail & Stay with us and choose from our hand-picked selection of cottages, hotels or tours - and all for less than you'd expect.

Visit brittanyferries.co.uk or call 0330 159 6800 122 MANOR | Winter 2017 Terms and conditions apply.

Escape A Christmas break in Bath | Taking it easy in Goa The launch of the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

PHOTO: VISIT BATH

The Pump Room, Bath at Christmas See page 124

MANOR Winter 2017

123

PHOTO: VISIT BATH

The Bath Christmas Market

124

MANOR | Winter 2017

escape

Bath at Christmas offers the best of the season. Make the most of your time and enjoy an affordable midweek break at two of the city’s best hotels, advises Imogen Clements.

I

have a friend who was brought up in Cornwall, lives now in Devon, but for whom Christmas doesn’t start until she’s been to Bath each year. That’s where, for her, the magic of Christmas begins. The Bath Christmas Market, now in its 17th year, has become renowned nationwide and attracts thousands of visitors looking for pretty gifts of originality, or simply to be wrapped up in Bath’s Christmas glow.

Cities, towns and villages across the country host Christmas markets, but Bath’s disproportionate appeal is down to the rather beautiful city that it is, and the fact that it is optimally sized – not so grand and sprawling that you need to take public transport to enjoy different corners of it, not so small that you’re done within a couple of hours. Bath has a population of 90,000, and stretches over 11 square miles, yet within that space there’s much that is beautiful to look at, at every turn: its sandstone terraces, its Roman heritage and ancient baths, the Royal Crescent, and the Assembly Rooms. For a city that sits on a flood plain in the Avon Valley, it remains incredibly well preserved. Up until the 1970s, repeated flooding put paid to a number of buildings in the lower parts of the city, but major flood-control work was embarked upon during that decade. which instead gave rise to lush gardens and nature reserves.

Moreover, the water bubbles underground created Bath’s famous natural spa, the first use of which dates back to circa AD60 following the Romans’ construction of the spa and a temple.

Much of Bath’s aesthetic appeal today dates back to the Georgian period, during which time the Royal Crescent was built, along with the Pump Room and Assembly Rooms, as well as much of the town’s stunning residential architecture. There’s something uniquely MANOR Winter 2017

125

PHOTO: VISIT BATH

The Christmas Market, Abbey Green

PHOTO: THE ABBEY HOTEL

PHOTO: THE ABBEY HOTEL

ArtBar at The Abbey

The Chalet outside The Abbey

PHOTO: THE ABBEY HOTEL

PHOTO: THE ABBEY HOTEL

Dining at The Abbey

126

MANOR | Winter 2017

A bedroom at The Abbey

appealing of the hue of Bath Stone, sculpted in that widely preferred architectural style of our ancestors, giving the city its unique magic.

And when decorated with lights and green spruces, and filled with the sound and aroma of Christmas, all the more so. This year, the Bath Christmas Market will be the biggest yet, hosting around 200 decorated wooden stalls, 80% of which will be stocking Bath products; around 30% of stalls will be new, to keep the market fresh and exciting for those stalwarts (like my friend) who go every year.

There’ll be family-focused entertainment with storytelling grottos, candle-lit carol-singing evenings, street food and The Lodge – a cosy haven that’s the main destination for locally sourced food, drink and entertainment. The Christmas Market runs from 23 November to 10 December. Given that duration, it’s worth a night’s stay. But where?

IN THE HEART OF THE CITY If you want to be in the centre of things, The Abbey Hotel is located to the rear of Bath’s medieval Abbey, and houses 60 bedrooms across a number of terraced Georgian buildings and has a modern, funky interior.

Owners Ian and Christa Taylor are keen art collectors, have an eye for contemporary works; as a result, the hotel has both a brightness and a buzz to it. Staff are friendly and rooms are comfortable. The Taylors acquired the hotel five years ago and have since been refurbishing it.

Not all bedrooms have yet been restyled, but all have the usual audio-visual entertainment along with iPads preloaded with information on the hotel and the city, which is useful for sightseers.

The food at The Abbey Hotel is good. Head Chef Rupert Taylor (appointed early 2017) celebrates the finest seasonal, local ingredients – stripping back complicated dishes to create simple food with brilliant flavours. The dinner menu is priced at £25 for three courses and there are various bars in which to enjoy a nightcap. There is the suitably named ArtBar, fitted with lampshades constructed from decanters and rows of glasses hanging from the ceiling; and the pop-up Summer Terrace/Après-Ski’ bar set on the terrace outside the hotel during hot summer months and again in the winter to make the most of the hotel’s prime position at the heart of Bath’s Christmas Market season. There is also a subterranean bar called Igloo, a private events space, which is occasionally open to the public. The Abbey Hotel is definitely the place to stay if you’re looking to get swept up in the excitement and party atmosphere of Christmas and want everything, including Bath’s railway station within a hop.

AWAY FROM THE CROWDS But if you’re looking for something calmer, away from the hubbub, a perennial favourite of many is The Bath Priory, just a 20-minute stroll from the city and a haven

of tranquillity and sophistication. Part of the same group that owns Gidleigh Park in Devon – and named AA Hotel Group of the Year 2017/18 – it has a similarly refined aura as its Dartmoor sister hotel. The building dates back to 1835, when it was built as the private residence of the Priory of Bath Abbey. It remained a private home until the 1960s, when for a short period it became a school before being turned into a seven-bedroom hotel in 1969.

It prospered as a hotel, doubtless aided by its sublime setting among four acres of gardens and well-proportioned Georgian rooms. The Brownswords acquired The Bath Priory in 1994. It was the couple’s first foray into hotels and a purchase born of both inspiration and the personal pleasure they enjoyed as guests there.

The Bath Priory now comprises 33 guest rooms – 26 bedrooms and 7 suites. The décor is elegant and tasteful: dark wood, antiques, sumptuous furnishings, and fine classical artworks adorning the walls. Indeed, the hotel displays a large proportion of Mr and Mrs Brownsword’s private collection. The lounge and restaurants, where much of this is displayed, lead onto terraces that look out onto award-winning landscaped gardens, which conceal a swimming pool tucked away under the trees in the far right-hand corner.

The food at The Bath Priory is a treat, as refined as the environment. We were there on a sunny autumnal day and received a glass of bubbly and delicious amusebouche – impeccably presented and numbered such that we didn’t need to fight over them but could enjoy one each (it’s surprising how many good restaurants fail to make this simple consideration). Despite being quite distinctive in flavour and texture, all scored equally highly for both my companion and myself.

Brownsword’s chefs know how to presage a highly enjoyable meal by starting it in the lounge with the aperitif. From here, you float into the dining room animated and full of anticipation. We were not disappointed. The new head chef, Michael Nizzero (who arrived fresh from The Ritz earlier this year), served up a set five-course menu that seemed ambitious but proved a highly successful array of flavours. We began with warm chestnut velouté, followed by confit of sea trout, then a delicious wild sea bass with fennel purée and shellfish, followed by venison loin, topped with cep mushrooms in the form of a paste and accompanied by amandine potatoes. It was wonderful – portion sizes to ensure each course was received with excitement, all of which were crowned by a dessert that’s a guaranteed crowdpleaser: blackcurrant soufflé with Ivoire chocolate and blackcurrant sorbet.

The Spa at the Bath Priory is not just an adjunct with a couple of treatment rooms but has received considerable investment. It’s the only L’Occitane spa in the UK. Opened in November 2016, the spa has four treatment rooms, and therapists trained by specialists from France.

All the treatments are exclusive, including bespoke MANOR Winter 2017

127

ALL PHOTOS THIS PAGE APART FROM WHERE CREDITED: ANDREW BROWNSWORD HOTELS

The Bath Priory

PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

PHOTO: DAVID GRIFFEN

MANOR | Winter 2017

128

The Restaurant

Afternoon tea

escape

Relaxation Suite in the Spa

The Drawing Room

therapies, and all are created in partnership with the luxury Provençal brand.

I chose the ‘Peony Drainage’ facial, feeling the need after the summer to give my face a good slough and pamper, and was transported by the deft application of my therapist, who moved through each stage seamlessly, the key one being a face mask comprising L’Occitane’s lab-developed Pivoine Sublime complex, extracted from the peony flower, which apparently is ‘skin-correcting’.

While it was applied and doing its ‘correcting’ work, I enjoyed a much-needed neck and shoulder massage.

And not content to miss an opportunity to extend the relaxation experience well beyond the treatment, this hotel’s spa features a relaxation room with double doors opening onto the hotel’s gardens.

The Brownswords now have 13 hotels. The more you experience of their debut, The Bath Priory, the more you feel that the elegant attention to detail has been a personal endeavour to ensure occupants feel like royalty in their own highly sophisticated home. It offers a haven after the jamboree that is Bath throughout the Christmas Market season – because once you arrive at the hotel, you won’t want to leave.

The Bath Christmas Market is on from 23 November to 10 December. Given its popularity, it’s advisable to take advantage of cheaper midweek accommodation offers. bathchristmasmarket.co.uk

Premier Deluxe Bedroom Rooms at The Abbey Hotel during the Christmas Market Season start at £180 per night for a double room with breakfast, but can drop to as low as £80 per night midweek during low season. abbeyhotelbath.co.uk

Master Suite

Overnight stays at The Bath Priory start from £195 per room, based on two sharing on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The Garden Spa by L’Occitane is open daily to hotel residents and day guests.

A seven-course tasting menu at The Bath Priory costs £98 per person; three courses à la carte is £85. There is also a three-course lunch menu for £30. thebathpriory.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

129

Lauren Williams discovers the quieter side of this former Portuguese colony in southern India. Photos by Lauren Williams.

130

MANOR | Winter 2017

escape

E

very morning should start as they do on Agonda Beach: a lazy stretch in bed under a mosquito net, a sip of juice while legs are warmed by the sun, clambering down from your sea-view treehouse cabana for a yoga class on the sand, a dip in the still, warm sea followed by a breakfast of tropical fruit and sweet coffee on a beat-up Chesterfield under the shade of dried palms…

The words Agonda Goa, which roll off the tongue like a gentle drum beat, mirror the leisurely cadence of this traditional fishing village in the south of the state.

Unlike the better-known Palolem, Agonda is slower, cheaper, less geared towards a party and more towards ambling across the mile-long stretch of sand for a cocktail and snacks under an umbrella.

Agonda’s beach is wide, long and quiet, and encapsulates all that is romantic about a beach break in Goa. The sea here can be a little rough at times and the surf unforgiving, with strong currents and a deep shelf at high tide. But catch it when the sea is calm, like we did for almost a whole week, and there’s no better place for getting away from it all. Olive ridley turtles nest towards the north of the beach and there are strong conservation efforts to protect them until they emerge from the sand and make their way to the sea.

We were staying at the last address on the north end of the beach at a beautiful horseshoe of shacks and beach-fronted luxury houses with alfresco bathrooms and giant beds. Without inspection, Velvet Sunset is MANOR Winter 2017

131

As the sun began to dip, we picked up our bags and walked with our feet in the surf to the other end of the beach, where palm trees bent over the cliffs to tease the sea as the tide turned inwards

an unassuming accommodation option; away from the busy bars and restaurants, seemingly shabby, quiet. But just an hour spent here reveals that there is more than meets the eye.

The food, which takes an age to come out of the kitchen, is worth the wait for deep flavours, authentic tastes and rich aromas. The teenage boys who run the bar and the kitchen are sweet natured and forever smiling, and Cedric, the owner, who is in his early 30s with deep smile lines around his eyes, oozes hospitality and good cheer. Here, at the end of the beach, is a place that can be called home.

We hired a scooter one evening and bumped along the winding Goan roads to a night market glowing in the smoke of food furiously cooking and bathed in the sounds of people sipping chai and haggling down the price of goods. There were countless stalls vying for our attention, but the lure of bright spices piled up like tiny mountains brought us to the shop of a golden-eyed man called Kumar, who smiled and showed us photos of his wife and children. Of course, we came away laden with bags of coconut and garlic-scented goodies, but also with this sound advice: “Go to Cola Beach and visit the lagoon, you will not regret it.”

This wasn’t to be the last time we met Kumar, and the next day we bumped into him by chance as we strolled through Agonda town looking for breakfast.

132

MANOR | Winter 2017

He ushered us into his fan-cooled store, which glittered with lanterns and hand-stitched tapestries, saying, “Friends drink tea, they don’t buy from each other,” with the ever-endearing head waggle of India, as he gestured for us to sit. So we sat, and we drank tea and we became friends with Kumar and the men who owned the businesses next door, who grinned and waved and shouted “Hello!” at us every time we passed for the next seven days.

Kumar arranged a scooter for us to hire, at a fraction of the cost we’d paid for one the evening before, and off we went along the dusty roads to Cola Beach. The turning is easy to miss, but after a long and bumpy journey across what felt like an endless, potholed rollercoaster, we leaned our ride up against an ancient tree and looked out across a golden-sanded heaven.

There’s a steep descent down some large steps and high cliff to Cola Beach, but as soon as you touch base on the sand you’re welcomed by a cool blue lagoon that twists inland from the beach, under palm trees and past idyllic beach-front homes.

We dipped into the lagoon before seeking shade from the afternoon heat in a bar, where we snacked on biryani and pakoras, and sipped on sweet pineapple juice. As the sun began to dip, we picked up our bags and walked with our feet in the surf to the other end of the beach, where palm trees bent over the cliffs to tease

escape the sea as the tide turned inwards; we didn’t see another soul and had this little slice of paradise to ourselves.

But Goa isn’t just about beaches. Behind the towns and the busy beach fronts is a quieter side to this popular former Portuguese colony. One evening, we walked to the very north end of Agonda beach, where a river almost meets the sea before it disappears into a dense jungle-covered cliff. Here, a quiet man in a large black hat with a wide rim met us and led us to his blue fishing boat, where we got in and sat back to relax as he punted us off the beach and upstream.

Our guide, Kalida, knew that the beauty of these Goan backwaters was in the silence, and spoke only to point out the animals and birds we would likely miss with our untrained eyes. Snakes slithered through the still water, kingfishers perched on branches and flitted quickly in a flash of electric blue from tree to tree, monkeys tumbled in the high trees, and butterflies gently bobbed on the thick, humid air.

We pulled over to the river bed and Kalida stopped the boat, motioning for us to climb up the bank. We did, of course, and after scrambling up the dusty mound we were met with rich green rice fields dotted with women working and waving to us in the cool light of dusk. The setting sun was our signal to get moving

again, and we sat back in our boat to listen to the silence as we drifted.

Nights on Agonda roll quietly like the waves at the end of the beach, with acoustic guitars tinkling from bars and candlelit tables spread along the sand. Hushed couples giggle under the lick of sweet Kingfisher beer and cheeks are rosy with the gentle heat of true Goan vindaloos. We spent most of our nights here with our toes in the sand, watching the moon rise and the sun set, surrounded by friends old and new, eating and laughing and sinking into a true depth of relaxation.

Rooms at Velvet Sunset start at 800 INR for a budget room in low season, to 5,500 INR for a beach-front hut in the highest season in December. velvetsunset.com The cost of hiring a scooter can be anything between 200 and 350 INR per day, depending on who you talk to. You’ll get a better price if you hire one for longer. They’re available from anyone who has one outside their shop or house, just ask for rates. Be prepared to haggle.

A private boat trip along the backwaters of Agonda was 600 INR total and can fit up to four people. Ask at your accommodation for Kalida’s Boat Trips, or simply wander to the north end of the beach and look for a man in a yellow t-shirt.

Celebrate Christmas in the City…

Relaxing breaks, festive lunches, party nights and New Year’s Eve celebrations – The Alverton has Christmas all wrapped up.

A Luxury Four Star Silver Hotel in the City T H E A LV E R TO N .C O.U K Tregolls Road, Truro, Cornwall TR1 1ZQ 01872 276 633 | stay@thealverton.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

133

Imogen Clements attends the South West preview of the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo – a car that celebrates its founder’s intentions while staying ahead of the game.

G

reat brands foster a following that, to many of us, looks to be bordering on obsession. Loyal customers keep up with the very latest developments, study in detail the brand’s history and trajectory, and feel so aligned to it and the positive benefits it has on their lives that they feel almost a part of that brand’s development.

Apple, for example, is so confident in its following that it will often ask its loyal customer base to report back on the newest models they’ve bought, so they can be further refined. There’s no umbrage from dissatisfied customers; more a pride at being consulted and listened to by Apple.

Porsche is another such brand. When Porsche unveils a new model in the South West’s flagship showroom in Exeter, the company needs to employ traffic control.

Porsche admirers – the vast majority of them driving a Porsche – arrive from all over the region (and beyond) 134

MANOR | Winter 2017

to hear the presentation given by a representative from Porsche Cars Great Britain (PCGB) before pouring over the latest incarnation, studying its every feature, inside and out, in acute detail.

Porsche, like Apple, applies considerable note to customer responses. Indeed, the new Panamera Sport Turismo was previewed in the South West market on 10 October 2017, yet many of the 200 individuals who attended the event had seen the prototype five years previously. Porsche will often unveil a prototype to its customer base years before it comes to market to seek customer responses and refine it accordingly. The result is that this highly informed and acutely discerning group of drivers feel listened to and see the car that meets their various requirements ultimately come to pass. They then go on to buy it.

Such has been the case for the Panamera Sport Turismo. The Porsche Panamera was first launched onto the market in 2009 to much acclaim. It blended luxurious

promotional feature comfort for four, with useable power and a flexible loading space without compromising inside head height.

The new Panamera Sport Turismo goes further, as Duncan McGregor from PCGB explained in his presentation, as a response to drivers’ desires for something high on design and engineering, as Porsche always has been, while also meeting the practical needs of everyday driving. In his words: “this is luxury that is more about what you do, than what you own.” The Panamera Sport Turismo is the result of the prototype unveiled at the Paris motorshow in 2012 and launches now, five years later, as the estate version of the Porsche Panamera. As such, it “strikes a balance between career, family leisure-time and pleasure.”

This car has all that aficionados would expect from a Porsche – a top speed of 188mph (where safe and legal to do so), and an acceleration from 0 to 62mph of 3.8 seconds.

What they might not expect however is the degree of extra headroom and leg room this model delivers. This is a four-door, with five comfortable seats, although the centre back seat is not designed as a full-size individual seat like those it sits between, but the extra space allows a fifth person to travel comfortably. A buyer can choose between this or the classic four-seat configuration. There is also plenty of room for everyone’s luggage. Back seats can be folded down in part or entirely to transport objects of considerable size (mountain bikes), or long flat ones (such as surf boards or skis) down the middle, as the central partition folds down to accommodate them.

The Panamera Sport Turismo has the Turbo-specific twin tailpipes so familiar of Porsche, but also a large tailgate and low loading edge – which means, you don’t need to lift heavy luggage higher than necessary.

Consideration to practicality without compromising style – the curved back end of the Porsche remains distinctive Getting behind the wheel of a Porsche always generates excitement, even when stationary, in the showroom: the dials, the dashboard, the attention to detail given over to experience is evident in the car’s driver ergonomics. The centre console at the front is within easy reach and boasts ‘cutting-edge’ technology with Direct Touch Control – a glass-look surface with touch-sensitive buttons for direct access to all functions.

The dashboard also incorporates a high-resolution, 12inch touchscreen display, and even back-seat passengers have a touch-screen display of their own.

Porsche Connect is the car’s infotainment system, with the latest-generation mobile phone apps, voicecontrol system, and the ability to listen to music from a variety of sources: CD/DVD drive, mobile phone via USB, the internal 10GB jukebox or simply the radio.

Each seat, the front two and back two, can be fitted with in-built massage function, and the back-seat passengers can each enjoy cinema via a 10-inch screen.

These are connected to the Porsche Communication Management system, allowing – for example – front-

seat passengers to set the children in the back with a DVD each on long journeys.

There are many, many other features – much of them highly technical and complex to detail here. ‘Intelligent Performance’ is the mission of Porsche, and the engineering intelligence applied to this latest Porsche far exceeds my own. In any case, it is to be experienced.

Next year marks the brand’s 70th birthday; the anniversary of a car born of its founder’s frustration with the failure of the market at the time, to deliver a vehicle that he wanted to drive. So Ferry Porsche set about building it himself. The Porsche 356 No.1 was launched in 1948, and since that day it’s been a source of inspiration and aspiration for car lovers.

There will doubtless be many celebrations in the coming year, not least about what the future holds for Porsche. It’s a time, as PCGB’s Duncan MacGregor asserted, to look forward as well as back. Look forward to, for example, the fully electric Porsche, code-named Mission E, due to launch in 2020.

Porsche doesn’t hurry things, and never has nor will be chasing volume sales. Porsche models often devalue very slowly, and can retain on average 60-65% of their purchase value after three years. For this reason, it will always be an aspirational purchase: The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is available from £117,000 in the South West.

Perhaps more than any other marque, Porsche is as rich in heritage as it is advanced – a car forever striving to do justice to the man who created it, by delivering the ultimate in driver experience, and always ahead of the game.

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is available from Porsche Centre Exeter, 01392 822800, porscheexeter.co.uk.

MANOR Winter 2017

135

The Region’s Premium Publication Early Autumn 2017 Issue 21 | £4.50

As I see it

Jessica Seaton, founder of Toast

is a subscription to the Region’s Premium Publication... for just £25

Shark encounters

Jaw-dropping photography

Frugi founders

The organic children’s clothing company

Recipes

Of time and place

Harris Bugg

Landscape design fit for a princess

Autumn/Winter

Trends Guide

Win a designer chair and ottoman

Back Page Prize Draw

CULTURE FOOD SPACE ESCAPE SCHOOL PROPERTY The Region’s Premium Publication Autumn 2017 Issue 22 | £4.50

Too often modern, aspirational magazines are London-centric, yet there’s much going on elsewhere.

We launched MANOR in 2015 because we felt there was a gap in the market for a modern aspirational magazine in the South West. We wanted to create a premium title that championed the region while reflecting South West readers’ broad interests (which often extend beyond the South West).

Beaford Arts Unseen images from 70’s Devon

Tate St Ives

The new gallery

Tremenheere

Art in the landscape

School Arts

Showcasing pupils’ talent

Martin Clunes

MANOR covers fashion, beauty, design and interiors, and in every issue there are substantial sections devoted to the arts, food, travel and property. There is also an education section for those who have children of school age.

As I see it

The Region’s Premium Publication Winter 2017 | Issue 23 £4.50

As I see it Gareth Malone

Soak up Bath Christmas city break

Kudhva Cornish hideaways

Boasting the best writers and photographers in the South West, MANOR is a coffee table publication that is as readable as it is visual.

Available for sale in Waitrose and newsagents across Devon and Cornwall, and in WH Smith on all major routes into the region from London, MANOR is for anyone looking for a magazine of national quality, but with a South West focus.

Phenomenal flora Photographs by Isabel Bannerman

Powderham Devon’s finest castle

This is a premium title with a difference - welcome to a new perspective, welcome to your MANOR. For just £25 for an annual subscription the recipient will have every issue of MANOR delivered to their door.

Simply go to manormagazine.co.uk/subscribe or email subscribe@manormagazine.co.uk for alternative payment methods.

136

MANOR | Winter 2017

CULTURE FOOD SPACE ESCAPE SCHOOL PROPERTY

CULTURE FOOD SPACE ESCAPE SCHOOL PROPERTY

For teachers and parents of children studying in the South West Schools news in brief

Silence in the Shebbear courtroom SHEBBEAR COLLEGE was pleased to welcome representatives from North and East Devon Magistrates.

As part of their Magistrates in the Community initiative, Form 3 pupils were able to act out a mock trial themed on an assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The Assembly Hall was set up to represent a courtroom and the pupils learned about the different parts of the courtroom and the roles involved. The pupils then took up their own roles within the court and acted out the trial. This experience gave the pupils an invaluable insight into the workings of our justice system and the potential consequences of breaking the law.

Maynard girls ‘Walk in Her Shoes’ Millfield Prep Jack Amor MORE THAN 100 ranked world number one Maynard School pupils took part in a charity ‘Walk in Her Shoes’ in October to raise awareness for girls across the globe who forfeit school to trek for miles to collect their families’ daily water supply. Each of the Maynard students carried an empty water bottle on their journey, which was filled at the halfway point as a symbolic measure.

Steve Smerdon, the Head of the Junior School, was the brains behind the fundraiser: “I’m delighted that The Maynard has so far raised nearly £100 and we are still counting. This will be donated to Care International to support its project building wells and water pumps closer to rural communities.” justgiving.com/fundraising/walkinhershoesmaynard

YEAR 7 PUPIL Jack Amor from Crewkerne has become U13 Triathle World Champion after winning gold in the mixed GB relay at the World Championships in Viviero, Spain. Jack is now ranked number one in the World for Under 13 triathle.

Eleven-year-old Jack joined Millfield Prep in Year 5 and has achieved numerous national and European rankings in various events, including modern triathlon, tetrathlon, pentathlon and biathle, as well as his success in triathle. Jack trains alongside the elite pentathletes at Millfield with Director of Fencing and Modern Pentathlon, Tristan Parris.

MANOR Winter 2017

137

The Christmas holidays don’t have to mean taking a break from helping your child with their learning. Professor Ruth Merttens offers her advice on how to keep it fun and festive.

A

s far as helping our children learn goes, Christmas is set up for failure for us parents.

There’s the inevitable and exhausting rush to have all the presents bought and all the preparations done by the actual day, and then there’s the week of family, relations, possibly travelling, and recovering that comprises the actual festival. By the time that’s over, the children are back at school. Phew!

But all those plans we made at the start to make them practise their tables, or help them with their writing, or do more shared reading – all those plans – are gone for nothing: there was no time.

138

MANOR | Winter 2017

But we shouldn’t feel guilty, because Christmas, the holidays, the celebrations and the whole cultural event is itself a time when a lot of learning happens without us realising it. Plus, a little effort and good organisation can genuinely help to embed some of the school’s imperatives into the preparations, rushed as they are, and also into the days surrounding Christmas itself.

Many parents tell me that they don’t want their child to see Christmas as a purely commercial event, but, being non-religious, struggle to explain the meaning of Christmas without getting into a minefield.

I usually respond that Christmas is, at root, a religious

school festival, and that part of being a parent is explaining the reasons for festivals in religions that we may not necessarily share. Thus, sooner or later, parents will have to explain that Christmas was, historically, the day when Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus. This will also apply to other festivals that your child will see celebrated, such as Easter, Eid, Hanukkah, Diwali and many others.

My advice, then, is to bite the bullet. After all, Christmas essentially makes sense as a birthday celebration; it’s not hard to explain that Christians believe that we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus, and to share a book or use YouTube to tell the Christmas Story.

At least the birthday idea sets the context to explain why we give presents to those we love and to those who care for us. Children, even little ones, understand well that we give presents at birthdays, so Jesus’s birthday is a good reason for showing our love, whether or not one is a Christian. It’s also, along with the story, now very much a part of our cultural heritage.

Parents also ask about how to explain why there are so many Father Christmases, and whether there is a ‘real’ one, and at what age to explain that Father Christmas is not real. There are no easy answers here, as it’ll depend on the religious context in which your child is growing up, and also on the degree to which you’re worried by allowing – even encouraging – the realm of fantasy in the midst of what is so often termed ‘real life’. Myself, I maintain that there’s nothing ‘un-real’ about a dragon or a fairy; they just belong to a different type of reality. I point out that there are many things that we cannot see but which we believe are real (like atoms), and that as children grow up, they will have to decide for themselves to which type of reality each thing belongs. Right now, I tell them not to worry about it. The main question for children and grown-ups to worry about at Christmas is, “what am I going to get or do to show the people round me that I love them?”

OPPORTUNITIES Lots of opportunities for children to practise schoolbased learning arise naturally at Christmas. Others can be engineered with little effort and plenty of potential benefit.

•

•

Stories. Why do we celebrate Christmas? What is its ‘back-story’? Most adults know what this is, but not all children do. Whatever the family’s religious position, this is a matter of cultural history in the UK, and it’s important that it’s not left to others to tell the story. Share a book: A Christmas Story

by Brian Wildsmith is one of many good English picture book versions. Talk about the fact that many people believe this story and that it was, and for some still is, a special religious celebration.

Decorations. This is where I start to feel my age!

When I was a child, people bought very few, if any,

•

•

Christmas decorations; there was no money to spare.

We children made them, and in the days leading up to Christmas, it was our job to make long, fine chains out of coloured paper, fashion tree ornaments from clay or salt dough, and engineer large cottonwool fluffy snowmen from toilet rolls. I vividly remember my dad spending every evening for a month carving salt blocks into the figures for a crib.

The wings of the angels were almost transparent and we children were not allowed to touch them.

They were stunning, but unfortunately didn’t last for a second year. See the next page for some (more practical) ideas that children nowadays can draw upon to make the decorations special this year.

Lists. Everyone makes lists at Christmas. It’s a time when I’ve been known to make lists of lists! Children love to join in with this process, and, once they get the hang of it, can be of genuine use. Spelling doesn’t matter here. Help even a young child to sound out a word; they don’t need to write all the letters. So, c r n f l c s is quite obviously ‘cornflakes’, and sh u g r is ‘sugar’, once you’re familiar with phonetic spelling and emergent writing. Asking the child to write the list for you makes them feel involved and – most important – validates all the hard work they’re having to put into the demanding task of learning to write.

Time-keeping. Lots of things at Christmas depend on knowing when to do ‘x’ or when ‘y’ is going to happen. Children can be helpful here. Firstly, use analogue clocks as these are so much easier to read in this context. There are only four positions of the big hand that matter:

o’clock quarter to

quarter past

half past Every time can be read against these four positions: “It’s just gone quarter past…”, or “it’s nearly half past…”. These are quite good enough for all practical purposes, and once a child recognises these four basic positions and realises that they can now tell the time, their confidence increases measurably. Involve them in the time-keeping: “I’m relying on you, Jimmy, to tell me when it’s quarter to four. Then we can go and collect Nana.” As long as Jimmy is in sight of the clock, he can do this. Good for him and you!

MANOR Winter 2017

139

•

Letters. Clearly children can write to Father Christmas and, nowadays, this can actually be posted and get a reply! But there are also ‘Thank-you letters’, no less relevant and important today than they were in the days when every single child without exception was expected to write them. There’s no good reason for not sending thank-you letters, despite the presence of social media, FaceTime or Skype. They augment other communications, and there is hardly a person alive who doesn’t love getting a proper letter. It’s a good discipline to grow up believing that putting effort into saying thank you is important, but there are more exciting and appealing ways of writing these – see below for ideas.

Cookery. Of course, Christmas is a time when we all eat too much, but it’s also a time when we tend to cook a lot as well. And just so much excellent maths comes out of cooking: reading scales, estimating quantities, measuring liquids, as well as counting and timing. Children love to be cooking, and it’s so good for them to do it. I realise this requires a real effort of will on the parent’s part; if one is in a rush, and

•

•

wanting to get a lot of things done, it’s very hard to involve a small child, as it will inevitably slow one down and add a whole layer of ‘stress and mess’. But the gain is incalculable. So bite down hard and make a space to cook something together – see below for a recipe for some lovely gingerbread biscuits.

Wrapping presents. Working with some teenagers aged about 13/14 recently, I was horrified when they both said that they’d never wrapped a present.

We were wrapping a load of raffle prizes, and I have to say they were pretty incompetent at the start. Allowing children to learn to wrap presents from the age of three or four onwards is allowing them to develop another life skill. Wrapping is quite a technically skilled business. It depends on practised hand-to-eye coordination and good spatial awareness. You have to estimate in two dimensions and then learn about folds; there are perhaps six important aspects of maths being developed. Yes, the first present your four year old wraps will be a bit of a mess, but the sixth will be better. And does it really matter?

GAMES AND FUN ACTIVITIES The activities below provide ways of doing some of the above suggestions. It can be more fun making decorations if you start with some ideas. The recommendations for innovative thank-you letters can help, too. And don’t forget to enjoy the gingerbread men!

Chains

Of course there are the usual chains to be made by cutting small strips of paper and forming them into links in a chain. These are fine to make and easy.

Sprials

Small children and big ones love doing these. The cutting can be quite rough – it doesn’t have to be accurate! And using paper with one coloured side makes it very pretty.

However, a more interesting chain can be made by even very young children.

• Fold a long, thin piece of paper (maybe half a piece of A4 cut lengthwise) into half so you have a narrow strip folded along one edge.

• Colour one side in red (or another colour).

• Make a long line of parallel cuts all down the strip.

• You cut in from the fold, almost up to the other edge.

• Then cut in from the nonfolded edge, almost up to the fold.

• Keep cutting like this all down the length of the strip.

• Carefully unfold and pull out to get your chain.

140

MANOR | Winter 2017

• Turn the paper over so it’s colour-side down.

• Cut out a rough circle at least 10cm in diameter.

• Starting in the middle, draw a rough spiral using a bright, fattish felt-tip pen.

• Draw it all the way to the edge.

• Cut along the spiral, cutting BETWEEN the lines drawn.

• Cut all the way to the centre; the last bit is hardest!

• Hold the middle and let the rest of the spiral hang down.

school

Salt dough ornaments

Make salt dough: • Tip 1 cup of flour and ½ cup of salt into a saucepan.

• Add 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

• Add 1 cup of water with 1 dessertspoon of oil.

• Stir over a low heat until it thickens into a lump.

• Tip out and knead until cool.

• Allow children to create shapes and figures.

• Bake in the oven for two hours at a very low temperature.

• Paint with acrylic paints. Then varnish, adding glitter when the varnish is still wet.

Drawing a star

Even very young children can learn to draw a star – and cut it out.

• Draw a line at a slight angle.

• Draw a second line down at a bigger angle to the first.

• Draw a third line up at a sharper angle to the second.

• Draw a fourth line down.

• Draw a fifth line to join the start of the first line.

Children can cut out a star by making 10 separate cuts, always cutting in from the point towards the centre.

MANOR Winter 2017

141

MORE FUN ACTIVITIES Here are some ideas for thank you letters.

Balloons

Plates

Here are some tips: • Writing works best on light-coloured balloons like white or yellow.

• There are several types of pen that work.

Experiment a bit to find your favourite.

• Paint pens are great and you can do bubble writing and colour it in – at least for the THANK YOU. • Permanent markers also work well, especially if you want to write a longer letter.

• Glue stick works well and you add the type of sprinkles that normally go on cupcakes. This also looks great for the THANK YOU. • Blow up the balloon. Not too much. Tie it with ribbon so you can untie it again.

• Use the pen to write your letter.

Don’t try to join the letters.

• You can do a THANK YOU in glue and sprinkles to smarten it up.

• Let down the balloon and post it!

You will need enamel acrylic paints, which are easy to find and give a wonderful finish.

Letters written on balloons are really cheerful to receive. In a ‘not-blown-up’ state, balloons are easy to post. The recipient blows them up to read their letter!

Painting on a plate is great fun and not that hard.

Whether the person uses it or just displays it for a while, it makes a great ‘thank you’.

• • • •

Buy a cheap white plate – not paper or plastic!

Draft your letter on paper. It should not be too long.

Write it in a spiral, starting at the outer edge.

Do not go right to the centre as it’s nicest if you can paint a love heart, a star or a flower in the very centre.

• Allow the plate to dry and then wrap it carefully to post it.

Very young children can just write their name when you’ve written the ‘Thank you for my ____’ round the edge.

Cloth shopping bags

You can buy plain canvas bags for painting very cheaply or online. In fact, I used to make mine and I’m not a particularly good seamstress!

They’re easy. You will also need some good fabric paints, which can probably be obtained from the same craft shop.

• Write your letter in draft form on paper. It needs to be short!

• Draw your design on paper first – How are you going to frame your letter?

Will it be multicoloured, e.g. like a rainbow?

Will it be illustrated? You might use pictures instead of some words.

• Once you’re satisfied with your design, sketch it out on the bag using a pencil.

• Paint it carefully, using fabric paints. Don’t try to join letters, but paint them as separate letters in words.

• Allow the bag to dry.

• Iron it, repeatedly passing the iron over the painted part to fix it.

142

MANOR | Winter 2017

school AND FINALLY, A RECIPE TO MAKE TOGETHER

Gingerbread men You will need: • 350g plain flour • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1 large egg • 175g soft brown sugar • 100g butter, softened • 4 tbsp golden syrup • 1½ tsp ground ginger What to do • Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 and grease two baking trays.

• Place the flour, butter, ginger and bicarb in a bowl.

• Rub in the butter with your fingertips, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.

• Beat the egg, and add the brown sugar, the egg and the syrup to the mixture.

• Stir until it becomes a dough.

• Roll out the dough on a floured board so it is ½ cm thick.

• Cut out the man shapes with a cutter and place them on the trays.

• Cook for 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

• Use icing to decorate.

MANOR Winter 2017

143

Prime Waterfront & Country House

S O U T H H A M S’ L EAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

Exceptional property with River Dart views – Stoke Gabriel

Guide price

£1,875,000

A magnificent 6 bedroom property with over 6,000 square feet, located on the edge of the popular village of Stoke Gabriel with fabulous views over the River Dart and surrounding countryside, luxurious indoor swimming pool, woodland and landscaped gardens. EPC Rating E.

Totnes 4 miles, Exeter 24 miles, Plymouth 25 miles

hotel 6 Bedrooms bathtub 5 Bathrooms furniture 5 Reception Rooms Web Ref: TOT170237

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MILLBROOK 01752 829000

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

marchandpetit.co.uk 144

MANOR | Winter 2017

Totnes office: 01803 847979

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

Property The Relocator | Property of note: Tremoren, St Kew, Cornwall Snapshot comparative

Rosekruge Barton Cottage, The Lizard, Cornwall Guide price: ÂŁ425,000. See page 159 savills.com

MANOR Winter 2017

145

Prime Waterfront & Country House

S O U T H H A M S’ L EAD I N G ESTATE AG EN T

Guide price

Stunning south facing estuary views – Dittisham

Located in the desirable village of Dittisham on the Dart Estuary and walking distance to all local amenities.

Reverse level living taking advantage of the outstanding views with delightful gardens offering a high degree of privacy. Vegetable garden and greenhouse. Double garage and parking. EPC Rating E.

Dartmouth 6 miles, Kingsbridge 14 miles, Totnes 9.5 miles

hotel 4 Bedrooms bathtub 3 Bathrooms furniture 2 Reception Rooms Web Ref: DAR160207

Prime Waterfront & Country House department: 01548 855590

DARTMOUTH 01803 839190

KINGSBRIDGE 01548 857588

MILLBROOK 01752 829000

MODBURY 01548 831163

NEWTON FERRERS 01752 873311

marchandpetit.co.uk 146

MANOR | Winter 2017

£1,395,000

Dartmouth office: 01803 839190

SALCOMBE 01548 844473

TOTNES 01803 847979

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

property

The Relocator is a brand-new feature to kick off MANOR Property, shining the spotlight on potential relocation destinations within the South West. We talk to residents, business owners and estate agents to assess the pros and cons worth considering prior to making the leap.

FALMOUTH, CORNWALL

V

oted the top place to live in 2017 by readers in The Sunday Times, Falmouth is a lively harbour town on the south coast of Cornwall. Well known for its strong links to design and contemporary art, maritime heritage and coastal culture, Falmouth has a population of approximately 22,500, which makes it one of the most populated towns in Cornwall.

Jonathan Cunliffe, Head of Office for Savills Cornwall, reports that the average price for a larger four-bedroom terraced house within walking distance of both the town and beaches, and with a glimpse of a sea view, would be £600k-£800k. A smaller townhouse, further away from the beaches, would cost £300k-£400k, and an apartment somewhere between £300k and £500k. Due to Falmouth’s diversity, it’s been a popular place to live. “Falmouth has been one of the strongest markets in the West Country in recent years,” explains Jonathan, “because it’s got fantastic beaches on one side and a colourful harbour on the other, which is unusual, as it’s usually one or the other.” Falmouth boasts three strong personalities: being a working port, there’s an abundance of leisure activities; it’s a university town, which brings in talented innovators that drive the creative scene; and it’s a tourist destination.

Popular hot spots include Falmouth Art Gallery, which has an impressive collection of more than 2,000 artworks and regular good exhibitions. The National Maritime Museum is also a major draw; situated beside the thirdlargest natural deep-water harbour in the world, it explores the influence of the sea on history and culture, specifically within Falmouth and the region – Falmouth’s surrounding areas include pretty coastal villages and endless scenic coastline. The Roseland Peninsula, with the Fal Estuary enclosing the west side and Carrick Roads on the east, is where you’ll find the ever-popular fishing town of St Mawes. A regular ferry service to St Mawes from Falmouth takes approximately 20 minutes. The Roseland Peninsula provides coastal and inland walks all year round; if you’re after something more energising, there are facilities to hire kayaks and voyage up and down the Cornish coastline.

With Falmouth busy throughout the year, the hustle and bustle of the town is not for everyone, and the surrounding villages offer a quieter alternative. Rebecca Heane, cofounder of luxury homewares retailer Cream Cornwall and a resident of Flushing (which sits across the harbour to Falmouth), reveals: “Villages just outside of Falmouth, such as Mylor and Constantine, are proving really popular, as they have their own vibrant communities, and living here

provides the best of both worlds – easy access to colourful Falmouth, then returning home to a quieter life.”

Falmouth offers an impressive business environment, which is constantly evolving. Richard Gates, Town Manager, informs us that an impressive 75% of businesses in Falmouth town are independents: “There’s a wide span of businesses in Falmouth, from one-off independents, South West-based brands through to the chain stores.” He names Finisterre, Rick Stein and The Stable, along with Art World Gallery, Mirri Damer and Folklore as interesting examples. There are few empty retail spaces within Falmouth, and the town is busy throughout the year, not having to rely solely on holiday periods to survive. Successful cold-water surfwear brand Finisterre, based in St Agnes, has stores in London, Bristol and Exeter – and Falmouth. Founder Tom Kay says, “Falmouth is a good brand fit for Finisterre, as it’s an exciting coastal town with a strong seafaring heritage, as well as a university with strong fashion and design credentials.”

Many design graduates stay in the town to settle and the resulting extensive range of creative businesses drives up the personality of the town.

The drawbacks? Location has to be the key one. Based on the southern coast of Cornwall, it’s not easy to get back and forth to, particularly if you need to get to the capital regularly. By road, you will need to take the busy A30 through Truro; during holiday periods this road can get fairly congested and journey time delayed. Mainline trains from London Paddington run as far as Truro, taking an average time of 4 hours and 45 minutes. A change would be necessary from Truro for the branch line service to Falmouth, taking a further 20 minutes. Newquay Cornwall Airport, with its daily flights to Gatwick, is approximately 25 miles’ drive from Falmouth, DEVON and flights to London currently number one a day.

There are a lot of boats to take, should you wish to live across the harbour or visit/live on the Roseland A30 Peninsula. But a change of Cornwall Airport mode, and extracting CORNWALL yourself from reliance on Newquay the car, might make a refreshing Truro change, at least A30 when seas Roseland Peninsula Falmouth are calm!

Penzance

MANOR Winter 2017

147

Best of everything Offering secluded rural living, Tremoren also enjoys the benefits of close proximity to the North Cornwall coast and the lively village of St Kew. Words by Imogen Clements.

W

hen considering moving to the South West, the first question tends to be: coast or country? With an abundance of moors and coastline, the region offers plenty of both. Numerous pretty coastal towns and villages with terraced cottages, easy access to beaches and all the leisure that the sea offers; or myriad rural farmhouses, steeped in character, with spacious rooms and land to roam.

It’s rare that you come across a property that offers both.

Tremoren, in St Kew, north Cornwall, is one such property.

A large Cornish stone farmhouse, it is three miles from the county’s most sought after stretch of coastline, home to Polzeath, Daymer Bay and Port Isaac, yet set in 10 acres of its own patch of Cornish countryside, with pasture, paddocks, and a swimming pool.

Tremoren is a rarity in that it’s a farmhouse that is not remote, which tends to be the case with so many attractive South West farmhouses; but located just 148

MANOR | Winter 2017

outside the pretty village of St Kew, famous for its medieval church and a highly rated gastropub, the St Kew Inn, with its stream-lined beer garden. Many times, the St Kew Inn has been a destination lunch venue for those of us heading to the beach for the day, and Tremoren is a mere half-mile walk from the pub.

Tremoren has been lovingly restored by the current owners to the highly attractive family home it is today.

It has spacious rooms – there is a large bedroom suite on the ground floor, four bedrooms including the master bedroom on the first floor, and three further rooms on the second floor.

“The house is a five-bedroom home but it could easily extend to seven or eight bedrooms,” explains Josephine Ashby of John Bray, “as the top (attic) floor has a study and two other rooms, all of which could be converted to bedrooms. There is an immense open-plan kitchen with double-aspect views that has a living area

property of note

at one end, and the main drawing room boasts more lovely views of the surrounding countryside, as well as a large traditional fireplace. Outside, there are landscaped gardens, a swimming pool and a granite poolhouse, with its own fireplace, made for indoor/outdoor entertaining.

On a good day, you can be made to feel like you’re in the South of France.”

Connoisseurs of good food can dine well enough at the local pub, just a short walk away; but if you are hankering after top-class fine dining that’s of Michelinstar standard, both Rock and Port Isaac are a short drive away. Port Isaac is close enough to walk to, and Nathan Outlaw, who this year was named the best chef in the UK, has two restaurants there, including his eponymous Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, for which he was awarded two Michelin stars in 2011.

Situated between two areas of outstanding beauty – the North Cornwall coast, and the Camel and Allen valleys – the area around Tremoren is a haven for walkers and nature lovers. There are numerous footpaths as well as easy access to the famous South West Coastal Path, providing miles of bracing cliff walks and breath-taking coastal scenery.

With Tremoren, it’s possible to have it all – rolling countryside, privacy, yet easy access to beaches, awardwinning cuisine and high-end leisure facilities. The vendors are both keen sailors, who sail from the Camel estuary.

There are also the two golf courses in the St Enodoc and The Point, surfing at Polzeath, wind-surfing at Daymer, and should you wish to take the short ferry trip across the MANOR Winter 2017

149

150

MANOR | Winter 2017

property of note

With Tremoren, it’s possible to have it all – rolling countryside, privacy, yet easy access to beaches, award-winning cuisine and highend leisure facilities.

water, there’s the fishing village of Padstow, with its plethora of independent shops and culinary offerings from Rick Stein and Paul Ainsworth.

The couple are now looking to downsize, but in their time at Tremoren they have clearly cherished the house and restored it to a high standard, such that it would easily suit a family looking for a lifestyle change, to relocate permanently to Cornwall. Every bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, and the attic has been converted to rooms allowing for plenty of accommodation for teenage children, or perhaps a nanny or au-pair.

Moreover, there is a lively all-year-round community in St Kew, so it doesn’t suffer from quiet periods out of season. There are also good schools in St Kew, St Minver and Wadebridge.

Likewise, it’s a home that can easily accommodate two families holidaying together; with its central location and a host of facilities nearby, it has obvious holiday home appeal, yet with the tranquillity of a country house. That, for many, is the holy grail – all the fun and luxury of a well-established leisure scene, with all the peace, seclusion and privacy of a rural family home.

Newquay airport is just 15 miles away, and Bodmin Parkway train station 14 miles away, both giving easy access to London, should the purchaser need it.

Lifestyle change, holiday retreat for those who like to dip in and out of the melee, or simply the type of home you’ve been looking for in a place like no other, Tremoren works on many levels for many people, and for that reason is unlikely to be on the market for long.

Tremoren is on the market with John Bray and Partners at a guide price of £1,250,000. Tel: 01208 862601. johnbray.co.uk

MANOR Winter 2017

151

152

MANOR | Winter 2017

ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE HOMES IN DARTMOUTH

MOUNT BOONE, DARTMOUTH, DEVON

Spectacular reception areas and living accommodation ◆ Gym & cinema ◆ Sauna & steam room ◆ 5 en suite bedrooms ◆ Sublime estuary and coastal views ◆ Nearly 6,000 sq ft ◆ South facing level gardens Detached guest cottage & studio ◆ Gated driveway & ample parking ◆ EPC House = B ◆ EPC Cottage = C

Savills South Hams Sarah-Jane Bingham-Chick sjchick@savills.com

01548 800 462

Guide Price £2,950,000

MANOR Winter 2017

153

154

MANOR | Winter 2017

MANOR Winter 2017

155

Prime Waterfront & Country House Seasonal Greetings and Happy New Year from the Prime Waterfront & Country House team Marchand Petit have at your disposal a dedicated team of experts, exclusively concentrating on premium property across the South Hams and surrounding areas.

If you would like advice on buying or selling your next premium property, please do get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you in 2018.

Prunella Martin MA Director

SOUTH HAMS’ L EAD I N G E STATE AG EN T

Daniel Butterworth

Client & Sales Coordinator

Helen Burr

Client Coordinator

marchandpetit.co.uk

DARTMOUTH KINGSBRIDGE MAYFAIR MODBURY NEWTON FERRERS SALCOMBE TOTNES AUCTION LETTINGS NEW HOMES 01803 839190 01548 857588 0870 112 7099 01548 831163 01752 873311 01548 844473 01803 847979 01548 831932 01548 855599 01548 233100

156

MANOR | Winter 2017

PRIME WATERFRONT & COUNTRY HOUSE 01548 855590

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

from everyone at Marchand Petit

marchandpetit.co.uk marchandpetit.co.uk MANOR Winter 2017

157

The Bloor difference CAREFULLY CONSIDERED HOMES

BECAUSE SOMETIMES BIG DECISIONS ARE EASY TO MAKE Join us on Saturday 18th November for the launch of our Lembury showhome and discover our high specification for yourself Making a decision can sometimes be tricky. Not only does it need to be right, it needs to feel right too.

That’s why you’ll find our brand new showhome – the beautifully presented Lembury – to immediately feel like the home you have been looking for.

Discover this unique four bedroom terraced house offering flexibility for your modern lifestyle.

This distinctive housetype design takes advantage of the beautiful Totnes surroundings, making the most of this picturesque location.

Make a guaranteed move with Home Exchange.* Let us make your journey to The Lembury as smooth as possible; we will purchase your current home and you can remain there until The Lembury is ready for you. No complicated chain, just you and us.

SEE I T. F EEL I T. E X PER I E NC E I T.

TOTNES Baltic Wharf, St Peter’s Quay TQ9 5EW 4 bedroom homes from £539,950 Contact our Sales Advisors

01803 898818

Open daily 10am – 5pm

*Home Exchange and all Bloor Homes incentive schemes are subject to terms and conditions and are available on selected developments and plots only. Prices and availability correct at time of going to print.

Images shown for illustrative purposes only.

MANOR | Winter 2017

158

*Home Exchange and all Bloor Homes incentive schemes are subject to terms and conditions and are available on selected developments and plots only. Prices and availability correct at time of going to print. Images shown for illustrative purposes only.

property

Snapshot comparative A selection of properties in the South West and London under £650,000.

Church House, Throwleigh Guide price: £625,000

Devon

Located beside the lych-gate to the churchyard of St Mary the Virgin, and boasting charming village views, Church House is an attractive three-bedroom property in the vernacular style. It also accommodates a series of work rooms, studios and storage space, which have been used for both practical and artistic use. jackson-stops.co.uk

Roskruge Barton Cottage, The Lizard Guide price: £425,000

Cornwall

An enchanting three-bedroom cottage, this property is found in an idyllic, rural location in Cornwall, which offers a tranquil pace of life. The rooms are traditional, with wooden countertops in the kitchen, cottagestyle units and French doors leading to the front and rear gardens. All bedrooms boast views of the scenic grounds, with the majority of the gardens surrounded by authentic, low Cornish stone walls. savills.com

Wheel Row Cottages, Kingsbridge Guide price: £630,000

Devon

Within Kingston village is a pair of traditional 16th-century cottages, set within a communal terrace to the front, and each with its own pretty private rear garden area. Clematis Cottage has been restored and boasts traditional characteristics, including original beams and a wood-burning stove. Adjacent is Rambling Rose, with a wealth of features including fireplaces and beamed ceilings. The interconnecting door enables the two cottages to be used as one five-bedroom house if desired. marchandpetit.co.uk

Battersea Park Road, London Guide price: £550,000

London

This modern, architecturally designed one-bedroom flat is close to Battersea Park and an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants. The interior of the property consists of an open-plan reception area, which features bi-folding doors that allow the space to be fully opened out into the decked garden. With plenty of natural daylight, the contemporary kitchen is modern and bright, benefitting from a range of units, integrated appliances and wooden worktops. savills.com

MANOR Winter 2017

159

FINDING YOUR PROPERTY IN THE SOUTH WEST

For those seeking a property to accompany a life in the West Country Nick Turner property search, buying and relocation agents can help secure your dream home or corporate oďŹƒce in the stunning South West.

Acting on your behalf we search preferred geographical areas, source suitable properties, arrange virtual or in person viewings, negotiate a purchase or rental and introduce you to specialist advisors and tradesmen both pre-and post-completion to help with your relocation.

Nick Turner

Property Buying & Relocation 160

MANOR | Winter 2017

www.nick-turner.com @property_buying | @southwestpropertybuying

T: +44 (0)1647 253 188 | E: info@nick-turner.com Devon | Somerset | Dorset | Cornwall | Channel Islands

marketplace FASHION

To advertise here please email advertising@manormagazine.co.uk or call 07887 556447 JEWELLERY

Beautiful contemporary jewellery handmade by acclaimed designer Mirri Damer. Visit her Falmouth studio/ shop to see her range of gold and silver jewellery perfect to mark that special occasion, or even commission your own bespoke piece to celebrate and treasure forever. www.mirridamer.com 8 High Street, Falmouth 01326 619817

TRAVEL

GIFT IDEAS

MANOR Winter 2017

161

back page prize draw

T

a gastronomic weekend at Michelinstarred The Olive Room, North Devon

homas Carr, owner of The Olive Room in Ilfracombe, trained under Nathan Outlaw, and in 2016 won his first Michelin star. He’s very proud to have retained it this year, and to celebrate this – plus the addition of bed and breakfast facilities at The Olive Room – Thomas and his team are offering one lucky MANOR reader and their guest a two-night stay, which will comprise: • • •

à la carte welcoming dinner with wine on the first night the seven-course taster menu with wine pairings on the second night bed and breakfast staying in a superior sea-view double room

Nearby attractions include Damien Hirst’s sculpture ‘Verity’, the Broomhill Sculpture Gardens, Exmoor National Park and the stunning threemile-long Woolacombe Sands – consistently voted the best beach in the UK. From here you can sail to Lundy Island, have a go at coasteering, surf, stand-up paddleboard, or just stroll and take the sea air.

HOW TO ENTER This latest MANOR Back Page Prize promises to be an unforgettable and quite delicious weekend! To enter, go to manormagazine.co.uk/backpagecompetition. The Prize Draw closes at midnight on 15 January 2018 and the winner will be informed the very next day.

Thomas Carr All terms and conditions can be found at manormagazine.co.uk/backpagecompetition

162

MANOR | Winter 2017

wake up to natural sleep At Naturalmat, in the heart of Devon, we hand craft unique mattresses and beds using entirely natural and organic materials.

10% off

for Manor read ers with the code Manor1

Chiswick Showroom NOW OPEN

naturalmat.co.uk 01392 877 247 London Showroom ~ The Old Dairy, 66a Paddenswick Rd, London W6 0UB Devon Showroom ~ Odhams Wharf, Topsham, Devon EX3 0PD MANOR Winter 2017

163

Merry Christmas

87 Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3RP, Tel 01392 279994, Email websales@mortimersjewellers.co.uk

164

MANOR | Winter 2017